14 units a week
Discussion
Is anyone going to conform to the new guidelines?
In 1994 two lumps were found in my throat and I went for a small diagnostic examination. If they'd been found malignant, I'd have had a tracheotomy there and then. I asked my surgeon the odds.
Question 1: Do you smoke or work in a smokey atmosphere?
Reply: No.
Question 2: How much do you drink in a week?
Reply: I'm tee-total and have been since early 1979.
He sat forward in his chair, which was a bit worrying at the time.
He said: I've been doing seven or eight of these investigations three days each week for about seven (forgotten the actual time) years. In that time I have never performed a tracheotomy on someone who does not drink and does not smoke and does not work in a smokey atmosphere. That said, there's a first time for everything, but I'd put your odds in the hundreds to one against.
There were eight others who went in for the op the same day as I did. My appointment was rushed due to the appearance of the lumps. All the others had a tracheotomy apart from one bloke who worked on airplane engines at Gatwick and he was sent home to die as the cancer was too far advanced. I was the only one in the clear.
I went for a debrief. I didn't get the surgeon but another doctor. I told him how scared I'd been and he said that it had been 'well known' for some time that any degree of alcohol or smoking or working in a smokey atmosphere (second hand smoke as it is called now) substantially increases the risk of cancer of the lips, mouth, tongue, throat and the various tubes afterwards, and by a measurable degree.
He said: Drinking or smoking is extremely dangerous [to the bits mentioned] but doing both at the same time increases the risk by a factor of 80 or so.
He said that there was no safe amount, that's of alcohol and tobacco.
This in 1994.
About five years later I discovered that his secretary lived at the house which butted onto the bottom of our garden. I mentioned my experience and she said that he'd actually discussed the fact that a non-smoker, non-drinker had been in for the investigation. The first, it would appear.
I know it is easy for me not to drink as I'm alcohol intolerant. I gave up when I was told that drinking is likely to kill me. It was no problem.
So why is it that not many people will take notice of the warning?
In 1994 two lumps were found in my throat and I went for a small diagnostic examination. If they'd been found malignant, I'd have had a tracheotomy there and then. I asked my surgeon the odds.
Question 1: Do you smoke or work in a smokey atmosphere?
Reply: No.
Question 2: How much do you drink in a week?
Reply: I'm tee-total and have been since early 1979.
He sat forward in his chair, which was a bit worrying at the time.
He said: I've been doing seven or eight of these investigations three days each week for about seven (forgotten the actual time) years. In that time I have never performed a tracheotomy on someone who does not drink and does not smoke and does not work in a smokey atmosphere. That said, there's a first time for everything, but I'd put your odds in the hundreds to one against.
There were eight others who went in for the op the same day as I did. My appointment was rushed due to the appearance of the lumps. All the others had a tracheotomy apart from one bloke who worked on airplane engines at Gatwick and he was sent home to die as the cancer was too far advanced. I was the only one in the clear.
I went for a debrief. I didn't get the surgeon but another doctor. I told him how scared I'd been and he said that it had been 'well known' for some time that any degree of alcohol or smoking or working in a smokey atmosphere (second hand smoke as it is called now) substantially increases the risk of cancer of the lips, mouth, tongue, throat and the various tubes afterwards, and by a measurable degree.
He said: Drinking or smoking is extremely dangerous [to the bits mentioned] but doing both at the same time increases the risk by a factor of 80 or so.
He said that there was no safe amount, that's of alcohol and tobacco.
This in 1994.
About five years later I discovered that his secretary lived at the house which butted onto the bottom of our garden. I mentioned my experience and she said that he'd actually discussed the fact that a non-smoker, non-drinker had been in for the investigation. The first, it would appear.
I know it is easy for me not to drink as I'm alcohol intolerant. I gave up when I was told that drinking is likely to kill me. It was no problem.
So why is it that not many people will take notice of the warning?
I suspect very few will heed the advice intentionally.
There is a large increase in the number of laryngeal cancers in young and middle-aged adults as an aside. I rarely have a week when we don't operate on another 2 or 3. This increase is driven by human papilloma virus infection and not alcohol however, although excess alcohol will certainly not help treatment.
There is a large increase in the number of laryngeal cancers in young and middle-aged adults as an aside. I rarely have a week when we don't operate on another 2 or 3. This increase is driven by human papilloma virus infection and not alcohol however, although excess alcohol will certainly not help treatment.
Still far too many variables, presumably?
Risk Vs reward.
Genetic luck.
Lack of knowledge/understanding.
Lack of intelligence, and/or education.
YOLO.
Couldn't give a f
k, where's my drink & tab?
Could be other stuff that doesn't get mentioned?
Where do you draw the line? Particularly in relation to the first couple and the last?
Risk Vs reward.
Genetic luck.
Lack of knowledge/understanding.
Lack of intelligence, and/or education.
YOLO.
Couldn't give a f
k, where's my drink & tab?Could be other stuff that doesn't get mentioned?
Where do you draw the line? Particularly in relation to the first couple and the last?
There's this one where the OP is active - http://www.pistonheads.com/gassing/topic.asp?h=0&a...
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