That kinda sucks. Before my TBI, I drank alot, after TBI- I have no interest in alcohol at all. Hopefully you're not addicted. GOOD LUCK.

My bf is 4 mo post TBI. He didnt drink that often before but when he did he sometimes did to excess. He was drunk when he had his accident. He often asks for alcohol now, sometimes is demanding abt it, but I dont let him. The dr just told him again today that alcohol is no good for his brain recovery. You do know that TBI survivors are more likely to have problems with addiction? If I were you I would closely look at why and when you drink. Maybe talk to a counselor o your dr. You have made a brave first step in asking for advice here. Good luck!

Some tbi do change people. Perhaps something that changed with you. Dont know what if any meds your on, but some increase the alcohol effect, so please take care of yourself. Tbi is enough to live with as you know for yourself. Your also a vet, that takes courage to live with too. I know a few, and it isnt easy for them or their family.

Some of us with TBI's deal with something that is similar to OCD, after having our TBI. I'm wondering if that might be what you are dealing with. Have you talked to any of your Docs about this?

I don't have the problem with drinking (I don't drink at all) but I find myself having addictive type behavior in other areas. It's very difficult, when you were never like that pre-TBI.

Well I am Irish and well I was brought up practically in the pub. Its just part of our culture but most of my friends as we started to get a little older and concentrate more on jobs etc. I have always enjoyed a drink of two but remember being told that I couldn't drink for a year after my tbi. So I didn't and taht was no problem but during that year my boyfriend left me as soon as I was allowed to drink again I did go a bit of the rails and was drinking a but too much not all the time but just when I was out at parties and stuff. I think for me I was trying to forget all the bad stuff in my life and that I think is what allot of drinkers are doing. I do not know your full story is are you drinking to try and forget the bad stuff in your life. If this is the case and you don't like what you are doing then you need to maybe find some one to talk too and try and come to terms with these issues you have more. I am doing much better now I still enjoy a drink or two but I have learned my lesson from a few silly nights out and now can keep myself better under control. Try and ask yourself are you drinking to cover up problems or to help you stop thinking about them as if you are you would be better no matter how hard it is trying to come to terms with life as it is now. It's not all dark and with he right attitude you can find a way past your need for drink. Get in touch and tell me some more if you want

It doesnt seem to have been mentioned yet, but a big part of a TBI can be impulse control. Our filters are broken. I could easily see that translating into over induldging in alcohol or just indulging more than you used to.

But i do want to express some caution, although the jury is out and the medicial community seems to be split on the issue, some research says alcohol may not be the best for someone with a TBI. I am sure they mean in excess. Just wanted to put that out there.

i found I could relate better ( when I could always relate the best and first ~ but I lost it). So I started to rely on it. Yeah, now my dear-loving family could just lob a drinking probleim to "a bump on the head". It made me very angy and made me take a hard look at who I thought were my closest and who understood me.

Hell, I was 34, in the prime of my life (uh, so they say.) I didn't do the bar scene. I'm from NY, weddings, showers, funerals, divorces, F"yeah we drank to the occaision. After having Jack & Kate NO.

After the tbi, yes. Yes indeed, to be honest the need to drink ~ to drink and just make sense of what the f"ck was going on ; was a need I had. I did it once.... and got caught. Story of my life.

I wish I was back in HSl I stil want my kids, but I want the innocence,

PM if you want to go further. hugs & peace brat

Wow! That's big! I think you are drinking in order to deal with your traumatic brain injury and you don't really want to remember what happened or even deal with everything.
You could go to an alcohol treatment center where you'd get group therapy and individual therapy with a psycholigist. There are 7-day programs that really work, some I heard are intense and get to root of the problems folks have with addictions. There are also support groups known as Alcoholics Anonymous, Al-anon, & Ala-Teen, Just a thought, not telling you what to do, just telling you what's available.

After my tbi at age 3, I was told that I wanted to keep eating and eating,
waking up in the dead of night and wanting oatmeal or something like that. That's interesting.

Okay...you have lots of good advice telling you why you shouldn't drink but, I haven't read (or picked up on the actual why from anyone).

I drank before and I have drank after. I've had one shot...black me out. I've also found myself drinking because...after the first 2...I returned to my "pre TBI" personality. I could walk - straight and without a limp, I could talk normal, giggle and joke around. People thought I was the real me...and I enjoyed being...normal! Best part? No matter how much I drank...I never had a hangover...even better right?

It took it's toll...cost me nearly a year away from my husband...my best support as well as my care taker. He got locked up...I had to stand on my own. I can count the number of drinks I've had since on one hand.

I wasn't drowning out the pain...I drank to appear normal. The night my husband was arrested...they let me drive home...I'd had just as much to drink as he had...but there were no signs.

It's not always about what the doctors say about killing brain cells, OCD, or even becoming addicted. I could take it or leave it never had a problem there at any point in time. However, I was masking the truth...avoiding the recovery I needed to go through.

Because of the cost... I chose to face what was wrong and make it as good as I could without the aide of alcohol.

The solution...is working rather well for me.

If you think you have a problem...you should certainly do something about it.

I drank socially before my TBI. I put all drinking down for quite a while following my TBI, but have since pick it back up. I think that something in the brain may have been damaged that helps you regulate how much you actually need of any one thing. Like the part of the brain that controls addiction has been affected. I don't think you are alone in this. But, you should probably address it with you brain injury physician. Good luck!

lol...we visited an aunt and uncle on Sat night. The men in the house were working on redoing an attic with drywall etc, all day, and drinking. My bf, who was asking for alcohol alot but i always said no, and who only occasionally asks for it now, drank a pepsi without questioning. After an hr he asked if he could have some. We each had 3 very small glasses. That night since there was alot going on at home with kids and so forth, we decided to get a motel room so we could have some privacy. lol, he fell asleep.I guess its true that a small amt of alcohol now hits much harder than pre-TBI

For sake of me singling anyone out, Thank you all. I AM a vet, but I am not masking those memories, they are there even after. I might be (subconsciously) be trying. I do have a cut-off point, I cannot drink past a point, and REFUSE liqure. I drink only beer. And as far as being an alcoholic, I am 100% fine if I do not drink. Mid month, I have none in the hose, and just drink tea. Thank you to the one who made the point of TBI affecting our ability to stop. This makes sense, as this was my post. I REFUSE to be an alcoholic, as I have learned it runs in my family. My main concern has been addressed, as I said, I drink, but am ok with not. It is just a matter of once I have one, I keep going, Not necessarily until I am "drunk" just when my mind says "ENOUGH" All responses were good, and made me think, and want to talk to my Neurolgist. Thank you to all. i will update when I learn more.

My symptoms are far worse the day following a drinking binge. I am very foggy, forgetful, forget words mid-sentence, and can't type for crap. Does anyone else experience this?

I agree. Memory is FAR worse after