THE IT'S FIVE O'CLOCK SOMEWHERE EXPERIMENTATION

So..........

moderate drinking eases Fibromyalgia.

Gee, ya think???

They needed a study for this??

I guess it's been shown that people that drink have less trouble with the symptoms of Fibromyalgia and a better quality of life. Now, I'm not Einstein but I don't think you have to be a Mensa candidate to figure this one out.

Moderate drinking is categorized as more than three but less than seven drinks a week. Okay, so if I knock down a few after dinner I guess I'll be able to handle the pain in a more ladylike fashion. Here's the trouble......

I have NO tolerance for alcohol.

If I have a drink or a glass of wine I have been known to start drunk dialing. I just can't tolerate alcohol. This started after I had my daughter. In college my girlfriend and I used to win shot contests and still be standing straight. Something happened to my body after I had Danielle. I get buzzed really, really fast. 

It doesn't help that I really don't like the taste of liquor. I have to hide it in fru-fru drinks like Mudslides or Pina Coladas or, if I was back in the old college days, Everclear 151 and fruit punch. If I can't taste it and the rest of the drink tastes good I'm in trouble. I forget the stuff is in there.

So, back to the study.

Who wastes time with this??

Of course, if you're half lit you're going to be able to tolerate the pain that bombards our bodies. It's interesting that some of the patients reported that they also cannot tolerate alcohol so that is why they abstain. Also, there are medications that absolutely should NOT be taken while drinking. 

If you're in a lot of pain and take opioids, you should DEFINITELY NOT resort to moderate drinking to relieve symptoms. People with Fibromyalgia have low GABA levels (gamma-aminobutyric acid). GABA slows down the activity of the nerve cells in the brain. Alcohol increases the action of the GABA receptor. This may be a reason that the pain volume is turned way up in people with Fibromyalgia. Low GABA, high pain, huh?

Like I said.....if you're half lit......who cares??

Of the 946 people who participated in the study it was founds that they had lower BMI (I guess if you drink you don't eat) lower unemployment and higher education. (You can tell that from a margarita? 

There is a caveat from the study......

They urged people not to start drinking to relieve pain.

They couldn't figure out why the alcohol helped with the pain.

They actually studied this???

I have to stop writing....

my margarita is waiting for me.

After one of them I won't even be able to spell margarita.

Update: Too much reverses the effect!

Here's the link......you've got to read it.......Moderate drinking may ease symptoms.