adverse reaction to alcohol

Hi, I have this problem as well. I did some research in to alcohol metabolism and here are some interesting things I found out. "Asian flush" is a real problem for some people and it has to do with your genetic make-up. It is estimated that 50% or so of Asian people do not have the gene that is responsible for the chemical breakdown of alcohol. It makes them really sick. If you start reading about the gene that enables our body to metabolize alcohol, a person can have 2 copies, 1 copy or no copies of this gene. Having 2 means you are able to metabolize just fine, having one means you can have some trouble and sickness, and having none means it literally can kill you in much smaller doses that it would take in anyone else. I am of Scottish and German descent and apparently it is not uncommon in Northern Europeans to only have one copy of this gene (or allele) therefore I get sick (migraines etc) easily on anything after about 2 drinks. As I get older I feel it is becoming worse. This, plus adding in that alcohol is technically a poison (that is why it gives you the effects it does) and that your body is trying to eliminate it from your system via several metabolic pathways, liver chemicals first, then skin flushing, etc. Makes it very apparent its not that good for ya. There is a very complicated chemical pathway that is used by our livers to break it down and if you do some research you'll see lots of "acetyls this" and "histamines that" used to describe it. I could go into it but I'll leave that up to you. I have used the antihistamine Benadryl and it helps. Sometimes cures my migraine. I have seen on blogs that some people take it before drinking and it helps them. Also alcohol causes rhinitis too in many people. So get researching and you'll find what works for you or doesn't. I very rarely go over a couple drinks anymore, have found it is just not worth it. Good Luck!

Hi

Me too. I am 45, used to beable to drink til dawn with hardly any symptoms. Had children at 30 and my tolerance became much less.

Now the very rare occasion i do have a drink, only a couple of cinzanos and lemonade at that because i cant stand taste of anything else anymore either, i am sick, the runs, tight chest, back ache and feel like i want to curl up in a ball and hibernate. Thought it was just me but feel alot happier reading other blogs. Wonder what it is?! Like many of you are saying will just have to be teetotal!!

You just described exactly what happens to me now too. I'm a 43 female and a year ago this starting happening to me. About 1/2 hour to an hour after 1 beer I feel like I'm coming down with the flu. I lose my strength and have goose bumps. I have to climb in bed and completely wrap up. I get so tired. It lasts for about an hour and then I'm fine. What's weird is that I take my temp because I think I'm coming down with the flu and its always 97.1 or 97.3. After the episode stops my temp goes back to normal. My doctor says he doesn't know what it is. I've just stopped drinking all together. It's such an awful feeling that I'd rather just not drink at all. =) Post if you ever find out why you get this.

Sorry folks but there is no answer.  I am in the same boat and have spent hours and hours and hours on the best medicinal websites the net has to offer and there is nothing that specifically addresses our problem. The doctors can not provide an answer either. All I can say is if you want to have one or two drinks now and then make sure you do it on a full stomach, drink some water to stay hydrated, maybe have something small to eat between drinks and then cross your fingers and hopel the next 24 hours are bearable. Maybe someday the medicial community will have an answer for us.

I disagree, my prior post points out some very interesting cause and effects. Also now I have found that if you are taking any kind of stimulant, phentermine, adderal, diet pills, "pep" pills, highly caffeinated drinks etcetera, and then drink alcohol you basically are taking a vasodialator and a vasoconstrictor at the same tim and needless to say, it will jack up your blood flow thus causing constriction and spasm and just plain confuse your nervous system. So keep track of what you are doing or taking when these things occur and it will become apparent what causes it.

I just have to commiserate with all of you.  I am in the same boat.  I started noticing that hangovers were becoming worse around age 26.  By age 33, drinking alcohol had just become no fun.  A half a drink, less really, will give me a two day hangover.  I do not get nauseated, but I do feel like I have been poisoned: a slightly metallic taste in my mouth, feel really bad and shaky, the shakiness lasts into the second day.  The second day of the hangover is no fun either - just as bad but slightly different.   I was searching the internet to find the answer that doesn't appear to exist and found this thread.  I have probably had less than a dozen drinks in the last 10 years.  I do an experiment every once in a while and regret it badly. Boo-hiss.

Its anxiety.

alcohol brings on anxiety and its alcohol withdrawal -google it and something called kindling.

 

at some point in your lives youve all had a big boozey session and overloaded your body. Eg a drinking holiday, stag do or big night out.  Something in you that day snapped and it means if you have another drink you suffer with withdrawals- thats why you all get brain fog for days afterwards.

 

there is no cure, stop drinking or it will get worse.

I gave up for 6 months last year (why did I go back!!?) went back to booze February 2013. I had my works dinner on 21st Dec and went out for over 12 hours. Compared to some of the guys I thought I paced it rather well. I felt so bad on the 22nd Dec and thought it would wear off like usual. But no. On 24th Dec I felt like I was losing my mind, I thought I would end up in a mental home I felt that bad; scared the sh*t out of me. Went to docs who prescribed some medication. Took a week to feel sort of ok. I'm through with this abusive "friend" of alcohol. I,m 47, and as you get older you handle it less well. Are we surprised? Considering we have been poisoning ourselves for years on a regular basis....the body hates it.

Not there is certain amount of disappointment and stress is everywhere but alcohol is not solution for it....so be brave and face your own problem...

Yep, me too.

But to be honest I don't think medical science is going to go out of its way to help people do something that's not good for them...

I doubt there's labs working on how to make heroin non-addictive either..

 

Hi all!

 

Yes. I get bad headaches too. Had one can of 5% lager the other night, and had a bad head the next day. Not too bad though, but it lasted a couple of days. Only slight but I only had one can. Pathetic really. I don't get any of the other symptoms though, hot flushes or anything, just normal hangover symptoms along with the headache, but the hangover symptoms only present themselves if I drink a hangovers worth of alcohol, say 3 cans or more, but because of the headaches, haven't drank more than a couple of cans in 2 years.

So what causes it, and what's the answer?

I'm 36 and have horrible hangovers that are flu like symptoms with puking bile and mucus brain fog. Its absolutely unbearable. I am so stubborn I have to test it out every few months and it seems to get worse and worse with less drinks to set it off. I feel so bad for everybody who has this problem.I do think there's a possibility it is correlated with withdrawal symptoms.having been on benzo diazepam for over 10 years aand then quit for 4 years now withdrawals are the same sort of sickness.

I have read all these posts inc Dave 2 weeks ago. I suffer CFS chronic fatigue syndrome > and alcohol does this effect" makes me wonder if you all might have versions .. Onset of this ?
CFS is different in every person but alcohol is an absolute no no as it is 100% makes you Ill.
Look up ME / CFS to see the symptoms and I bet most here have them. I have occasionly in the past year drank, but omg I can be a week recovering, so now I have decided abstain fully 100% is the only way! and yes it feels like I am allergic to it.
I hope this info helps others.

Same thing seems to be happening to me. I'm violently ill tonight after 2.5 beers. Cold, shaking, sore body all over. I've had this before after alcohol (beer?) but never this bad. It's definitely getting worse. The frustrating thing is that 9/10 times I'll be fine after drinking. Then bam.

Your symptoms best replicate mine.. That mental feeling is so bad it can't even be described! It is literally devastating! I'm afraid that I don't have a solution but I'm trying to solve it...