Shoulder cramps after drinks some types of alcohol

Hi Sucklehonny,

No, I haven't yet had my gall bladder checked. It does seem that (some) fried foods produce a very similar, if not exactly the same, pain as many alcohols. I have a check up this month and will bring this up.

Thanks!

Suckleh0nny,

I'm glad you were tested and do not have lymphoma. And I apologize if I am creating any fear. I post throughout the web on this issue and sometimes in my effort to get the word out there, I may be brief and to the point.

However, I would clarify something very important about the alcohol pain symptom of lymphoma. For people who experience it, it IS the only symptom. All the other ones you mention are later stage symptoms IF they are experienced at all.

Most patients I know that had alcohol pain had no other symptoms for up to a year. Alcohol pain is typically a stage 1 symptom.

So it was very deliberate on my part to mention only this symptom. Many people wrongly think (like I did) that they don't have lymphoma because they lack the other symptoms.

And alcohol pain as I described is very specific to Hodgkin's (you can find this easily in literature). It goes so often undetected that I have made it my goal to spread the word. And, it's a bittersweet reality that I there are several people who discovered their lymphoma after reading a comment I posted.

Lymphoma is a scary thing but its much less scary if you discover it early rather than later.

I have had this for years. It started out as pain in the back of my neck after just a sip or two. Over the years the pain went from my neck to my neck and upper back. Then my neck and whole back was in pain (for approximately 20 minutes starting just a few sips into my drink). Just recently I had a drink and it started in my neck, continued down my back and around my ribcage. I also felt sick to my stomach this time. About 15 minutes later I was completely fine. I always thought it was due to living a stressful life and my body having a hard time relaxing. I never thought that the mixers might have something to do with it, but after reading some of these comments, it makes sense. I always mix with a very sugary mixer to mask the taste of alcohol, which I know I shouldn't because I am hypoglycemic. A comment on another website suggested it may be Excitotoxicity. Hmm...

I'm sorry I didn't mean to seem like I was attacking you but I see your point I'm the same with my congestive heart failure and graves disease. I wish more people had talked about it before my diagnosis.

I just wanted to reconfirm that I think whoever came up with the sulfite awareness he maybe on to something. I've stopped drinking margaritas altoghether but we made homemade limeaids the other day with sprint and limes and had the same reaction. In my case I think that is it but I know it stinks for this to happen to anyone.

I myself am experiencing it right now. My should blades and ribs hurt, my stomach is the least of my worries and I have a slight headache. I haven't had it in a while and the worst was when I first started drinking about a year ago. I hope someone figures out what the problem is. I'd really like to know what to avoid. I have noticed that I only get it when drinking Mike's Hard Lemonade flavored drinks.

I, too, have this allergy: pain in my chest, neck, and shoulders when I drink some wines or any wine cooler. It began years ago, seemingly out of the blue and got worse. I stopped drinking wine coolers altogether and eventually stopped drinking wines, too. With wines, I was unable to isolate the reaction to a particular brand or type. I mentioned this to a dermatologist and she suggested it could be sulfite allergy. Today I found an article on About-dot-com and learned that wine is among the things with the highest levels of sulfite and beer among the lowest. It occurs naturally in fermented beverages (to varying degrees) and other foods. There is no reliable skin test for this allergy, but a doctor with experience in sulfite allergy testing can perform an accurate test. The test requires the patient to ingest increasing amounts of sulfite while being monitored. You'll find more info at About-dot-com; search "sulfite allergy".

Hi, I usually wouldn't use these forums for my problems, I just don't care enough about a solution usually.

With that said, I've got the same exact problem as a lot of the users on this site. I too just turned 21, not saying that was when I had my first drink or not, but the point is, I get pain with alcohol. Only alcohol.

Usually, when I have a half a shot glass (liquor, I hate beer products) I can tell immediately whether or not I'm going to have problems. My right arm gets tender, then the pain shoots into my right shoulder blade. From there, I can usually tought it out, barely, but then it moves up into my neck and my lower back. At that point, I have been known (with just a sip or three glasses) to go to my room in the dark and curl into a ball and it even brings me to tears.

I have not allowed this to stop my drinking habits, I have just adapted, expirimented, and even kept track of some of the things that seem common to the problem.

My first time drinking, I had three Mike's Lemonades, absolutely delicious. After half a bottle, I had a tender right arm. I had the other two and a half bottles with no other ill effects and didn't think anything of it.

My roommate gave me a shot glass of vodka mixed with orange soda (yum), and after two sips I immediately had a shoulder blade ache. My girlfriend at the time tried to massage it out, but it spread to my neck and that was the first time I cried about the problem.

I've had many other occasions where the amount doesn't seem to have any pattern to it, but I can usually bank that on the first few sips of my drink I can tell if it's going to be a painful 40 mins or a great time!

The other day, I went out with my cousin and I had four glasses (mixed drinks) with vodka (someone made it a little too strong if you know what I mean) and I was perfectly fine. Minus a small headache, obviously.

Yesterday, I filled a large cup (12oz) with cherry pepsi (which I've made this drink and had made for me before) and literally, a splash of vodka. I couldn't taste the alcohol (unlike the night I went out with my cousin), but after three sips or so, I was in my room almost in tears.

Tonight, I had a splash of vodka with cranberry juice, maybe an 8oz glass. I started to get some pain....but I drank two glasses of water once that happened and the problem went away, I'm about to go have another glass of my mix, and see what happens.

As for what I find the common problems might be:

I find that if I didn't have my normal diet of too many calories (the American way)

I didn't drink as much water as is reccommended for a man aged 21, height of 6', and weighs about 210lbs.

And the other factor that seems prevalent is carbonated drinks...though that seems to be a bit of a stretch, especially since I can drink soda with my vodka easily enough most of the time.

Please, anyone with any advice, any other common causes we can pin this on, or just explain exactly what the pain is, where is starts, and what it does would be appreciated.

Oh, and before I go, I do get very small amounts of gas, I just noticed this yesterday night. That might be something I never noticed before, or might have nothing to do with anything.

I am relieved to find this thread! I finally decided to look this up tonight because I've only ever had this reaction after drinking margaritas but tonight had 3 sips of beer and then happened to grab a bite of my daughter's leftover cheap chocolate bunny and within 30 seconds of eating the cheap chocolate, the intense pain in my shoulders and upper arms began and I could not get comfortable in any position. Now it is 15 minutes later and I am completely fine again. I really want to understand this!

I have the exact same thing and also a lump on my body. After reading this blog I got concerned about Hodgkinsions Disease and went to the hospital. They ordered some tests to determine the lump as non cancerous, but when I told them about the alcohol thing they treated me like I was crazy. They even brought in another doctor who told me everything was fine and to stop drinking alcohol for the rest of my life if the pain was the problem. It was humiliating for me. I would have never brought it up knowing they would look at me as "odd". So you know this may just be a normal thing. Allergic reactions and intolerances would have more tell tale signs I was also informed. Best of luck to those who try discussing it with other health care professionals and get the "weirdo" tag. Sincerely 25 year old girl.

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Ok....me too. I am 48 and have had this since I was 23. I first got it drinking a jolt cola. It happens with wine coolers, sweet margaritas and sometimes if combining fruit with wine. Sharp pain through out my shoulders, mostly where my shoulder mussel intercepts my biceps. Even on both sides, and I can barely move my arms. Non diet sodas are also culprits. Hummmm. Other ailments.... Slight asthma, excema....

I have a similar problem, but the pain is worst in my stomach and it feels very 'metallic'. The commonality for me is that it lasts only about 15 minutes BUT during those 15 minutes the pain is very intense, .by mouth watering-nausea. I may have the shoulder /neck pain, but it is less severe than the stomach pain so maybe I don't notice it all that much. It started with Rum...only a sip, so I thought i was simplly allergic to rum. But then other types of hard alcohol followed, once with a wine cooler but never wine, never beer.Once with a margarita, tho I drink those all the time. At least now when it happens I know I'll be alright in 15 minutes, but yes, I'd really love to know what causes it, and especially why it only happens very occassionally.

INteresting that it happens 'with the first sip' and lasts 15-20 minutes for the majority of us......It started for me about 25 years ago.

I have the same exact issue. Except with beer ( but I don't like beer) , skyy vodka, Smirnoff vodka, well vodka, stoli vodka, mix drinks ( like Jose Cuervo margarita in a bottle) and coolers all give me that horrendous shooting pain. Like others, I stop drinking, and try to drink water until pain subsides (10 min- 45 min, but it feels like FOREVER) I say "I'm allergic to cheap $#%+" ;)