Sudden development of intolerance to alcohol

Alcohol intolerance can cause immediate, unpleasant reactions after you consume alcohol. The most common signs and symptoms of alcohol intolerance are nasal congestion and skin flushing. This condition is sometimes inaccurately referred to as an alcohol allergy. Alcohol intolerance is caused by a genetic condition in which the body is unable to break down alcohol.  This information came from Mayo Clinic website. I have always turned bright red with the slightest bit of alcohol. After a while I started getting a nasty headache and my nose would becompletely stuffed up. I assumed I had an allergy to alcohol so I started researching it and found that it's actually alcohol intolerance and it's due to the body's inability to break down alcohol. I spoke with my doctor and found out that this intolerance can come on suddenly and with no explanation or history. He also said that it is much more common in people of an Asian decent. I'm half Korean so that would explain it. It's really a crappy situation and I'm researching ways to relieve symptoms as there is no actual “cure". I have found from my own personal experience that drinking loads of water before, during, and after, and also taking a Benadryl and some Tylenol before really makes a difference. It doesn't completely take it away but it keeps it at a bearable level for me. I plan to keep trying different things, as the Benadryl makes you really sleepy, and though it helps the symptoms, it's no fun being sleepy at the bar or at a party with friends. Hope this helps someone and if anyone else has something helpful to share, I'm open to trying new ideas! thanks for reading, everyone and good luck!

Most interesting detail...and since this aspect is mentioned in several posts, I would like to add that everyone, young and old, should be duly careful with all anti-gastric acid OTC drugs, including Prilosec. Primarily because these drugs are VERY effective at reducing the essential [must have] level of Hydrochloric Acid [HC] in the stomach and this means that one's digestive process is having to work all the harder to digest both their food and liquids.

Further, especially in older people, this seemingly 'harmless' drug interferes with bone metabolism which, as happened with my 94 y/o dad, will lead to increased incidence of hip and other fractures. After not telling me that a friend had suggested he buy the Prilosec from out of country, it was by only two months later that while standing on a cement floor, he abruptly fell and broke his hip. After surgery, the MD said "This was a clean break [ball from socket] and there is NO sign of cancer or osteoporosis" so, as was confirmed by both my investigation and the coincidentally breaking news

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this assured me that dad's break was caused by the Prilosec's too powerful ability to lower stomach acid [HC] which secondarily damaged the proper development of bone, tendons and ligaments.

Bottom line, everyone should take great care to have their level of HC tested 'before' using these proton pump inhibitor [PPL] drugs...because it is biologically true that 'either'...too much...or too little...production of stomach acid [HC] can cause the SAME symptoms that are far more often [and most erroneously in the elderly] called one-in-the-same or as "acid reflux."

I have had a simiar situation, I am 20 years old and have always been able to handle my drink, never forgotten nights or blanked out - can get myself home and never worried my mum or anybody about getting  too drunk. two weekend ago i was drinking vodkas and had no more than usual however i cant remember anything and was violently sick the next day, hot sweats, headache, couldnt keep liquid or food down until after 7pm the next night and had a racing heart and felt very light headed anytime I tried to stand.. thought this must be a one off occasion and stuck away from vodka. Friday night i shared a bottle of wine with a friend which is alot less wine than I would usually have on a night out, i woke up being sick from 8am and didnt stop till 5pm - again couldnt lift my head, violently sick, couldnt keep anything down, water or juice made me sick and it took alot longer to get over - this time i kept sleeping and had no energy to stand or get up. 

I am worried I have developed an intolerance as it is not like me at all and very out of the blue. I have recently lost nearly 3 stone and wondering if I have maybe damaged my stomach or upset some balance within my body even though I have done it very healthily and with advice and support?

Is there any diagnosis or ideas as to why this may have suddenly started happening?

I'm a 25 year old male. Tonight I had one beer. After having this beer I suddenly felt dizzy and disorientated. I can't understand why I feel this way. It's hard to focus and the sudden feeling of nausea was over welming. I hope I'm just getting sick and not developing a alcohol sensitivity.

If I drink I am exhausted for 3-4 days and can hardly get out of bed, eyes swell up, and can hardly breathe for 3-4 days. Can't think straight , can't sleep, and just feel like the walking dead, I feel like I am losing my mind. This started in my 30s, never had a problem with drink before that. I think it's a intolerance. If I have a few beers I start sneezing and can't stop for about 5 minutes. Then for a few days after my sinuses are very blocked also. 

Drinking for me is a total nightmare. I fall apart for a week after drinking, it's having a very bad affect on my health and my life. So I am cutting out drinking, I see no other option as I've tried everything else to counter this, nothing works, if I drink I suffer for almost a week after. It has also triggered panic attacks, and made me feel so bad I thought I was going to faint out on the street one day.

It's the strangest thing as the drink never used to have this effect on me.

Suddenly, I am hypersensitive to alcohol and caffeine.  I was also diagnosed with BPPV (Benign Paradoxial Positional Vertigo) This all happened after I received a flu vaccine shot. If I have even one cup of caffinated coffee or 1 light beer, I get dizziness and my ears start ringing. This can last up to 2 or 3 days. It is not debilitating but extremely annoying. I am 64 yrs. old. So far, no doctor has been able to figure out the cause. Anyone have any answers??

I too had this symptom for over a year and after visiting the doctor twice was sent for a ultrasound and bloodwork to check my liver/kidney function.  I was diagnosed with oncocytoma - a very rare, large tumor that was removed along with my kidney and gallbladder (gallstones too).  I never had any pain - just the symptom of not being able to tolerate alcohol.  If you have this problem, get to your doctor, pronto and demand an ultrasound.

It's pretty simple people. Alcohol is a toxin in high doses. Most of the people here probably go beyond 1-2 drinks (or have in the past). It's really not good for you. Now your bodies are essentially begging you to stop, listen to them. If I had to guess, your livers and the enzyme associated with breaking down alcohol have likely been effected. Milk thistle is an herb that's supposed to be a good protector against alcohol related liver damage. Again, I know our society drinks, but it's not a good thing. Who cares if you can drink more than the next guy? So yeah, milk thistle and common sense peeps.

The reason is that older people metabolize alcohol more slowly, and they also have less water in their bodies. The result is that an adult who consumes just a few glasses of wine will have a higher percentage of alcohol in his or her blood than a younger person drinking the same thing. That’s why you may start feeling tipsy sooner after consuming alcohol, even if your drinking habits are the same as always.

I am 44 male and in excellent health. Could drink quite a bit when in my 20's not a lot of trouble but I was prone to hangovers if I over did it. For the last 15 years if I have one beer I can wake so so sick its unreal. My head just pounds, I feel like I'm gonna vomit and I have an overall feeling of being POISONED! At that point it will be 3 to 5pm before I even feel human again. Coke a Cola is what I use. Coke syrup keeps you from vomiting. I remember my doctor prescribing it when I had the flue as a kid. If you can get it to stay down and start to pee, then it starts to pass. Then eating after that helps. Its a living hell and my day is shot. Never heard a legit answer why.

I went through a phase like this when I was younger. then a few years later I was able to drink again. I since found out that I have a gluten intolerance or possibly Celiac disease. I think it has something to do with it. I use to drink beer a lot more than anything else, which I can't drink now at all without problems. Gluten is found in a lot of items..I get that flush also after white wines and some reds as well as certain hard alcohol. since I have cut gluten out of my diet I can drink more normally now (mostly red wine or vodka) without many problems.

I have this problem as well, and also have long-standing IBS & severe diverticulosis. I do wonder if there is a tie-in between these two problem areas. Even a half of the first drink makes me feel really bad. Also, just wondering if any of you also are very sensitive to MSG. I am and recently found out exactly what monosodium glutamate is? It is actually a process of fermentation on the sugar in corn, and probably then has the moisture removed and dried for use in spices added to MANY foods. So I am wondering if the problem with the MSG and regular alcohol is somehow the fermentation process and the way it acts on some people's metabolism/digestive processes.

Dear I am also searching for the same answer , i am B PHARM graduate suffering from the same after 10 years of regular alcohol consuming without any allergy.

Please let me know if you have any answer.

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I also have had the same issues, and am only 28. Without seeing a doctor and the research I have done on by own, I've come to a few conclusions: 1. This is way more common in females 2. An allergy/intolerance to the ACTUAL alcohol itself is rare and that its usually a chemical or preservative in the alcohol that the body responds poorly too. 3. Allergies/intolerances can develop at any age regardless of your drinking history 4. If you feel bad, don't experiment and process of eliminate different types of alcohol. You can possibly make yourself much sicker or worsen your symptoms. Just stay away from it altogether. If you're that insistent on drinking, have your doctor run tests so at least you can get proper medical attention if necessary. 5. Listen to your body!!! It does these things for a reason

Have you been tested for systemic candida? Candida die off has the same metabolic toxins as alcohol. I was sick for many years feeling like I had drank every day until they found candida in my blood through a live blood cell analysis. I had tried many anti-fungals to kill it but it would only have temporary results. In the end, Lufeneron (can buy online for $30 fr Europe) is what killed it and gave me my life back.