Allergy to Alcohol

[DENISE]

I saw a question posted from Nicole on April 14 that as yet had no answer, and I, too, am curious about the symptoms of an allergy to alcohol.

I do not have the "Asian Flush" reaction, rather I can drink as little as half a glass of wine or a couple vodka/crans and spend all night throwing up, having diarrhea, and a massive headache that will not go away no matter what pain reliever I try. Also, the last couple of times I've experienced a really bad reaction, another symptom has cropped up.  My whole body feels like it's on fire from the inside out--what I imagine a hot flash would feel like. It literally burns.  

Even when I don't have the complete reaction, I almost always have at least diarrhea the next day or a bad headache that begins while I'm drinking. (I'm susceptible to severe headaches even w/o any sort of alcohol.)

Is this an allergy or is my body just intolerant to alcohol consumption? (I guess it doesn't really matter which it is, I need to stay away from the nasty stuff altogether I'm thinking...but I am curious.)

[skyee777]

I have an allergy to sulphates that are in wine. I break out in hives. At times some alcoholic drinks to the same thing. Its just an allergy not showing addiction. Talk to an allergist.

[mandrake76]

Over the years I have found that Irish and American Indians are very allergic to alcohol. In fact, it was illegal to sell alcohol to American Indians except on the reservation not too many years ago. (I don't know specificly when this law was abolished. Would like to know).  Don't know what the medical term or reason for this allergy in these specific ethnic groups.  Would like some input.
Tom

[tommyb88]

The last year or so I would drink 2-3 beers or wine and be sick as a dog with lower cranial pain the next day. My recent blood tests showed a high bilirubin count, which my Dr. said I probably have Gilbert's Syndrome, and the inability to process alcohol in my liver is common. So I'd encourage anyone having issues to have their T bili test done. Normal is 0.2 to 1.3 mg/dL and mine is 1.8 (was 2.8 a few months ago). I've felt great the last 2 weeks with no alcohol... sad, like losing a friend, but my drinking days are over!

[lettingg0]

Hi,  I am also of irish/american indian decent with alot of alcholism in my family background.  I have never abused alcohol, but over the past few years I have gotten severe headaches from progressively less amounts of alcohol.  It started with a sensitivity to beer and now even a couple of drinks of anything will trigger a massive headache that starts at the base of my skull and ends behind my right eye with a tremendous pressure.  It takes a day or so for it to go away and is not affected by any kind of pain reliever.   We also have glaucoma on both sides of my family and in both my parents.  I am in my 50's and am wondering if the alcohol could be raising the pressure in my eye, hence the tremendous pressure,
Obviously the anwer is don't drink, but I would like to get an opinion if the alcohol sensitivity could be triggering the symptom of something else.
Thanks

[PrettyIs]

Yea, I think it would be a good idea to NOT drink. Sounds like its moving up into your head now.....

[WendyMarie]

I am Scott Irish and also have an allergy to alchol that has been getting worse over the past 8 years. It started with Vodka, then Bailys Irish Cream, then Wine. Now I have an issue with everything. I get red faced (really red), then hot flashes, then red blotches on my chest , itchy ears and pressure on my nose.     I hope I'm not killing myself

[jen]

I was so releived to read these comments! I started to get the symptoms mentioned by the first person about six year ago. It's particularly bad with good quality wine: feeling sick, stomach cramps the next day, runny nose/sneezing and flushing.

I just don't drink much now, maybe the occasional glass on a special occassion. This I think is the only treatment!

[Jamie]

Hi,

I have the same response to only the standard 2 drinks with food. I am also Scottish/Irish & American Indian. I avoid drinking ANY alcohol under the circumstances.

[Nanette]

I too, am curious about an allergy to alcohol.  I get a terrible headache after only a small amount of alcohol.  My sinuses get stopped up and I will sometimes get vertigo and/or throw-up.  I also get a red face and hot flashes.  I am Scotch, Irish and American Indian descent.  I take Relafen and wonder if this is related?  Any info would be greatly appreciated.

[Rebecca]

I have what I think may be an alergy to alcohol, but it doesn't manifest itself in the same ways that have been mentioned above.
I find that when I drink wine, I get very irritable and sensitive. The upshot being that I will be aggressive and rude to people, including my friends, for no good reason. This does not happen to me when I drink spirits and there is no specific quanity required for me react. I am frightened of this, as I know there is only so much people will take before they wear thin of my behavior.
I have decided to cut out drinking wine, as I understand it contains sulphates, which I am allergic to. What I would like to know is if anyone could advise me if they think it is possible that my allergy to suphates could cause me to have this type of reaction.

[tom]

Denise,

You probably have an allergy to wine. What you said about headaches makes me think so. I am not a doctor, but I have dealt with migraine-like headaches and I know red wine can trigger a migraine.
Alchohol doesn't treat me all that well, either. In my opinion, if it were a new drug, alchohol would be considered just as life-destructive as methamphetamine. You're better off without alchohol in any event. Whatever you do, don't mix you DOC with alchohol. That's an express ride to the morgue. I hope this message stops at least one addict from adding booze to boost their high. Not worth it ...
I believe if you can draw the line somewhere in the practice of your addiction, there is always the possibility of recovery, whatever that might mean. That line should be drawn at the point of mixing alchohol with your DOC. Just my opinion ...

[barbara to pain and lortab]

Tom, you are absolutely correct about alcohol being as dangerous a drug as methamphetamine. I never took street drugs in my entire life because of the fear of becoming addicted. No where did anyone teach me about the addictiveness of alcohol. Had I known it was so addictive I would never have started drinking in the first place.

Now I am fighting alcohol dependancy and it really sucks!

[SA, M.D.]

Sounds to me that you are "overdosing" amounts of alcohol because your body lacks an adequate amount of one of the enzymes necessary to break down one of alcohol's toxic metabolites.  You simply shouldn't drink - that is what your body is telling you.

DrSteve - http://www.headdocs.com