sudden onset alcohol intolerance

I don't know if I am submitting this in the correct forum, but I didn't see another one to try just yet. I am 47 and have been a social drinker since I became of age. Within the last year I suddenly cannot drink any alcohol. I get as sick as if I had been on a binge - trembling sick with nausea when I go to bed. I have to throw up everything in my stomach and then take phenergan. I am violently ill. Two years ago I lost 20+ lbs by cutting carbs. Could this have caused any chemical changes? I don't drink a drop any more. I can live without alcohol but am very puzzled about this sudden change. What could cause it? Thank you.

[1nana]

I highly doubt that cutting back on carbs caused an intolerance to alcohol.

A person can suddenly develop an intolerance/allergy overnight.

Here's an interesting read on alcohol intolerance.

http://www.foodreactions.org/intolerance/alcohol/index.html

[passionturtle]

You could have an allergy to Brewers Yeast.

I'm allergic to Brewers Yeast and get VERY nauseous.

Tequila and Vodka do not have brewers yeast in them.

[DawnLV]

I am a 41 yr old female who has enjoyed drinking socially since the age of 18.  Lately, when I drink 2 to 3 alcoholic drinks, even over a period of time, I become violently ill.  The last episode just happened on Sunday and I vomited for 12 hours.  Still being sick today (Monday, June 1st)
I went to see my doctor.  They drew some blood and when I get my results back this week I'll post the findings.  
My guess is I have become alcohol intolerant.  I also realized this has been gradually getting worse with symptoms starting as early as last summer.  Hopefully we can find an answer.  While I'm fine with never drinking again, I'd just like some assurance it isn't a symptom of a more serious condition.

[DawnLV]

Well, I just got back from my doctor's and he said all of my blood work is normal.  He said drinking alcohol is causing gastritis and if I continue, it will only get worse.  This is terrible for my social life but great news for my fickely gastro thingy magingies.  :)
Besides, nothing good ever comes from a night out drinking,
and now my friends have a designated driver!

[sseaweed]

Thanks for the update on your bloodwork. Glad everything looks good. I have had gastritis several times, and it is very painful. My nausea is not associated with pain, and I'm pretty sure not gastritis. Unless, you have pain with or days after your episodes, I would keep asking questions, unless you just don't mind not drinking. I'm over it - mostly.
Thanks, sseaweed.

[yeovandZ]

You should just stop drinking alcohol for prevention of vomitting...
Maybe you drink too much...,
You should drink a little ..,it's for your own good

[penelope101]

Allergies can strike anytime. my aunt was in alcoholics anonymous for many many years and she always said she was allergic to booze. good luck to you.

[prunyan1]

I'm a 30yr old male in good shape and have not been able to drink alcohol without feeling sick for 3 yrs. I've always been able to drink with no problems, but at the age of 27 I started to get very sick off 1 or 2 drinks. I can eat or drink anything else including very spicy food with no reaction, alcohol is the only thing that triggers this. I've been to three GI's including one at the Mayo clinic plus an allergist. After multiple test no of them could explain why my tolerance to alcohol had changed. I had to stop drinking all together for 9 months to get my stomach back to normal, I can now handle 3-4 drinks on a special occasion about every 60 days with. If I try to push it, my stomach pays for the next week.

[NCISfan923]

I am now 51 and have been suffering with this same affliction for the past 10 years.  Within this time, I've ended up in the hospital (7 times now) on saline IVs after spending hours vomiting/diarrhea which results in having severe leg cramps (and many expensive EMS "cab" rides).  I am in excellent health otherwise (weight and physical aspects).  I have found that if I take two Pepto tablets prior to one alcohol drink, I am okay.  It is amazing at how many people are curious as to what happens to me when I drink (all the cocktail pushers).  My friends make sure that no one slips me something...could be deadly.  Dehydration can cause cardiac arrest.  Best to be the designated driver and act like you've had a few cocktails ;-)

[smalls107]

I am a 22 year old Male. For the past few months yet I have seemed to develop some sort of intolerance to alcohol. Having a few drinks is fine if I haven't drinking more then 4 alcoholic drinks the night before. However when Indulge a bit more my problems arise. Hangovers start off like a usual bad hangover, then progress to something different that last a few days (2-3). Hard to explain feeling: bad headache, foggy head, lack of motivation, overall crummy feeling, depression, fatigue. Alcohol definitely doesn’t work with my body during the 2-3 days.  One drink will make me feel immediately bad. Unlike past hangovers when I could snap out of it after a few hours by doing a physical activity and drinking plenty of fluids/getting a good meal in, there is nothing I can do yet to snap this feeling. It seems like all types of alcoholic beverages have the same effects. I have seen a naturopathic doctor recently because I have just gone through a parasite cleanse. These parasites were constantly making me sick. The doctor told me that this is just an after effect but I am not entirely convinced. I have been taking B vitamin supplements every day and have tried multiple times taking B vitamins before I start drinking, after, and in the morning along with some digestive enzymes and this doesn't even seem to help a little. This has become a huge burden in my life and even depressing. Any one out there have any recommendations?

[richardspain]

I am 35 and have socially drunk since I was 18, however about 6 months ago I suddenly developed headaches after drinking, usually within a couple of hours of the first drink. The headaches tend to last about 2 days and I feel very slightly nauseous. I get the headaches with beer, wine and the spirits I have tried and it only takes 1 glass to set it off. Nowadays I don't drink anything at all but I would like to know if this is anything to worry about. Everyone else on this forum seems to vomit but I just get headaches. Has anyone got any suggestions?

[Dunedancer]

A few weeks ago I went to a dinner party. I had 3 drinks (a before dinner cocktail, one with dinner and one after).  The drink was cranberry juice and vodka - I knew for a fact that the drinks were mixed a bit on the "heavy" side, but I seemed to be doing okay.  I am usually a fairly light drinker - however, I ended up via ambulance to the emergency room from extreme alcohol intoxication. I am 52 yrs old and NEVER had this happen to me.  I had not had a drink since then (12 days).  Last evening I had 4 ounces of white wine and felt like I drank the bottle!  What is up with this?  I've read everything above and would be interested in additional input.  I do suffer from GERD.

[ninjash]

I am a 29 year old female. This same thing happened to me. I drank socially for many years and was known for an occasionally binge drinking night about every 6 mos. In march of 2009, I went to a party, had about 6 beers (which was normal for me at the time) and spent the entire night puking my guts up. I woke about 2 hours after fallling asleep shaking all over. I knew I was going to be sick, and I had to just sit and wait for it. You can't concentrate on anything but waiting to throw up. Since then, the intolerance kept creeping up, so that now when I even take a sip of alcohol, I will wake up in the middle of the night feeling queasy. I have tried both beer and some liquors. I have not tried wine, and my husband wanted to do an experiment and have me drink an O'douls to see what that would do to me, but frankly, it is so miserable afterwards that I didn't even want to risk it to see if that'd work. I'd love to still socially have a drink or two, but at this point, i won't even consider it because it makes me so sick.

[marywelsh]

I'm trying to solve my friends problem here since she is freaking out but doesn't want to do anything about it. She is 25 years old and a definite drinker. While in college and after it would not be uncommon for her to have anywhere between 5-12 drinks a night. Lately she can't drink even a single drink (beer, wine, hard alcohol) without throwing up almost immediately after. Once she throws up she usually feels almost completely better. She eats TONS of bread and other gluten products so i ruled that out - she hasnt taken any new meds, changed her diet or anything like that. from what shes told me its ONLY alcohol thats been making her sick, no foods or other drinks. also her only symptom is nausea and sometimes a headache in the morning similar to a hangover. any suggestions?

[D_B]

For a few of you- deal with it, you're getting older and don't bounce back like you used to.  We all need proper hydration for baseline health and to keep the headaches/lethargy/pain away.  

For others- your fitness/weight/diet affect matabolism and the metabolic rate which alcohol breaks down can shift with those other aspects of your life- where you burn or hold it for different lengths of time.

For some of us- take a trip to the doc to get a food intolerance test.  Most insurance policies will cover it and if not, it may be $200 out of pocket.  Intolerance is different from an allergy.  We've all heard of "lactose intolerance" but unless you or someone close to you winds up impacted by a food intolerance of another origin- the subject is just not out in the open.  But it's very common and very manageable.  Food intolerances can be acquired and hereditary.  You can eat a particular food your whole life and at one point, out of nowhere- suddenly you feel full after just a few bites, may have gastric pain, irritable bowel, nausea, headaches or feel fatigued after eating... and totally thing something is seriously wrong with you.  

If any of the symptoms (which I saw spread wide above and certainly have learned to at least make an effort to manage myself) are familiar, do a quick google search on food intolerance.  A blood test can give you a definitive answer if that is what is affecting you and will include instructions on how to manage it in your life.

Best of luck to all-

[geewiz3]

Even though this forum bums me out, at least I feel like I have figured out that I am not alone.  I am similar to others where I drank quite liberally when I was young and now I can rarely have even one drink.  I thought I was developing migraines which lasted for 3 solid days. I have been taking all sorts of medications for them.  Though nothing really worked. I have tried acupuncture and herbal methods. Though I am not this type of person, I even tried Botox.  I read many articles about how Botox can eliminate migraine headaches for 2 to 4 months.  It still did not work.  I am still medically trying to figure out what changed.  Yes, I am getting older (I turned 40 this year) but I am still in great health and very active.  I miss having a drink or 2, especially in social situations.

[tthor]

Hi
I have been alchohol intollerant for many years living in South Africa
I believe ,personally, that the large brewery here started at some time in the past to 'spice' their products in order for fermentation to occur quiicker.
These chemical additives have left many of my freinds moving to other,purer brands of drinks (with good results)
Perhaps the international breweries are also guilty of adding these impurities as worldwide demand increases.
The fact that large coorperations are doing this could explain the public's lack of information on this subject
Tthor

[sigfreed]

I am 39 and use to love to drink until i was legless, overnight my tastebuds or something changed, I do not enjoy alcohol at all, and find it impossible to get drunk, i dont get sick i just have major cravings for chocolate milk and cups of tea, In August my friends have a big 40th planned for me, I hope it starts at 5pm cause after I have my chocolate milk and cup of tea im ready for bed, the wild party girl is gone, unless my friends have changed too I know they will be dissapointed, I think maybe i have just grown up at long last.
Sonja

[iBVLGARI]

your all lucky at least you had a fue years of socialising. (ill point out that the legan age is 18 here) im only 20 and i already can not drink. i go to bed feeling fine but about an hour of laying there i start to shake, sweat and feel sick. i get a saliver rush (thats when i need to run to bathroom to be sick)  i ust to be able to drink allot- of anything. but now evan half a bottle of beer or a shot >anything, will set me off. im dissipointed because my 21st in in 3 months. ill end up in hospital if i try to have a good time and drink with my friends and family. oh have i mentioned even energy drinks are doing it to me, and cigeret smoking. i went from being a party queen to being a sickly thing. im over sensitive and it just happend over night

[sseaweed]

This website might be helpful:

http://www.chemcases.com/alcohol/alc-06.htm

Hope it helps!

[jadeyy]

I know how you feel. Im a 20yr old women and i used to be such a heavy weight when drinking, i could down 20 shots of sambuca n other stuff mixed in and have just a mild, normal hangova the next day, sometimes i wouldnt even have a hang over.
However for the past year or so, i have been the complete opposite, i cant even have a vodka+cranberry drink without later feeling very ill, and mostly fainting and then throwing up, with a badd headache for hours and then having the most severe hangover the next 1/2 days, often feeling very sick, extremely weak, very shakey (shaky) with a migrain.
The worst thing is that the fainting comes on very suddenly, id feel okish and then before i know it id be on the floor and sometimes taken awhile to come back round. Ive been to 3 doctors, had many blood tests including checking my liver, kidneys, blood pressure etc. But all came back clear and im just sick of not knowing whats wrong with me. I also used to be bulemic for the past 4 years, however am completely recovered from it now,(2 months now) but i think that must be the cause of it, from the damage ive done to my body?

[hello451]

HAS ANYONE CONSIDER CANDIDA /YEAST INTOLERANCE ?

hello everyone , my case is similar to most of you  , i am now 45 , female, was a regular drinker upto 6 months  ,and my only drink was beer.  now suddenly if I try a sip of beer in a min or so I start feeling unwell, dizziness, short breath, feel of faint. these are the major symptoms I get . They way I tackled so far is  drinking a lot water when happens and breathing exercises. I went several times to the doctor , no answer I got as to why it was happening , just being told age , alcohol intolerance blah blah. I was not convinced.  then I tried non alcoholic beer  again in a minute  I got the same reaction. Back to the doctor again and asked for allergy test . Comprehensive allergy test result was back as negative , all clear. this was like a joke , then in a few weeks or so I started havin really bad reactions , similar to what I had when I drank beer to certain foods such as bread, cheese, grape, raisin , even vitamins , cough syrup , enerjy tablets, drinks, Basically all fermented stuff. Then I started searcing on the internet 24 hrs a day like and found out the very likely possibility of Candida/yeast infection. then immediately i stopped eating anything with yeast in it , bough yeast free soda bread , i am fine , now i am trying to do strict candida diet , in the meantime I was prescribed Fluconazole / anti fungal medicine , for 7 days , after having taken 4 tablets i started feeling slightly better, i still dont know what part of my body candida is affecting , could be throat, gut , but this medicine will hopefully work on me i will back to normal . I really miss my glass of beer , more than anything

what i am interesred to know is if when I am treated from Candida I will be fine with drinking alcohol again ? also if I will be able to eat the foods that I  reacted before I was treated with Candida

would be appreciated if anyone knows the answer or any views.

thank you and good luck to everyone

[jackson_7]

I am a healthy 20 year old, I am male and have spent 3 years drinking alcohol (mainly budweiser, red stripe & corona). I exercise & work out on a regular basis and on the rare occasion I would go out and have a binge but never overdo it; otherwise its just the couple of beers on the football weekend. Now suddenly I've found myself violently ill, intolerant to even a slight drop of any beer, wine or spirit; is this normal? Prior to this I was absolutely fine. but now I have developed a bloated and burning sensation to which I wretch out everything for a long period and become very disorientated. Any ideas to what may have caused this?

[sseaweed]

I am investigating loss of enzymes and probiotics that help you break
down alcohol sugars. It might be a direction you could research.

[sseaweed]

See if this website helps you any:

http://www.chemcases.com/alcohol/alc-06.htm

[Varekai72]

I have the same problem - the migraine type symptoms after drinking even a small amount. I was wondering if anyone else on here has had glandular fever in the past as I remember when I had that I was completely intolerant. I was able to drink again after the virus (approx 4 years ago), but not as much as before. Now one glass of wine is an absolute maximum. More than that and I pay the price for a good couple of days afterwards..........

[Devonian1962]

I am a 47 year old white Englishman. About 2 years ago I was rushed into hospital with kidney stones plus an infection. I was kept in for about 5 days and then went home. Ever since then I have not been able to touch a single drop of alcohol. Previously, I used to drink everyday and would drink at lease 1 bottle of wine per day. The strange thing is that while I recognise I definitely had a serious addiction, the slightest smell of any alcohol now turns my stomach. I sip my partners drink from time to time to 'test the situation' and still 2 years down the line ALL alocohol smells and tastes disgusting. The most difficult times are at parties because you never quiet reach the 'levels' that the drinkers are on and at times I find social situations quite difficult. I do hope this is only temporary. I welcome any comments from anyone.

[bikedragon]

You have described my own symptoms very closely.  I am 54 and this problem started about 5 years ago.  I experience the rapid onset of a headache and then the most dreadful feelings of exhaustion and lassitude for up to two days after drinking alcoholic drinks of any kind.

The ensuing headaches and depression over following days are like the feelings I have experienced from sleep deprivation.  I have  suffered for many years from sleep apnoea and now have to sleep hooked up to an air pump (CPAP) machine.  I am wondering if alcohol in some people reduces the amount of oxygen reaching the brain.

I would be interested to know if having a few 'whiffs' of pure oxygen would alleviate the rapid onset of symptoms following a drink or the symptoms in the following days.  I should add I am a heavy smoker - this may be a contributory factor to the problem we are discussing - I wonder if others here are smokers too?

Like many people here I am feeling socially disabled by not being able to participate in the drinking rituals I grew up with.  On the other hand given the toxicity and addictiveness of the stuff I am grateful that I am not an alcoholic and I have had my eyes opened about the state of a culture where the only way many adults can easily relax, socialise and commune is through the shared consumption of an intoxicant.  I do miss alcohol though - and friends and family often seem to think that I am being precious while I patiently explain again why I am not joining in.

[keetog]

About 3 years ago I became afflicted with a sudden intolerance to alcohol.  From the age of 18 till age 34, I was a heavy to moderate social drinker.  On an average Friday night I was able to drink anywhere from 3-8 drinks no problem.  All types of alcohol.  Then 2 years ago I suddenly stopped being able to drink.  Every time it was like clockwork... drink a little then 45 min later the bloating would begin.  If I had more than a few sips it was like I had food poisoning.  Shaking, vomitting, nausea, sweating... It sucked.  I went to several doctors who all told me that it happens to women.  No real reason.  I THOUGHT THAT WAS BS.  So after many many tests.... Endoscopy, coloscopy, blood work, acid reduction treatments etc....I finally figured out that I'm suffering from SIBO.  Small Intestinal Bacteria Overgrowth.  Apparently it is hard to get rid of- but I have taken two round of antibiotics for it AND HEY!!   I CAN DRINK AGAIN!! For anyone here who has similar symptoms-  I recommend asking your Gastroenterologists about doing the SIBO or Hydrogen Breath Test.  It is Super easy & non invasive.  And it cured me.

[jpron]

If you really want to save alot of time and money, look into your gut.
No bulls**t, I got alot of tests, spent al of time and found out the same thing that two other posters found. I had SIBO (Small Intestinal Bacterial Overgrowth) and a decent amount of Candida (I had visible thrush). In any case, I don't think you need both, and the irony is that Anti-Biotics mostly caused it and eventually fixed it.

My only suggestion is get tested by a lab that specifically tests for gut bacteria...etc..., as about 4 hospital tests said nothing.

Anyway, 6 months of being able to drink again, though I'll NEVER drink as much as before BY CHOICE.

[LVVETTE]

I am a 51 yr old female who has been socially drinking on the average of every weekend since I was about 40 yrs old. I just started swelling up after a night of drinking. It always starts in my lip then moves to my face. It has gotten so bad that my tongue had started swelling up so I would go to emergency and they would give my a benedril shot to help with the swelling. It is so bad that I when my boyfriend drinks and I kiss him, I still swell up even though I never took a drink. This is sooo frustrating. I don't mind not drinking since it is better for my health but not even a glass of wine with dinner is just crazy. WHAT IS GOING ON!!

[pollypocket2010]

Hi all, I'm not sure if my story will apply to you but I wanted to share it just in case. The same thing happened to me about two years ago. I used to be able to drink any amount and not suffer from hangovers then suddenly I couldn't even have two mouthfuls of alcohol without feeling extremely ill and vomiting for at least 12 hrs. I started to lose a lot of weight and develop other symptoms such as headaches, weightloss, abdominal pain/irritation and chronic fatigue. I also started to feel very isolated and depressed as I couldn't have any type of social life. After seeing many different doctors and specialists (a Gastroenterologist, Endocrinologist, Oncologist, Hematologist) I finally seen a private doctor who had some blood tests sent to the US from the UK for diagnosis. The results were positive for Lyme disease or Borreliosis which is a bacterial infection that occurs when you've been bitten by an infected tick. I know this is very prevalent in the U.S. and parts of Europe and was first discovered in Lyme, Connecticut. More information is available at http://www.ilads.org/lyme_disease/about_lyme.html.

Wishing you all the best.

[TH_Arity]

Yet another thing to consider looking into: Celiac Disease.

It can trigger at any time. It makes you ill (in many different ways) after eating or drinking anything based on gluten (wheat, rye, or barley, obviously in things like, say, beer and most grain based alcohols). Drinking alocohol in general can make you very ill if you have active celiac disease and are consuming gluten.

And knowledge about the disease's symptoms have been recently updated to include dozens more than it used to be thought applied, so most doctors miss this as a potential diagnosis (seriously. In random studies, about 3% of those who test positive have ever been diagnosed before the study).

Good news is that a diet change takes care of the symptoms.

For any for whom wine is the main culprit, sulfite sensitivity can be the issue.

[janis259]

I have a couple of things that can add to this conversation that i hope can be helpful. I have been struggling with one thing or another over the past 9 years and new alcohol intolerance is one of them. I'm a masters perepared nurse with 19 yrs of clinical expereince and a deep interest general helath and alternative medicine- particularly in the context of all these things that people suffer from that our medical system can't seem to help with.
1. Cutting back on carbs over the long term can stress some peoples' kidneys and they can develop intolerance to caffeine and alcohol while others never have a problem. Read about adrenal fatigue on the next and be very attentive to hydration issues. If you have weaker kidneys like i do, that diet may not be the best long term solution for wt. control for you.
2. I have been using adrenal supplements from future formulations that has been very helpful in increasing my energy reserves, my sense of well being and has decreased the alcohol intolerance a lot. Try to find a doctor that will work with you on this so you are under good medical supervision- or a compound pharmacist who knows how to do saliva tests for this.
3. Candida overgrowth in the system can also make alcohol intolerance a big problem. It can mimic GERD, RA, cause SIBO or IBS, chronic sinus infections, infertility, hypothyroidism, etc. Candida support is a great website that tells a lot about it. There are 2 probiotic products on the American market that target this: symbion (at www.symbionforlife.com) and Threelac (at www.ghthealth.com/index.aspx) which allow for healing w/o the strict candida diet that is usually necessary. You have to stay away from sweets and it takes a couple of months but the results are great.
Stress causes adrenal (kidney) weakness too. Watch alcohol intake and symptoms of intolerance after stressful days and weeks.  

[diana_SD]

Hi Lyvette,  Swelling in the face and mouth is the sign of an allergy.  Like people who are allergic to peanuts or seafood, you have to avoid whatever it is that is causing it 100%.  It's life threatening.  It may be the alcohol or some common additive, such as some preservative in it.  You might try taking benadryl if you think you will be in a situation where the culprit might be mixed in food, but you should talk to your doctor about getting an epinephrine injector to use in emergencies.  Definitely consult with a licensed professional, preferably an allergist M.D. or O.D.  Don't take chances.

[diana_SD]

Hi Lyvette,  Swelling in the face and mouth is the sign of an allergy.  Like people who are allergic to peanuts or seafood, you have to avoid whatever it is that is causing it 100%.  It's life threatening.  It may be the alcohol or some common additive, such as some preservative in it.  You might try taking benadryl if you think you will be in a situation where the culprit might be mixed in, but you should talk to your doctor about getting an epinephrine injector to use in emergencies.  Definitely consult with a licensed professional, preferably an allergist M.D. or O.D.  Don't take chances.

[diana_SD]

It sounds like several syndromes are going on in the posts here, the most serious of which is the severe allergic reaction.  In my case, I suddenly became less tolerant of alcohol.  Yesterday, I went to an afternoon music event and drank 3 glasses of a good quality red wine over the course of 4 hours.  By the end of the event, I was acting and feeling completely drunk; I couldn't stand or walk straight, and I felt very disoriented.  I left the event (I did not drive!) and the effects became worse: I became nauseous, vomited once, and had double vision.  It was a beautiful night with two full moons.

I have never been a big drinker, and since changing my eating habits to reduce my weight, I have limited myself to one or two glasses of red wine.  Nonetheless, in the past I have drunk a couple of Long Island Iced Teas or 3 or 4 strong margaritas and never attained that level of inebriation.  I've split a bottle of wine over dinner and conversation.  So three glasses over the course of 4 hours did not seem like much, even without food during the event (I did have lunch and drank lots of water immediately before).    

I am taking two medications for my blood pressure, which my doctor assures me should not be responsible for this reaction and for which my research into those medications does not indicate an interaction with alcohol.  It's interesting to note that like the person in the first post in this thread, I recently lost over 20 lbs. by eating only good carbs and fats in addition to vegetables and protein (it's a "good carb" diet, not a low carb diet; I eat brown rice, whole grain, high fiber cereals, and such).

Thought I'd add to the anecdotal evidence here.  Cheers (in moderation, of course!)

[awab48]

I've had many of the same symptoms as those who have posted above.  Since the beginning of this year on a few occasions when I drink more than a fews beers I have become very nauseous and throw up hours later, followed by dry heaving about an hour after the first bout.  

I'm 27 and used to drink socially from time to time.  I'm by no means a heavy drinker, but on the rare occasion could easily drink well over 6 beers in a short time frame.  Last week I had about 5 light beers over 4-5 hours and then stopped and drank water for a while.  I did not have an empty stomach. About an hour later I had to throw up, followed by vomiting again an hour after that.  

I have been allergy tested and ruled that out.  I have also been tested for Celiacs in the past and it is not that (I also eat plenty of bread with no reaction).  Most recently I had bloodwork, I'm not positive of the exact tests, but my doctor said they showed my liver and kidney's were functioning normal.  

She now thinks that I may have heartburn that is only noticeable when I drink.  She has advised me to take nexium or prilosec for the next few weeks to see if that helps.  

Has anyone had this same diagnosis/treatment? I'm very skeptical and considering getting a second opinion after reading through this forum and seeing several issues with SIBO.

[awab48]

I've had many of the same symptoms as those who have posted above.  Since the beginning of this year on a few occasions when I drink more than a fews beers I have become very nauseous and throw up hours later, followed by dry heaving about an hour after the first bout.  

I'm 27 and used to drink socially from time to time.  I'm by no means a heavy drinker, but on the rare occasion could easily drink well over 6 beers in a short time frame.  Last week I had about 5 light beers over 4-5 hours and then stopped and drank water for a while.  I did not have an empty stomach. About an hour later I had to throw up, followed by vomiting again an hour after that.  

I have been allergy tested and ruled that out.  I have also been tested for Celiacs in the past and it is not that (I also eat plenty of bread with no reaction).  Most recently I had bloodwork, I'm not positive of the exact tests, but my doctor said they showed my liver and kidney's were functioning normal.  

She now thinks that I may have heartburn that is only noticeable when I drink.  She has advised me to take nexium or prilosec for the next few weeks to see if that helps.  

Has anyone had this same diagnosis/treatment? I'm very skeptical and considering getting a second opinion after reading through this forum and seeing several issues with SIBO.

[ercritch]

I have experienced the same thing - it also started for me at 27 (if you do lots of research, you'll find the majority of people noticed this in their late twenties). I went through months of GI testing, allergy testing, tried heartburn meds and even anxiety meds. Nothing worked. I went to see an integrative medicine doctor who tested my gut through specimen samples. Turns out, I have SIBO, very low good bacteria, and a sensitivity to casein (in most dairy products). In the last six months, I've been off of dairy, took a few rounds of probiotics and orthobiotics, and had my first non-alcoholic beer yesterday, which in the past did affect me even though it's less than 1% alcohol. I didn't get sick, but I think I was panicked from the thought of getting sick. I plan to try again, but I would encourage anyone to see a D.O. doctor and get tested for gut functionality.
For anyone that has SIBO and tried both antibiotics and more natural approach, any advice? I'm thinking of asking for the antibiotics...

[Stellez]

I used to drink a lot until I started noticing that I would experience panic/anxiety attacks the following day. I had panic/anxiety to begin with, but alcohol became a trigger for these attacks. I decided drinking wasn't worth it, so I stopped. It was the best thing I have ever done for my health. I am happy I was able to stop drinking because it actually was almost like a hobby. This is how I spent my free time and money. I also had my gallbladder removed and perhaps my body just couldn't tolerate it anymore. Regardless, it is gone from my life and I have a better grip on my anxiety. Now, I am focusing on avoiding foods with MSG, as it triggers these attacks as well. Is anyone struggling with MSG allergies???

[foxykim]

every time i drink achol and eat a curry when i come home i just throw up and its every time i drink and its horrible

[clarkmcg]

I think I have become alcohol intollerant.  I think hearing outside perspectives on all of our situations would be helpfull.  I started drinking regularly at age 15 and am now 27.  I think it would be helpful to add that my parents  divorced when I was 19 and never helped me financially.  Dad(part native american) has always been a heavy beer drinker(12 pack a night) and mom rarely ever drinks anymore-although she used to have a few and get puffy red.  I do not smoke cigarettes.  I recently gave up my daily ROCKSTAR energy drinks because they were tearing up my gut...  A few weeks ago I had to go to the ER after only a single margarita with dinner.  Last night I drank 1/2 glass of wine-first alcohol since-and spend the night throwing up and had to call in sick to work.I have never been good at cooking or taking care of my body(and mind) and now am paying the price.  I believe that I pushed my body too hard during my teens and early twenties. I have a very sucessful career as an auto tech and have been a homeowner for 4 years.  Anyway my point is that everyone should look deeper into why the don't want to give up drinking...we have acknowledged that it is causing the symptoms-but refuse to stop self inflicting this pain.  I have a wonderful girlfriend who understands my history and cooks for me every day.  I still wish my Dad cared about the situation he created.  But i am able to be happy without getting a buz...find other things to enjoy

[Draglais]

I accidentally took a Revia (Opiate Blocker.) Last month while being Opiate dependent, I ended up with 2-3 weeks of severe withdrawals.  Now a month later after it is all over and my medication has been resumed, I have no tolerance to most everything.  Where as normal people can handle a low dose of something I can't now, and I use to be a hard core tolerant person.  I wake up in the morning and can't even drink 1 cup of coffee without feeling overwhelmed.  I was on a pysch med called Seroquel in which i took 300 MG, now I can't even take 30 MG without feeling like I am going to die.  It is basically the same with almost everything else.  However on the rare occasion that I do have a single beer that still effects me the same.  I am not sure what has caused this, but a doctor mentioned stress being a possible factor, went through a severe detox, now this month I am facing a false order of protection and threats of harm on me, and now its skin itches, stomach inflammation and bronchitis I began to think I was dying from some wierd disease or someone cursed me.  I really hope all this is stress related, cause I do feel overwhelmed and the need to constantll think of what I need to do to defend myself.

[Elprez]

Keetog,

How long did you wait after you second round of antibiotics for you first drink? Did you take probiotics afterwards? I've been suffering from very similar symptoms since my later twenties.

[bcat965]

You have created a situation of reactive hyperglycemia.  I have this.  It leads me to have obnoxious OCD and Tourettes tics.  Be careful with this, because you starved your brain, which is bad.  So, now it's trying hard to regulate this.  So, new problems may arise like anxiety, depression at some extreme, OCD, Tourettes, stuff like this, or moody, and this only happens when you're low on food, namely complex carb-protein.  If you drink too much alcohol, you will black out.  My way of dealing with this, is eating complex carbs in the morning with protein, and protein with complex carbs every 4 hours.  That has helped me significantly.  Also, I now stay away from choline supplements, and diet pills.  And if I work out, I carry gel shots with me, this helps me from crashing.  Those low carb diets suck, we all need a balanced diet.  The body needs at least 50-60 g of carbs to function properly.  Also this condition is incredibly difficult to diagnose, so be aware of that.  It took me over 18 years to correctly diagnose this.

[bcat965]

Note I have to correct this it's reactive low blood sugar, meaning reactive hypoglycemia.  Or low blood sugar.  THe above post is incorrect.

You have created a situation of reactive hypoglycemia.  I have this.  It leads me to have obnoxious OCD and Tourettes tics.  Be careful with this, because you starved your brain, which is bad.  So, now it's trying hard to regulate this.  So, new problems may arise like anxiety, depression at some extreme, OCD, Tourettes, stuff like this, or moody, and this only happens when you're low on food, namely complex carb-protein.  If you drink too much alcohol, you will black out.  My way of dealing with this, is eating complex carbs in the morning with protein, and protein with complex carbs every 4 hours.  That has helped me significantly.  Also, I now stay away from choline supplements, and diet pills.  And if I work out, I carry gel shots with me, this helps me from crashing.  Those low carb diets suck, we all need a balanced diet.  The body needs at least 50-60 g of carbs to function properly.  Also this condition is incredibly difficult to diagnose, so be aware of that.  It took me over 18 years to correctly diagnose this.

[Squarings]

thanks; Like others here, at 57 I am just in the process of concluding that the 2-day headache after wine isn't worth it and so I need to stop drinking, but from your messages I see that worrying about becoming friendless isn't just my concern - clearly, the impact that refusing alcohol will have on my social life needs careful thought. I suspect it's easier to stop completely than have one occasionally because that encourages pressure of the 'just one won't hurt' variety: and I wonder if that actually means 'for God's sake have one, you're much better company then'. Are there other ways into the happy giggly zone? Strategies for keeping one's friends and avoiding turning into a humourless nun very welcome.

[Squarings]

thanks; Like others here, at 57 I am just in the process of concluding that the 2-day headache after wine isn't worth it and so I need to stop drinking, but from your messages I see that worrying about becoming friendless isn't just my concern - clearly, the impact that refusing alcohol will have on my social life needs careful thought. I suspect it's easier to stop completely than have one occasionally because that encourages pressure of the 'just one won't hurt' variety: and I wonder if that actually means 'for God's sake have one, you're much better company then'. Are there other ways into the happy giggly zone? Strategies for keeping one's friends and avoiding turning into a humourless nun very welcome.
Romanesque arch

[frankk1967615]

My story is similar to many here.

I drank socially -- and plenty -- from ages 18 to 33.  At 33, however, I began becoming sick (vomiting, chills, gastritus, etc.) after consumption of more than 4 drinks.  Now, at 37, I can't drink at all -- not even one drink -- unless I want to experience food poisoning symtoms (symptoms).  (By the way, I have no intolerance with any foods.)

I have undergone an endoscopy, had my gall bladder removed, been on zantac, restricted my diet.  You name it, I've done it.  But the alcohol intolerance remains.

One of the worst parts of dealing with this is that doctors don't take me seriously. Or at least as seriously as I think they should.  When I say I can't drink, they typically respond, "Well, that's probably good for you."  Thanks...great attitud.

I find it very hard to believe that all of a sudden I can no longer drink and that, in this day and age, there is no medical explanation.  My next trip to the doctor is in January.  I'll discuss SIBO with him.  Wish me luck!

[j5150m]

Ive been dealing with this off and on for 7 years and have no idea what it is. Whats worse is Doctors dont know or even care.
The only 2 answers Ive been given is "its anxiety, its in your head" or "well, stop drinking". This is not acceptable. Thats an excuse and a bandaid. Its like if you had cancer and when you pressed on it said "it hurts when I press here".. and a Dr. saying "well dont press there". Lets correct the problem rather than ignoring it.
Ive had blood test after blood test with Doctors not finding anythingor probably looking for anything, probably because what theyre looking for isnt in a blood test. either SIBO, Candida or LYME disease may be the issue it seems based on these posts.(THANK YOU INTERNET.. PLEASE BE ONE OF THESE)
My story: I came down with this suddenly 7 years ago. Never linked it with alcohol back then but I would get bouts of immense fatigue for days (after drinking) i felt like i had the flu for days, from one or two beers. If i had a lot of beers i would feel even worse!, Like a massive depression. I would be scared to leave my bed, scared to do anything, be constantly tired for three days and just feel like i was gonna die. My focus and concentration were non existent... This gradually subsided over the course of the year and i was left with "anxiety" which goes from mild to severe.. I continued to drink seeing as i didnt piece the two together at first.. (to be honest, the anixiety i was left with would be the reason i drank alcohol, drinking cured all my symptoms of anxiety).. well recently it started again. Same exact thing. and i finally realized the awful feelings are for three days after any alcoholic drink!. I was and still am recovering from what seems like a VERY long cold or flu... over a month long...so it must be virus or bacteria related... It WENT AWAY so its not something that lasts forever, which means its not permanent.
My diet never really changed during all this time so no clue what that means. I did have a panic attack to begin the first bout of this... and had a second attack right before the most recent onset.. so 2 panic attacks, 7 years apart, both before i have this intolerance to alcohol. I had a cold or flu (dont remember if i had a cold orflu 7 years ago, I may or may not... but in the 7 years I have been frequently sick, and when im sick it lasts weeks instead of days like it used to when i was younger). I do get fungal infections in between my toes (athletes foot) if that helps. I also had dental problems 7 years ago around the time this happened, and recently broke a tooth around this time due to a cavity i didnt get taken care of. possibly link? no idea.

So the only problem I see is getting my dr to test me for 3 more things.. she seems to think im an idiot with all the theories i bring to her and tests I ask for. All she seems to do is yell at me because my cholesterol is 12 points over normal.
Any more thoughts, theories or actual diagnosis that cured this would be greatly appreciated

[nickk757]

I came accross the current discussion after doing a search in the net, in regards to the phenomen called "alcohol intolerance". Just to give you a little aides about myself and the origin of my issue, I will share with you am 30 years old with very active lifestyle since I was 12 years old. I have been working out since I literarly was 12. I have never restricted myself from anything. I have never taken any drugs though, just to clarify. My problems started approximately 2 years ago with unbelievable depressions, coughing like there was something stuck in my throat that I needed to get out, nasal congestion.... I was taking a lot of nutritional supplements at that time, so thought that some of not all of them were causing the problem. It is important to mention that I used to have let's say 50-100ml of scotch every night, after dinner for relaxation. Well I begun to feel extremely tired, dizzy and couldn't concentrate at all... Also was getting constantly attached by some sort of cold viruses which is unusual for me. All of those things were giving me a sign that my immune system was giving up due to some sort of reason. Well I stopped all nutritional supplements I used to take without having any issues in the past. That had some effect on the way I felt, but now other things started bothering me like, coffee, coke, and occasionally one or two drinks of alcohol. I also felt the same side effects while taking certain antibiotics for the different flues I had over time. My initial thought were related to the function of my liver, than I thought it was something in my head... Well I did the following tests and they all came back negative for any potential issues...
HEAD MRI
HEAD SCANNER
BLOOD TESTS
IMUNOLOGICAL TESTS
ALLERGY LOCAL TESTING
ALLERGY BLOOD TESTS
SAMPLES FROM THROAT AND NASAL SECRETION
And some others that are not worth mentioning...

Well nothing that I should worry came back... I guess I should feel happy and I am but in the same time I cannot come into agreement neither with myself nor with the numerous doctors I have visited over the course of the last 24 months. I have spent over 20k for different doctors' appointments and tests.
The last doctor I came accross (gastro-I) suggested me to do the hydrogen breathing test and histamine resistance test. I had nothing to loose and did them both, even thou, I thought this was crazy and thought the doctor just wanted to get paid for useless tests. The histamine resistance test will get after the holidays but the hydrogen test came back with rather surprising result. SIBO.... With some outrageouse findings... I really hope that I have finally found the cause of my misery and the doctor and I will start a therapy right after the holidays. I am still skeptical that the reason why I felt so bad and experiencing so many different symptoms was hidden in my gut. Wish me luck so I can get back to my normal life...

[gettingbetter65]

hi everyone,

Had same/kinda different issues with alcohol. I hurt crazy bad almost instantly after 1/2 a drink.

Found out it was my adrenals. Have hashimotos (thyroid) and severly low vitamin D levels. Sometimes booze hit me super hard, like a newbie or almost not at all.

With new info all drinking is off table except special special occasions.
Good Luck to all.

[Terri2902]

All of a sudden I don't enjoy wine or alcohol.  When I try a taste of wine, that is all I can do. Typically, I would enjoy two glasses of wine (I'm only a social drinker). About one month ago I drank another alcoholic drink and within 20 minutes I was shivering and had to go home immediately and warm up. It took me about one hour to warm up.  I'll watch these discussions.

[Andimari]

I have experienced the same thing - I'm 45, was always a social drinker - a few years ago I started having terrible flu-like symptoms (muscle aches, high fever, chills, vomiting) within an hour after having even a couple of SIPS of one cocktail.  Even a tiny sip will bring on symptoms.  It usually lasts about 12 hours - maybe a little more.  It all started out with Gin, so I switched to Rum, a year or two later I had the same reaction to rum; switched to vodka, same thing a year or 2 later... now I'm afraid to drink any kind of alcohol.  Beer and wine still seem to be OK - but I wonder for how long?  I am otherwise healthy - get regular check-ups, nothing that would point to a reason why this allergy/intolerance suddenly struck.  

[Elprez]

Frank,

Do you have any postive feedback from your appointment in January. I've had the same symptoms for the past five years and after seeing 4 different GI's with little help I could use any good news with this mysterious illness.

Thanks,

[mommygirl103]

Although I am willing to give up drinking, I have been having similar problems as others on here have stated, and it isn't the fact of giving up drinking, it's as most have stated, the socialization part. I can no longer even have half of a drink. This problem started recently. I am a 23 year old female, and have been drinking since I was 15. I used to drink very heavily, and would often not get sick from it. Now even if I drink very little, my jaw will hurt like crazy, I'll get the chills, a headache, and not even be able to enjoy having a drink. It isn't even fun anymore. These affects will happen almost immediately after first sip. Hard liquor seems to be worse. Then the next day, will have a headache, and feel tired, groggy and basically unmotivated to do anything the next day. Seems so strange that this has all of a sudden happened, and didn't have any idea why. I think that's why so many ppl on here are searching for answers, ppl want to know what in the world would cause it? But at least, seeing all of these posts, I know I'm not the only one.

[ChitChatNine]

I see with one of my friends a direct relationship with some alcohol versus other .. and that said, it's after one mixed drink that the symptoms above can be seen.  I'm not a doctor, but would think there is an intolerance of some sort or allergy at play and good to ask one's doctor.

C~

[stacelet]

I'm a 24 year old female, i've been drinking socially for 5 years but lately i've found that if i have more than 1 drink in a night i wake up with migraines and terrible nausea, vomiting, cold sweats and shakes. This reaction/allergy seemed to appear literally overnight about 5 months ago out of nowhere! Needless to say i don't drink anymore but i'd like to know why it happened! This article has been great, good to know i'm not alone :)

[Cinains]

I'm 27 and stopped drinking before the age of 25 due to wheezing after drinking.  It happened with any kind of drink.  

[mudslinger49]

I am a 49 year old female who cannot tolerate alcohol anymore.  My liver scans and levels are normal, but my bilirubin levels are up to a 2.0 and normal levels are no higher than 1.5.  Years ago I was told I had fat in my liver which is fairly common as you age.  I was also told I had Gilbert's syndrome which is a genetic issue with bilirubin.  Usually higher numbers than normal.  

I did my fair share of drinking over the years, but the last 3 years my body is retaliating against any "poison".  Yes, it is poison.  The sensitivities you are all feeling is our bodies cannot take anymore abuse.  We are (our bodies) are becoming more sensitive because we are entering a higher consciousness very fast.  

Watch how your body rejects any processed foods.  We cannot tolerate the poisons anymore.  I became a vegetarian about a year ago.  Next is dairy, refined sugar and refined wheat (gluten/flour).  

[jackie170]

Hello, I have all the same symptoms as mentioned above.  I have been sooo worried something serious is going to happen at anytime. Heart attack etc. I have very high triglycerides (800) diagnosed with hiatal hernia in 2007. Heartburn is terrible. Been on prilosec since 2007 and doesnt seem to work anymore. My sinus' are impossible lately especially since i never really had any sinus issues now i find i'm popping otc drugs all the time to relieve the pressure/headeaches. I've had hypothyroidism since 1995 but never had any of these symptoms as a result. Also panic/anxiety since 2004. Recently i've been diagnosed with Pancreatitis....seems the symptoms are all similiar to above comments....noone has mentioned this just wondering...maybe i could be misdiagnosed maybe not.  Going to look up SIBO....never heard of it but would love to know if there could be an end to this. I too enjoy to have drinks with friends or sometimes to just have a drink to relax. Thanks....

[Blewisesq]

First, I love your sense of humor that comes through in your writing. I just wanted to add that I had almost exactly the same experience. I used to be able to easily share a bottle of wine over dinner or have a few cocktails. Recently I dropped 40 pounds, mostly by cutting out carbs. Now a few glasses of wine makes me ill.