Headaches following alcohol consumption ...

[Mark46]

   For around three or four years now, I have been suffering from headaches some two hours or more after the consumption of any amount of alcohol - although typically as few as two drinks upwards of any kind of alcohol.  The headaches come on slowly but persistently and follow a line from the left side of my neck across the top of my head to just above the left eyebrow.  They are not sharp pains but more of a constant 'throb' and can go on for hours.  Pain relief medication does nothing and the only relief I can get at all is the application of something topical like '4-Head' or the American 'Head-On'.  Although I have been a reasonably 'active' drinker in the past, if anything now, at the age of 61 (male), I rarely have more than two drinks at a time ... which is why I'm surprised at the onset of these headaches.  My own doctor has, thus-far, not taken it very seriously and tends to take the line that, after years of 'getting away with it, maybe you've finally developed an allergy!'  

[Kram44]

I have had the alcohol related headache issues for years.  Finally, I started getting occipital nerve blocks every three months.  It works for me.    The pain stays away and returns as I get close to the three month mark.  I started going to a pain specialist and have been very happy with the results for about the last year.  For good measure, I supplement with DLPA.  Now I only get headaches if I go beyond just a few drinks (typical hangover).  I am going to try to move away from the DLPA and see what happens.  

[Kander2]

Well, after all these months with no problem, it happened again. I did the usual, I took an Aleve, went out for wings and had 2 beers. The next day I had a small headache (the same one as I used to have, left side, dull ache). The following day, I had to leave work, and threw up twice on the way home. The headache lasted 3 more days, which I spent much of the time in bed. I am so afraid to try again. Maybe it was just a fluke, but 2 beers doesn't seem worth days of pain, and nauseousness.

[nicola66]

A small update-- Tried taking Aleve before drinking-- so yeah, until it wore off I didn't have much of a headache. I found a double dose of Aleve can relieve my headache for about 1-2 hour after I take it then I'm back again. I had one beer yesterday after trying magnesium and an Aleve before hoping my heard would not hurt.

It hurt all last night, through my crappy sleep, and into today, over 24 hours later after just one beer.

I also take omeprazole as some people have mentioned they do too-- Could it be related to Magnesium supplementation? I found a case review on the FDA website saying that many taking PPI like Omeprazole have low magnesium-- and supplementing doesn't help. You must stop taking omeprazole for a week and supplement with magnesium in order for it to work out.

I've taken PPIs for so long, I'm afraid I might have withdrawl, but I'll try to see if I can stay off it a week despite undoubtedly bad heartburn I'm going to have. -- and treat with magnesium supplements. Without having my blood done to see if it's a problem, of course-- that might make sense. Afraid to go to the doctor and have him say 'stop drinking'. Duh! I know. I will. One day.

I'm also going to try antihistimines and sudafed.

Last time I did that I fell asleep in the middle of the day.

But, anyway, I just need times when I can have a drink and can risk ruining the next day-- which is never!

So if Magnesium deficiency is caused by PPIs we'll see. I haven't been off them for like 4 years so I'm kind of excited to see how my life and ... digestion might change.


I'll post back with results-- not really very hopeful, though!

[nicola66]

Maybe I'll try the Aleve... Two days I had one single beer at 4PM after work and into yesterday evening!!! I had the pain. I took a double dose of aleve after that last bout and I got that tingly goodness you get when a pain is taken away-- it worked for about 2 hours, not completely but I noticed some real relief, then came back. Aleve is powerful stuff and I don't want to screw up my system otherwise with it, but now I dunno, if it works for you, it might be worth a try to take it BEFORE? I mean I'm looking at the can in my bridge, and the box aleve, back and forth right now... worth having a headache at work tomorrow? Ugh...

By the way Kander2, what you're saying about Preempting with Aleve is consistent with Migraine. For Migraine, the sooner after an attack you take an NSAID like aleve (or prophylactically) the better it is at dealing with the pain. Some doctors put chronic sufferers on Aleve daily for migraine. Just usually those people aren't specifically FEEDING themselves triggers right after they take it.

So for those of us saying that iburofen, paracetamol or aspirin don't help, well, that would make sense if it's a migraine. I'm thinking of going to a neurologist, but I know she'll say, "Don't drink." and not "Take stomach bleeding meds!" At best I'll get imitrex or something, also not sure I want to mess around with that and alcohol. If I have success with aleve I'll be sure to write about here.

[Kander2]

You may have something with the sleep idea.  I noticed also if  I had a drink earlier in the day, I would not have a headache the next day. Just an update, May 2015, no headaches since I pre-medicate with Aleve. Like I mentioned, 1 or two drinks a week is all I have.

[nicola66]

I have the same problem as Mark has described many times. I find that if I have a drink of any kind i get the headache the following day and I need to sleep it off the next day, even if I have a sip of vodka. Any alcohol in any amount seems to do it.

However, I find that I have drink with lunch, let's say a beer before 3PM, I am okay the next, though often my head will hurt and I'll be in a funk until I sleep.

So I wonder if this is interrupting sleep somehow.

Other things suggest it is a migraine trigger-- after all, traditional painkillers seem to do very little as with real migraines.

Maybe it's some kind of crazy infection! I haven't taken antibiotics for anything since this began and I wonder if --- but that seems unlikely...

Has anyone actually "solved" this problem? I think taking Aleve before alcohol is a bad idea as it could cause stomach bleeding. But I'm almost ready to try cause I'm fed up. At least then I could go out with my boo.

There are so many things I don't even know where to start. I have had this for over a year now! Anyway, sleeps seems to be the key for me, that is, not drinking anywhere near bed, by which I mean 6-7 hours at least. I noticed one other user mentioned this. This suggests linking it to sleep...