Why can’t I drink alcohol as I get older?!

[Holidaytime8]

Anyone else?

I’m mid-forties and can’t even drink a glass of wine without feeling rubbish the next day (headache, feel a little nauseous, also feel anxious).

I miss the buzz of having one glass of something! And the social tension I felt like a g&t or a glass of wine broke for me (I’m v shy).

Anything I can do to get the ability to drink back?! I have some lovely social events coming up in the next month, and I’d like to be able to have a small drink at one or two of them without ruining the following day.

The spirit is still so willing but the body is not having it

So recogise this. It's like a switch has been flicked off the last few months.

Interesting to hear how common this is. Very true for me too. Feel really tired if I drink at lunchtime (we have a lot of formal work lunches) so I’ve cut down to half a glass. Any more and I feel ill.

Could it be what your drinking? I've noticed I can't drink wine without feeling awful. I also can't drink Malibu and coke anymore as it gives me a huge stomach ache. It used to be my go to but can't unfortunately anymore. I can drink a single rhubarb and ginger gin with lemonade without feeling awful but I drink it slowly. I add a lot of lemonade with it.

Could be am intolerance to the sulphites in wine (this has happened toe as I've got older). I bought 'Drink Wine, Feel Fine' drops from Amazon - you just add a couple to your glass and swirl - stops the horrid fuzzy headache the next day by neutralising the sulphites 😀

I’m not even 40 and started encountering this. Major, major depression the next day even when I wasn’t physically ill.

Anyway, just wanted to share some positivity - I don’t get any of the horrible after (or during) effects if I drink good quality blanco tequila! I mean, I only have 3 max but still!

Oh just to add - I have histamine intolerance so that might be why I can tolerate the clear tequila and not so much the wine, etc.

I did try the wand things that are supposed to remove histamine from wine but you have to keep them in the glass and it’s annoying. Might be worth a go though?

I find it upsets my stomach also disturbing my sleep and I don't bother much now

Has anyone tried Myrkl pills (pronounced Miracle)? They’re supposed to keep you at the perfect level of three-drink-tipsiness, and stop you feeling crap the next day.

I can feel the alcohol affecting me before I've even finished my first pint. It's rubbish! But as another poster said its probably for the best as I used to like the alcohol a big too much so it's forced me to cut down. I used to love white wine too but it makes me feel dreadful these times. Give me palpitations, breathless and feel a bit sick. Last time I had it I shared a bottle of wine with a friend so only a couple of glasses and I felt so awful I had to go home and go to bed.

Since managing my hormones ( I’m peri menopausal) and being more mindful about my health, when I do drink I seem to cope much better the next morning then I did. Maybe it’s about balance and the more healthy lifestyle options you take the more your body works at getting rid of the toxicity of alcohol! I do know many people that drink heavily and they seem fine I just don’t understand how they do it!

Omg me too.

i have the answer! Get a glass of water and sachet of Dioralyte ready before you go out and drink before bed. It’s miraculous. No dehydration = no hangover. This discovery was life-changing for me! You’re welcome 😀😀

I’ve thought the same about them thinking I’m judging them (I’m not). I’ve had more than my fair share of booze (and worse!) in my life and don’t judge at all! Or perhaps they worry about getting drunk and embarrassing themselves in front of a sober person 😂 I suppose if you set out to get drunk you need fellow drinkers?
Despite this I do have other non drinkers in my life who I have fun with now. Making new friends as an adult isn’t easy but it’s possible. Have you been able to find any new friends?

I’d rather not drink than force dioralyte down. I had a horrible tummy bug recently and that stuff was vile.

For me its histamine and menopause related. As far as I understand it progesterone is incolved with the cells? receptors? that break down histamine and oestrogen is involved in the mast cells that produce histamine so this causes issues especially in peri menopause when progesterone is decreasing and fluctuations in oestrogen levels mean you can be oestrogen dominant and have more histamine. Add to that the fact alcohol contains histamine, can cause the body to produce histamune and can interfere with the process of breaking down histamine and its a disaster. A lot depends on what else I ve been eating ie if its been a high histamine diet that week I would drink if going out, if it was a planned going out I d watch what i eat and take an extra antihistamine that day but i dont really bother drinking at all. Histamine can cause a lot of symotoms bar the usual rash etc we d think of
Tbh staying up late now makes me feel hungover, the exact same mental lethargy etc even though id had no alcohol

I'm 43 and can't drink anymore either. I even feel sick while I'm drinking it now, so there is literally no pleasure to it. The anxiety was horrific.

I'm very pleased to be honest, as I drank a bottle of wine a night for the best part of 20 years.

Same here.
Interesting though how it doesn't affect everyone like that, there are plenty of old people (men and women) who can still drink vast amounts, I doubt their livers are in good health either.

Maybe try other drinks? My sister is intolerant to most drinks but finds she can drink cider!

In my sixties, have always been a bit of a lightweight when it came to drinking but now find I go from pleasant buzz to vomiting drunk within a glassful, so it's just easier to not bother. Pity.

My mother stopping drinking about the same age but never explained why so I had no warning. Sigh.

I’m intrigued by the anti histamine and might look into that, but blimey, that’s a lot of paracetamol! Well quite a lot of everything tbf, and I do take ibuprofen before bed if I think I need it.

I find that clear spirits (vodka/gin) have less of an impact. Also organic wine. It is more ££ but without the nasty additives.

This is me too

@Helenahandkart we've used myrkl, it does work pretty well but not with the hangxiety unfortunately which is a large part of why I'm drinking less.

Hormones and histamine and perimenopause definitely all make sense and ring bells. I had a small beer earlier and felt awful instead of sociable.

Anti histamines are a very interesting suggestion. I'm also like a pp, that for me the lack of sleep from a late night had the same effect.
I was out last night though and am so reserved compared to others and I do think that having a drink would mean I'd join in more.

I could have written this! I'm 37 and now have to do weddings/hen weekends etc sober. I've started to get a reaction in the form of a hot rash on my neck and face, it looks like I've been stung by a jellyfish. Even if I have two glasses of wine I feel absolutely rotten the whole of the next day - it's just never worth it. I miss that tipsy feeling