Ageing and alcohol

[OneFrenchEgg]

The other week j had three glasses of wine over a few hours and spent the night throwing up and the next day was a write off. Since January I've stopped drinking at home and mainly just socially had a glass etc.
Last night I had half a large glass, couldn't finish the rest, and I'm still with a migraine and feeling sick now.
Am 51, in menopause. Do you think this is it for me and alcohol? Never been a problem drinker, never worried about my liver health, but decided for cost and general health to socially drink after dry January this year.

I'm exactly the same and this started after 40 ish! I used to drink wine fine, red and white and at times, far too much but am late forties and it just doesn't agree with me and feel rubbish after 2 glasses 😣, clear spirits with large mixer are better and Prosecco / champagne etc better too. So strange. I've now almost stopped drinking because it's just not enjoyable and tbh I don't need a load for of wine to have a good time these days which is just as well!! Age... the gift that just keeps on giving 😭

I'm late 50's and actually find I have a better tolerance for particularly red wine than I did 15 years ago. I went through an early menopause in my early 40's and no HRT. I cant drink white wine at all now due to acid reflux and avoid most spirits as that really is a road paved with bad outcomes. So i am struggling to cut down on my lockdown drinking habits as I "apparently" dont have, but know I really must have, ill effects. I did suffer from migraines post-menopause - mostly triggered by tiredness and stress. I am vegetarian and have been trying to avoid too much carb. But this is a very useful discussion. Thank you OP.

Same OP! If I have a drink, I am basically up from 4am ish, and I feel awful. So now I have switched to
Alcohol free beer now as a weekend treat. It's just not worth it anymore.

Haven't really drank in years but will at social event but cannot have gluten so would have a cider or a gin. For years when much younger in my early 20's if drank would be so ill for days and felt crap and been gluten intolerant explains it all now. For anyone who finds it hard to have alcohol have a drink that does not have gluten, you won't feel ill the next day as we get more intolerant to things as we get older and in peri or menopause.

I suddenly developed an allergy to Prosecco during peri. Plus alcohol was wrecking my sleep, so I’ve generally given up. I had one can of lager on one hot summer night, that’s it since I had one glass at new year. It’s not worth it and I don’t miss it.

sounds like you have developed a sulphite intolerance

Unfortunately the menopause impacts 5he liver's ability to process alcohol. You have to be much more careful drinking once you hit your mid forties. Unfortunately my sister now has end stage liver failure.

Yup, the m 64, alcohol gave me up in lockdown, I’ve never felt better, I’m running miles now and feel so much healthier. I think I must have been wrecking my body with booze for decades.

I had a late and extended menopause, I had periods into my 60’s so possibly menopause related ,

Wine lied to us ladies 🤷🏻‍♀️

Oh your poor sister

Oh this is interesting I'm going to look into it

I did wonder if it was suphites for me too, and several people have told me that I ought to be able to drink organic wines. But I really can't stand the thought of being so sick that I can't stand or move, so I've avoided all alcohol completely for several years. Aversion therapy is a powerful thing.

Exactly the same: got into my 50’s and two glasses vino made me really ill for at least the next day. I tried my hardest for a while to power through as I enjoyed it but eventually decided it wasn’t worth it. So stopped completely. Five years on I really don’t miss it at all.

Im the same. Rarely drink now. Some of my friends think it’s weird . I see is as they have a problem not me.

no one needs alcohol. If they do, they are the problem

So interesting to see it's a thing. I agree I don't need alcohol, but I don't like the idea of never having a drink again. I'm going to try sulphite free stuff and maybe a shandy with food if we are out. Before this Saturday I think it was September as a one off (which went wrong!) and maybe June before that? Not a regular thing but I don't know if I can be as final as declaring myself teetotal.

A vodka and posh tonic is the answer.

All my tastes changed. Less carbs, more fish and protein.
No acidic anything. A right pain!

Used to love freshly squeezed O.J, pasta and wine (gallons of wine!)

I can't drink white wine anymore ...too much reflux and general discomfort. I still drink red wine, gin, vodka and occasionally a negroni.

Alcohol is just bad for you at any age, the benefits come from it being a social lubricant and you can learn to do without it and the antioxidants in wine for example you can get from elsewhere.

This is me and I'm 39!

It feels like an intolerance, I could previously easily drink a bottle of wine regularly.

Now I drink once a week a glass or two, any more, or if I drink cheap wine out, I feel sick, I can't sleep and wake with a headache.

It's annoying as my friends, family and work colleagues are big drinkers and I can't do it.

Couldn't swap to spirits as could never handle them even as a teen.

I’m 49 and I can easily drink white wine, but have little tolerance for red, max. one glass. I had two large glasses of red when out to dinner a couple of weeks ago and felt awful for two days. Perhaps it’s the tannins in my case, because white tends to have more sulfites than red.
Who knows, it’s just my reaction to it.

Wine is pretty much the only alcohol I drink, no spirits. Perhaps one Bailey’s at Christmas too. 😉

This happened to me about 10 years ago. I was
never a big drinker but it got to the point where the headache was kicking in before I’d even finished my first drink.
For me it just wasn’t worth the crushing headache. Giving alcohol a miss wasn’t particularly hard. Navigating social situations and other people’s reactions to my non-drinking was harder.

I never touch wine (mine's a JD) but i found that early 40s i just lost the thrill of wanting to get drunk. Or even tipsy to be honest. Literally one will do me.

Up until then i loved a good piss up once a month or so.

It wasn't the hangover (i don't get them) I thing the realization that the image of a drunk 40 something (male or female) is so unattractive put me right off drinking!

Always loved a few glasses of wine and up until now, I've just soldiered on through the awful side effects (that I've put up with for around 7 years - start of peri...yes, i know! How stupid am I!)) but I just can't tolerate it anymore.

If I drink more than 2 glasses, I'm awake between 2am-5am with palpitations so feel awful the following 24 hours due to sleep deprivation plus dehydration. I only drink flat white or prosecco so thought it could be an intolerance to sulphates as another PP suggested. Have tried organic wines but nope, still get awful side effects so I'm guessing I'm going to have to give it up completely or have it occasionally and just be prepared for feeling crap!

So annoying.

I’m 54 and can really have up to two drinks now. I has three at a party recently and had to go back to bed the next day. I drink about three days a month and it’s normally one glass of wine.