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Original poster

So now gin makes me anxious

26 replies

Mushroomwithaview · 29/12/2023 04:41

I love a G&T. Never buy it - it's been a tight year and I just don't buy treaty things for myself any more. But late October was my birthday and my lovely husband bought me a large bottle of Gordons, which I love.

Twice over the festive season I've had a couple of gins and tonic in the evening, and both times I've slept horribly, sweats and anxiety dreams all night, and woken up with that anxious feeling of dread.

I already can't eat bread, wheat, red wine, more than one glass of wine, too much sugar... I am the poster-child for peri-menopause and all that entails. And I just feel so bloody BETRAYED by gin.

OP posts:
LunaTheCat · 29/12/2023 05:32

I commiserate! I have had a glass or 2 Gand T’s since Christmas and my sleep has been awful with lots anxiety! No gin tonight!

isthismylifenow · 29/12/2023 06:05

You are not alone OP.

I can't drink any alcohol and not get hangxiety, even if it's just one or two.

Wine is the worst for me.
.
After a terrible episode last year I decided that was that and I think I've probably had two drinks in total since then.

It's shit. But then the effects are even more shit.

I am giving off a big fat sigh for you too OP.

Original poster
Mushroomwithaview · 29/12/2023 07:43

Ugh it's just shit isn't it.

I also found the same with wine but I have experimented a little bit (ha!) and found I can drink some wines but not others. For some reason Chilean wine makes me anxious and twitchy. Weird. From chatting with friends I'm not alone in that.

OP posts:

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Flamango · 29/12/2023 07:47

Have you tried an anti histamine just as you have your first drink? It’s reduced a lot of the peri-related symptoms I get when drinking.

Original poster
Mushroomwithaview · 29/12/2023 08:12

That's interesting @Flamango .
So I take an antihistamine daily because I am allergic to our cat and to house dust. I am now wondering if my 'bad and anxious' wine days coincided with my 'forgot antihistamine' days....

Definitely not for the gin though.

OP posts:
ICanSeeMyHouseFromHere · 29/12/2023 08:19

! That's just started happening to me!

I literally noticed this morning, that the nights where I've had a G&T or two over Christmas, are nights where I've woken up in the middle of the night with a bit of a sweat and a headache!

I already don't drink white (acid indigestion), bread and beer make me very windy, milk gives me the runs..

Growing old SUCKS!

AndThatWasNY · 29/12/2023 08:21

I got alcohol anxiety for the first time when peri. HRT stopped it. Best thing ever!

AlisonDonut · 29/12/2023 08:30

Gin is made from wheat, so that might be your main issue.

Pashazade · 29/12/2023 08:32

I get really angry, ready to find fault with anything when I've had something that is basically too much straight sugar! So chocolate with fondant or marzipan. I have to try and make sure I don't eat any late at night it's grim.
I hadn't joined the dots that it could be a peri menopause thing, but now I look back the timings of when it started would be right.
I'd forgotten about alcohol giving me night sweats, I drink only occasionally, so you've just made me realise why Xmas night was a bad nights sleep!
Sympathies over the gin.

Original poster
Mushroomwithaview · 29/12/2023 08:32

AlisonDonut · 29/12/2023 08:30

Gin is made from wheat, so that might be your main issue.

Whaaaat? Omg... off to google

OP posts:
LlynTegid · 29/12/2023 10:22

Are you sure it is gin and not Gordon's specifically? Might sloe gin be an alternative also?

OrdinaryGirl · 01/01/2024 07:05

Oh OP I feel you. I’m 46 and woke up with a headache this morning. I had ONE GLASS OF SHERRY ALL EVENING.
Caitlin Moran writes well about this perimenopause alcohol betrayal in More Than A Woman. It’s the enzymes… THE ENZYMES 😩

SideshowAuntSallyx · 01/01/2024 07:12

My anxiety spiralled as I started peri, no gin was involved. I can be alcohol free and still suffer massively. When I look back to 2022 I can see that the anxiety I was suffering was the start of peri and last year it exploded.

Perimenopause sucks

ScaryM0nster · 01/01/2024 10:29

Regular tonic or slimline?

Regular tonic has a reasonable amount of sugar in, slimline has none.

DangerousAlchemy · 01/01/2024 10:39

Urgh I'm 48 & can't drink much anymore either. Peri M is just shit. I have plantar fasciitis in my right foot too which is awful & seem to have lower back pain a lot. I get bad anxiety now & catastrophise about lots of things that haven't even happened. I'm meant to be looking at a nice family holiday for early July after DS finishes GCSEs but honestly I'd rather stay at home - my stomach/bowels has been playing up all year yet all tests are negative so I'm thinking it's IBS as doctors dont seem to know. Just CBA with things atm. I've got my second bad cold too & only had last one a month ago. I'm on HRT & take multi vits but I need a diet overhaul. My diabetic friend orders special low sugar wine so might try that.

Piggywaspushed · 01/01/2024 10:57

I'm still just about OK on gin but I end up having to wee a lot.

A few years back I switched to very slowly drinking Doctors Sauvignon Blanc (lower alcohol) and drinking only may be two glasses. But now I can't even do that. Acid indigestion , anxiety and terrible sleep.

I'm OK if I have a gin around 2 pm. But that's not a normal thing to do !

I have told DH I am no longer going to wait unit his allocated 9 pm for my two glasses of wine and have moved it all forward a bit so that I am not drinking after 9.30 pm. I have my last cup of tea at about 6pm.

Work in progress. If didn't have a couple of drinks on a Saturday night , I'd end up just sitting and staring at DH drinking beer.

BrummiMummi · 01/01/2024 11:13

Interesting to read this - I’ve had anxiety after drinking for the last year or so and put it down to me being a generally anxious person and hyperfocusing on it. I’m completely peri- menopausal though so wondering now if that may be it…

Astridspuzzle · 01/01/2024 11:36

Try non alcoholic gin. It tastes the same, I think!

I've had to basically quit alcohol due to the menopause but currently sitting here with a slight headache after a midnight glass of champagne. Just doesn't work for me anymore.

Love alcohol free beer and gin. Try alcohol free Aperol too.

Tombutnotpetty · 01/01/2024 12:11

I've had to live on anti-histimines the last two years, coincidentally that's how long I've been in PeriM. Never had hay-fever or anything before, and now need two fexofenidine a day. Was eight a day last year before I started back on BC (progesterone). Never been anxious before, either. It's awful.

Now histamine issue is under control I'm able to drink again, but have to be careful. Have been sticking with this one organic pinot I found in Tesco that seems to give me no reaction at all. Did have a gin last night and am feeling a little on edge this am.

One thing I have found is that non-alcoholic alternatives all taste really chemically, so they aren't an option for me either.

PeriM sucks.

RecycleMePlease · 01/01/2024 12:39

Try non alcoholic gin. It tastes the same, I think!

But the price. I just can't pay that much for something that doesn't even have booze (and therefore any duty) in it.

I tried some 'non-alcoholic spirit' I saw once in Holland and Barrett, and it was foul (and also eye-wateringly expensive)

I tried some CBD drinks instead, they were alright, just made me a bit sleepy.

CurlyhairedAssassin · 01/01/2024 12:41

I'm 51 and have had bad anxiety for the past year- night terrors, sleep walking and everything. I don't drink much during the week usually and still have the anxiety. I did wonder whether even the small amount of alcohol was not agreeing with me but this week I've been off work and drunk far more alcohol than I usually would and my anxiety has been ok for once! So for me, the anxiety is definitely mainly work-related stress, I think. I feel great mentally this week. Been getting loads more sleep too as no early starts. Retiring early or going part time would be great for me mentally and physically more than giving up alcohol.

However, my skin definitely doesn't like the alcohol (and chocolate.) So I'm doing dry January (was supposed to be doing chocolate-free January too but as I've just had 3 Thorntons I've failed at the first hurdle on that one).

Astridspuzzle · 01/01/2024 12:49

RecycleMePlease · 01/01/2024 12:39

Try non alcoholic gin. It tastes the same, I think!

But the price. I just can't pay that much for something that doesn't even have booze (and therefore any duty) in it.

I tried some 'non-alcoholic spirit' I saw once in Holland and Barrett, and it was foul (and also eye-wateringly expensive)

I tried some CBD drinks instead, they were alright, just made me a bit sleepy.

Yes it is expensive. I only buy it on offer. But sometimes I crave a non alcoholic drink that's not tea, water or orange juice and it's nice to have something different.

I'm off caffeinated drinks too due to anxiety. All my vices have gone. Only ice-cream is left...

CeriB82 · 01/01/2024 15:05

Any alcohol keeps me awake. So my last drink was Christmas night. Im done with it. Didn’t drink much anyway (I realised i drove to many functions) so easy to just give up.

Thecatmaster · 01/01/2024 15:08

It is shit, but on the other hand, your liver function deteriorated during the perimenopause so you are more susceptible to getting drink related liver issues, so maybe the slight silver lining is that you won't end up with liver damage. It is annoying though. I am the same.

Leftoversgalore · 01/01/2024 15:16

Also in peri. I've found I can't drink in the evenings at all. I do like to have a drink at the weekend, usually a gin and tonic or two on Saturday after 4 or 5pm, and possibly a glass of cremant with Sunday lunch.

Last night we went for dinner and I had a G&T and a glass of champagne but it was nearly 9pm before I stopped drinking and the hangover today is awful!

I've drunk less this Xmas than ever as an adult. I used to love wine. Not only does it make me feel rotten I think I might have gone off the taste.