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AIBU?

Share your dilemmas and get honest opinions from other Mumsnetters.

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Original poster

AIBU or can you develop a bad reaction to red wine?

53 replies

Puddypuds · 07/04/2023 20:32

I have always enjoyed red wine but recently even if I only have a glass I will wake up during the night with a crippling headache. The headache often results in me being sick - almost like a migraine. It wakes me up and leaves me feeling awful the next day. Obviously as I appear to have narrowed it down I will avoid drinking it. It doesn't seem to happen with any other alcoholic drink. Anybody else had this? I'm mid 40s if this is relevant.

OP posts:

NEmama · 07/04/2023 20:44

Yanbu it has sulphites in it.

NEmama · 07/04/2023 20:45

My DM used to say the darker the drink the worse the hangover.

Congeners are found in larger amounts in dark liquors, such as brandy and bourbon, than in clear liquors, such as vodka and gin. Congeners are more likely to produce a hangover or increase the severity of a hangover. But

MPF080619 · 07/04/2023 20:48

I had exactly the same, in my 40's. It started with wine, but then any alcohol I had left me with migraines and violent sickness the next day - just one drink.

Bizarrely, I can now manage alcohol - but only if I make sure I eat well the day before and I have drunk masses of water.
It was almost like I was allergic to wine initially and then all alcohol, but now I seem to be able to manage one or two drinks.

pizzaHeart · 07/04/2023 20:53

I have this occasionally: migraine after alcohol. Mine is worse with gin and tonic (and I blame tonic), fine with beer, occasionally with red wine, I prefer red rather than white. It’s not hangover in my case it’s splitting headache which gradually develops during the day rather than hit in the morning.

southlondoner02 · 07/04/2023 21:27

I have this with red wine - can't drink it at all without getting a headache/ being sick. Also get the same with coffee and sometimes chocolate. I think it's the tannins.

People seem to think its hilarious, as though I can't handle my drink, which I don't mind people thinking, but it doesn't seem to be taken seriously as an allergy (which I think it is? Intolerance maybe?)

Aquamarine1029 · 07/04/2023 21:28

You can thank peri-menopause for this. It's very, very common.

fredschair · 07/04/2023 21:31

I always used to love red wine but when I hit 40, it stopped loving me! I woke up a couple of times with a bad headache and once with palpitations so severe I needed to go to A&E at 2am. I switched to moderate drinking of white and I've not had any problems since.

Tulipvase · 07/04/2023 21:35

I don’t drink red wine as it makes me ill. I drink Prosecco and have noticed that certain types definitely make me feel worse than others. I don’t often drink wine but if I do, New Zealand wines make me really ill. I can almost taste if a wine will disagree with me, some leave a really horrid taste in my mouth. Also, the yellower the wine/Prosecco, the worse it is to me.

FluffySlippers23 · 07/04/2023 21:35

Happened to me after I had my first child, mid-thirties. Used to LOVE red wine, but now after just one glass I feel absolutely terrible, and have been very sick after drinking red wine. I won't touch a drop now.

I'm fine with white & rose wine, champagne, Prosecco and spirits.

mrsfollowill · 07/04/2023 21:41

I used to drink red wine a lot- these days will have one glass with a meal but that's it. I'm fine with alcohol if I stick with dry white wine and soda with ice and a few G&T's. Anything else leaves me feeling awful- brandy/bourbon/dark rum I used to have these regularly in my 20's and 30's but now 50+ and peri it's a no-go. I have the odd cider/lager on a sunny day but couldn't drink 6/7 pints like in my 20s . Well I could but I'd be in bed retching for 24 hours after and it's not worth it!

Original poster

Puddypuds · 07/04/2023 21:46

Thank you! I am not going insane. Was beginning to start googling headaches and worse which would be a dangerous leap down the rabbit hole. Bit gutted but the only consolation is that I'm now drinking a lot less.

OP posts:

GeneHuntsCowboyBoots · 07/04/2023 21:54

I’m the same with all alcohol - I have an intolerance due to ME/CFS. People don’t seem to get it when I refuse an alcoholic drink and think I’m just being boring!

I tried using some red wine in a beouf bourguignon once and, even though there wasn’t much, it made me feel awful after eating. I use white wine in sauces and that doesn’t seem as bad. It’s weird!

Popsicle42 · 07/04/2023 22:20

Yep. I’m mid-40s and developed a major intolerance to red wine a few years ago. I can’t have more than half a glass without getting a blinding headache. The same thing had happened to me with white wine a long time ago, so other than a small glass of Prosecco, I tend to stick to clean spirits nowadays.

Fairislefandango · 07/04/2023 22:23

Same here. It happened to me after having my first child. Red wine had always been my favourite drink. It's not the sulphites for me - plenty of other foods and drinks (including white wine) have sulphites in and don't affect me at all.

thesugarbumfairy · 07/04/2023 23:05

yep. 48.
Found a mini bottle of red the other day and thought why not - Ill have that whilst I make tea. Felt like shit shortly after and couldnt sleep properly even though bed was about 5 hours after I drank it. I think theyre only 125ml! 175 max. I couldnt believe how rough I felt

samesame2023 · 07/04/2023 23:12

This is just happening to me now 😭 Even one small glass of red and I’ve got a headache all the next day. Have been fine the last few times I’ve had rosé so hoping that stays okay. Bloody peri.

Jayneisagirlsname · 07/04/2023 23:28

Red wine does not like me any more either. It burns my tongue, I get very flushed and then a headache starts.
Can't drink white wine either because of acid reflux.
Getting old is a joy!

TurnipLover12345 · 07/04/2023 23:43

41, loved red wine. Had to stop drinking it three years ago as it triggered migraines... 😭

minimadgirl · 08/04/2023 00:21

Happening to me tonight, had a couple of sips with tea and bang, raging headache. It's so long since I drank wine that I had almost forgotten that it's almost instantaneous.

Rtmhwales · 08/04/2023 00:44

Try a wine filter before you give it up. It worked for a friend of mine.

Tumbleweed101 · 08/04/2023 00:52

I react to sulphites in red wine. I can get headaches and also mild asthma symptoms that make me need to use an inhaler now and again. Not with every wine and not always bad but just noticeable.

DustyEmbroidery · 08/04/2023 02:20

When going through the peri menopause I became allergic or had a bad reaction to the following.

Red wine
Hair dye
Seafood
Fabric Conditioner
Perfume and perfumed products

HumptyNumpty76 · 08/04/2023 14:55

I had to give up red wine mid 40's due to the headaches. Even if it was just one small glass I woke feeling like I'd had a skinful! I'm fine with white tho.

weegiemum · 08/04/2023 15:50

Yes, I can't manage more than 1 or 2 glasses of red wine in an evening if I want to function the next day. I'm 52 and blame menopause. I could easily in an evening drink 1-2 bottles of white and I'd be drunk, but able to get up and get on in the morning (slowly🤪).

I just avoid the red now unless I'm having a really good steak or venison, when I'll have 1 large glass over a couple of hours and I'm usually ok then. It's not worth drinking more!

thegrain · 08/04/2023 15:51

Yes it has histamines in

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