Could this be an allergy or alcohol intolerance?

[RedWineRedFace]

Hi! So to preface this, I don’t drink very often. I have 1 glass of wine every other month, and usually only for special occasions. No major reasoning other than Im just not a huge drinker

When I do drink, however, it’s always a hit and miss on how my body is going to react. Sometimes I’m fine, other times my body seems to freak out. I develop facial flushing similar to the below picture, and I get very hot and dizzy. It almost feels like I’ve been stuck in a sauna for too long, and my brain is fried, or I’ve gotten a fever.

It lasts for about 20 minutes, and I literally have to strip off most of my clothes and sit in front of a fan because my temperature just flies up. My skin burns to the touch, and my face is red and sore for the rest of the day. I sometimes feel sick like I’ve gotten a heartburn.

Does anyone know what could cause this? Am I allergic to certain drinks (mostly happens with red wine and cider)? Is it serious?

I should add the flushing goes along the side of my face on both sides, my forehead gets blotchy and under my chin goes red too. The nausea I feel is very similar to acid reflux or heartburn. It also does impact my bathroom habits

Have you got any east Asian heritage? We have this often, in that we don't have the enzymes that break down alcohol so can get drunk easily and suffer facial flushing

https://findanexpert.unimelb.edu.au/news/5911-why-do-people-with-east-asian-heritage-get-flushed-after-drinking-alcohol%3F

Even without the heritage, it points to an intolerance and you should get yourself testes.

Tested*

What a weird autocorrect 🙄

No, no East Asian at all. I’m Irish, and my family is made up of Irish, English and Scot so super white 🙈

Ah well then it's not that! Lol 😅

Sounds like it's and intolerance to some drinks then and perhaps it's the sulphites. You might be OK to drink organic wine for example. I would get tested for allergy/intolerance and check it all out. It would be awful if the reaction became anaphylaxic one day, so better to be safe and know what you're reacting to.

It seems to be only certain brands, so I’m going to look into them to see if it’s the sulphates. While I don’t drink often, I enjoy a glass here and then so I’d hate to give it up completely 🙈

Thanks for the tips, I’ll definitely get it checked. Especially as I woke up this morning with the flush still on my face, almost like a bruise. It took about half a bottle of concealer to cover it 💀

I have an allergy to sulfites & I suffer the same reaction along with others.
Sulfite free wine is available, Sainsbury's sell a couple of own brands, although Running Duck is my personal favourite available in independent retailers.
Gin is sulfite free!

Antihistamines such as Piriton will help after a reaction

I react badly to added sulphites, naturally occurring ones I'm ok with (so I choose my wine carefully). This has been since I got to perimenopause, didn't affect me until then.

My sister is the same and she found a spray that has enzymes in it which negate the sulphites, you spritz your drink glass before filling then carry on as normal, so she finds that useful at parties.

I’ll check those out! Unfortunately I can’t drink gin. Not because of an allergy but because it reminds me of being 17 in a field 🤮😂😂

I’m only 26, so I don’t think it’s peri. Although I’ve been having suspected ovarian cysts since last September. I’m in the process of getting that all figured out. I wonder if that has anything to do with it

Also wine is a high histamine food. Might you have a histamine intolerance? That can also cause flushing when drinking alcohol.

Gin at 17 how very posh....I was on industrial strength cider 😂

I suffer with pollen allergies, but I’m not allergic to anything else that I know of

Could do, hormones can really change your bodily reactions. Peri or ovarian cysts it's all causing hormonal disruption.

It was only once when a friend got a raise in McDonalds, splashed out on some Gordon’s. Was like nail polish remover, but damn did we feel prosperous 😂😂😂😂

@RedWineRedFace - it's not really about being allergic to it., more that if you are taking in/producing more histamine than your body can clear out (we have enzymes to help with that) then it can cause symptoms. Flushing after alcohol is a common one as alcohol contains a lot of histamine and triggers histamine release which means you get a sudden influx of it in your body which it can't clear away fast enough.