What feels like a hangover but definitely isn’t a hangover?

[HoneyButterPopcorn]

Fuzzy head, tingling fingertips, sluggishness, headache, ringing ears…

We ate out last night (Chinese) and definitely didn’t have a drop of alcohol. So not a hangover.

Woke up ‘oh I shouldn’t have had a drink… oh hang on I didn’t!’.

Could it be an allergy to something in the food (hadn’t eaten in this restaurant before and everyone else is fine)!

MSG?

Sounds like allergy. Could be pollen or something. I get this , used to, before my period, like a migraine.

Monosodium glutamate allergy?

https://www.verywellhealth.com/what-are-the-symptoms-of-msg-allergy-83193

I always feel pretty shit if I eat takeaway, I just figure it's too much processed food. Drink lots of water.

Dehydration. Drink lots of water and take a paracetamol

Oh I forgot - I went to bed early because I had a dreadful pain in my stomach (just under the ribs in my left side) when we got home.

i drank loads of water, a small bottle of fancy pants lemonade and didn’t have desert (just herbal tea).

MSG makes me feel awful the next morning. I didn't eat Chinese for years until I learned what it was and compensate by ensuring I drink a lot of water both with and for a few hours after a Chinese. It helps.

Do restaurants use MSG these days? It was a chi chi fancy pants restaurant (flipping expensive to feel so rubbish!).

I am trying to avoid gluten (of course I had noodles) as I was told by a nutritionist to cut back (auto immune). I find I can’t eat large portions of food anymore.

It was quite salty though. Hmmmm…

Yes MSG is commonly used

There's also gluten in soy sauce which could have been in many of the dishes. Gluten reactions tend to get worse if you have been excluding it, so noodles plus soy sauce plus MSG if you are sensitive to it sounds like the culprit

However, MSG isnt limited to Chinese food and so I'm doubtful you've not come across it in other foods.

Also I believe it's been widely disproved that MSG has any impact however I think it exaggerated flavours of saltiness etc so maybe that's what you're reacting to.

Chinese food also often contains a tonne of salt, so even if you drank quite a lot, you might still be dehydrated.

I get this too, after a takeaway or if I haven't eaten properly/eaten too much salt. I find drinking a ton of water/squash helps.

I’m going to go with - you just aren’t very well. You weren’t very well yesterday and you feel worse this morning. I don’t think it needs to be blamed on anything or on a nice restaurant. We encounter many little bugs and viruses and rarely give any of them a name. It doesn’t all have to be a reaction or intolerance.

get well soon

I am trying to avoid gluten (of course I had noodles) as I was told by a nutritionist to cut back (auto immune).

If you've had gluten when you're sensitive to it then obviously that's going to make you feel a bit crap.

The pain you describe sounds like gallstones, at least, that's how I was experiencing them.

Godfather worked in Asian cuisine and on his day off in Chinatown, he would actively avoid the places that used MSG. Said to me that it made people very thirsty, so they drank a lot more, so profit driven.

If I ever have it accidentally, I do get dehydrated and have weird dreams.
Obvs, not everyone affected, but if you are, you'll know about it.

The tingly fingertips shouts dehydration/low blood sugar to me, though. Only because I get the tingly fingertips only when hungover and it's cleared up with lots of water and sprite. I've found I avoid the tingles entirely if I drink a half pint of water between drinks. I reckon the salty food has just sucked the hydration right out of you 🤷🏼‍♀️

Did you sleep well? I get the rest of the symptoms when I've woken up at the wrong point in my REM cycle, which is often!

Meant to add, hope you are feeling better very soon.
There's always rice noodles, so quick and easy.

I never sleep well to be honest (never had but now I’m getting older it’s more exhausting!).

I have hypothyroidism (caused by hashimotos - which was why the nutritionist suggested avoiding gluten) so I also try to avoid tofu (which I love, and I’m veggie). They are still trying to work out my meds and diet - it’s so hard when you are trying to work out if an ache is just a strain or if it’s cause by muscle cramps!

Some days I just try to avoid much food as a lot makes me feel crap. And I am a utter pig when it comes to food…

Gallstones...

I have problems with both Chinese and Indian takeaways- always feel pissed the next morning.

@HoneyButterPopcorn I think you mentioned salt- that was what my conclusion was too- I now drink a ton of water after Indians and Chinese -

Too much salt. Or additives generally.
I find some non alcoholic drinks give me a similar hangover feeling, it must be a reaction to whatever chemicals they use.

High salt in chinese,but possibly MSG also. Drink loads of water