Alcohol intolerance - perimenopause or something else

[Kaleidoscopic101]

I'm very late thirties...I suddenly seem to have developed an intolerance to alcohol. This isn't after any particular spell of sobriety or anything. I just seem to be feeling super rough the next day. I'll be ok with the odd one drink at home but more than that seems to be a problem.

E.g. after just a couple of pints (of lager) in an evening over a period of over 3 hours as a one off, I felt awful the whole of the rest of the day. Also recently went to an event and was violently sick all night, granted I had a lot to drink but very slowly over 12 hours.

I will get checked out but I wondered if this could be a perimenopause symptom that others might have experienced? I have also recently gone vegetarian which may be causing it I don't know. I'm also worried of binge drinking in my late teens/twenties may have caused this but hasn't been picked up on liver function tests in the past 😬. Any shared experiences welcome, thank you!

Welcome to your 40’s when it’s just not worth it anymore! (Sorry that’s not much help)

I'm early 50s and I've never been much of a drinker, but I've noticed less and less tolerance as I'm aging.
I've gone from red wine to white wine to Prosecco...
...but I think I may be heading towards teetotalism in the next couple of years.

I'd be sad, but I can't justify the migraines / hangovers after only a couple of glasses.

Yes! 47 and can no longer cope with wine despite it being my favourite! Have switched to lager- can’t physically drink enough volume of it to be properly ill.

I had to stop drinking white wine in my early 40s. Then reduced the amount of red.

Now I can tolerate a couple of gin and tonics or a red wine, but only if I've stopped drinking by early evening. No evening drinking at all really.

Oh and Rose started making me feel sick.

I always thought it was my diabetes but I'm now pretty sure it's age I can't tolerate it at all, it just brings on an awful banging headache and if I'm really unlucky, a UTI. It really isn't worth it.

Yes it’s perimenopause. I’m exactly the same. I’ve almost stopped drinking now as I feel so bad the next day. I used to love a glass of red wine.

Yes I just can’t process alcohol the same since reaching peri.

Me too, can only drink wine now. Used to love a G&T but can only drink it so weak now its hardly worth putting any gin in 🤣

I’m more or less teetotal these days because it just makes me feel so poorly the day after. It only really started during my menopause. Add into it sleep deprivation and mood swings, it’s just not worth it!

Yep another joy of Peri. I am a very occasional drinker (one small G&T, max once a week) but went to a wedding this summer and drank a few glasses of champagne but didn't get drunk, just merry. I have drunk way way more in the past (in my teens/twenties).

I felt like death the next day, I have never ever felt so awful after drinking and I wasn't even bloody drunk.

Yup. 45 yrs old & haven’t been able to stomach a drink in a few years now. So weird!

Super, super common. I'm 43 and most of my female friends have either stopped drinking entirely or massively reduced in the last few years. I stopped drinking wine a few years ago when I started feeling hungover before the night had even finished 🤦

Also the two day hangovers from two drinks are not worth it. I have an occasional cider but that's about it.

Yep 45 and even a small amount really negatively impacts my mental and physical health. I was a real party girl in my 20s but only drank moderately as I’ve got old and now I’m giving up! I miss a really good glass of wine but not enough to feel like shite.

This is it - I might not have a hangover as such but the anxiety caused by drinking is crippling!

I'm 49. Really really suffer now if I have anything more than 3 drinks.

Goodness! Thanks for replies all...I hadn't realised this was so common as many of my friends (some older than me) are still going strong or at least it appears that way. I'm likely going to need to reign myself in even further as it's just not worth it as others have said. Thank you 🙏

Yep, me too! I'm late 30s and suspect I'm in peri but not properly diagnosed. This was a big symptom for me as it's become almost an intolerance - I can have one glass of red and wake up feeling genuinely ill and shaky the next day. Never used to be like that. I still take a gamble occasionally but only when I've got nothing planned the next day. And I find having a glass earlier in the evening helps, like 7-8pm rather than 9-10pm.

Late 40s and exactly the same. Started a few years ago.