Frequent hangover feeling - without getting drunk!

[Parmageddon]

I've been feeling generally rubbish for over a month now - tired easily, headaches, nausea, slightly upset tummy and what can only be described as a hangover feeling which is either there all day or comes on about lunchtime and doesn't really shift for the rest of the day! I'm not drinking hardly any alcohol at all . I seem to need to drink lots of sugary drinks or eat to feel any better.

Went to GP who wanted to do a fasting blood test which showed everything normal except elevated liver enzymes (AST). Anyone had anything similar?

Are you pregnant?

Have you had a thyroid test?

Get a carbon monoxide detector for your home, alternatively attend A+E with your symptoms and ask for an arterial blood gas.

Warning - this will hurt.

Pretty sure I'm not pregnant, although am struggling with weight gain. Thyroid was normal. What is an arterial blood gas test? Not sure I'm A&E material, have more of a chronic condition!

Are you on the pill? Do you have regular periods? Have you noticed more hair on your body appearing?

Are you sleep deprived?

I have the Mirena coil (so no periods to speak of) and have hardly any fine body hair! I might need a bit more sleep perhaps, but often have trouble with waking up at about 4-5 am.

I'm early 40s if that helps and GP said my hormones were normal! Thanks for replies.

Your GP can't do an ABG, and if this is CO poisoning then it could go from chronic to acute v v quickly.

Any of this familiar?

Don't think so, those symptoms sound a bit more extreme.

Could you just be menopausal? It makes you feel absolutely sodding awful for ages apparently.

Well I had wondered that but GP seemed to think not based on blood test. Thanks for suggestions

interesting... I've created a very similar thread as I feel exactly the same, but put it down to breastfeeding. Maybe its not! Hope its not carbon monoxide as have a toddler and a baby!

The other thing to think about is that if you've got into a vicious cycle of being tired and medicating that with sugar, your blood sugar is probably flipping out all over the place. A few weeks of that and I'd be a grumpy, knackered cow (I'm sure you aren't btw!). But if you had say a nasty virus and got run down then got into the habit of having lots of 'energy' drinks, you may well have just trained your body to need them and prelonged a problem IYSWIM.

Have you tried drinking water and having carbs and proteins together, often (as in every three hours to prevent sugar crashes?)

my thread is here We came to the conclusion it was probably blood sugar thing too. Especially as we lurch from cake to coffee and back as no time for real food looking after little ones!

Dehydration?

I find that being overtired feels the same as being hungover. There have been so many mornings when I have woken up, and my first thought has been to wish that I hadnt drunk so much the night before, and then the realisation that I hadnt had any alcohol the night before. Getting to bed at a reasonable time is important, I think.

Agree with WMMC and LF - blood sugar is the key. You have to eat protein with every meal, plus brown carbs and as much green stuff as you can; and something like a small baked spud before bedtime stabilizes you nicely for the morning.

If you're sensitive to sugar the subsequent drop in blood sugar levels after eating (or drinking) it feels just like a hangover.

www.radiantrecovery.com explains it quite well.

this really explains the blood sugar thing well too, and it also says that coffee makes it a thousand times worse. Am going to hang up my coffee and cake boots and see if it helps. Hope you find a solution Parma!

The thing which worked for me was finding the book 'Potatoes Not Prozac' by Elizabeth Desmaisons -as of the above website. I felt 100% better by following thevprogramme, although it wasn't easy as it's really an addiction.

Thanks - I too thought it was blood sugar related, it's worse during the week when I'm at work because I generally eat less and go longer periods between eating. I also drink more coffee at work. Interesting - will cut back on coffee. OurLady - that website looks good and I think this may be the answer. I am changing job in the summer and will be more home-based, so can really tackle my diet!!

chronic sleep deprivation in my (4.5 years of looong experience) feels like a hangover without the fun of the night before

i had this, along with the raised AST levels - turned out to be gallstones in my case. Never did anything about it, then after DD born the gallstones kicked in with a vengence - easy to fix though. Might be worth checking with your doctor, pardon me for asking but are you overweight at all?

I get some of those symptoms when I'm low on iron - might be worth getting your iron levels checked out by your GP?

Spatone works pretty well to get my levels back up.

Imaynotbeperfect - my Mum, Dad and brother have all had gallstones! I'm just waiting for my turn. Now maybe this is the culprit. Yes I'm a bit overweight - a good stone anyway.