Alcohol

Haha that was the one thin that I have had a hard time giving up. I find that I can tolerate vodka, white wine in small doses, and I can tolerate about half a glass of red wine. Well, kinda. It creates almost an instantaneous histamine reaction now, but if its a REALLY good bottle, I torture myself anyway.

The vodka seems I be the best choice and I think it's because it's been through the rigors of distilling. What I think fibro does is heighten an intolerance, so technically I probably have always had this issue but my immune system was stronger so I could handle the side effects. Now, not so much.

I have 3-4 drinks a week. I rarely drink more than one a day. I drink red wine, white wine, vodka, and now hard cider. I had to stop drinking beer, because it was making me sicker. Headache for days, nausea, dizziness, intestinal trouble kind of sick.

But a drink a few times a week helps with relaxation and enjoyment, and so I find it's theraputic (sp?) properties are more important than the possible medical interactions.

your right - i used to find it very theraputic...im not sure why I stopped it. A few times before I got fibro last year I got stupidly drunk (at work functions) and i think it put me off for a while. Now my system has had a good break, i would like to reintroduce my glass or two of wine a week
Sometimes im more scared about how things might affect me than actually trying them...i must stop worrying and just try these things

I just don't bother anymore, because anything more than a sip to taste makes me feel hungover immediately. I shouldn't anyway, because of my meds.

Just when hubby discovered wine ;(

Debbie

I rarely drink, but when I do it's a small amount just because of the meds (PMD is aware of this practice). So far I've never had a reaction to anything - microbrews, tequila based drinks, dessert wine and part of a Bellini once. I just sip a small amount slowly with a meal, generally if we're out for lunch.

charmcitylady are you drinking wine or beer? Sulfites are one of my many allergies and that's exactly how I've always felt after a sip of wine or beer or any alcohol with sulfites in it. I even tried a low-sulfite wine at the store one day (less than a thimble full) and was flushed, nauseous, and dizzy within seconds -

hard alcohol (usually vodka) used to be no problem but now it causes a pain in my sternum that hurts beyond belief and makes me want to crawl right out of my body

Ya, I tried to expirement last night. I had a white merlot. I feel AWFUL today. Not hungover, but more like I am getting sick. Or maybe I am actually getting sick.

I hate fibro so hard.

ETA - just took my temp (I now bring a themometer everywhere with me, per my Rheumie) and I am at 99.1. So not sick from alcohol, just sick. AGAIN.

I get drunk and hung-over from just half a standard drink - even of expensive top-quality vodka, although that is the better stuff... and it increases my fibro pain and brain fog by like 10 times. Not worth drinking the stuff. Plus it increases my inhibitions - which is odd, since most people talk about it being disinhibiting.

@circe.. I've always been sensitive to all alcohol, but some more than others. Since having FM, though, it seems I can't have anything. A friend bought me something with tequila, I had one sip and my FM cog- issues were amplified by 10.

But before then, I've always gotten headaches from even just a few sips from most types of drinks: coolers, beer, mixed drinks, etc.

I wonder if I have something like "asian flush" (even though I'm Caucasian) People with A.F. can't even get drunk, because their body processes it differently and its very toxic to them. I never even get buzzed on alcohol, just headache and extremely fatigued. I always think, "why is this supposed to be enjoyable?"

EXCEPT for one day when a family I baby sat for gave me a really expensive, natural wine. I only felt good, and not sick. That's the one rare exception. I don't know.