Just recently I started having terrible hangovers...advice?
 

Im 27 and have been a heavy drinker for 2 years. Just recently I started having terrible hangovers....

More background: I've been a causal drinker since college, but for the last two years have drank more often - 5-6 days a week. Usually it is a few glasses of wine (1/2-3/4 bottle) on evenings when hanging out, or some mixed drinks (like 5-6 shots I guess) when watching sports. This would give me a good buzz and I might have a slight headache once in a while the next day if I drank more than that, but it never became a problem in terms of not feeling good the next day. Anyway, about a month ago I had the same amount of alcohol I've always had one evening (1/2 bottle of wine), but woke the next day with a terrible hangover (vomiting, shivers, dizzy, etc). I almost never have that happen unless I spend a whole day getting plastered, so I was totally confused how I could be so sick one morning out of the blue after my normal amount of drinks.

So I took a week off drinking, then had 5 beers with friends at a baseball game. I was buzzed, sobered up, and went home no longer drunk or buzzed. But the next morning I was near vomiting again, with another bad hangover.

I thought that was weird again, and stopped drinking for 2 weeks. Two nights ago I had some screwdrivers at a basketball game with a friend, maybe a quarter of a pint, not enough to even get "drunk". And today I've got a splitting headache and feel like I can barely stay awake.

So the last three times I've drank, its been terrible the next day. I'm confused because I am not drinking any more booze than I used to, I am drinking the same kind of beer/liquor/wine in the same amounts as I have been for two years, so its not like I'm drinking new alcohol or mixing it up.

Has anyone else ever had anything like this happen or heard of this happening? I am worried there is something wrong (medically), but have not found anything online of people with a similar experience, or all of a sudden having this happen without changing their pattern of drinking.

I'm obviously going to stop drinking now, not only because those kind of hangovers aren't worth it, but because this bad hangover thing seems like it could be a sign of a health problem since I've not been drinking more than usual, and in these last three cases, have probably had less than usual.

I guess I am just really curious if anyone has heard of this, because this doesn't seem like a normal progression of things. I don't think my body is alcohol dependent, because for the last month I've not had anything to drink (aside from those 3 times) and have not gone through any withdrawl symptoms and have never craved any alcohol. My understanding is most people get those symptoms when stopping drinking. The symptoms only occurred after I drank, and only the last three times.

Any thoughts?

Thanks!
Pete

To me, it seems like the hangover isn't the problem. It's that you are only 27 is the problem. I remember when it came to my wedding day at 29, I realized that was my first "controlled" drink. I didn't realize it back then. I went on and drank for another 10 years until I got into high-risk activities, my marriage suffered, didn't communicate well with children, missed work deadlines, etc. And now I'm living on border-line to lose everything. It will only take one big mistake to lose my license and derail my long, excellent career. Now, it's VERY hard to quit drinking but I believe it can be done as I'm ready to move to step 2. I wished I stopped drinking when I was 27 and stop for good.

Very similar has started happening to me. I don't know why - afraid to ask a doctor. Is your blood sugar out of whack the next day too?

Blood sugar out of whack? I'm not sure what you mean, like am I tired/lethargic?

To ease your mind....ask your doctor
Be honest about your drinking.
A simple blood test can give lots of info
about possible damage.

I'm glad you have quit drinking....alcohol is a toxin
for everyone....not just alcoholics.
Perhaps you are now allergic to alcohol...I :dunno:

Welcome to our recovery community...:wave:

as mentioned, see a doc...

your post took me way back, as now i see that it was the next stage of my alcoholism sneaking in...

and you may ask, how did i fix the terrible hangover (vomiting, shivers, dizzy, etc)

i drank ealier in the day, and more!

good wishes pete

rz

Dear Pete, If someone with your symptoms asked me what to do, I'd suggest that they don't drink. Alcohol consumption is starting to wreck havoc on your body, and you're a young man. Why this happens really isn't that important. Talk it over with your doctor the next time you see him. But in the meantime, it's simple. Remove the cause and you won't have the effect.

Sounds to me like your body is trying to tell you something and you should definetly listen. I always had terrible hangovers and I didn't listen until it was almost too late, don't waste your life feeling miserable.

Judy

When I was a little younger I use to be able to stay out all night drinking like a mad man come home sleep about 3-4 hours wake up and go to work where I stood on a line swinging a 20 pound sledge hammer all day and if was the summer it would be hot as hell in there or winter time it was freezing. I would maybe feel a little rough at first but as soon as I chugged down some water and got moving I was fine. I use to really take pride in that I could drink huge amounts of booze, could get little sleep and still make it to a real physically tough job and go through the whole day fine. And as soon as I got off work I'd go home take my shower and do it all over again. Now though I so much as go over a 12 pack forget it. I'm calling into work and planting myself on the couch and not doing sh*t. I end up spending the whole day with horrible anxiety, feel physically drained, nauseated, mind gets cloudy and just overall feel like some one worked me over with a baseball bat. And I'm only 29 now but I started drinking when I was 12 years old. And for each year that I stay out drinking the morning after feels a little bit worse.

Stop drinking Alcohol; seems the easiest solution!

Sounds to me like your liver is getting tired! As your drinking increases your tolerance decreases as your body shuts down.
It is easier said than done to go to the doctor. I made an appointment specifically with a nurse practitioner so I could tell her about my depression and drinking and instead drank 3 beers before I saw her and walked out with a Welbutrin and Xanax prescription!
Don't drink and give an AA meeting or 2 or 90 a whirl!

I always had horrible hangovers, always. That didn't stop me from drinking for a long time though. :(

Have to agree. To my surprise, this worked rather well for me.

I would stop drinking. However, if you are an alcoholic you may need outside help. I go to AA and it has worked for me. Good luck pinetree

Right! I agree with YOU pinetree. All that other drivel is attitude and alcohol reform. Real alcoholics won't stand for it!

Back away from the keyboard and go to an AA meeting and tell them you don't know if you're an alcoholic or not, but your health is suffering and you need help. If you don't drink coffee, then bring some bottled water with you or a soda and maybe a buck to throw in the basket to help them pay the light bill... if you wish.

I am McGowdog and I approve this message.

Welcome Pete

Yep!
Alcohol is a poison... and I poisoned myself daily for decades. By the grace of God, no more hanging for me.

Well... I believe you give credit where it's do.

Evidently, it's wrong to suggest the use of booze on the forum due to the TOS. Makes sense, but there's some lines in the book that suggest... oh nevermind.

For non alkies and non potential-hard drinkers, maybe it's not too bad... in moderation or less.

It's worth educating yourself as to what prolonged use of alcohol 5/6 times a week does to the brain. The hangover is your brain's blood vessels swelling due to prolonged use of alcohol....simple.

You've made the first step by coming here.

The next step is easy....stop....whether you know how to is what you should be asking next. And there are plenty of people here who can show you what worked for them.

Paul

A (non-alcoholic) friend of mine quit drinking a number of years ago because he suffered from terrible hangovers after just a few beers of glasses of wine. Novel thought, totally foreign to me as an alcoholic. For many years, I was able to stave off the physical symptoms of the night before by drinking lots of liquids and exercising to sweat it out. In fact, I ran some of my best 10Ks with a hangover. Then, a few years before I began my recovery, I started drinking in the mornings to quell the hangover. By this time, though, the mental and emotional hangover had caught up with and passed the physical side. I was paranoid and nervous, and my hands would shake so badly I couldn't write my name. I thank God that those days are over, they were hell.