Alcohol Helping Symptoms?

[poppetkazutaka]

So I finally broke down and went out to get a pack of wine coolers. Strawberry daquiri bartles and james like I used to like years ago. I've had a stressful bit and I just said screw the medicine, I'm going to drink one. Can't hurt too bad if I take it slow and don't have more than the one. I know I'm on a blood pressure medication and an anti-psychotic\happy pill, but whatever, I need it really bad and it's been two and a half years.

I felt great. I slept wonderfully. I had a great morning and didn't die to get my meds. I wasn't dizzy in the shower and though I still have brian fog I feel rather focused and I'm not in any pain. I feel...WONDERFUL.

I looked better, too. I had blood flow. Color. No pale skin with flush in my cheeks. I wasn't stumbling into the walls. In fact, I was more normal as a drunk than when I wasn't! And I had only had one wine cooler!

What the heck? Is it because it thinned the blood or something? Increased the medicine in my blood? Relaxed me?

What could have been the solution?

[icesktr189]

im not sure but i do know that one or two drinks are okay for me but anything past that and i have negative effects.

[janiedelite]

I have mild hyperadrenergic POTS, and I find at times that alcohol makes me feel nearly normal! However, now that I'm on carvedilol the alcohol really makes me fatigued. In my case, I know that the excess adrenaline makes me over-constrict and makes me feel so sick. The sedating and dilating effects of the alcohol counterract this. But now that I'm already vasodilated on the coreg, the alcohol just wipes me out.

I also notice that alcohol helps me much more during cold temperatures for the same reason. It's kind of a balance. I'll still have a very small drink now and then, though!

[mvdula]

Hi,

I posted about this a few weeks ago - I do feel better w/ a couple glasses of wine. Seems to me it just calms my nervous system.....I guess.

[Maxine]

Makes me much, much, much, worse! I miss margarita's. I also love imported beer and miss that a lot.

Rolling Rock is pretty good.

Maxine :0)

[erik]

I'd be cautious of mixing alcohol with most prescription meds, especially if the wonderful feeling was a bit too wonderful if you know what I mean. Can be a sign of destabilizing influence so please be cautious! But beyond that disclaimer, alcohol is said to have multiple effects in the body. It is probably a good "research clue" even if "clinical use" isn't feasible.

One that I've read about is it's GABA effect (akin to benzo's) which involve increase in activity of that "inhibitory" neurotransmitter. This would be expected to be a centrally "calming" effect and might explain some benefit. In that regard the up/down (short term) and mixed effects of alcohol probably make medicinal use problematic. In regards to "dependency" issues if used regularly, I suppose one could figure it is roughly on par with benzos and the like. Reportedly, withdrawal is similar in each case.

There is also said to be NMDA effect. NMDA & glutamate receptors have been explored (implicated) in a number of things over the years... from schizophrenia to blood flow regulation. Wouldn't be surprised if some of alcohol's effect in this regard is involved in the plus & minus effects for those of us with "blood flow anomalies" like with POTS and such. But hard to say anything specific with this stuff... things are pretty complex and seem like new research. Maybe an expert in the field would know if there is anything to this.

I think there are said to be adrenal effects of alcohol too. Not sure the exact nature of this, but one illustrative example is that chronic alcohol use can induce pseudo-cushings... meaning an excess of cortisol release/activity. Again, hard to say anything specific but who knows... maybe since Addison's (the polar opposite of Cushings) can make symptoms basically identical to POTS it might make sense that something that pushes towards Cushings might temporarily counter something in these regards. Just generalized speculations of course.

[Guest tearose]

I do horribly with more than a small dose of alcohol. It will first make me feel woozy then nausea and then I puke or fall fast asleep.

If it works for you and it doesn't interfere with your treatment plan or make you turn into an alcoholic then go for it!

[lmt033167]

"If it works for you and it doesn't interfere with your treatment plan or make you turn into an alcoholic then go for it!"

I'm not on any meds atm and after the day I've had, Im going to try this out!

[tinkerbella]

I just go to trader Joes and buy sparkling blueberry or cranberry juice and have it in a wine glass and I feel it's all in the glass!

I just need a nice piece of glass~

lol, I'm a glass collector, had to put that in there.

I also make strawberry Gatorade margaritas for a little treat.

They help my symptoms ; )

bellamia~

[erickamcc0523]

I have an occasional beer... before my POTS got much worse, I would have at least 4-5 in one sitting.... now I get the same effect with only one, so I will make sure that I eat with it, and space it over an hour or so period. As long as I make sure that I stay hydrated, I have no ill effects at all, and in fact, I have some positive effects. I also smoke regularly... I can tell when I don't smoke my normal amounts, since my POTS symptoms get quite a bit worse. I suppose it's because my POTS is caused by the hypermobility syndrome, and so the blood vessels in my legs don't constrict like they should. I imagine that the vasoconstrictive properties in nicotine is what helps with the symptoms.

[ramakentesh]

There is a misconception in POTS literature that all forms of POTS are the result of faulty vasoconstriction. It appears that in some forms of POTS - actually perhaps in most there might be inappropriate vasoconstriction rather than vasodilation.

Ive been saying that alcohol in moderation helps for years. Every doctor ive told has been dismissive because it doesnt fit their preconceived opinion of the illness - and at this stage it is an opinion rather than based on much in the way of credible science.

Alcohol helps me so I use it occasionally in moderation. Alcohol also reduces the risk of alzeimers LOL. They say that its good at flushing out inflammation out of the vasculature. Might explain it?

[toddm1960]

Hey Rama, nice to see you back. We were guessing if you had another nice long remission, either that or got married and no longer have time for the forums......lol. Welcome back, hope you're feeling better.

[erik]

Ive been saying that alcohol in moderation helps for years. Every doctor ive told has been dismissive because it doesnt fit their preconceived opinion of the illness...

If you've consulted docs in Australia, I believe they probably objected because using alcohol in moderation doesn't fit their preconceived notion of how to use alcohol properly... not their preconceived notion of POTS.

[erickamcc0523]

I believe that my POTS is secondary to JHS and other collagen deficiencies... since normal collagen causes blood vessels to constrict upon standing, and with JHS and EDS that sometimes doesn't happen as it should, it would make sense that moderate alcohol and other vasoconstrictors helps with symptoms. I would say that it would depend on the subtype or cause of the POTS as to how vasoconstrictors would help.

Just to add, I've had a horrible sinus infection/bronchitis (and I hope not pneumonia.. PLEASE) the past little bit, and I have been using some "home remedies" (basically mint tea, lots of lemon juice and honey, and a half-shot of either rock & rye or whiskey), or some type of cough syrup with a 10% alcohol content, and... well, the POTS isn't GREAT, but it's not as bad as it normally is when I'm sick. Perhaps a bit anecdotal, but hey, whatever helps symptoms.

[yogini]

Alcohol is generally a vasodilator, allthough it can be a vasoconstrictor if you drink lots of it. When our bodies are hyperactive, alcohol can take the edge of and calm things down. I think it's a trade off between the de-hydrating and BP lowering effects vs. the calming effect. Different strokes for different folks. Docs aside, I think plenty of people on the forum drink occasionally. Alcohol doesn't really make my POTS better, but I am at least at the point where I can have a drink or two every now and then without much after effect...and I'll take it!

[poppetkazutaka]

Well, either way, I've been doing this since last week and I have to say that overall I'm feeling much better! The tingles have gotten better, the brian fog is better, sleeping is better, and I'm not hurting as bad. I'm not 100% better, so it's definately not a cure all, but it's helped with the circulation issues that were causing me to get worse.

Alcoholism runs in my family. My mom was an alcoholic. My sister was an alcoholic. My mom's sister is an alcoholic. So I have to be careful because I also tended to build addiction to pain killers in the past. But because I have that warning and because I'm usually really good with not letting myself get away with things, I won't let it get me. I've only had one a day, and it's about $5 a box for four wine coolers. I'm cheap, so... XD

I have a follow up with Dr. Zia on the 20th. I'm going to tell him about the alcohol, the toe that I've lost feeling in, the left sided weakness, and the tingling sensations. So maybe he can help me out with why it's doing that. I'm going to think it's probably the inflammation caused by the autonomic attack. It's definately going after my circulatory system, thyroid, and who knows what else, because they have found all those things in my blood stream. So I am sick and releasing the inflammation would make sense that it makes me feel better.

I don't think there's anything they can do for me at this point. No medicine is going to help, because it will all have side effects worse than the treatment.

Alcohol is probably better than anything they can give me! XD

[lmt033167]

Alcohol is probably better than anything they can give me! XD

, that's what I told my husband after I read this...so he's going to buy me some Long Island Iced tea mix - put some in with tea and it's great, plus it's easier to make it as weak or strong as you like. He was all for the idea, he likes when I'm a little tipsy lol

My mother was an alcoholic also, since she was 12 or 13, runs rampant in her family, but I've never had more than 2 drinks - my kids call me a prude If it helps with my symptoms or at least I can feel a difference, I'll try it before trying another med that may send me to the hospital again.

[Darlene]

i can't drink alcohol... makes my heart beat fast

[tinkerbella]

To Drink or not to Drink, here's my two cents worth:

I had left sided weakness at first and then went into both sides numbness and tingling arms, legs, hands, and feet. I would fall break my foot, sprain my ankle or have black and blues all over from falls and I didn't know what was wrong with me. This went on my whole life till the yeas back in 07 a neuro did an emg and found peripheral neuropathy. He explained that drinking only makes it worse and I wasn't a big drinker. He said it would only do more nerve damage. I left so scared and upset about what was happening to my body. It was the beginning stage of finding out that I had Pots...

I haven't had a drink since that day. My liquid mestion has alochol in it and It's a small amount but if any of you take flagly for IBS don't take them at the same time spread them apart due to the interaction or best talk to your doctor.

I know when I would have a drink it always made me feel better too, but I really think it was masking everything and I was self medicating. I only needed one or two as I'm very sensitive to alochol or I'm a cheap drunk...lol I know now I don't need to kill any more brain cell or nerve cells. At hydration twice a week I know that I have no feelings in my hand and arms till they hit a scared tissue. IV therapy is always saying OK it's going to hurt now and I remind them I don't feel, sad but true....

Now I just drink my own drinks in a fancy glass. Yes, I sneak them into restaurant, weddings, family gatherings, or where ever I go... I now with all my meds would never feel safe to drink along with it being a depressant.

xxx's

Bellamia~

[ramakentesh]

alcohol increases my heart rate a little but improves all my other symptoms. Proof is in the pudding for me. Dont drink much though because i cant crack open a beer at work now can i??

[lmt033167]

we went out for our Anniversary this wkend and I decided to try this....Had 1 drink at dinner and shared a 2nd with my husband (Long Island Iced Tea) about 20 min after I noticed the pain throughout my body lessening and I felt more relaxed and symptom free than I had in years.

I wish I had slept well, but I can't say I did - but that could be due to my OSA also. I'm torn between the lesser of the 2 evils - drinking alcohol daily or taking pain meds; either way I could get addicted...hmmm