Really bad days after any amount of alcohol... social life taking a toll.

[Crazycatlady]

Hey guys 

 

any amount of alcohol (like a shot) makes me feel absolutely horrific the next day. Even if I drink a good amount of water and increase electrolytes. Is this common? 

 

I feel like my social life has taken a toll. No one understands that no, I can’t have even just one drink unless I want to feel horrific the next day. Most people just recount a bad hangover but my limbs/toes/fingers feel weird afterward!! I always feel pressured to drink and after a drink last night I am finally accepting I will never drink again. Just not worth it. I don’t fit in at work because I don’t partake in their drinking sessions I live in a state where alcohol is VERY much apart of the culture so people do take it weird if I am not drinking.

 

anyone else have issues with alcohol and feel their social life is affected? 

[bombsh3ll]

Hi Catlady,

This is absolutely "normal" in dysautonomia and many if not most of us find we no longer tolerate alcohol. It is dehydrating and vasodilating, and can cause orthostatic intolerance and passing out even in healthy people. 

The way I see it is I am not denying myself a wanted treat, I am avoiding something that directly makes me feel even more unwell. For me it is the same with caffeine although some people do tolerate & even benefit from that, but for me it is a strong diuretic. 

It doesn't affect my social life personally as I am housebound, but good friends should understand and not put pressure on you to drink. 

B x

[Derek1987]

3 hours ago, bombsh3ll said:

Hi Catlady,

This is absolutely "normal" in dysautonomia and many if not most of us find we no longer tolerate alcohol. It is dehydrating and vasodilating, and can cause orthostatic intolerance and passing out even in healthy people. 

The way I see it is I am not denying myself a wanted treat, I am avoiding something that directly makes me feel even more unwell. For me it is the same with caffeine although some people do tolerate & even benefit from that, but for me it is a strong diuretic. 

It doesn't affect my social life personally as I am housebound, but good friends should understand and not put pressure on you to drink. 

B x

Hmmm interesting. The very first time I fainted I drank alcohol. It wasn't much but I rarely drank anyways. I haven't drank any since because the situation was traumatic to me.

 

Then I've had 2 near fainting episodes after consuming spicy food. I can't handle much caffeine anymore because it makes  me feel sick. There's gotta be a connection between all of these things. I just want an official diagnosis because I want to know if I can work or not. I'm just worried about my future.

 

OP, don't be pressured into anything. If they are true friends, they will understand.

[Pistol]

I second what @Derek1987 said: do not EVER feel like you have to drink ( or anything else, for that matter ) for other people. No matter who they are. If it makes you feel bad then DO NOT DO IT. Explain that you have a medical condition that makes you feel bad when you consume. That's it. 

 

[StayAtHomeMom]

I have seen a lot of people who can't tolerate alcohol anymore. I was never a big drinker, but a few months back I had a crown and coke and it didn't bother me. I expected it to but didn't feel it. I was surprised. 

I wouldn't feel pressured by your co-worker and friends. If need be, hang out with them but get something non-alcoholic. Never did see the appeal of having to drink to hang out and have fun. 

[Flipflap1]

I stopped drinking after it became obvious that it was making my symptoms worse. After a severe 6-8 month flare up, I decided it just wasn't worth it anymore.  Honestly it's been surprising how much people really don't ask me, I go out with coworkers and just order water and some people never even say anything. Others do ask, and when I say I'm riding the sober train,  and stopped drinking for medical reasons, typically they sympathize but don't ask too much more. For the people that are curious and ask more, I usually preface any explanation with saying it's long and complicated and give the simple answer that I got diagnosed with an autonomic disorder and once I got it under control I realized alcohol made it worse. If they want MORE details after that, that's when I'll delve into what my symptoms are, etc. I've continued to go to parties, happy hours, and often offer to be the designated driver. People really like that! I have also been enjoying that I don't feel terrible after going out to bars. I think taking a positive approach helps, if someone pressures me to drink I don't get upset or negative about it I just explain kindly and usually the subject eventually changes naturally.

[Jan]

I tell people I have low blood pressure and alcohol is a vaso-dilator and it drops my blood pressure and makes me feel like I am going to faint.  No one has ever tried to push it on me after that.  It doesn't actually make me faint, but no one wants someone they are partying with to faint so it is easier to say than say going into details about my medical issues.