Print

Please login or register.
1 Hour 1 Day 1 Week 1 Month Forever
Login with username, password and session length

[jsb2367]

Hello,

I am 49 years old and have been in full blown menopause for about a year.  I have noticed some huge changes now when I drink alcohol.  Sometimes it's totally fine, but more often lately, it is not.  It seems I can have times when I really don't drink much, but get way more intoxicated than I normally would with no explanation, and then I am horribly ill the next day and sometimes don't recall things.  I know it sounds horrible, but this happened last weekend to me again, and I'm trying to figure it out.  I went out with my husband to a fun party.  We were there for approximately 5 hours, and I had maybe 4 beers in that time frame.  I woke up the next day so sick and was that way ALL DAY.  I also asked my husband if I was behaving oddly.  He said not at all, we had a great time. I told him there were a few things he was talking about, and I simply did not recall, and it was upsetting to me.  It has happened other times as well.  Pretty much the same kinds of situations.  Then again, other times if we are out and have a few drinks, I'm completely fine.  I have gone through all of the things in my head, eating, not eating, type of alcohol, etc.....  There is no rhyme or reason to this, and I'm starting to feel that with menopause, I may be processing alcohol differently.  Has anyone had any issues like this?  It's really bothering me.

[Urbanchick]

I can completely empathise.   My experience is similar, although I have found that my tolerance to alcohol has changed.   Three years ago I had a full-blown panic attack the day after a bit of a binge.   Since then I find that alcohol is OK while I am drinking it, but I cannot sleep, get a bit paranoid and feel awful the next day.   I now stick to a couple of beers.   Miss wine a lot, but main drawback is that at parties everybody seems so boring when tipsy!

[Lizab]

Interesting. I recently had a single drink hit me so hard and fast that I haven't yet dared to try another. I'm not sure if it's menopause related but it disturbed me. As I was finishing my drink, it hit me and I said to my husband "Oh my God! I'm drunk!" It was so silly that he thought I was joking but I was not. Fortunately, it passed almost as quickly as it came on. A quick snack, even though I wasn't on an empty stomach, and I was all right again within the hour. This was a midday drink and we were preparing to go out to take care of some bsuiness, so it definitely took me by surprise.

[Annie0710]

Yes definitely !

Before menopause I could drink all evening. (I've never drank at home, only when out) I'd get tipsy but I could last the entire evening drinking, but all that changed as I started menopause, it's so hit and miss now, I can go out and after only a few sips I can feel it taking effect so I have a Bacardi then a soft drink etc then Bacardi again etc

My hangovers can be horrible too, I can feel dizzy with palpitations

I rarely go out these days but was in Spain last week and 2 bacardis were giving a drunk effect so I saved them til late in the evening to avoid spoiling my time x

[Hurdity]

Hi jsb2367

 

Yes yes yes!!!! 

This definitely happened to me - it must be a common phenomenon. I first noticed actually before I was peri-menopausal - was still having regular periods and started to feel ill eg after 3 glasses of wine (I only have small glasses - not half pint glasses of wine people seem to have nowadays!).

I became menopausal and started HRT. I then went onto to getting what I thought were hangovers - after only two glasses of wine and especially late at night. These turned out to be 3 day migraines - so the wine would set them off. It also seemed to happen if I had any alcohol late in the evening when I was on, or withdrawing from the progesterone part of my HRT - so I blamed that - but for the past few years it will often happen at any point in my HRT cycle if I have alcohol late in the evening - sometimes even after one glass of wine or sherry or G & T, and if I go to bed soon after.

I still drink and enjoy alcohol - yes I like a glass of wine, prosecco,  G & T and a beer or two im summer, but through bitter experience I manage this very carefully! I try to finish whatever I am drinking no later than 9 pm, intersperse wine or anything strong with gallons of water, drink gallons of water during the evening after I've finished the alcohol - so I go to bed completely sober. I've also recently discovered that contrary to normal habits eg if I go out for a meal and have alcohol later - if I drink a strong coffee eg espresso or double at the end of the meal as well as the water (after the wine!) then that seems to keep the migraine at bay. I sometimes take a couple of paracetamol when I go to bed ( eg if been out for a meal) as a precautionary measure as well! I will have a drink or two at weekends - but very rarely three except at Christmas or festivals, or when on holiday or out for a meal (that actually adds up to quite a lot of occasions!). I also try not to drink at all, or if so only one, when on the progestogen part of HRT - but as I'm on a long cycle this is OK. You can see I've got this down to a fine art  . I'm 63 and I was not going to let menopause or HRT prevent me enjoying a little of what you fancy.

Anyway I rarely get a migraine now from alcohol anyway - so must have got something right.

This is a bit detailed but hopefully it might be of help to you or anyone else who suddenly finds their tolerance changing - and yes I definitely became a lightweight - but that's not such a bad thing as too much alcohol at this stage of life can increase cancer risk anyway.

Hurdity x

[walking the dog]

Snap I'm a lightweight now two glasses wine my limit if I had more I suffer the next day 

[Annie0710]

I'd just like to add.......,

I presume all of us are on hrt ?
Because my dear mum never went on hrt and used alcohol to drown out symtomd (I presume, she never told me that but started drinking heavily during meno) and my friend is post meno and hadn't been on hrt ever and drinks like a fish , is it just coincidence ? X

[walking the dog]

Anie0710 you have a point my friends not on hrt and she can drink two bottles wine with no ill effects she seems to be able to tolerate more alcohol as she sails through the menopause 😒

[Taz2]

It's all to do with the percentage of body fluid going down as we age and body fat going up apparently. This is from the Australian drink aware website but does give a good explanation https://drinkwise.org.au/drinking-and-you/age-and-alcohol-understand-the-effects-of-drinking-as-you-get-older/#

Taz x

[Ju Ju]

  Well, I'm what my DH calls a cheap date. I've never been able to tolerate much alcohol. I might as well chuck it down the loo and miss out the middle man or middle woman in my case as I go straight to the unpleasant part missing out the pleasant bit. But since menopause, I can tolerate a small glass of white wine, so maybe the reverse of others experience? I do wonder how much genetics play a part, just as alcoholism can be inherited. My son cannot tolerate alcohol either ( and he so wanted to be able drink to be part of the crowd when he was young. Doesn't care now)

[bramble]

I used to be able to drink like a fish but now even 2 small glasses of wine wipes me out the next day. Not worth it now.

Bramble

[da66]

Definitely. Me too. I can't drink more than 2/3 glasses of wine these days and went through phase where I couldn't drink wine at all as the hangover symptoms seemed to start before I'd even finished the first glass!  It seems to go in waves with me though. I stay off it for a while and then am sometimes OK if I have a couple of drinks after a break.

[grumpyjane]

haha JuJu I`m a cheap date too! 
I`ve always been a lightweight anyway, and go from slightly tipsy to sick bypassing that happy drunk (so I`m told) stage. I had jaundice as a teenager and I think this affects the liver so maybe that`s it. 
Since this meno journey began my alcohol tolerance has been very unpredictable. Now I have a little at a time and see how it affects me. Sometimes I get what my sister and I call "heavy neck" which we have both had since we were children. After only a sip of alcohol you get a severe ache across neck and shoulders, which lasts maybe 10-30 minutes. Not nice.
Ho hum, another symptom for the list..
Jx

[Hurdity]

I'm drinking one at the moment sparky  !!!

But still enjoy alcohol at the right time and in the right quantity (not too much and not too late!)

Hurdity x

[jsb2367]

Thanks so much to all of you.  The responses have helped so much.  I've always considered myself a very strong person and in control of everything.  Lately, it's been brutal and I have not been able to figure out what and why is going on. I mean, I know WHAT is going on, but didn't think it would effect me as much as it has.  As a teacher, I tried to think of everything, as to why I posted about the alcohol and the issues. This has been something I never saw coming as far as weekend cocktails go.  It helps to know there really isn't a rhyme or reason, and that others are experiencing this, or have been through it.  I'm hoping for more responses and info.  I plan to try and figure all of this out.  My Dr. put me on Duavee about a year ago.  It was amazing and worked immediately, and lasted  for a several months, then it felt like it just "stopped" working.  I mentioned it to her in late August when I went for my annual.  She wants me to remain as is to see if things even out, and if not, talk to her again.  I'm getting in a huge funk and it is really getting me down in the dumps.  I have trouble with day to day stresses and I never did before.  At work..... not an issue at all.  I put on a happy face and become super teacher.  I am just kind of frustrated and it helps to hear others have had similar issues with alcohol.  It's been driving me nuts trying to figure out why it's been such a problem and never has been before.