[volatile]

Hello...I am writing about a frustrating problem I continue to encounter.Everytime I drink, even if it is one single beer or other alcoholic beverage, I will get a headache.It does not happen instantly, rather say at 8 PM I have a beer...I feel relaxed...then an hour later...as the alcohol leaves my system...I start to get an annoying headache which usually lasts an hour or so.If I have 3 drinks at 8 PM...then again...as soon as the alcohol/buzz starts leaving my system...I get a headache...and it will last even longer.Headaches start once the buzz is done and the alcohol leaves and lasts depending on how long the process takes (1 drink 1 hour...3 drinks even longer).I'm a 26 year old 180 lb pound male.I do take medication:AM (1500 MG of Depakote in the + 300 MG Trileptal)*PM/Before Bed (600 MG Trileptal)*Recently was on 50 MG Luvox but just stopped this weekI'm not much of a drinker...it's not like I am getting drunk. This is really an inconveince...I think i am entitled to have a drink without feeling like ####.I'm wondering why I seem to be the only person who has this issue.Again...not asking to be allowed to get hammered...just to be able to have A social drink and not have a massive headache off ONE drink.Do any of you have any ideas as to why this is occurring and what I can do to solve the problem?1) Is it the meds I take?-If so...which ones OR is it the interaction between both.2) If I dropped one of these meds OR switched the times and took Depakote Before Bed (AFTER DRINKING) would this help?3) Or is there some special hangover pill I need to take?Thanks.

 

[BQ]

I do not think one is supposed to drink while on Depakote. It can intensify the effects and/or negate the effectiveness of it for you.And alcohol and Trileptal definitely don't mix. After a quick check on www.drugs.com one could have seizures if you mix the two. PLEASE discuss your alcohol use with the prescribing physician. Nevermind having a bit of a problem with your IBS because of drinking! Your other medications should not be mixed with alcohol. You are playing with fire, in my humble opinion.The headache is indicative of dehydration which, if you researched your meds.. you would know you are prone to.To sum up: I seriously doubt you should be drinking at all. Hon.. it isn't worth it. Try learning to have a good time with your friends without. If you find you need to drink while out with them.... you could have a different problem entirely.PLEASE be careful.

 

[volatile]

I appreciate the response and the concern.Look...we are talking ONE stinking drink.I had ONE drink tonight around 9 PM.I felt a little buzz.Once the buzz left at 10 PM I got a nasty headache which lasted until 11:30.Now I feel totally sober and headache free.However I doubt ONE drink is unsafe. I think the label is more about getting loaded on a regular basis.In fact my Dr. has said 2-3 drinks 1-2x per week is ok...not binge drinking.What baffles me is how ONE drink causes me a headache in such a methodical order ofA. DrinkB. BuzzC. Buzz leaves...sobering...headacheD. Alcohol gone...buzz gone...sober...no headacheVery weird.I wonder if either simply taking the Depakote at Bed will fix this or if I need "chaser" or some other pill to counteract or if the Dep+Trileptal will always cause it.

 

[Kathleen M.]

I would check with the pharmacist (sometimes they know more about side effects) or the doctor about interactions between the meds and alcohol as sometimes they can interact and if you insist on drinking you may need to have a medication change.The other thing is a lot of body builder types eat high protein diets and may not be drinking enough water to support that and if you are on the edge of dehydration to start with drinking even one alcoholic beverage can be a problem.Also different people have different genetics and some people don't tolerate alcohol at all, and it isn't IBS and it isn't medications. I'm not sure your ethnicity but I think a lot of Asians just don't metabolize alcohol well and can get bad effects from small amounts.http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Alcohol_flush_reaction has some info. Not sure if you get the headache without as much of the flush, but alcohol and it's breakdown products are toxins. How well or poorly your body handles those particular toxins will effect how your body reacts. Drugs you take can also change how you metabolize alcohol so may make it more toxic than usual (and visa versa, why people who are heavy drinkers have to limit their tylenol intake). Is it fair some people can drink like fish and have few if any effects and others get bad effects from even one or two drinks, no, but nothing in life is fair.Have you tried the old have a glass of water for every alcoholic beverage you consume? For some people that helps flush the toxins better and also prevents the dehydration people get when they indulge. Eating with your drink will also help slow things down so you don't get a pulse of toxins. But the problem is anything you do to mitigate the toxins also mitigates the buzz.I quite often get a headache from one drink. Why I usually have my glass of wine for medicinal purposes near bedtime. That way if I get a headache I'm already asleep and don't care. So I don't usually have a drink with friends or get something fun but non-alcoholic as it isn't worth it. Or I just put up with the headache later. I get migraines from time to time so I'm pretty good at dealing with the pain if I decide I want to.And I'm sure all the "no one else ever feels bad" is just they don't complain as for a lot of people the buzz is worth all the pain, barfing, feeling awful the next day or even later that night.

 

[katyd1d]

I haven't been able to handle any alcohol, at all, since starting serious IBS symptoms 6 months ago. I miss it, and hope to feel better someday to have a drink.But, if it always hurts when you do X, maybe the easiest advice is not to do X?Easier said than done, of course. Some long days, a cocktail would sure be nice.

 

[BQ]

But, if it always hurts when you do X, maybe the easiest advice is not to do X?

Amen Katy, I agree!

 

[idkwia]

Well I don't want to appear unsympathetic but if I have one beer then all hell breaks loose. If I only got a headache for a short time then it would be worth it!On a more sympathetic note I would agree with the others, the headache is either caused by your medication's reaction and/or dehydration, so try drinking more water before drinking the beer.