Does anyone get what feels much like a hangover without having drunk any alcohol? Is there anything in particular that you think might cause this? I'm guessing dietary indiscretions like fat, sugar or salt could be at play but just wondering if anyone has any experience to share.
If you get such symptoms, how long do they typically last? Hours? Days?
That’s a really good question — and your description of “a hangover without alcohol” is actually something that comes up more often than people think, especially in the context of chronic liver conditions.
Given that you mentioned a hepatitis C diagnosis earlier, it’s reasonable to consider whether these episodes might relate to how the liver handles toxins, especially after meals rich in fat, sugar, or high-protein foods (especially red meat). For some people with reduced liver reserve, these can overwhelm detox pathways and lead to symptoms like fatigue, headache, and nausea — all part of what’s sometimes called low-grade hepatic encephalopathy.
Checking blood ammonia might be a sensible step. Of course, most doctors will only think of that after cirrhosis is fully established — because, apparently, nothing exists unless it’s cirrhosis first. But in reality, impaired detoxification and symptoms of encephalopathy can happen earlier, and outside that narrow “cirrhosis-only” box.
When that’s the case, things like lactulose and rifaximin are often used to manage the toxin buildup and reduce symptoms.
That said, this is just one possible explanation, and there could be many other causes — so it’s important to go through this properly with your doctor.
Hope this helps a little — and you’re definitely not alone in feeling that way!
I want to tell you how much I appreciate and have learned from the information you post on this site. Thank you.
Thank you so much for this information. I'm still under the care of the liver team. I will be seeing the nurse soon for my final Hep B jab and have had it in mind to raise this with the liver team. Not sure I will get much joy from there. I got hideous "hangovers" for a week after both of the last Hep B jabs and raised it at the time but was met with "wait for the feeling to go away and get back in touch if it doesn't". But I would have had no idea to ask about blood ammonia. I have gone to check the enormous amount of things my blood has been tested for over the last couple of years and ammonia does not feature anywhere.
As you quite rightly point out, there could be many other causes, but it's good to know possible places to look. This was happening prior to the Hep C diagnosis (causing me to seek help in the first place) and we investigated any number of things before finding the Hep C so the list of what it is not has become rather long!
Thanks again!
Thank you so much for your reply. I really appreciate your openness and honesty in sharing your experience. It’s frustrating (but unfortunately familiar) to hear that even when symptoms are clearly affecting your quality of life, the response is still something like “just wait it out”.
The fact that these hangover-like episodes were happening before your hepatitis C diagnosis and actually helped lead to that diagnosis is a really important point. It suggests your body was already struggling with something, likely related to how toxins and by-products were being handled, and now that you know about the HCV, it puts that earlier picture into better context.
You’re absolutely right, there are many possible causes, and blood ammonia is just one piece of the puzzle - but it's one that often gets overlooked until things get dramatic. (Ironically, waiting for the drama is part of why so many cases of subtle encephalopathy get missed.)
If you ever do get the chance to have it checked, it’s best to do it during a “bad” day, and ideally while fasting or before eating, since meals can temporarily affect the result. But even if the ammonia result ends up “normal,” your symptoms and response to certain foods still matter — sometimes the body gives us clearer signals than lab results.
I’m really glad you’re still in follow-up with the liver team. Hopefully the nurse or someone on the team will take your concerns seriously — or at least be open to thinking outside the usual algorithm.
Take care and do keep us posted if you find anything that helps or sheds more light.
Many, many years ago in my early 20s, I always used to say I got worse hangovers from diet coke etc than from alcohol. I now know that all fizzy drinks are a major issue for my ibs, stomach pains, diarrhoea and I also now know that I get severe headaches from consuming any type of artificial sweetners. Haven't had fizzy drinks for nearly 30 years now since I realised they upset my ibs, along with a number of other things. The artificial sweetners, I only cut out a few years ago and have gone from constant headaches to none. Possibly look at your diet, none of this may apply to you of cause.
Good luck
Hilary x
I'm not sure I would describe it as a hangover but a couple times I felt really cloudy and off after having a high sugar dessert. I don't have diabetes but I am definitely sensitive to sugar and it makes me groggy. I avoid it for the most part now since being diagnosed with MASLD.
I am type2 diabetic and have been on a low carb diet for a long time now. If I slip up (treat) and have carbs I can get hangover symptoms the next day. I don't have alcohol at all any more so it's not that. Last week had a cold and the only way I could explain the symptoms that came with it were like having drunk a bottle of scotch the night before. It lasted nearly 3 days.
Hi - sorry to hear about your problems. I’m posting after reading your description and a previous post suggesting hepatic encephalopathy, HE. I had HE which led to discovering my cirrhosis. As far as I understand ammonia toxicity causes HE and occurs when the liver is failing to remove sufficient blood toxins. My reason for posting is that I asked my GP, who has over 20 years practice, for an ammonia test. He had no idea why I was making this request, what role ammonia has in this condition, or that such a test may exist. So … you might have to be insistent and prepared to educate your clinician if you’re not dealing at specialist consultant level. With warm wishes for a speedy and successful resolution, C
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