Does anyone else feel like me, when I drink alcohol the next few days I have no energy , also I have pains in my joints and swollen hands

[CherylAnnConnor]

[helvella Administrator]

Thankfully, no. I do feel more sensitive to the effects of alcohol but experience no surprising effects.

[CherylAnnConnor]

Thanks anyway , I just am getting worse so ive decided to stop drinking it on my weekends.Its just not worth feeling this bad .

[editfmrt]

Hi and welcome.

If my experience is anything to go by then - no - you are not alone!

You don't say if you have a diagnosis or are receiving any treatment so I'm unsure if you are hypothyroid or hyperthyroid so it's difficult to speculate on the reasons for your reaction to alcohol. So briefly my story may ring some bells for you.

I was hyperthyroid with Graves but after radio active iodine treatment became hypo and subsequently on thyroxine.

The first time I recognised a noticeable reaction was before diagnosis many years ago. Although I had always enjoyed a few drinks socially, I was finding the effects of alcohol meant I could drink less because I got tipsy so quickly. Didn't think too much about it until I was on holiday and decided to chance a small glass of sangria. Well, within moments I was as drunk as a skunk, couldn't even stand up. Highly embarrassing. The next couple of years having a drink was the least of my problems as I was too ill to socialise. The thought of it put me off anyway.

Eventually I stabilised on thyroxine and life took on some normality. Going out for a nice meal and a small glass of wine became a bit of a nightmare because I felt rotten for days afterwards. Like I had an enormous hangover which bore no relationship to the amount of alcohol. Often suffered with migraines afterwards too.

This was so bad I packed up touching any alcohol and became the family member that does all the driving.

More recently since joining this site I have realised that I have been under medicated for the last thirty years. Low level symptoms which I just learnt to live with without realising the connection.

Eventually it must have started taking its toll and I started to get more symptoms. A year ago I increased my dose of thyroxine and most of the symptoms have improved. Guess what? I thought I quite fancied a glass of wine - unheard of for me. So I tried it and no reaction whatsoever.

I've been tee total for so many years not knowing that being under active was the cause of my intolerance and previously overactive.

In the grand scheme of things it's not been a hardship but now I know the reason in my case - thyroid disease does not mix well with alcohol!

Keep posting xx

[CherylAnnConnor in reply to editfmrt]

Ah thankyou for this , ive been diagnosed for 5 years in levothyroxine 225mg a day .I have times when I feel so unwell , but the drop I feel when drinking alcohol is dreadfull , I feel like an 80 year old.I dont know why it happens but all I know that saturday eve was my last drink.Im trying with a gluten free diet , this has made a difference to me , all I need is constant energy to be able to start yoga and im giving meditation a go. So the drop ofa weekend is definately the wine .So goodbye wine and hope this helps me. Glad to see your feeling brighter , this is so hard to deal with .But I try to keep a smile on my face xxxx

[Tatty10 in reply to CherylAnnConnor]

Hi yes i can relate to this, whilst awaiting a diagnosis, had a couple of glasses of wine with the family, next day i was so ill with a dreadful headache aches and pains all over feeling sick was convinced i had alcohol poisoning but had the same amount even less than others,could not face any alcohol for a few weeks had tt surgery 13 days ago taking levothyroxine and enjoyed a glass of wine last night

Linda x

[editfmrt]

Sorry to hear you are feeling poorly but everything you do like going gluten free and packing up the wine is a good systematic approach towards finding the reasons why you feel like you do and steps closer to better health.

Do you have any thyroid blood test results you can post on here? There are so many people on this site that will be able to advise and support you. If you are on 225mcg and yet still feeling like 80 there must be something going on that needs addressing.

It really should not have to be this way.

Good luck x.

[CherylAnnConnor in reply to editfmrt]

I never ask for my results but I will ask when I next

See my gp

Im really not sure why I feel this way except I have ocd and work does knock me , I think my anxiety sometimes goes through the roof and thus upsetting me .All in all trying to learn meditation and really need to start yoga I do think the whole thing is connected .

May be my stress levels is the thing that exhausts me

Il get my next results and see if you can help me

Thankyou its much needed advise

[editfmrt in reply to CherylAnnConnor]

I think getting a history of your results with reference ranges may be a revelation for you. Some GPs can be a bit resistant when patients ask for their results but it is your right and they cannot refuse to give them to you. Hopefully you will be given a printout without any problems. You are at the first step of taking control and managing of your own health and knowledge is the enabler for that.

A good GP will be happy to let you have the information and work in partnership with you to get your levels optimal for you.

Anxiety is a symptom of thyroid disorders by the way.

Glad you have found this place x

[Hidden]

I can totally relate to this, have been a lightweight when it comes to drinking for years, but leading up to my diagnosis (hyper) I literally got alcohol poisoning from just one or 2 drinks. Just not worth it so gave up completely. My theory is that our bodies are poor detoxifiers, and since alcohol is essentially toxic to our system it just can't cope with even small amounts. H x

[CherylAnnConnor in reply to Hidden]

Thankyou im so pleased I have people I can relate to , not easy at all x

[Margo]

I used to feel like you, but things have improved since being medicated at a better level. I too have decided to give the wine a miss for a different reason. I have noticed when I have had a couple of glasses of wine, that I feel quite low the next day. Have decided like yourself to go on a gluten free diet in the hope that things improve.

[tegz]

Alcohol hijacks the liver as it's seen as a poison [yeah-true]. As T4 is converted via the liver it makes sense to treat alcohol with caution whilst Hypo , or any other challenge to liver condition or treatment needing that function.

Of course, it doesn't stop me either

[Pink_Bear]

I sympathise - I have eactly the same problem. One glass of wine in the evening and it would feel like it had been a whole bottle next morning. I just didn't need this in the mornings so I gave up alcohol about 3 years ago. I don't really miss it at all, and don't like the smell one bit when others have drinks around me. I agree that I think it's something to do with the liver and detoxing. I also gave up gluten almost a year ago and definitely can recommend trying it - a bit like alcohol really, once you've broken the habit it's not too difficult and I certainly wouldn't go back to it now, so much more energy, and I've lost quite a bit of weight at last. Good luck with whatever you try.

[Flowers2]

Yes, I certainly do. Even after just one glass of wine I feel a huge lack of energy the next day and have achey hands and elbows and have really low mood. Like you all say, it's not worth it for one glass of wine. I too gave up gluten a year ago and have lost loads of weight without trying. Just cutting out all the bread, cakes etc seems to have been enough. It's hard when you go out sometimes but within a month or so you get used to what you can and can't have and pre-warning restaurants and you even stop craving bread. I still make cakes occasionally but with GF flour and quick flat breads sometimes too. No-one else in my house drinks so it's not so hard not to have a glass of wine as it would be a waste to open a whole bottle just for me to have one glass. I'll only drink wine now if its a very good one and I will really enjoy it. It also helps with the weight loss as each glass has 200 empty calories - not worth it when us hypo's are struggling with so much already.