Alcohol

[LouiseM46]

Just out of interest how do you find alcohol effects your thyroid condition? I’m not much of a drinker, low tolerance. But I have been consuming more over the holiday period, feeling at my worse just now with swelling goitre. Still to experiment with diet changes but wondering where alcohol fits into it all...

[MaisieGray]

It has never affected mine at all, in 40 years since diagnosis. I don't drink a great deal now but in the past have drunk as much as anyone, if not more, on occasions - lots of work conferences included plenty of evening socialising, and during one period when we all became divorced at the same time, two male colleagues and I regularly drank copious amounts of a father's home made wine on Friday nights, which was so awful we had to drink a lot to get over the taste lol ..... But my thyroid has never been a problem.

How it fits is that alcohol directly impacts your liver of course, and your liver is the site of much of the T4 to T3 conversion ....... In addition, the liver performs other specific functions relating to thyroid hormone transport and metabolism, so any stressing of the liver can have a knock on effect.

[m7-cola in reply to MaisieGray]

Thanks for this logical explanation. I never before understood so clearly why I found it so hard to tolerate anything more than a small glass of wine (much as I enjoyed it).

[Baobabs]

Alcohol makes me feel terrible. Just the smell from the bottle top makes me tired, hung over, thick head and stiff painful joints and muscles.

[susiemalc]

Louise, I'm in just the same situation as you. I can feel that my usually small goitre has grown considerably over the holiday period, and I was also wondering if drinking more alcohol than usual might have contributed. I think I'm also having gall bladder pain for the first time. Too much of everything, perhaps? I'm trying to return to moderation in the hope that my thyroid will settle down, but it isn't happening quickly. I hope you're feeling better. I've never noticed a problem with alcohol before. I'm a light drinker normally.

[LouiseM46 in reply to susiemalc]

Yip time for a little detox I think, I think mines swells with alcohol

[purple64]

I am a high days and holiday drinker so hadn't had any for a good 7 or 8 months maybe longer. I had 2 glasses of champagne with my Christmas lunch and I felt dreadful. Felt like a hangover. Used to be able to drink but not anymore 😏

[sylus_911]

Hi louise M46.I cant seem to drink Alcohol anymore.I loved a drink now and again.Every time I had a drink I felt so ill ive had to stop.Having said that, I have brought gluten free beer and found that you can buy gluten free vodka(cost me a fortune)its made with potatoes.I have hashimoto,s.I had, nt had a drink for 6 months, I brought it for new year.I did, nt feel to bad the next day, not like before, so I quessed it helped.But to be honest its just put me off of drinking altogether.

[Baobabs]

Seriously, alcohol is a poison and to many causes adverse reaction in the body, particularly affecting the liver and it’s function. Symptoms are obvious to folk to a greater or lesser degree. Good liver function is essential for the conversion of T4 to T3 and is involved in many aspects of thyroid function. Keep it clean and free from toxic activity is a great rule of thumb. Although this seems a bit sour grapes, long term we are attempting to fend off the development of additional autoimmune diseases. It is always helpful and responsible to consider this big picture.

[hjh88]

I find it varies for me, seemingly depending on how well medicated I am.

When I feel more hypo, even one drink can make me feel awful, almost hungover straight away. At worst I’ll get symptoms of alcohol intolerance like post nasal drip, reddening cheeks and acid reflux. Sometimes I’ll get swelling and pain in my thyroid too.

When I’m better medicated and feeling more well overall I can maybe enjoy 2-3 drinks, depending on the strength, without feeling horrid. Any more than that though and I’m into that feeling of hungover whilst I’m still sipping.

Basically, I can’t drink anywhere near what I used to be able to without feeling awful. I’m seeing it as an excuse to have the most expensive glass of wine or gin I can afford and really enjoy it as I’ll probably only be having one!

[Starfish123]

I’ve not been able to drink as such for over 17 years, I was sick one day and after that I couldn’t tolerate alcohol in any form. A sip will give me a very bad hangover. I can’t use hand gels or mouth wash. I do occasionally have a drink but I have to be prepared for a hangover for up to 48 hours, so it’s a rare occasion.

[Thyroid17]

I very rarely drink now as I recall having two glasses of wine (pre-diagnosis/meds) and woke up feeling awful, assumed hungover - then realised (oddly) that I was somehow still drunk. Never got to the bottom of it but assumed it was down to very slow metabolism causing liver not to process alcohol?

[Pufinette]

Hi ! Happy new year to everyone !

I am in the same boat, can’t drink any alcohol; but, I found out that nonalcoholic beer had no effect, and taste the same. Also, not so bad, the nonalcoholic wines.

[Kip4]

Im a Friday/Saturday night only or holidays drinker. Since going gluten free I don’t wake up with hangovers at all, don’t know if I feel tired or joints ache cause that’s normal life! This illness really is ‘ no one size fits all’!! 😁