Anybody else not able to drink alcohol on levothyroxine.

[ockerdoc]

I seem to have developed a real sensitivity to alcohol which is very annoying! I used to be able drink a nice bottle of red and feel completely normal the next day. Now I feel rough for days it seems to be affecting me alot more since I’ve been on Levo. How does everybody else handle alcohol while on thyroid medication? I’m on 100mcg at the moment so I was hoping it would improve the higher the dose but it doesn’t seem to changing.

[Lalatoot]

I don't think it's the levo. I think it's the liver.I am on combo levo and t3 and I feel rough for a few days if I drink a glass of wine for a few nights or a few glasses of wine on 1 night . My doses and thyroid hormone levels are good - took years to get there with that . So I don't think dosing is the problem.

Not all but a lot of t4 to t3 conversion takes place in the liver. My theory, and I'm no physiologist or medic, is that my liver can't cope with processing alcohol and continue to efficiently convert. So drinking equals reduced conversion I think for me. Which is a shame as I do like the odd glass.

[ockerdoc in reply to Lalatoot]

Yes could be..that does make sense it’s making the liver work harder isn’t it. I might just have to stick to one glass then which is going to be very difficult! 🤣 I don’t know how I’m going to manage over Christmas !

[TiggerMe in reply to ockerdoc]

Zero alcohol is all the rage... you'll be in with the Trendies 😁 you could go wild with virgin cocktails 🍹

[ockerdoc in reply to TiggerMe]

Hehe I never buy alcohol free but I may have to try !

[Hidden in reply to ockerdoc]

Well, alcohol free doesn't have the 'stigma' (in mainly men's eyes) it used to and there are so many non-alcoholic drinks to choose from now, there is bound to be something you like and can indulge in ! Happy Christmas!!

[66olives in reply to Lalatoot]

Thanks for that little insight. I'm going to test your theory and abstain until Christmas. See if it helps.

[TiggerMe]

Yep, can't touch the stuff these days, tried organic, low sulphite... only ever had the odd glass but the fallout is too awful so another saving 😏

[J972 in reply to TiggerMe]

Same here, I haven’t been able to tolerate alcohol for a few years now. Certainly coincides with hypo progression. I wake up feeling something akin to ‘hungover’ most days and don’t need to make it any worse!

[TiggerMe in reply to J972]

Not sure I ever really tolerated it very well and I'm certainly now even more intolerant of drunks.... they are so boring! 🤭 Perhaps other recreational drugs are the way to tolerate drunks 🤣

[J972 in reply to TiggerMe]

The mind is boggling…! 🤪

[Stourie in reply to TiggerMe]

😂😂😂

[farrellkl68]

I stopped drinking alcohol 5 years ago as it just did not agree with me . I don’t miss it.

[Hennerton]

I noticed the problem very quickly after starting on levothyroxine. I quickly developed a blinding headache, every time I had even just one glass of wine. I no longer drink anything, as it is not worth the pain and suffering.

[thyroidproblem in reply to Hennerton]

wow , i had both thyroid removed in sept, didnt have a drink for ages now one drink at night, and i feel rough as f day later , bit peed of tbh as im stressed out, cant train cant work , thought i was on my own until i found this page.

[HealthStarDust]

Prediagnosis I do not think I tolerated alcohol very well, but then I did have a bad relationship with it so it could just have been drinking in excess. And a few months before diagnosis, there were occasions when I drank just a glass of alcohol and almost immediately fell asleep. Post diagnosis, I have not touched a drop and don’t intend to.

[ShakeyD]

Yeah, I can definitely tell the difference. All you can do is be careful and acclimate

[helvella Administrator Thyroid UK]

If you use the link below, it does a search on this forum for "alcohol". A remarkable number of them are about intolerance related to hypothyroidism. (Not all, of course, there are other topics covered but the search is so poor it's difficult to thin them out.)

About 45 pages of posts!

healthunlocked.com/thyroidu...

[ockerdoc in reply to helvella]

Thank you 🙏. Seems it’s a common theme !

[waveylines]

I doubt it's levothyroxine but being Hypothyroid. Given the metsbolism runs slow and is less efficient then it's highly likely that your liver/kidneys is also running slow so it won't deal with clearing alchohol very efficiently or quickly. . So to expect to be able to drink a bottle of wine is a tall order and think your body will process the alcohol etc is a bit of a high expectation. A 100mcg of levothyroxine does not necessarily mean you are optimally treated or have recovered from your condition and are now back to you pre diagnosis. . Alcohol is a poison to the body and is a further stressor. So yes you feel poorly for longer. No real surprises there tbh.

In addition alchohol is a depletor of B12 commonly low in hypothyroidism which alchohol won't be helping.

I can tolerate the odd glass of wine or a g&t but am afraid it's taken too long to get my body sorted out from the effects of hypothyroidism to consider the consequences of binge drinking ever worth it.

I'm afraid you will need to find an alternative way of letting your hair down or accept the hang over from alcohol will be longer and far more drawn out. Mock cocktails alongside one glass of an alchohol beverage you may get away with and still enter into the joviality of a night out with friends or a social get together. I'd like to say it will save you money but we all know that alchohol free beverages are nearly as expensive sadly..

Sorry to be a kill joy..... But it is what it is. Take comfort from the fact that it's even harder for diabetics or people with B12 deficiency!! 😂🤣

[ockerdoc in reply to waveylines]

Thank you 🙏

[fairgo45]

I'll buck the trend and say I gave up alcohol for 6 months but I still had afib all that time after 2nd ablation .I drink one or 2 glasses of red wine most nights it doesn't make me drunk just a nice way to relax after dinner

[Libuse in reply to fairgo45]

Same here.

[helvella Administrator Thyroid UK in reply to fairgo45]

Alcohol doesn't appear to affect my afib.

I cannot drink anything like as much as I used to. A quarter bottle of wine is fine. A just-under-a-pint of beer is fine. And no more.

[Hippo1234567]

maybe it’s the type of wine you drink?

theguardian.com/science/202...

[RydeBeach]

Yep, that’s me too ☹️ if I try a wine now it makes me physically sick. I’m on ERFA and Liothyronine and not sure if it’s the medication or the condition….. either way it sucks!!

[Tina51]

I’m the same but never been a red wine person I now only drink 00 alcohol. Very rarely a very weak brandy & ginger - not the good stuff- but just don’t bother with alcohol as the after effect just wasn’t worth it. I believe organic and no sulphate helps but …….. jury’s out. Take care.

[Jump2]

Hi, I now avoid even a glass of red wine which I loved- even 1 glass makes me feel rubbish next day . But several glasses of rose wine are fine 🤷🏻‍♀️ and so are a few cocktails - on occasion . But I don’t drink very often .

[Blearyeyed]

I'm on a number of medications that made drinking alcohol really unpleasant.It is because your liver already has to work harder to process the medications and therefore it takes longer to be able to process and remove the alcohol from the body because of it.

Alcohol can also have an effect on your nutrient levels and when on medications it can cause more dehydration so if you do choose a drink you are often better off with a clean spirit with a large amount of a mixer without artificial sweeteners. And to drink some water and have a snack or two between drinks.

Personally, I made the choice that it really wasn't worth drinking at all because I never drank because I needed it to have fun but because I enjoyed the odd drink. I stopped enjoying the effect it had while drinking it and certainly afterwards and there are loads of other interesting non alcoholic drinks to have instead so I gave it up . I may have a drink during a toast at a wedding or New Year , but that's it.

The irony : one of my early jobs means I'm a trained Cocktail Mixologist!

[BumbleyM]

Sadly, have had to drop all alcohol containing drinks, ( and even sherry trifle), since needing a levo / Liothyronine combination, but I'm guessing you'd rather be able to avoid the fullblown effects of hypothyroidism than an occasional drink - I did read somewhere that it's all about the liver's capacity to denature the alcohol- a bit like asking a computer to handle too many processes at once. Not what you wanted to hear , but just one of those things...

[Allergy]

Hi it’s a symptom of under active thyroid

[Humphre]

I went alcohol free for a few weeks then I found Milk Thistle 👍 while building my vitamins up I took this for 4 weeks to help my liver(British Supplements) as I don't drink a lot I felt it was a kinda support obviously I'm now drinking alcohol again with now apparent problems. Best not to take all the time but do read up on it & see it it helps. Problem with no alcohol is the stuff offered is full of sugar or other horrid stuff & water is a bit bland. Good luck

[ockerdoc in reply to Humphre]

Thanks for the tip ! 🙏

[Stourie]

I must be one of the lucky ones as alcohol has made no difference to me since being hypo. Not that I ever drank very much anyway. Jo xx

[jand123]

Hi, I have always found wine hard to drink without a headache or hangover. I can drink organic Prosecco without a problem. Best for me is Vodka with sparkling water and lemon juice. Refreshing and hydrating. So I can drink that and feel good the next day

[ockerdoc in reply to jand123]

Thank you yes maybe red wine will have to go !

[Hidden]

healthunlocked.com/thyroidu...

Noticed an intolerance to alcohol developed pre-medication/as my thyroid was deteriorating.

Edit: I never drank much to begin with and not since suffering effects from 1 or 2 glasses of wine with a meal. (May try a glass at Xmas: hoping DTE medi since May has improved things.)

[ffranny]

Hi I am now v sensitice to alcohol and cant drink but I believe its my liver/gallbladder.BC as in before covid when you could see a gp, I got a blood test showing liver issues so got a scan which shoed a clogged up gallbladder and something dark on tbe liver but az nothing was ever done about it I assume its just bad enough to ruin my abity to drink occasionally or anything with too much additives really,

[ffranny in reply to ffranny]

ps sorry about spelling am on a phone with tiny keyboard!

[Hidden in reply to ffranny]

  ffranny ,I absolutely agree with you on the liver/gallbladder affecting alcohol tolerance.

Cos' since I've had liver & gallbladder issues, that's roughly when I developed alcohol intolerance (to minimal amounts).

Although, since reading of other peoples' experiences on here, I believe thyroid decline has caused liver, gallbladder issues (besides recent urinary bladder & pre-diabetic issues).

I haven't any other causes such as genetics or lifestyle, and previously had excellent readings in (& use of) all organ functions -including a great cholesterol level.

Edit: Oh, I forgot. Also developed kidney disease in recent years. Also with no genetic or lifestyle causes. That may or may not be a factor in acquired alcohol sensitivity. Still blaming the thyroid, though!

[oily1601]

I’m exactly the same….haven’t drunk alcohol for years.I get major anxiety and feel awful,so just not worth it 😩😩

[Watamu]

I haven't been able to tolerate alcohol for years, long before I was diagnosed with hashi, I have recently, this past year, found out that histamine is a problem for me and I think it is the histamine in the grapes which make me ill. Grapes are high on the list of foods to avoid or limit when trying a histamine elimination diet.

[ThyroidDeb]

I didn't have problems due to thyroid medicine as it turned out I had fatty liver, nonalcoholic due to my diet. I didn't drink much but I didn't eat right, when you have liver problems alchohol can affect you differently because it's not working to the fullest and removing toxins.