Alcohol improves symptoms - anyone else?

[Swim15]

Before CFS alcohol consumption actually made me come down with colds frequently after a night out or even if I was just drinking with friends at home. One of the reasons I strayed away from it.

After hardly drinking in years, however, now I notice that it slightly helps my symptoms and I feel like it generally gives me more energy which I’m assuming would be due to a different substrate for energy metabolism.

Doesn’t make me sleepy and just ‘bleh’ feeling like before the CFS either. Anyone else?

 

[JES]

I start to notice quite an improvement if I drink more than two portions of alcohol in an evening. It's a bit difficult to sometimes discern what is an improvement in ME/CFS symptoms and what is just a general mood boost from being drunk. However, I also notice a nice subtle improvement consistently the day after. Actually, about six hours later I feel worse from the detox, but the next day I usually wake up feeling better than baseline. Weird stuff, as many people with ME/CFS report complete alcohol intolerance.

As you say, it may have to do with fueling some metabolic pathways that are running out of fuel in ME/CFS. I am skeptical though, provided that I attempted to drink every day, that the benefits would be maintained for very long. I have around half a dozen of "hacks", which temporarily improve my symptoms, but none of them are maintainable in the long run. Drinking is definitely not.

 

[Treeman]

In the past if I were to drink heavily, I also would come down with a cold and/or illness (think this was caused by the dampening effect on my immune system). I think I probably had mild ME/CFS then. However whenever I drank it gave me a few hours of escape from my symptoms. Recovering from the drink has always been very hard with severe hangovers. Now with moderate ME/CFS it's just not worth drinking anymore. I don't seem to get the same high/escape from my symptoms, but just having a couple of drinks will give me horrible hangovers, totally intolerant of alcohol now, I miss it so much, I loved being drunk I was such a happy drunk.

 

[Shen]

Maybe is the antiseptic effect of alcohol in your gut?
Maybe you have a th1 elevation and alcohol shifts it improving your sympthoms. (alcohol releases igE and other things from mast cells. Reducing Th1 dominance if I remember correctly)

Aniways. Not for me tho. I suffer with Histsmine issues. Alcohol makes me extremely anxious. Foggy and depressed for days. Gives me even neuropathy and restless legs haha. Never tolerated well alcohol

 

[percyval577]

I had the same (beer only though, up to 0.9 liter), but it has changed.

I thing there are the following effects considerable, though evidence differs:

• on dopamine receptors - I think the bad effect (it may cause chaos in the tiny dopamine system).
• on NMDA receptors, blockade
• on GABA receptors
• hops in beer on iNOS, blockade

 

[lenora]

I used to socially drink prior to my first surgery, but then found that the relaxation was followed by an extreme tightening of muscles and increased pain. I should say that my "drinking" always consisted of ice cubes in a glass of wine or two, which would last all evening. At co. functions, I wouldn't even drink at all.

All these years later (34 or so) I now have wine with lots of ice over an evening about 3-4 times/yr. Now it interferes with my sleep, which is a 10, and 10 being the worst type available. I think we have to take this into account: While we may share the same name for our illness, each person is affected differently by almost everything. Sure, you can find some people who share the same symptoms, but a blanket statement can't be made.

I've also been wary of drinking too much as I come from a family with the wrong type of genes. I don't like the feeling of being out of control or definitely not remembering what I said the next day. I find relaxation hard for me b/c I have other illnesses, also. Meditation helps as does learning good breathing techniques. Right now I average about 2 hrs. of sleep/night. Good, calming music and best of all, I'm a book lover and find that highly relaxing.

Yours, Lenora.

 

[Swim15]

Interesting. So far I’ve noticed no downsides and have been drinking more in the past 2 months than in the past 5 years. Still going easy on things but thought it was interesting

 

[Martin aka paused||M.E.]

Me too. I feel better when I’m drunk.

 

[godlovesatrier]

I haven't drank in about 3 years. Doesn't do me any good at all. Sets me back days or weeks depending on consumption. The only time I managed it was my brief remission in the first year of ME while taking Siberian ginseng. Never had sustained remission since then.

 

[*GG*]

I noticed this a couple years ago, would try to live a "Normal" life and would watch my NFL football and have a few drinks, and probably a couple more to many. the next day I wake up feeling normalish! Still not abusing alcohol, but perhaps something I want to do more often

GG

 

[Prefect]

This effect is observed in a subset of CFS patients, including myself. Discussed previously here:

https://forums.phoenixrising.me/threads/alcohol-helps-me.79256/

https://forums.phoenixrising.me/threads/oh-alcohol.55862/

 

[leokitten]

For the first couple years I had strong alcohol intolerance which then just dissipated and since then alcohol doesn’t necessarily make symptoms better more than just numb that constant, never ending ME body and brain aching and pain and uncomfortable feeling.