Thread for those who respond well to alcohol

[SpiralOut]

I was really surprised to find that there were a bunch of threads on this topic and a significant (albeit minority) number of people who, like me, experience positive symptom outcomes from consuming alcohol.
As I read, a number of questions came to mind and I thought it would be instructive to try and collate some data here. So....

1. Was your illness onset post-viral or other?
2. Do your symptoms only improve at the time, or for day(s) after?
3. Do you suffer from POTS?
4. Do you notice a difference between different forms of alcohol?
5. Are you in the early stages of the illness?
6. Have you noticed any change in your response to alcohol?

Please feel free to add any additional questions you think I have missed!

 

[SpiralOut]

1. Was your illness onset post-viral or other? Other - head injury and/or black mould exposure
2. Do your symptoms only improve at the time, or for day(s) after? 2-3 days after
3. Do you suffer from POTS? No
4. Do you notice a difference between different forms of alcohol? Similar effects from beer, cider and spirits. I once had a horrible several-day crash and if memory serves correctly (lol), it was wine that time
5. Are you in the early stages of the illness? Yes
6. Have you noticed any change in your response to alcohol? My tolerance seems rather high considering I nowadays drink extremely rarely

 

[hapl808]

1. Post viral most likely, but worsened after allergic exposures.
2. Only improve for a few hours and mostly tachycardia and HRV.
3. Yes probably POTS.
4. Seems similar I think, although maybe wine is the best result.
5. No, 20 years - extreme alcohol intolerance for the first 5-10 years.
6. Relatively low tolerance, and while it improves tachycardia it also worsens acid reflux and possibly a rebound effect where symptoms get worse for the following day or two.

 

[Rufous McKinney]

I quit alcohol mostly, at 22, as drinking caused IBS-d events. Now the sugar would be an issue as I am supposed to avoid that. I rarely drink but sometimes really want that margarita. And wow, doesn't alcohol feel just wonderful! No wonder we become addicted.

In the somewhat recent past, a beer was actually very helpful at reducing anxiety I sometimes experience out places, allowing me to relax more.

 

[Nord Wolf]

Wow, I would never have guessed! Any alcohol in the smallest amount destroys me and sends me straight to the depth of violent PEM.
You improve after consuming alcohol? Does it matter what form?

 

[Mouse girl]

mid years of illness, alchohol would help with pain and elevate mood and irritability. But life was good and low level stress and good pacing etc.
only feel good for few hours while intoxicated from a very low amount as i rarely would drink at all.
if i drank too much i would feel more symptoms next day for sure and bad sleep.
now, can't tolerated it at all but i've been in horrifc state of stress, grief, loss and endless difficulties and ptsd that has done me in and also caused serious deep depression, panic, fear and most horrific anxiety in my life
i've been sick 27 years
different times i could tolerate it, others times not at all. i can only drink Tequila

 

[SpiralOut]

Wow, I would never have guessed! Any alcohol in the smallest amount destroys me and sends me straight to the depth of violent PEM.
You improve after consuming alcohol? Does it matter what form?

It doesn't seem to matter too much, although there was speculation in a previous thread that hops from beer could play a part.
Other suggestions are that the effect has to do with GABA, or with vasodilation.
Incidentally I have some phenibut laying around... I'm wondering whether it's worth taking some to test the GABA hypothesis. Trouble is that phenibut acts on GABA-B as opposed to alcohol acting on GABA-A, so I'm not sure how useful that data would be.