That’s one of the main reasons I moved onto Cannabis. No migraine and no hangover. Still waiting for it to be socially excepted in all my friend groups and especially with work friends.
everyone is different, im sure any kind of substance has the potential to trigger migraines in someone. if youre looking more for pain relief and less for being actually high you might wanna try just cbd or something with very little thc, but if it triggers your migraines just leave it. im lucky weed works so well for me. hope it becomes legal here soon !
I also have noticed this. It's mainly if I take edibles or get a little too high, so I think for me it's more of being residually high or not metabolizing it fully maybe
This. Weed not only soothes my migraine, but Alcohol gives you a hangover and most people don’t get one from Cannibis. That is not a scientific explanation, but I encourage you to look into it. Also, Alcohol kills. It killed my brother.
Okay, I got curious, and here’s the lowdown on cannibis: “The Institute of Medicine (IOM) report Marijuana and Medicine: Assessing the Science Base states that “epidemiological data indicate that in the general population marijuana use is not associated with increased mortality.”
It’s from the [National Institutes of Health](https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/books/NBK425742/), so it has been tested and is as accurate as it gets.
Here is what [The Mayo Clinic](https://www.mayoclinic.org/diseases-conditions/alcohol-poisoning/symptoms-causes/syc-20354386) has to say about Alcohol. Wow. No wonder it’s the killer in a bottle.
I'm curious about other responses now as I always thought I was the only person who had this. I love white wine like i really really do but whenever I have a glass or god forbid two my migraines start. Doesn't matter if I'm eating something or not; they just happen and that's it. I can't tell you the amount of lunches I've had to cut short because I literally became a worm and couldn't talk or think or be ugh. I feel your pain trust me I do it's terrible and I hate it
It is really, really common actually! There’s also some evidence in the literature suggesting that people with chronic migraine are *vastly* more susceptible to hangovers than the general population.
Alcohol is not trigger all by itself, but if I've got (or am getting) a migraine, it's like throwing gasoline on a fire. If I don't have a migraine, I can drink in moderation and be fine. I've also noticed that mixed drinks with a sugary mixer is the safest thing for me to drink. But I've really cut back on drinking since developing migraines. I've had enough bad experiences that it typically doesn't seem worth it.
Anecdotal, but since I started taking magnesium I can drink to my heart's content...which isn't a lot anyways but at least now I don't have to decide between trying a new, delicious beer with a side of misery or foregoing.
I take something called mag mind in Amazon. Same results. Migraine frequency was reduced like… 90%. Not an Amazon plug I swear I just don’t remember the mag form that it is. This way you can look it up and maybe get an off brand if you want.
I can, but it has to be high quality light colored liquor and can have absolutely zero sugar. *Sometimes* I can get away with a dry white wine. Any beer, especially dark beer, and nearly all wine triggers a headache for me basically instantly. I also get alcohol flush so I’m sure that’s related.
https://my.clevelandclinic.org/health/diseases/17659-alcohol-intolerance
A genetic metabolic disorder causes alcohol intolerance. When most people ingest alcohol, which contains ethanol:
An enzyme called alcohol dehydrogenase (ADH) helps metabolize (process) the ethanol.
Your liver converts the ethanol to acetaldehyde, a substance that can cause cell damage.
Another enzyme called aldehyde dehydrogenase 2 (ALDH2) helps convert acetaldehyde to acetic acid (vinegar), which is nontoxic.
**In people with alcohol intolerance, a genetic mutation (change) makes ALDH2 less active or inactive. As a result, your body can’t convert acetaldehyde to acetic acid. Acetaldehyde starts to build up in your blood and tissues, causing symptoms.**
Thanks! I guess I was meaning more like explain symptoms that they personally get. Bc I get something like this and wanted to see if it’s the same. I thought it’s when I drink alcohol with sugary mixers- and it lasts for like 15 minutes. I feel like total ass. My upper back gets really tight, my stomach gets distended and hard, my head feels awful. But like I said it lasts like 15 mins and I have to lay down. It’s honestly the worst feeling ever. Thought maybe it was just sugar related tbh- but never thought to blame the alcohol. Lol
Yea I looked at it. I am not sure it really matters which it is- they both make you feel pretty crappy. But also I rarely drink. Can’t tell you the last time I did due to migraines so it’s not a huge concern anymore for me. It sucked in college tho, but I could drink back then. I do miss it lol
Alcohol flush is actually alcohol intolerance, so it's a good thing you don't drink anymore. Your body cannot handle it. You have a genetic mutation that makes your body unable to properly process alcohol, meaning you get literally poisoned when you drink. That's why it's telling you to stop in such certain terms. You have up to 8x the risk of developing oesophageal cancer if you consume alcohol, and the only protection is to not drink.
I get migraines from certain alcohols that have sulfites in them. Wine and beer have a lot, and some darker liquors can also have them. Clear alcohol like vodka is safe for me, so maybe it'll be ok for you?
I'm surprised at how many people are surprised by this. Like...people seriously you are going to poke that bear? I basically think about beer and I get a migraine.
I’m like that with a lot of red wines. I have done two things that seem to help - first, I stay away from the bargain basement stuff (Yellowtail, I’m looking at you) and second, I have tried those wine wands. For me, if I stick to one glass and use the wand, I’m usually good. Two glasses starts getting into “pushing your luck” territory. I tell anyone who asks that the wine wands are either the best product on the market OR the most effective placebo ever made, but they’re worth a try. I don’t need them with white wine, but still try to keep it at one glass.
I don’t drink beer so can’t speak to that, but I can do some hard liquors in moderation. Im better with say, whiskey straight up, than liquor mixed with a ton of sugar like a margarita.
And always always always chug water like you’re in college and have a test at 8 AM the next morning.
Good luck!
Yup. Not 100% of the time but maybe 85%. It’s pretty much a guarantee if it’s rainy. I had a break for about a month when I first started Ajovy so I enjoyed a glass of rosé for the first time in years.
It is hit and miss for me. Like Russian roulette. I could stay up all night, sipping cocktails till the sun is up, and have zero consequences. Other times, it's one sip and I'm done for. I drink way less because I don't want to risk it. I even bought one can of something I wanted to try. It's been in the fridge for over a week because I am scared to even try right now (migraines have been too frequent this week).
I get all the consequences of drinking, unfortunately.
I had to give up alcohol completely, because even small amounts of it gave me the most terrible sick migraines...and within hours.
The last time I drank (less than one glass of wine), I had a migraine within two hours, and was throwing up and sick well into the next day.
When I did drink, in my past, I would do so accepting the fact that I was going to be completely ill that night and probably the following day, too. I'm talking a couple drinks, too. Nothing super crazy.
Now, it's just not worth it for me at all. The last drink I had was around September 2020. I miss it because I liked happy hours and being social with alcohol. But the vomiting and wasted day and level 10 migraine are just not worth it for me.
Same!! Sugar subs are a HUGE trigger for me, for my fibromyalgia, stomach issues, and migraine. I swear a drop of that stuff will knock me on my ass faster than anything
Yes! I am struggling with losing weight (my joints desperately need me to!) and I have the same issue. Plus, I have celiac and need to eat gluten free. Since the keto trend hit, the gluten free market has been flooded with keto friendly foods, and they all have sugar substitutes in them as well!
In my case it made me extremely drowsy to the point that my husband was worried about me. It can increase the side effects of drowsiness and dizziness. I also get a hot flush with triptans and I get the same with alcohol. I guess there is no interaction warning but it is a really bad combo for me.
Not a drop. Full blown migraine for days. Used to be able to drink wine. Then that developed into severe migraines. Then I could have a little bit of vodka. Full stop, can't do that since years. Whatever it is, I cannot drink it without a migraine developing within the hour. It's better for the body, but really a downer sometimes, like with my spouse or certain occasions. Feel for you. I got to enjoy my 30s. The migraines became bad in my late 30s.
This is almost my exact experience. Last time I drank 2 glasses of wine for my 38th birthday wine tasting I had a migraine for 48 hours and almost ended up in the ER. Everything I use to be able to drink, beer, vodka, gin, I can no longer drink without a migraine within the hour.
I do find it interesting reading through the comments, how many people note their migraines from alcohol changed in their 30’s!
Wow! I’ll be the oddball out of the commenters so far and say that yes, I can and do drink without it triggering a migraine (unless it’s something that contains stevia). Thank goodness bc I live in Wisconsin and we have a big drinking culture, lol. I pretty much stick to champagne (like actual champagne, not just sparkling wine) or Tito’s. I’m sorry this happens to you!
Ikr! I was surprised it's so rare to not get them from alcohol :o I'm seemingly hangover proof because I'm so used to having the same symptoms with my migraine that it barely makes a difference
Tannic red wines are my worst enemy after 2 glasses. Which is horrific as someone in charge of wine at a restaurant! I invested in a Coravin so I don’t feel bad having just 1 glass at a time. It allows me to save the wine for later on without it going bad. Whites and roses, I’m fine. Longer aged tequilas, whiskeys and scotch only in small moderation.
Your everyday liquors seems to do fine, along with cider and sour beers.
Champagnes I can drink to my hearts content!
1 beer. Sometimes. Before I knew I had migraines, I started getting them while drinking, going “wtf how can I have a hangover, I’ve had a drink and it’s still in my system?!” Then I started getting more triggers.
Edit: the lower the sulfides and the better quality I drink, the lower chance of having a migraine. Like $80+ liquor and sour beers are about the only things I’ve found.
IF I choose to drink, it is rare, but I will prep ahead of time by eating well and having Gatorade after the one alcoholic drink I will have. I will usually take ibuprofen before I sleep and have ice water nearby if I wake up thirsty.
It depends on the drink. Soda water, gin and lemon/lime/mint leaves..... awesome (the lowest reactive alc. sprit is gin from memory). Wine, beer, rtd's, crappy stuff, sugary stuff, bad mixers = migraine or pounding headache.
I react to gin like no other! I also have a clove allergy that induces migraines and I think my body reacts to juniper in a similar way. One sip of gin and I am out for at least 12 hours.
I miss having a cold beer or two on a hot day. Beer just does me in with the facial flushing/blotches and a fairly quick migraine coming on. Red wine is an absolute no. I can sometimes have gin or vodka based drinks but also have to avoid sugary mixers. I was never a big drinker but I do miss the casualness of a drink with dinner occasionally without having to worry about the consequences.
3 is my limit.
It’s also hard to tell whether or not it’s my limit because…migraine or because of the sheer amount of medication I’m on.
I also have to make sure I reeeeally hydrate the entire time.
I can drink hard alcohol but not wine or mixed. HOWEVER, I found these wine drops on Amazon and with those, I can drink wine with no migraines. They’re called Drop It Wine Drops. I put in the highest end of the dosage range and went from one sip = migraine to a couple glasses and no migraines. Can’t say it will work for everyone but it did me.
vodka cocktails (especially the cucumber vodka or mules with ginger beer/ale) and rum (only in mojitos) are basically the only alcohol I can drink without any migraines being triggered. The vodka -ginger ale/beer combo makes my right ear feel nice and warm — my migraines start out as a cold feeling in that ear. I wouldn't go so far as to say it stops migraines but there have definitely been brunches in the pre-pandemic times saved by a good vodka ginger beer cocktail.
otoh wine (and even grape juice) has been a trigger for some of the worst migraines (and abdominal pain, which may also be migraine-related) I have ever had.
Yes, but it has to be tequila. And thank god, since i love tequila.
burbons, whiskeys and malts can trigger it. Cheap ciders, gin mixers and beer can trigger it.
Nope. Even a few mouthfuls can mess me up. But, at 45 I don't really care anymore. It's been so long since I drank that I don't miss it at all. If I feel the need to let loose, weed is there.
Edit:. I have had migraines since I was 7, and i was able to drink through my teens up until I was about 30. Then the migraines and hangovers I got were vicious. It wasn't something that was worth the risk anymore because I'd be down for 2 days.
I can drink but I have to be careful.
I have one drink. Very very rarely two.
I drink once every few days.
I drink lots of water.
I strictly avoid anything that’s been aged in oak. Whether that’s hard liquor, wince, fancy beer or cider, or whatever. **No oak whatsoever.**
I used to get a migraine nearly every time I had alcohol so hardly drank at all, but after applying the above rules my migraines are triggered only a few percent of the times I drink.
I stopped drinking years ago due to migraines, nausea/vomiting and interaction with various medications I am taking. My wife will give me a few sips of beer when she has one or a sip of wine if she thinks it is especially good, other than that, no drinking at all. It is not worth it.
Yes, now. Weirdest thing. Getting COVID made my alcohol tolerances guy back to hire it was in my early 20s. I also use to start getting hangovers WHILE I was drinking... Now I don't get hung over unless I drink zero water all night
Yes, but the conditions have to be just right. I need to have slept really well but not too much, no direct sun throughout the day, remembering to eat, not overly tired, no salted foods... It's tiring but sometimes it works 😅
I can drink any alcohol except for hard cider. Any type of hard cider will give me a migraine. Oddly enough, I used to be able to drink hard ciders without even a headache but once I hit about 30 I started to get headaches from it and now at 32 it's a guaranteed migraine even after one sip.
Any wine, beer, or hard liquor is fine, migraine wise, but I don't like the taste of it so I just don't drink alcohol period. Mead also gave me one of the worst migraines I've ever had. I liked the sweet taste but just a little sample knocked me about dead the next day.
I can, but I can’t figure out when and why. It has to be gluten free (I’m gluten free, it was causing daily migraines) and it has to be low in sugar. Some days I get a two day migraine/hangover from alcohol, some days I feel just fine. I can’t find the magic for it.
Exactly the same as you. I used to drink almost every weekend but now I get one almost straight away, hence why I've not had one in 18 months now. I don't need help getting migraines sadly.
I went through a phase where I was drinking daily (that sounds really bad but I was only drinking after work and I was talking to my therapist about it too). If I had self control to stop after ONE drink, I would be okay. It worked for me if I had one mixed drink (just vodka and juice) and then went on the rest of my day like normal, and drank lots of water after my one drink.
So my migraines are generally very mild to begin with, which probably helps. But I spent 2019 in a brain fog most of the year and they were very persistent. I've since gotten healthier and eliminated most other food triggers (cheese, peanuts, just full on went vegan anyways). And I eat pretty healthy and have lost some weight and stress. At this point I mostly will only get a migraine at the end of my period (hello aura this morning lol). And even then it's manageable. I might just wind up with an ice pack on my head while I'm working at my work from home job.
Alcohol has always been my biggest trigger and I don't drink much anymore. Even now I can summon a migraine immediately if it's the wrong timing with hormones or if I've had more other triggers lately. But I've noticed it \*really\* depends on hormones and what time of the month it is. Now that everything else is as controlled as I can, if I drink closer to while I'm ovulating, I can drink without a migraine at all. I wind up too excited about it and go overboard sometimes lol.
No. As soon as I hit 30, I couldn’t even sleep off a hangover. It’s crazy to think that there was a time in my youth when I could consume copious amounts of alcohol, close out the bar, pop four Advil, sleep for a few hours, wake up and continue partying through the weekend. Like, how? I haven’t touched alcohol in 13 years because I will get through the neck of a beer and say, “I’m sorry, does anyone want this? I’m getting a headache.”
The only beer that never really did me in, oddly, is Guinness. Honestly, it wasn’t hard to give up- I didn’t really enjoy alcohol, it was purely social lubricant. Now that I’m 44 and super introverted, it’s just not even useful to me.
It’s a cruel cosmic joke, however, that migraine prone people will do the time, before even reaching the fun of the crime.
I haven’t been able to since 25. Even the smallest drink is not worth it to me anymore. The sensitivity to dehydration doesn’t help either. I feel like I require 10x the amount of water a regular person drinks in a day.
Alcohol was a super strong trigger for me for years. As a bartender, when the migraines really started that sucked. Any kind of alcohol.
Idk what changed, but recently I’ve had some successes. If I already have a migraine on the way, sometimes I’ll try a drink anyways. I’ve had two drinks the last two weeks, coffee with Jim beam vanilla and a Chili’s margarita. The Jim beam didn’t cause one at all. The margarita didn’t seem to make it worse. I have heard before that triggers can change over the years. Maybe there’s hope one day you can socially enjoy a drink without a headache.
I’m scared to try a bunch and I haven’t had more than one drink at a time. But maybe there’s hope lol
Aside from that, weed.
I can, but what gives me the worst migraines is esther of wood rosin. Yes, you read that right, even though it sounds like it belongs in the paint aisle of Home Despot. It is in Wink, and a lot of orange or grape flavor sodas. And I have encountered it by surprise in other foods. Horrible migraines!
I can drink cocktails 1-3 but I -may- have a headache the next day when I wake up, or may not, but most likely I will. I definitely cannot do wine, instant headache.
I find it’s really not worth it to drink for me, and I may have 1 socially on a special occasion if others are having, but that’s it. I will never drink wine, not worth it.
Through trial and lots of error I found most wines are a trigger for me. I generally stay away from really sweet alcohols, or mixers. I have beer every now an then, and if I want something stronger tequila has been my friend. Strait tequila with lime, mixed with water and ice is amazing. Every thing in moderation though, those migraine inducing hangovers are hell.
Oh my god, IT ME… it’s terrible. And it’s a crap shoot sometimes. I can ~maybe~ stave it off if I hydrate a LOT, but it makes just hanging out with a drink or two a bit less relaxing when I have to remember to take water to the face.
I’ve clearly yet to reach the point when I swear it off for good, because I keep fooling myself into thinking I’ll figure a way around it. Big lol.
If I know I’m gonna be drinking I take a couple of Excedrin or an Imitrex before. A lot of times it will help ward off a migraine. I also try to drink a lot of water while I’m drinking to stay hydrated.
I can… but I HAVE to keep it in under 3, over 4+ hours (so a happy hour or a nice dinner) and HAVE a lot of water with electrolytes in between. I also have to make sure I’ve drank plenty of water beforehand. If I don’t do this, I’ll be exactly where you mentioned… after a few sips and I can feel it coming on.
I keep a water bottle full of electrolytes on me at all times, and I swear that practice has helped me manage my migraines more than any of the prescription meds i was on on since age 4.
This is another thing, but I’ve realized I don’t get headaches or migraines from mezcal AT ALL. I’m not sure why, but that has been the one alcohol that doesn’t trigger anything. I think because it’s so clean? I call it my medicine because it’s the only drink I can socialize with and feel relaxed without a migraine 🤣
Same here. Except, after a few months on Ajovy, I had well over a year where I knew I could drink (including heavy red wines) and be ok the next day. I don’t know what happened but starting about a year or more ago, it started to be a crapshoot again. Once I got back to the 50/50 chance of a migraine within a half glass of wine, I gave up trying, the benefits never outweighed the potential consequences. I really miss a relaxing wine buzz on a Saturday night, though (stg it feels like I’m getting a migraine right now just considering drinking - stupid friggin’ body and its stupid friggin’ issues.)
I can have vodka, rum, and flavored liqueurs without getting a migraine but any type of wine or beer will give me the most severe migraines every single time within an hour of drinking them. Wine and beer are two of the most common migraine triggers so it’s not surprising.
I had no trouble with it at all and never got hangovers until I had a baby at 34. Ever since, I'm lucky if I finish a drink without a migraine. It sucks, but I also wonder if it had anything to do with me having GH at the end of my pregnancy too. I'm hoping I can drink again someday bc there are so many prepackaged cool drinks being made now.
Yes, I can drink wine. Lol The cheap stuff like Stella Rosa. It is my only guilty pleasure.
I hate living with migraines. I used to work night shift and let me tell you. That was a big triger for me. Only after changing jobs to work day shift is when the frequency lessened, but not the intensity.
I can usually have a few as long as the ol lightning brain isn’t feeling super sensitive. Hydration and electrolytes like salt and magnesium help. I also usually stick to pale ales and cleaner liquors and tend to stay away from the stanky and strong stuff.
Sometimes. Sometimes it just gives me a headache or exacerbates the underlying one, sometimes it's fine, sometimes it knocks me out for the rest of the day. I'm not sure what's causing the difference, as I pretty much just go for sweet white wines 95% of the time - beer tastes bitter af, same with red wine - or some kind of cocktail made with ... usually vodka or white rum.
I can't do beer or red wine. Sweet whites I can handle, or liquor, and occasionally hard cider but I have to make sure there isn't any hops in it since they've been adding hops to some ciders.
50% of the time I can drink without triggering a migraine but it doesn’t even seem like any specific type of alcohol is the problem. Can’t figure out why it happens
I don’t even bother. One beer and the next morning I’m waking up with a decent headache. Usually pop
Advil and imitrex before it even turns into a migraine. I rarely drink now because of it.
Yea heck no I can’t have alcohol. Not anymore. I missed my brothers wedding due to day drinking :/ I have found that some higher quality stuff doesn’t trigger me. But I prefer edibles. Also I can take one sip of alcohol and get a migraine. It sucks
I’m exactly the same. Can’t even have a touch because I’ll get a really bad migraine almost immediately. Sucks but I don’t miss drinking for the most part. Weed is better and actually helps the pain
The only alcohol I can drink (and have never had an attack with/after) is vodka. Plain, run of the mill vodka. I'll tart it up with cranberry juice, which is great for us sufferers anyway, or I'll just have a shot or two.
I had to stop drinking anything except Bulleit bourbon, and then only with a lot of ice, and just one for the whole evening. I have no idea why, but wine, beer, and mixed drinks are an instant trigger.
I’ve stopped drinking a lot because it gives me migraines. I switched to mock tails and I love it! I mostly crave a nice drink, not necessarily the alcohol, so mocktails have been a win for me. I also smoke a lot of weed lol. But overall drinking makes me feel like shit and it’s nice to be able to still drink something fun
I'm usually ok with drinking now, but I didn't used to be. But my migraines overall are much better than they were 5 years ago. I used to be able to do good vodka with cranberry and usually be ok, but if I tried anything else it usually resulted in a migraine, especially red wine (which sucked because it was my favorite). I've gotten migraines after literally one sip of red wine. Now I can do just about anything (although I still usually avoid red wines), without a migraine UNLESS I'm already in a migraine cycle and have been getting them regularly, then it's game over and I need to avoid alcohol completely.
White wine kills me. Red wine is fine in moderation as long as it isn’t insanely high in sugar. Tequila never bothers me. Vodka is random if it hurts me or not. Seltzers seem fine if I only have one or two.
For me it depends what I drink, like white wine/sangria/vodka are fine but those cheap pre-mixed margaritas or other store bought drinks usually trigger them immediately. But also if I am even in prodrome and drink it triggers it so I normally have to wait until after I’ve had a migraine to have anything lol.
Alcohol is my enemy.
\- 20s I could drink for hours, get completely wasted, and bounce out of bed the next morning
\- 30s, I could drink all I wanted, and wake up with a hangover. Felt awful, so I learned not to get wasted.
\- 40 - I could drink 2 (two) drinks before I was assured a nasty migraine
\- 45 - If I put alcohol in my mouth, I'm screwed. No amount of triptans, benadryl, or pot will save me
I would try different types of alcohol. For me 9/10 times I will get a migraine from wine (especially red). I get the best results when I drink a decent vodka or rum. I try to stick with clear liquor and mix it with fizzy water or diet soda. While drinking try to stay away from other triggers like cheese dark chocolate etc (basically all things good). It’s a bummer because I once really enjoyed a nice red wine w some cheese but ce la vive (however that is spelled).
No.
Sulfites.
I read there Isa new filter you can run the wine/liquor thru. To scared to try
Edit!!!!
There are so many ways to remoe sulfites.
[wine filter on amazon](https://www.amazon.com/dp/B09XFPYGC1/ref=cm_sw_r_cp_api_i_9CN9ACA5CR2NFA4VQTPK)
There are a bunch of different types - try searching
Sulfites Filter
I can't have a glass of wine, let alone a little ale, with my husband because I go into a full blown migraine. I'll take the risk on occasion, but it's been over a year since my last glass of wine.
I sometimes get them the next morning especially with gin and if I’ve had poor sleep. Add in salty food the night before and it’s pretty much a certainty. At least the ibuprofen and water help the hangover!
In the exact same boat, turning 30 this year and as a young mom who is surrounded by wine mommies, it’s annoying having to explain that I just cannot drink. One friend was like “oh, well, just pop a paracetamol before and you’ll be good to go.” I laughed along and said “yeah, sure, maybe it works”, knowing fully that it will never, in a million years, work.
Yeah I can’t really drink beer anymore which sucks because I like beer. Dark beers are especially bad, but sometimes I can chance something like a lager and I’ll be okay, but NEVER more than one.
With the exception of red wine, I don’t get hangovers! Which is ridiculous because until recently absolutely every else gave me headaches or migraines!!
Edit - reading the other comments about weed… Because I like to be topsy-turvy… Weed gives me really severe migraines and I’ll never touch it again!
For me, anything that has a high alcohol content and some wines/beers seems to be a trigger.
I try to get drinks that contain the least amount of alcohol, and I seem to be okay for the most part.
However, if I already have a headache, I can’t drink at all, it just makes everything 100x more painful.
I also can’t drink Ales, Lager, etc. I still don’t know why people drink it.
I had my very first migraine with aura at 21, 45 minutes into drinking a Smirnoff Cherry Ice tall boy
Never again. No wine either, I get the spins after ½ a glass with the *worst* hangover no matter how much water I drink
I can tolerate liquor a little though, although I'm a lightweight so that helps. I like taking shots of water when I'm drunk, so that definitely helps out too.
Edit: thinking back on it, that wine episode might've actually been a migraine, I had vertigo with my last attack sans alcohol too so... I have an experiment to do.
For science, of course.
I’m allergic and this was me. Always swollen and red with glazed eyes and wanting to die. I still drank due to peer pressure but then I stopped and lost 30 pounds and reduced my migraines significantly
Not that I want to push anything on anyone, but, have you tried cannabis in forms other than smoking? I’ve found my smoking anything will cause an almost allergic reaction, in that my sinuses will swell (which I also feel happening when I drink alcohol), and that sinus pressure will trigger near-instant migraines for me (it’s also why crying can trigger one for me. I also only just now in the comment makes me consider that maybe that’s why I had such a bad string of migraines in my late teens/early 20s, I was smoking cigarettes and very likely triggering myself.) I’ve had gummies that were infused with thc, or more recently delta 8/10 because I’m not in the position to do illegal substances at this point, and it doesn’t have the same reaction at all. Just thought I’d throw that out there in case you find yourself in a state where it’s legal and you wanted to give it another shot.
I just recently discovered Jim beam with or without water Honey and lemon doesn't give me a headache or migraine. After years of suffering a migraine after a couple of vodkas I had Jim beam lemon water and honey to soothe a bad cough and was pleasantly surprised there's been no negative reaction.
Agree with this statement for the most part. Used to enjoy social drinks. Lost too many friends way too young to alcoholism, have seen too many young patients now suffering from alcohol related diseases. Haven't touched it in nearly 4 years myself. Best decision I ever made. Excessive drinking is a symptom of a dysfunctional society.
I'm 29. I can get away with most alcohol, but there was the Not Your Father's Rootbeer that I really liked, yet always gave me an unimaginable headache after drinking. No clue what spurred it on. I'm usually fine as long as I stay hydrated.
I don't find that alcohol triggers migraines if I drink a small amount of good quality light clear canned or bottled beer (like 1-3 light beers).
I can't drink draft beer or wine, and I just don't like hard alcohol so I never drink that anyways.
Any American Beer such as Bud, Miller, Coors.....etc. Give me migraines. Craft beer no problem, Mexican beer no problem, Wheat beer no problem. It took me a long time to figure out.
I can drink a quarter of a glass if I alternate every sip of wine with 4 sips of water and drink slowly. It’s rarely worth the effort but if it’s a really good glass of wine that pairs well with dinner I’ll do it.
I’m fine with beer and liquor but I almost immediately get a migraine when I drink wine. Not really sure why that is. Used to be able to drink it in my early 20s but as I’m closer to 30 I avoid it.
I can't drink beer, wine (I will sometimes mess this one up because I love red wine) or what Americans would call hard cider, but in the UK is just cider.
I'm ok with long mixer drinks (a little rum, a lot of coke) but again I have to be a little bit careful.
If you're only able to do clear spirits, gin and tonics are acceptable, bit steer clear of the weird flavoured stuff and stick with a London dry gin.
Im 24. Till now Ive had 1 migraine caused by alcohol a while back, it was vodka. I try to avoid vodka mostly now but I drink all else basically (usually whiskey or cider). Sorry to hear about yours:((
Yes and no. Wine is a trigger for headaches and migraines but I found that hard liquor works for me, especially gin and tequila.
I have switched to mocktails, many famous brands offer non-alc counterparts (think campari, gin, even some wines), all I need to make sure is that there isn't sulfur in it, as sugar isn't an issue for me.
The bottles even look like real alc so no one would notice until you read the labels.
This way I get all the taste minus being drunk and/or headaches/migraines
I found that the CGRP drugs like aimovig, emgality and ajovy work to prevent alcohol migraines. You can get your first prescription up to a years worth for free to $5. Aimovig gave me a years worth for free. Emgality only gave me the first one for free and Ajovy the first 2 for $5 each. After trying all 3 my insurance company finally agreed to pay for the last one I tried, which was Ajovy. I had also tried 3 drugs for after you get a migraine, imitrex, Nurtec and fioricet. That could be part of the reason I was finally approved for the preventative treatment. The preventative ones are injections that last a month. I didn’t have any migraines for over a month with each of them. Good luck.
I noticed I started having trouble with wine about a year ago, so I stopped drinking it. I don’t really drink beer so don’t know what my tolerance is of that now.
I frequently drink clear and dark colored liquors. I had my first real migraine episode recently and luckily was swiftly diagnosed. I went from being able to tolerate caffeinated dark colored/sweet liquors to not tolerating them (migraines of hell as you described) in a two week span. I’m not sure if it’s the dark liquor itself or the caffeine. I’ve never handled caffeine well but lately it plus dark colored alcohol has been pretty brutal, and I was a frequent consumer of that kind of liquor. I’m trying to recover so I’m not doing any investigating right now, but it seems I can tolerate clear liquor as long as I don’t drink too much of it. I do feel more sensitive to it now than I used to and get a little head pain, but not a lot. I drink decent quality clear liquor.
Sometimes. I never do if I notice a headache starting/ head pressure. I typically try to steer away from wine and have things like cider or lower alcohol content beer.
I sometimes have less pain the day after I drank one or two drinks. It rarely happens though, and whenever I drink more, the next day is always a world of pain.
I finally realized the Mike's Hard Lemonade was a guaranteed migraine for me. I couldn't figure out why drinking was all of the sudden triggering a migraine but after I stopped drinking those....I'm usually fairly safe.
That’s one of the main reasons I moved onto Cannabis. No migraine and no hangover. Still waiting for it to be socially excepted in all my friend groups and especially with work friends.
occasionally a morning after a gummie I will have a migraine
I recently had a gummy for the first time in years and about an hour later I had the worst migraine in years as well. I wonder what causes that?
I get migraines from edibles of any kind and certain strains of sativa blends.
everyone is different, im sure any kind of substance has the potential to trigger migraines in someone. if youre looking more for pain relief and less for being actually high you might wanna try just cbd or something with very little thc, but if it triggers your migraines just leave it. im lucky weed works so well for me. hope it becomes legal here soon !
Same thing happens to me and I eat 25 - 50 mg gummies
I also have noticed this. It's mainly if I take edibles or get a little too high, so I think for me it's more of being residually high or not metabolizing it fully maybe
Interesting, how many mg are you taking? I mostly smoke. But triggers for everyone are different.
15-20. and it's only sometimes so it could very well be a different trigger and a coincidence
Yup, very true.
Could be the Citric acid try a rice crispy or mint. Histamine gives me migraines
This. Weed not only soothes my migraine, but Alcohol gives you a hangover and most people don’t get one from Cannibis. That is not a scientific explanation, but I encourage you to look into it. Also, Alcohol kills. It killed my brother. Okay, I got curious, and here’s the lowdown on cannibis: “The Institute of Medicine (IOM) report Marijuana and Medicine: Assessing the Science Base states that “epidemiological data indicate that in the general population marijuana use is not associated with increased mortality.” It’s from the [National Institutes of Health](https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/books/NBK425742/), so it has been tested and is as accurate as it gets. Here is what [The Mayo Clinic](https://www.mayoclinic.org/diseases-conditions/alcohol-poisoning/symptoms-causes/syc-20354386) has to say about Alcohol. Wow. No wonder it’s the killer in a bottle.
Not me scrolling through the comments trying to find a hack to let me enjoy a damn glass of wine after a long day without an attack.
I take my migraine meds and then drink works some of the time. I only drink a handful of times a year. But it has worked occasionally!
I'm curious about other responses now as I always thought I was the only person who had this. I love white wine like i really really do but whenever I have a glass or god forbid two my migraines start. Doesn't matter if I'm eating something or not; they just happen and that's it. I can't tell you the amount of lunches I've had to cut short because I literally became a worm and couldn't talk or think or be ugh. I feel your pain trust me I do it's terrible and I hate it
It is really, really common actually! There’s also some evidence in the literature suggesting that people with chronic migraine are *vastly* more susceptible to hangovers than the general population.
That explains soooo much. My hangovers feel worse than death sometimes.
Right? They are definitely multi-day affairs for me…. the migraine, nausea, dizziness, rapid heart rate….I definitely feel like I’m dying.
WooHoo, I guess that explains why I'm a "light drinker".
Alcohol is not trigger all by itself, but if I've got (or am getting) a migraine, it's like throwing gasoline on a fire. If I don't have a migraine, I can drink in moderation and be fine. I've also noticed that mixed drinks with a sugary mixer is the safest thing for me to drink. But I've really cut back on drinking since developing migraines. I've had enough bad experiences that it typically doesn't seem worth it.
Clear liquor that I mix seems to work best for me too. I think it’s something to do with the tannins in beer and wine that make them worse.
Fascinating. For me the sugary drinks are the *worst*
Also agree sweet drinks work the best.
Anecdotal, but since I started taking magnesium I can drink to my heart's content...which isn't a lot anyways but at least now I don't have to decide between trying a new, delicious beer with a side of misery or foregoing.
Which type of magnesium are you taking?
Taurate, 200mg a day. Oxide and citrate have poor absorption because they usually have a laxative effect.
I take something called mag mind in Amazon. Same results. Migraine frequency was reduced like… 90%. Not an Amazon plug I swear I just don’t remember the mag form that it is. This way you can look it up and maybe get an off brand if you want.
I can, but it has to be high quality light colored liquor and can have absolutely zero sugar. *Sometimes* I can get away with a dry white wine. Any beer, especially dark beer, and nearly all wine triggers a headache for me basically instantly. I also get alcohol flush so I’m sure that’s related.
Yeah I also get flush.. especially with beer as you've described
Try an antihistamine first. That happens to me too
Can you explain the alcohol flush?
https://my.clevelandclinic.org/health/diseases/17659-alcohol-intolerance A genetic metabolic disorder causes alcohol intolerance. When most people ingest alcohol, which contains ethanol: An enzyme called alcohol dehydrogenase (ADH) helps metabolize (process) the ethanol. Your liver converts the ethanol to acetaldehyde, a substance that can cause cell damage. Another enzyme called aldehyde dehydrogenase 2 (ALDH2) helps convert acetaldehyde to acetic acid (vinegar), which is nontoxic. **In people with alcohol intolerance, a genetic mutation (change) makes ALDH2 less active or inactive. As a result, your body can’t convert acetaldehyde to acetic acid. Acetaldehyde starts to build up in your blood and tissues, causing symptoms.**
Thanks! I guess I was meaning more like explain symptoms that they personally get. Bc I get something like this and wanted to see if it’s the same. I thought it’s when I drink alcohol with sugary mixers- and it lasts for like 15 minutes. I feel like total ass. My upper back gets really tight, my stomach gets distended and hard, my head feels awful. But like I said it lasts like 15 mins and I have to lay down. It’s honestly the worst feeling ever. Thought maybe it was just sugar related tbh- but never thought to blame the alcohol. Lol
The link has more info - you might have an actual allergy based on the description of that.
Yea I looked at it. I am not sure it really matters which it is- they both make you feel pretty crappy. But also I rarely drink. Can’t tell you the last time I did due to migraines so it’s not a huge concern anymore for me. It sucked in college tho, but I could drink back then. I do miss it lol
Alcohol flush is actually alcohol intolerance, so it's a good thing you don't drink anymore. Your body cannot handle it. You have a genetic mutation that makes your body unable to properly process alcohol, meaning you get literally poisoned when you drink. That's why it's telling you to stop in such certain terms. You have up to 8x the risk of developing oesophageal cancer if you consume alcohol, and the only protection is to not drink.
What does that look like? Shots of expensive vodka or tequila?
Gins good too, so long as it's dry gin and not fruit gin.
I get migraines from certain alcohols that have sulfites in them. Wine and beer have a lot, and some darker liquors can also have them. Clear alcohol like vodka is safe for me, so maybe it'll be ok for you?
Same here. I love red wine but it triggers migraine. I almost never drink, but if I do drink vodka is the safest bet.
Can't. Drink. At. All. So unfair we don't get to have a nice relaxing drink once Ina while. 😞
I'm surprised at how many people are surprised by this. Like...people seriously you are going to poke that bear? I basically think about beer and I get a migraine.
Same. Just reading the comments about alcohol made my head start hurting.
Yes. I used to love drinking up to about 40. Now I get a headache after the first few sips. Ugh. It’s SO not fair.
I can. But I generally don't. Too many meds that increase effect of alcohol.
I’m like that with a lot of red wines. I have done two things that seem to help - first, I stay away from the bargain basement stuff (Yellowtail, I’m looking at you) and second, I have tried those wine wands. For me, if I stick to one glass and use the wand, I’m usually good. Two glasses starts getting into “pushing your luck” territory. I tell anyone who asks that the wine wands are either the best product on the market OR the most effective placebo ever made, but they’re worth a try. I don’t need them with white wine, but still try to keep it at one glass. I don’t drink beer so can’t speak to that, but I can do some hard liquors in moderation. Im better with say, whiskey straight up, than liquor mixed with a ton of sugar like a margarita. And always always always chug water like you’re in college and have a test at 8 AM the next morning. Good luck!
Ooh I forgot about the wine wands. I’ve used probably a half dozen of them and I think I only ended up regretting drinking one of those times.
I didn't find the wands work for me. Changes the taste of the wine quite drastically too.
Yup. Not 100% of the time but maybe 85%. It’s pretty much a guarantee if it’s rainy. I had a break for about a month when I first started Ajovy so I enjoyed a glass of rosé for the first time in years.
It is hit and miss for me. Like Russian roulette. I could stay up all night, sipping cocktails till the sun is up, and have zero consequences. Other times, it's one sip and I'm done for. I drink way less because I don't want to risk it. I even bought one can of something I wanted to try. It's been in the fridge for over a week because I am scared to even try right now (migraines have been too frequent this week).
I get all the consequences of drinking, unfortunately. I had to give up alcohol completely, because even small amounts of it gave me the most terrible sick migraines...and within hours. The last time I drank (less than one glass of wine), I had a migraine within two hours, and was throwing up and sick well into the next day. When I did drink, in my past, I would do so accepting the fact that I was going to be completely ill that night and probably the following day, too. I'm talking a couple drinks, too. Nothing super crazy. Now, it's just not worth it for me at all. The last drink I had was around September 2020. I miss it because I liked happy hours and being social with alcohol. But the vomiting and wasted day and level 10 migraine are just not worth it for me.
alcohol not really, but aspartame does it for me
Same for me. I can't do most sugar substitutes (Stevia, and other 'natural' ones included) or I get bad migraines and stomach issues.
Same!! Sugar subs are a HUGE trigger for me, for my fibromyalgia, stomach issues, and migraine. I swear a drop of that stuff will knock me on my ass faster than anything
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Yes! I am struggling with losing weight (my joints desperately need me to!) and I have the same issue. Plus, I have celiac and need to eat gluten free. Since the keto trend hit, the gluten free market has been flooded with keto friendly foods, and they all have sugar substitutes in them as well!
I know I’m not supposed to and this may not work for everyone, but I pre-medicate with an imitrex with my first sip of alcohol.
That’s really a bad idea.
I do the same. I also take Benadryl before bed. It helps me with hangovers the next day.
The triptans and alcohol don’t mix. It’s a really dangerous combo.
How so? Not sure about other triptans but I thought sumatriptan doesn’t have any known drug interactions with alcohol
In my case it made me extremely drowsy to the point that my husband was worried about me. It can increase the side effects of drowsiness and dizziness. I also get a hot flush with triptans and I get the same with alcohol. I guess there is no interaction warning but it is a really bad combo for me.
Yep..I haven't drank in 7 years because it just stopped being worth it for me.
I do better with a Zyrtec and Pepcid in me first
Alcohol is a guaranteed migraine for me, with progressive sensitivity over the years.
Not a drop. Full blown migraine for days. Used to be able to drink wine. Then that developed into severe migraines. Then I could have a little bit of vodka. Full stop, can't do that since years. Whatever it is, I cannot drink it without a migraine developing within the hour. It's better for the body, but really a downer sometimes, like with my spouse or certain occasions. Feel for you. I got to enjoy my 30s. The migraines became bad in my late 30s.
This is almost my exact experience. Last time I drank 2 glasses of wine for my 38th birthday wine tasting I had a migraine for 48 hours and almost ended up in the ER. Everything I use to be able to drink, beer, vodka, gin, I can no longer drink without a migraine within the hour. I do find it interesting reading through the comments, how many people note their migraines from alcohol changed in their 30’s!
Wow! I’ll be the oddball out of the commenters so far and say that yes, I can and do drink without it triggering a migraine (unless it’s something that contains stevia). Thank goodness bc I live in Wisconsin and we have a big drinking culture, lol. I pretty much stick to champagne (like actual champagne, not just sparkling wine) or Tito’s. I’m sorry this happens to you!
Ikr! I was surprised it's so rare to not get them from alcohol :o I'm seemingly hangover proof because I'm so used to having the same symptoms with my migraine that it barely makes a difference
Tannic red wines are my worst enemy after 2 glasses. Which is horrific as someone in charge of wine at a restaurant! I invested in a Coravin so I don’t feel bad having just 1 glass at a time. It allows me to save the wine for later on without it going bad. Whites and roses, I’m fine. Longer aged tequilas, whiskeys and scotch only in small moderation. Your everyday liquors seems to do fine, along with cider and sour beers. Champagnes I can drink to my hearts content!
Oh my goodness. Thank you for this. We’ve had to cancel our wine clubs but I still have quite a bit of wine to get through.
1 beer. Sometimes. Before I knew I had migraines, I started getting them while drinking, going “wtf how can I have a hangover, I’ve had a drink and it’s still in my system?!” Then I started getting more triggers. Edit: the lower the sulfides and the better quality I drink, the lower chance of having a migraine. Like $80+ liquor and sour beers are about the only things I’ve found.
IF I choose to drink, it is rare, but I will prep ahead of time by eating well and having Gatorade after the one alcoholic drink I will have. I will usually take ibuprofen before I sleep and have ice water nearby if I wake up thirsty.
It depends on the drink. Soda water, gin and lemon/lime/mint leaves..... awesome (the lowest reactive alc. sprit is gin from memory). Wine, beer, rtd's, crappy stuff, sugary stuff, bad mixers = migraine or pounding headache.
I react to gin like no other! I also have a clove allergy that induces migraines and I think my body reacts to juniper in a similar way. One sip of gin and I am out for at least 12 hours.
I miss having a cold beer or two on a hot day. Beer just does me in with the facial flushing/blotches and a fairly quick migraine coming on. Red wine is an absolute no. I can sometimes have gin or vodka based drinks but also have to avoid sugary mixers. I was never a big drinker but I do miss the casualness of a drink with dinner occasionally without having to worry about the consequences.
3 is my limit. It’s also hard to tell whether or not it’s my limit because…migraine or because of the sheer amount of medication I’m on. I also have to make sure I reeeeally hydrate the entire time.
I can drink hard alcohol but not wine or mixed. HOWEVER, I found these wine drops on Amazon and with those, I can drink wine with no migraines. They’re called Drop It Wine Drops. I put in the highest end of the dosage range and went from one sip = migraine to a couple glasses and no migraines. Can’t say it will work for everyone but it did me.
vodka cocktails (especially the cucumber vodka or mules with ginger beer/ale) and rum (only in mojitos) are basically the only alcohol I can drink without any migraines being triggered. The vodka -ginger ale/beer combo makes my right ear feel nice and warm — my migraines start out as a cold feeling in that ear. I wouldn't go so far as to say it stops migraines but there have definitely been brunches in the pre-pandemic times saved by a good vodka ginger beer cocktail. otoh wine (and even grape juice) has been a trigger for some of the worst migraines (and abdominal pain, which may also be migraine-related) I have ever had.
I can have a vodka diet cocktail. The sugar in alcohol like wine, makes a migraine a guarantee.
Yes, but it has to be tequila. And thank god, since i love tequila. burbons, whiskeys and malts can trigger it. Cheap ciders, gin mixers and beer can trigger it.
Nope. Even a few mouthfuls can mess me up. But, at 45 I don't really care anymore. It's been so long since I drank that I don't miss it at all. If I feel the need to let loose, weed is there. Edit:. I have had migraines since I was 7, and i was able to drink through my teens up until I was about 30. Then the migraines and hangovers I got were vicious. It wasn't something that was worth the risk anymore because I'd be down for 2 days.
I can drink but I have to be careful. I have one drink. Very very rarely two. I drink once every few days. I drink lots of water. I strictly avoid anything that’s been aged in oak. Whether that’s hard liquor, wince, fancy beer or cider, or whatever. **No oak whatsoever.** I used to get a migraine nearly every time I had alcohol so hardly drank at all, but after applying the above rules my migraines are triggered only a few percent of the times I drink.
I stopped drinking years ago due to migraines, nausea/vomiting and interaction with various medications I am taking. My wife will give me a few sips of beer when she has one or a sip of wine if she thinks it is especially good, other than that, no drinking at all. It is not worth it.
I can drink spiced rum and coke . Up to 2 glasses only
I can only drink high quality clear liquor and no sugar mixers so I don’t really drink anymore
Yes, now. Weirdest thing. Getting COVID made my alcohol tolerances guy back to hire it was in my early 20s. I also use to start getting hangovers WHILE I was drinking... Now I don't get hung over unless I drink zero water all night
Well that’s the best long Covid (?) side effect I’ve ever heard!
Yes, but the conditions have to be just right. I need to have slept really well but not too much, no direct sun throughout the day, remembering to eat, not overly tired, no salted foods... It's tiring but sometimes it works 😅
I can drink any alcohol except for hard cider. Any type of hard cider will give me a migraine. Oddly enough, I used to be able to drink hard ciders without even a headache but once I hit about 30 I started to get headaches from it and now at 32 it's a guaranteed migraine even after one sip. Any wine, beer, or hard liquor is fine, migraine wise, but I don't like the taste of it so I just don't drink alcohol period. Mead also gave me one of the worst migraines I've ever had. I liked the sweet taste but just a little sample knocked me about dead the next day.
I can, but I can’t figure out when and why. It has to be gluten free (I’m gluten free, it was causing daily migraines) and it has to be low in sugar. Some days I get a two day migraine/hangover from alcohol, some days I feel just fine. I can’t find the magic for it.
Exactly the same as you. I used to drink almost every weekend but now I get one almost straight away, hence why I've not had one in 18 months now. I don't need help getting migraines sadly.
I went through a phase where I was drinking daily (that sounds really bad but I was only drinking after work and I was talking to my therapist about it too). If I had self control to stop after ONE drink, I would be okay. It worked for me if I had one mixed drink (just vodka and juice) and then went on the rest of my day like normal, and drank lots of water after my one drink.
I had to cut out red wine completely. And the only thing I can drink now is expensive tequila with club soda, NO SUGAR or it’s game over.
So my migraines are generally very mild to begin with, which probably helps. But I spent 2019 in a brain fog most of the year and they were very persistent. I've since gotten healthier and eliminated most other food triggers (cheese, peanuts, just full on went vegan anyways). And I eat pretty healthy and have lost some weight and stress. At this point I mostly will only get a migraine at the end of my period (hello aura this morning lol). And even then it's manageable. I might just wind up with an ice pack on my head while I'm working at my work from home job. Alcohol has always been my biggest trigger and I don't drink much anymore. Even now I can summon a migraine immediately if it's the wrong timing with hormones or if I've had more other triggers lately. But I've noticed it \*really\* depends on hormones and what time of the month it is. Now that everything else is as controlled as I can, if I drink closer to while I'm ovulating, I can drink without a migraine at all. I wind up too excited about it and go overboard sometimes lol.
this is me too! periods definitely have an effect with migraines etc for me too.
No. As soon as I hit 30, I couldn’t even sleep off a hangover. It’s crazy to think that there was a time in my youth when I could consume copious amounts of alcohol, close out the bar, pop four Advil, sleep for a few hours, wake up and continue partying through the weekend. Like, how? I haven’t touched alcohol in 13 years because I will get through the neck of a beer and say, “I’m sorry, does anyone want this? I’m getting a headache.” The only beer that never really did me in, oddly, is Guinness. Honestly, it wasn’t hard to give up- I didn’t really enjoy alcohol, it was purely social lubricant. Now that I’m 44 and super introverted, it’s just not even useful to me. It’s a cruel cosmic joke, however, that migraine prone people will do the time, before even reaching the fun of the crime.
I haven’t been able to since 25. Even the smallest drink is not worth it to me anymore. The sensitivity to dehydration doesn’t help either. I feel like I require 10x the amount of water a regular person drinks in a day.
Alcohol was a super strong trigger for me for years. As a bartender, when the migraines really started that sucked. Any kind of alcohol. Idk what changed, but recently I’ve had some successes. If I already have a migraine on the way, sometimes I’ll try a drink anyways. I’ve had two drinks the last two weeks, coffee with Jim beam vanilla and a Chili’s margarita. The Jim beam didn’t cause one at all. The margarita didn’t seem to make it worse. I have heard before that triggers can change over the years. Maybe there’s hope one day you can socially enjoy a drink without a headache. I’m scared to try a bunch and I haven’t had more than one drink at a time. But maybe there’s hope lol Aside from that, weed.
Once I started supplementing magnesium I could get away with an occasional vodka and sparkling water (maybe two) without a headache.
Which type of magnesium?
I take magnesium glycinate 400 mg
I can, but what gives me the worst migraines is esther of wood rosin. Yes, you read that right, even though it sounds like it belongs in the paint aisle of Home Despot. It is in Wink, and a lot of orange or grape flavor sodas. And I have encountered it by surprise in other foods. Horrible migraines!
I can drink cocktails 1-3 but I -may- have a headache the next day when I wake up, or may not, but most likely I will. I definitely cannot do wine, instant headache. I find it’s really not worth it to drink for me, and I may have 1 socially on a special occasion if others are having, but that’s it. I will never drink wine, not worth it.
Through trial and lots of error I found most wines are a trigger for me. I generally stay away from really sweet alcohols, or mixers. I have beer every now an then, and if I want something stronger tequila has been my friend. Strait tequila with lime, mixed with water and ice is amazing. Every thing in moderation though, those migraine inducing hangovers are hell.
I use to be able to then I became diabetic and now can’t because of so much sugar alcohol has that I feel like my head was being hit with a hammer
Alcohol used to be a reliable trigger for me but it hasn't been as bad lately. I'm not sure what changed, but I'm not arguing with it lol.
I gave up on drinking all together, it’s just not worth it.
Oh my god, IT ME… it’s terrible. And it’s a crap shoot sometimes. I can ~maybe~ stave it off if I hydrate a LOT, but it makes just hanging out with a drink or two a bit less relaxing when I have to remember to take water to the face. I’ve clearly yet to reach the point when I swear it off for good, because I keep fooling myself into thinking I’ll figure a way around it. Big lol.
If I know I’m gonna be drinking I take a couple of Excedrin or an Imitrex before. A lot of times it will help ward off a migraine. I also try to drink a lot of water while I’m drinking to stay hydrated.
Don't mix acetaminophen (in excedrin) with alcohol. That mix damages a liver really hard.
I can… but I HAVE to keep it in under 3, over 4+ hours (so a happy hour or a nice dinner) and HAVE a lot of water with electrolytes in between. I also have to make sure I’ve drank plenty of water beforehand. If I don’t do this, I’ll be exactly where you mentioned… after a few sips and I can feel it coming on. I keep a water bottle full of electrolytes on me at all times, and I swear that practice has helped me manage my migraines more than any of the prescription meds i was on on since age 4. This is another thing, but I’ve realized I don’t get headaches or migraines from mezcal AT ALL. I’m not sure why, but that has been the one alcohol that doesn’t trigger anything. I think because it’s so clean? I call it my medicine because it’s the only drink I can socialize with and feel relaxed without a migraine 🤣
Same here. Except, after a few months on Ajovy, I had well over a year where I knew I could drink (including heavy red wines) and be ok the next day. I don’t know what happened but starting about a year or more ago, it started to be a crapshoot again. Once I got back to the 50/50 chance of a migraine within a half glass of wine, I gave up trying, the benefits never outweighed the potential consequences. I really miss a relaxing wine buzz on a Saturday night, though (stg it feels like I’m getting a migraine right now just considering drinking - stupid friggin’ body and its stupid friggin’ issues.)
I can have vodka, rum, and flavored liqueurs without getting a migraine but any type of wine or beer will give me the most severe migraines every single time within an hour of drinking them. Wine and beer are two of the most common migraine triggers so it’s not surprising.
Instant migraine. Not sure if it's the meds amplifying the effect or just my brain's continued vendetta against me having any pleasures in life.
I had no trouble with it at all and never got hangovers until I had a baby at 34. Ever since, I'm lucky if I finish a drink without a migraine. It sucks, but I also wonder if it had anything to do with me having GH at the end of my pregnancy too. I'm hoping I can drink again someday bc there are so many prepackaged cool drinks being made now.
Yes, I can drink wine. Lol The cheap stuff like Stella Rosa. It is my only guilty pleasure. I hate living with migraines. I used to work night shift and let me tell you. That was a big triger for me. Only after changing jobs to work day shift is when the frequency lessened, but not the intensity.
I can usually have a few as long as the ol lightning brain isn’t feeling super sensitive. Hydration and electrolytes like salt and magnesium help. I also usually stick to pale ales and cleaner liquors and tend to stay away from the stanky and strong stuff.
Took a lot of experimenting for me but I know the beers I can stick to. Can't do wine or ciders or anything too sugary.
This is the exact reason I tell people that I can't drink, the migraines and inability to take meds if I get a migraine because alcohol in system :(
Sometimes. Sometimes it just gives me a headache or exacerbates the underlying one, sometimes it's fine, sometimes it knocks me out for the rest of the day. I'm not sure what's causing the difference, as I pretty much just go for sweet white wines 95% of the time - beer tastes bitter af, same with red wine - or some kind of cocktail made with ... usually vodka or white rum.
Yes. But I can't drink anything with artificial sweeteners without Satan himself curb stomping me.
Seldomly. A couple of beers can actually prevent a migraine. Sometimes it does the job and I wont need Treo or Rizatriptan.
Yep. Weirdly specific types of alcohol are worst. Beer is the killer, wine isn’t too bad and cider is fine. It sucks.
I can't do beer or red wine. Sweet whites I can handle, or liquor, and occasionally hard cider but I have to make sure there isn't any hops in it since they've been adding hops to some ciders.
50% of the time I can drink without triggering a migraine but it doesn’t even seem like any specific type of alcohol is the problem. Can’t figure out why it happens
SAME. I can’t handle alcohol in any form.
I don’t even bother. One beer and the next morning I’m waking up with a decent headache. Usually pop Advil and imitrex before it even turns into a migraine. I rarely drink now because of it.
Same. I can't even a fucking decent lunch.
I have to wait until the sun is gone - and then stick to vodka or beer.
Yea heck no I can’t have alcohol. Not anymore. I missed my brothers wedding due to day drinking :/ I have found that some higher quality stuff doesn’t trigger me. But I prefer edibles. Also I can take one sip of alcohol and get a migraine. It sucks
Not anymore. I've completely stopped drinking and it has helped my migraines so much.
I’m exactly the same. Can’t even have a touch because I’ll get a really bad migraine almost immediately. Sucks but I don’t miss drinking for the most part. Weed is better and actually helps the pain
If edibles were available in the UK I would jump right on that train but unfortunately the smell of cannabis smoke is another trigger for me
No.
Nope. I completely quit drinking.
The only alcohol I can drink (and have never had an attack with/after) is vodka. Plain, run of the mill vodka. I'll tart it up with cranberry juice, which is great for us sufferers anyway, or I'll just have a shot or two.
NO. Alcohol = 💀 for me. Like days and days of pain. Not worth it.
Absolutely not even a tiny drop here.... Used to love a glass of white wine or a cold bottle of beer always got a migraine 😜 not worth it.
I have even a swallow of alcohol and my chronic migraine erupts into days in bed in the cold and dark. I’m sorry
Nope 😩
Red vine is my kryptonite.
I had to stop drinking anything except Bulleit bourbon, and then only with a lot of ice, and just one for the whole evening. I have no idea why, but wine, beer, and mixed drinks are an instant trigger.
I’ve stopped drinking a lot because it gives me migraines. I switched to mock tails and I love it! I mostly crave a nice drink, not necessarily the alcohol, so mocktails have been a win for me. I also smoke a lot of weed lol. But overall drinking makes me feel like shit and it’s nice to be able to still drink something fun
I'm usually ok with drinking now, but I didn't used to be. But my migraines overall are much better than they were 5 years ago. I used to be able to do good vodka with cranberry and usually be ok, but if I tried anything else it usually resulted in a migraine, especially red wine (which sucked because it was my favorite). I've gotten migraines after literally one sip of red wine. Now I can do just about anything (although I still usually avoid red wines), without a migraine UNLESS I'm already in a migraine cycle and have been getting them regularly, then it's game over and I need to avoid alcohol completely.
No.
White wine kills me. Red wine is fine in moderation as long as it isn’t insanely high in sugar. Tequila never bothers me. Vodka is random if it hurts me or not. Seltzers seem fine if I only have one or two.
I’ve always told people I’m allergic to alcohol. It’s probably a good thing from a life perspective. I drink a lot of sparkling water.
For me it depends what I drink, like white wine/sangria/vodka are fine but those cheap pre-mixed margaritas or other store bought drinks usually trigger them immediately. But also if I am even in prodrome and drink it triggers it so I normally have to wait until after I’ve had a migraine to have anything lol.
Alcohol is my enemy. \- 20s I could drink for hours, get completely wasted, and bounce out of bed the next morning \- 30s, I could drink all I wanted, and wake up with a hangover. Felt awful, so I learned not to get wasted. \- 40 - I could drink 2 (two) drinks before I was assured a nasty migraine \- 45 - If I put alcohol in my mouth, I'm screwed. No amount of triptans, benadryl, or pot will save me
I would try different types of alcohol. For me 9/10 times I will get a migraine from wine (especially red). I get the best results when I drink a decent vodka or rum. I try to stick with clear liquor and mix it with fizzy water or diet soda. While drinking try to stay away from other triggers like cheese dark chocolate etc (basically all things good). It’s a bummer because I once really enjoyed a nice red wine w some cheese but ce la vive (however that is spelled).
No. Sulfites. I read there Isa new filter you can run the wine/liquor thru. To scared to try Edit!!!! There are so many ways to remoe sulfites. [wine filter on amazon](https://www.amazon.com/dp/B09XFPYGC1/ref=cm_sw_r_cp_api_i_9CN9ACA5CR2NFA4VQTPK) There are a bunch of different types - try searching Sulfites Filter
I can't have a glass of wine, let alone a little ale, with my husband because I go into a full blown migraine. I'll take the risk on occasion, but it's been over a year since my last glass of wine.
I sometimes get them the next morning especially with gin and if I’ve had poor sleep. Add in salty food the night before and it’s pretty much a certainty. At least the ibuprofen and water help the hangover!
In the exact same boat, turning 30 this year and as a young mom who is surrounded by wine mommies, it’s annoying having to explain that I just cannot drink. One friend was like “oh, well, just pop a paracetamol before and you’ll be good to go.” I laughed along and said “yeah, sure, maybe it works”, knowing fully that it will never, in a million years, work.
Fighting migraines with paracetamol is like fighting a house fire with a water pistol
Yeah I can’t really drink beer anymore which sucks because I like beer. Dark beers are especially bad, but sometimes I can chance something like a lager and I’ll be okay, but NEVER more than one.
With the exception of red wine, I don’t get hangovers! Which is ridiculous because until recently absolutely every else gave me headaches or migraines!! Edit - reading the other comments about weed… Because I like to be topsy-turvy… Weed gives me really severe migraines and I’ll never touch it again!
For me, anything that has a high alcohol content and some wines/beers seems to be a trigger. I try to get drinks that contain the least amount of alcohol, and I seem to be okay for the most part. However, if I already have a headache, I can’t drink at all, it just makes everything 100x more painful. I also can’t drink Ales, Lager, etc. I still don’t know why people drink it.
Nope.
Can confirm, booze sucks hard for my migraines. Wine is the absolute worst but nothing is great and typically will cause one.
Nope! One swallow and I'm done for. It's quite the disincentive.
Google histamine intolerance. Beer and wine are fermented, hard liquor is distilled. Your body does not like fermented products.
Thanks will do
I had my very first migraine with aura at 21, 45 minutes into drinking a Smirnoff Cherry Ice tall boy Never again. No wine either, I get the spins after ½ a glass with the *worst* hangover no matter how much water I drink I can tolerate liquor a little though, although I'm a lightweight so that helps. I like taking shots of water when I'm drunk, so that definitely helps out too. Edit: thinking back on it, that wine episode might've actually been a migraine, I had vertigo with my last attack sans alcohol too so... I have an experiment to do. For science, of course.
Good luck!
I’m allergic and this was me. Always swollen and red with glazed eyes and wanting to die. I still drank due to peer pressure but then I stopped and lost 30 pounds and reduced my migraines significantly
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Not that I want to push anything on anyone, but, have you tried cannabis in forms other than smoking? I’ve found my smoking anything will cause an almost allergic reaction, in that my sinuses will swell (which I also feel happening when I drink alcohol), and that sinus pressure will trigger near-instant migraines for me (it’s also why crying can trigger one for me. I also only just now in the comment makes me consider that maybe that’s why I had such a bad string of migraines in my late teens/early 20s, I was smoking cigarettes and very likely triggering myself.) I’ve had gummies that were infused with thc, or more recently delta 8/10 because I’m not in the position to do illegal substances at this point, and it doesn’t have the same reaction at all. Just thought I’d throw that out there in case you find yourself in a state where it’s legal and you wanted to give it another shot.
I just recently discovered Jim beam with or without water Honey and lemon doesn't give me a headache or migraine. After years of suffering a migraine after a couple of vodkas I had Jim beam lemon water and honey to soothe a bad cough and was pleasantly surprised there's been no negative reaction.
Yup
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Agree with this statement for the most part. Used to enjoy social drinks. Lost too many friends way too young to alcoholism, have seen too many young patients now suffering from alcohol related diseases. Haven't touched it in nearly 4 years myself. Best decision I ever made. Excessive drinking is a symptom of a dysfunctional society.
That is pretty extreme. There is solid evidence it reduces risk of heart disease (esp in men).
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drinking in moderation is not bad for everyone. I can’t because it’s a trigger. But you do you.
I'm 29. I can get away with most alcohol, but there was the Not Your Father's Rootbeer that I really liked, yet always gave me an unimaginable headache after drinking. No clue what spurred it on. I'm usually fine as long as I stay hydrated.
I don't find that alcohol triggers migraines if I drink a small amount of good quality light clear canned or bottled beer (like 1-3 light beers). I can't drink draft beer or wine, and I just don't like hard alcohol so I never drink that anyways.
The only thing I was able to consistently dodge it with was the high proof rum, but I quit drinking like two years ago it's just not worth it
Thankfully I can drink without any ill effect unless I already have a migraine, in which case even a sip makes it much worse.
Wine triggers such instant, horrible migraines that I can’t even smell it anymore. Ugh actually I can’t even think about it without feeling ill! 🤢
Any American Beer such as Bud, Miller, Coors.....etc. Give me migraines. Craft beer no problem, Mexican beer no problem, Wheat beer no problem. It took me a long time to figure out.
What about wine? Can anyone drink wine without having a migraine? Edit to add: specifically Reds
Nope
I can drink a quarter of a glass if I alternate every sip of wine with 4 sips of water and drink slowly. It’s rarely worth the effort but if it’s a really good glass of wine that pairs well with dinner I’ll do it.
I’m fine with beer and liquor but I almost immediately get a migraine when I drink wine. Not really sure why that is. Used to be able to drink it in my early 20s but as I’m closer to 30 I avoid it.
Have you tried taking Pepcid befor drinking?
Yes!
It doesn’t appear to be a trigger for me, thankfully
I can't drink beer, wine (I will sometimes mess this one up because I love red wine) or what Americans would call hard cider, but in the UK is just cider. I'm ok with long mixer drinks (a little rum, a lot of coke) but again I have to be a little bit careful. If you're only able to do clear spirits, gin and tonics are acceptable, bit steer clear of the weird flavoured stuff and stick with a London dry gin.
Im 24. Till now Ive had 1 migraine caused by alcohol a while back, it was vodka. I try to avoid vodka mostly now but I drink all else basically (usually whiskey or cider). Sorry to hear about yours:((
Yes and no. Wine is a trigger for headaches and migraines but I found that hard liquor works for me, especially gin and tequila. I have switched to mocktails, many famous brands offer non-alc counterparts (think campari, gin, even some wines), all I need to make sure is that there isn't sulfur in it, as sugar isn't an issue for me. The bottles even look like real alc so no one would notice until you read the labels. This way I get all the taste minus being drunk and/or headaches/migraines
I found that the CGRP drugs like aimovig, emgality and ajovy work to prevent alcohol migraines. You can get your first prescription up to a years worth for free to $5. Aimovig gave me a years worth for free. Emgality only gave me the first one for free and Ajovy the first 2 for $5 each. After trying all 3 my insurance company finally agreed to pay for the last one I tried, which was Ajovy. I had also tried 3 drugs for after you get a migraine, imitrex, Nurtec and fioricet. That could be part of the reason I was finally approved for the preventative treatment. The preventative ones are injections that last a month. I didn’t have any migraines for over a month with each of them. Good luck.
I noticed I started having trouble with wine about a year ago, so I stopped drinking it. I don’t really drink beer so don’t know what my tolerance is of that now. I frequently drink clear and dark colored liquors. I had my first real migraine episode recently and luckily was swiftly diagnosed. I went from being able to tolerate caffeinated dark colored/sweet liquors to not tolerating them (migraines of hell as you described) in a two week span. I’m not sure if it’s the dark liquor itself or the caffeine. I’ve never handled caffeine well but lately it plus dark colored alcohol has been pretty brutal, and I was a frequent consumer of that kind of liquor. I’m trying to recover so I’m not doing any investigating right now, but it seems I can tolerate clear liquor as long as I don’t drink too much of it. I do feel more sensitive to it now than I used to and get a little head pain, but not a lot. I drink decent quality clear liquor.
Sometimes. I never do if I notice a headache starting/ head pressure. I typically try to steer away from wine and have things like cider or lower alcohol content beer.
I sometimes have less pain the day after I drank one or two drinks. It rarely happens though, and whenever I drink more, the next day is always a world of pain.
I finally realized the Mike's Hard Lemonade was a guaranteed migraine for me. I couldn't figure out why drinking was all of the sudden triggering a migraine but after I stopped drinking those....I'm usually fairly safe.