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ME/CFS AUSTRALIA (SA) INC
Registered Charity 698
Mailing address:
GPO Box 383,
Adelaide,
South Australia 5001
Office:
266 Port Road,
Hindmarsh,
South Australia 5007
Ph: (08) 8346 3237
('834 MECFS')
Office Hours:
Wednesdays, 10am-3pm
Support Line:
(Mondays and Thursdays,
10am-3pm)
Ph: (08) 8346 3237
SA country callers:
Ph: 1300 128 339
(local call)
FIBROMYALGIA HELP: Contact Fibromyalgia SA at the Arthritis Foundation of SA 118 Richmond Road, Marleston 5033 Ph: (08) 8379 5711 |
ME/CFS Australia (SA) Inc supports the needs of sufferers of Myalgic Encephalomyelitis, Chronic Fatigue Syndrome and related illnesses. We do this by providing services and information to members.
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Disclaimer
ME/CFS Australia (SA) Inc aims to keep members informed of the various research projects, diets, medications, therapies etc. All communication, both verbal and written, is merely to disseminate information and not to make recommendations or directives.
Unless otherwise stated, the views expressed on this Web site are not necessarily the official views of the Society or its Committee and are not simply an endorsement of products or services.
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Holidays and alcohol with Fibromyalgia and CFS
Friday 17 December 2010
About.com's Adrienne Dellwo reports:
Holidays & Alcohol With Fibromyalgia & Chronic Fatigue Syndrome
A champagne toast, a hot buttered rum ... these things sound great during the holidays, but for many of us with fibromyalgia and chronic fatigue syndrome, that festive drink can make symptoms a whole lot worse.
Sorry I have to be the Grinch here, but I'd rather be the party pooper than have you get caught by surprise. After all, most of us do a lot less socializing now that we're sick, so you might have developed a problem with alcohol and not even realized it.
That's not to say we all have to become teetotalers -- some of us can handle a drink or two. However, some of us can't handle any alcohol at all, and it's the rare one indeed whose alcohol tolerance is still what it used to be.
So far, this aspect of our conditions hasn't gotten a lot of attention from researchers, so we don't know why we tend to develop alcohol intolerance. What we do know about alcohol, in general, is:
- It's a toxin, and we don't deal with toxins well.
- It has an inflammatory effect on your body, and inflammation can increase pain as well as reduce blood flow to tissues (we may already have reduced blood flow.)
- It disrupts sleep patterns.
- It's a depressant.
These are all good reasons to stay within your limits. If you do choose to drink, do what you can to mitigate the negative effects:
- Think moderation!
- Stay well hydrated.
- Take an anti-inflammatory.
- Give yourself extra time to sleep and recover.
- Be aware of how it may interact with your meds, and don't combine it with pain killers.
I can still drink a little, but I have to be careful or I get a wicked hangover and feel really run down for a few days. Before fibromyalgia, I'd had one hangover in my life, and let's just say, I worked hard for that one! I make sure to stick to one type of alcohol, eat while I sip a drink, and call it quits after 2 or 3. The worse I feel when I start, the less I drink. Also, I try to spread it out. If I have a drink or two one night, I'll refrain for a few days to make sure my body is fully recovered.
How has your illness impacted your alcohol tolerance? Was this a lesson you learned the hard way? Is it tough for you to say no during holiday celebrations? Leave your comments below!
Learn more or join the conversation!
NEWSLETTER | FORUM | BIO | TWITTER | FACEBOOK
- The Holiday Survival Guide
- Good & Bad Gifts for Someone With FMS or ME/CFS
- Your Diet for Managing Symptoms
The above, with comments, originally appeared here.
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