How can I handle alcohol without throwing up?
April 5, 2011 3:27 PM   Subscribe

I have trouble ingesting small amounts of alcohol (a few shots), what can I do to make my stomach cooperate so that I can drink the odd time when I go out with friends?

Hey there Metafilter. I've had this stomach problem, which I'm sure isn't unique to me. It seems that whenever I drink alcohol, my stomach will start to protest. I am almost never able to take shots because then I risk the possibility of expunging what I just put in. It's not that I'm drunk ; this could happen after only a few.
This also tends to happen with beer after a couple. It's not as bad as shots though.
I don't drink very often, but when I do I want to be able to enjoy it without 'suffering' through this. Any suggestions as to what to do?

I also may have a sensitivity to gluten, so perhaps that could be a culprit. If so, what would the best alcohols to drink be?
posted by Dmac_rocker to Food & Drink (33 answers total)
 
Go see a doctor, or quit drinking.
posted by TheBones at 3:35 PM on April 5, 2011 [1 favorite]


There is plenty of drinking to be done that's not shots. Shots make a lot of people feel gross. I would stick to beer, wine, and mixed drinks.
Are you sure you don't have some kind of alcohol intolerance? Are you on any medications? Not to be a bummer, but my suggestion would be to not drink, at least until you determine what the cause is. Or if you can tolerate one beer, but not two, just have one. Some nicer bars have beer samplers so you could have a few really small beers and get to have multiple drinks but not have to barf later.
posted by elpea at 3:35 PM on April 5, 2011 [1 favorite]


Have you considered not drinking? No one can tell what you're consuming if you're holding a tonic and lime or a soda and lime.
posted by bearwife at 3:35 PM on April 5, 2011 [2 favorites]


How many is "a few"? And what size are you? How quickly are you drinking these shots, and have you had anything to eat? Are you drinking water in between each shot or not? There are a lot of factors that affect the way we each process alcohol. For example, any amount that adds up to "a few" for a petite female like me who also drinks infrequently would be too much.

I know people who can't drink alcohol at all. They still go out with their friends, but they choose ginger ale instead.
posted by katillathehun at 3:35 PM on April 5, 2011 [3 favorites]


First off, don't do shots. I can drink most people under several tables, but I rarely do shots. It's one of the ways that my stomach will actually get upset, and I'd rather drink tasty stuff than things you need to rush through anyway.

Hard alcohol is great, but either get mixed drinks or stick to top shelf stuff that's sippable. Since you're not drinking very many the cost shouldn't be TOO much of an issue.

I googled "gluten alcohol" and this list was the first hit. Luckily for you, whisky and its cousins are on there. Just drink whisky. Whisky is awesome. There is a lot of really fantastic bourbon out there, and it tastes almost nothing like Jack Daniels. People I give Basil Hayden's or Stranahans to that aren't used to drinking good whisky are constantly surprised at how smooth and tasty it is.
posted by flaterik at 3:35 PM on April 5, 2011 [3 favorites]


If you're sensitive to gluten, the best alcoholic beverage to drink is wine.
posted by mr_roboto at 3:36 PM on April 5, 2011 [2 favorites]


Your symptoms don't sound like classic alcohol intolerance, which in people I've known takes the form of becoming flush and having heart palpitations after even a very small amount of alcohol. It's not at all uncommon among Asians, who call it "the asian flush".

Asking a doctor certainly isn't a bad idea though.
posted by flaterik at 3:39 PM on April 5, 2011 [1 favorite]


Don't do shots. What's there to enjoy about them anyway? Jeez.
posted by The Michael The at 3:45 PM on April 5, 2011


Response by poster: Well, it's not really "throwing up" in a way that when you get too drunk you're heaving over the toilet. It's just that sometimes I can handle a lot of alcohol no problem and other times only after 1 beer, my stomach feels bloated and that if I have another one, I'll relieve myself of it. It feels good to throw up like this, unlike when you're drunk and it's horrible. I'm pretty sure it's a stomach issue that I can treat because it really varies from one time to the next.
posted by Dmac_rocker at 3:47 PM on April 5, 2011


I know this isn't specifically what you're asking, but if any part of the wanting to drink when you're out with your friends is related to wanting to be one of the crowd, don't worry about it. I don't drink at all, and it usually takes friends/acquaintances 10 or more dinners/gatherings of hearing you say "no, thank you" to alcohol before they catch on and ask, "hey, do you just not drink?" People--that is to say, adults; when I was in college it was more of a Big Deal--generally 1) don't notice and 2) don't care.

But if you just want to go out and enjoy having a few drinks for the sake of having a few drinks, that's fine. I agree going to a doctor might be a good call.
posted by phunniemee at 3:48 PM on April 5, 2011


I can't do "a few shots" but I can sip a whole bottle's worth of good liquor over the course of a night.

Shots are designed to get people drunk on cheap liquor. Your body naturally wants to reject the cheap liquor because it is nasty.

If your problem isn't health related, and you wish to continue to drink find quality liquors and beers that agree with your system.

On preview: your beer reaction sounds more like your stomach not liking the carbonation of beer. Do you have a similar feeling after drinking the same volume of soda? I enjoy beer and mineral water but find if I have a few I really need to burp, not puke. You also might be drinking faster than you should. Are you drinking from a glass or a bottle? Try different brands and switching from glass to bottle or back and see if that makes a difference. Drink slower. In addition feeling better you won't spend money on beer you'll just puke up later.
posted by birdherder at 3:53 PM on April 5, 2011


Drink wine. If you can't find a wine that you enjoy drinking and agrees with you then alcohol is probably not for you.
posted by fire&wings at 3:54 PM on April 5, 2011


But really, if it's a problem, why bother? It's perfectly fine not to drink. Plus, boozy friends benefit from the designated driver and usually find it worthwhile to buy your meal--no need to go cheap, either, if you know what cab fares, DUI fines, and drunk in public citations cost.

If you're still determined to drink, avoid straight shots of liquor and cheap beers--go for wine or cocktails made with fresh real ingredients and decent-but-not-great booze.
posted by Hylas at 3:54 PM on April 5, 2011 [1 favorite]


If you think you have a gluten sensitivity do not drink beer. If you think you have a gluten sensitivity and still eat gluten, your whole digestive system is probably pretty pissed at you in general and further irritants will not lead to happy times.

(I am officially Old, in that I can't have more than two drinks anymore without getting acid reflux. And I'm gluten sensitive, and my compliance was dodgy for years.)
posted by restless_nomad at 3:54 PM on April 5, 2011


Are you old enough to be drinking? In your last post, you were asking about your highschool book report?
posted by TheBones at 3:57 PM on April 5, 2011 [1 favorite]


Response by poster: Can you guys recommended some good/decent quality liquors as well as some tasty drinks that I could try that include these?
posted by Dmac_rocker at 3:57 PM on April 5, 2011


Response by poster: Yeah I'm 18 and it's legal to drink at my age in my neighboring province (Quebec).
posted by Dmac_rocker at 3:58 PM on April 5, 2011


I would recommend laphroaig or lagavulin then.
posted by TheBones at 3:59 PM on April 5, 2011


If you think you're gluten sensitive, you must be having digestive issues unrelated to alcohol - and feeling bloated is the classic symptom of a displeased digestive system.

You're pretty young, and digestive intolerances get more severe with age, my fructose sensitivity was apparent when I was 18 but only really hit me in a serious way in my mid 20s. If you suspect a gluten sensitivity, do yourself a favor and see a doctor and get to the bottom of it - better to catch it earlier than later. The sooner you catch it, the less damage your digestive system will have to recover from.

And you'll solve your alcohol problem.

Of course, IANAD.
posted by tempythethird at 4:13 PM on April 5, 2011


Alcohol is pretty irritating to your stomach lining, I also can't drink shots without feeling pretty awful. Many beers contain gluten (and many gluten intolerances flare up and die down), so that could easily be explaining that reaction.

But I have doctor-diagnosed reflux and there are a number of things I need to avoid to not become very sick very fast, and I also take medication to control it. Long term untreated reflux leads to GERD which can lead to throat cancer, so it's not something that should be ignored. Incorrectly treated food insensitivities like gluten-intolerance can also make you pretty sick over time and need to be properly diagnosed and treated (even if the treatment is just a gluten free diet).

So, while this does sound like it could be 'some kind of stomach thing', the only way to find out what kind is go to a doctor and get diagnosed. You really should do that. Working out what you can drink, how much, and when will be a side effect of that diagnosis, but probably the least important one in the long run. Continuing to drink something that directly irritates your stomach when you have a potential digestive condition is stupid, regardless of how expensive or nice tasting the liquor is, so don't just switch to whiskey.
posted by shelleycat at 4:29 PM on April 5, 2011


Response by poster: Thanks. I'm personally trying to avoid getting tested for a gluten allergy because it's such a pain to remove it from one's diet. My mother and sister both have it, so it's very likely that I do as well.
posted by Dmac_rocker at 4:31 PM on April 5, 2011


Here is a list of gluten free alcohols on a cite for those with celiacs. You have almost free selection when it comes to liquor, much less so when it comes to beer.

Cheap liquor is the devil. I can't tell you what to drink because I have no idea what you like. I love gin. Oh dear god do I fucking love gin. But few of my friends will even touch the stuff. So, find out what you like with simple stuff. Liquor+club soda+lemon is a real easy and tasty way to figure it out. And when you order it, spend a little extra and upgrade from well liquor to a name brand. Segrams makes cheap, alright quality stuff. When you find out what basic liquors you like, and if the upgrade+mixing drinks improves the stomach situation there are so many delicious recommendations to be made.
posted by munchingzombie at 4:37 PM on April 5, 2011


Dmac_rocker, I realize that you're young and probably feel pretty invincible, but I urge you to take care of your body wrt gluten sensitivity. Yes, it's a pain not to eat gluten, but you're putting yourself at very serious risk for things like other autoimmune disorders or even cancer down the line. Plus, I can tell you that you will physically feel much better once you remove gluten from your diet. I have more energy than I've had in years now that I stopped essentially eating poison (for my body. )

Gluten sensitivity/celiac can inflame your entire digestive tract. Deal with that and you'll be able to consume stuff you have probably written off altogether. Like alcohol.
posted by sugarfish at 4:48 PM on April 5, 2011


I'm personally trying to avoid getting tested for a gluten allergy because it's such a pain to remove it from one's diet.

Um, that doesn't make sense. Either you're sick and need to deal with it (and, believe me, this will come back to hurt you double time down the line), or you're not. Avoiding the test doesn't make the intolerance magically go away (if you even have one). Also, there is no rule that says you must go gluten free if you test positive. At least then you'd be taking the risk knowing the potential outcomes (cachexia, gut inflammation, depression, eventual colon cancer, yay!).

And if it turns out you have some other problem, which is entirely possible given your reaction to shots (which don't usually have gluten in them), then you can fix that problem too. For example, the stuff I take for reflux is really cheap and works well, and I'm avoiding the chronic bronchitis and constant throat infections that I had before I got it sorted. Not to mention Barrett's esophagus and potential throat cancer. There are several other things I can think of that would increase your sensitivity to alcohol in this way (e.g. an ulcer), all of which need attention sooner or later.

You can continue to stick your head in the sand if you like. But then there's no point asking for advice here because we can't help you given no one knows what, if anything, is wrong with you. Either stop drinking or see a doctor and take some responsibility for your health.
posted by shelleycat at 4:53 PM on April 5, 2011 [1 favorite]


Damn, sometimes this crowd can be a major buzzkill. Listen, I often feel tummy-hurt after a few drinks. I also feel tummy-hurt after a few coffees. I also often suffer from acid reflux, so I attribute my tummy-hurt to this issue. So go pop a zantac or a pepcid (or whatever antacid you prefer) before you go out drinking and that will help prevent the ick. Also carb-load (eat lots of carbs and starches) before you go out (or during) to absorb alcohol. If these things don't help, then yeah, you might want to try a doctor. Happy drinking!
posted by greta simone at 5:27 PM on April 5, 2011


Sorry if this is soo obvious that it doesn't need to be mentioned, but always eat (have food in your stomach) before you drink. You will feel awful if you don't.
posted by cestmoi15 at 5:55 PM on April 5, 2011


Response by poster: Thanks for all the responses everyone! Yeah some answers are a bit harsh but that's what I get for asking for advice rather than seeing a doctor.

I do take a zantac before drinking and it doesn't seem to help, so I guess I should see a doctor about it.

I know it doesn't make sense to avoid the gluten allergy, but it's so expensive and such a pain to avoid it (especially on a student's wages).

Shellycat, what are these other things that you mentioned?
posted by Dmac_rocker at 6:09 PM on April 5, 2011


I don't understand — why would you ever want to do a shot? They're disgusting. Stick to the beverages that don't make you feel bad!

And doing "a few shots" is not "a small amount of alcohol."
posted by John Cohen at 6:21 PM on April 5, 2011


Dmac -- this exact thing used to happen to me when I was around your age, and just starting to tipple.

My stomach's pretty much rubbish in general, though, so I didn't think it was anything to write home about, and just assumed it was something I'd get over as I became a more experienced drinker... and for the most part, I did. I just had to be a bit more cautious 'til I got a handle on how my gut tended to respond to things.

The first thing I learned is it's never a good idea to take a shot stone sober. One of the effects of alcohol is making it easier to drink more alcohol. This isn't always a good thing. So wait until 2/3 of the way through your first beer before you think of taking a shot, and it should go down easier. If a shot goes down too easy, though, don't take any more. A previous poster mentioned having food in your stomach, which is good advice for everyone. For my nervous stomach, though, I've found that being hydrated is just as important. If I'm at all parched, hard liquor can still make my stomach lurch. My preferred drink is bourbon or rye on the rocks, but when I'm at a bar and concerned about antagonizing my stomach, I find scotch and soda to be gentler on the palate. And always keep drinking water throughout the night. In bar-speak, adding the phrase "water back" after any drink order means "with a glass of water along with it," as in "Jim Beam on the rocks, water back."

As for beer bloat, there's not a whole lot you can do about that. Counterintuitively, the darker + thicker the beer, the less it tends to bother my stomach. Not that odd, though, when you consider that in general, these kinds of beers often have lower alcohol content.
posted by patnasty at 7:16 PM on April 5, 2011


There is a lot of liquor that is not terrible, and there are a lot of cocktails that are delicious (especially if they're made well by a good bartender). If you’re in a bar that’s serving shots, though, you may not have a lot of really good options. Laphroaig, for example, is a tasty single malt Scotch, but it’s not necessarily something you’ll run across in a bar that’s not a fairly serious cocktail bar.

What you probably want to do is try a few simple cocktails and determine what base spirit(s) you prefer, and try to get a sense of your cocktail tastes. Do you like sweet, or spirituous, or sour, or smoky, or…? Do you like drinks with a carbonated mixer (like tonic or cola), or juices, or simple cocktails that are mostly spirits with vermouth and bitters?
Note that calling a cocktail on a specific spirit will push your cost to $8-10 most places, even for a simple highball. These spirits are reasonably inexpensive (under $30 a bottle generally) at a liquor store, though.

For a simple bourbon or whiskey (NOT a Scotch, though!), try a Manhattan, either dry, sweet or perfect. Decent choices here are Weller’s, Four Roses (yellow label), Buffalo Trace, etc.

For gin, try a gin & tonic, a martini, a gimlet, or an Aviation. Decent gins include Plymouth, Aviation, Small's, etc . Most places will at least have Tanqueray, which is ok. If you get a gin & tonic, get lime, and squeeze the lime wedge into your drink.

For rum, try a rum & coke, or a dark n’ stormy (rum and ginger beer). Decent choices include Coruba, and Flor de Cana, and Appleton’s.

Prince_of_Cups posted a good list of things to order when you're not sure of the quality of the bar.

And, for TheBones, I suggest The Laphroaig Project. It's a lovely cocktail.
1 oz Green Chartreuse
1 oz lemon juice
½ oz Laphroaig Quarter Cask
½ oz maraschino
¼ oz Yellow Chartreuse
2 dashes Fee Brothers Peach Bitters
posted by Kpele at 7:27 PM on April 5, 2011


Just making sure you understand that just because a shot is small doesn't mean it's a small amount of alcohol. You know that, right? An entire can of beer can have less alcohol than a single shot, depending on what kind of shot it is.

Also, not sure what made you think that taking Zantac before drinking would help your stomach condition, but I'm pretty sure that's not an approved use of the drug and might even cause more damage to your stomach.
posted by wondermouse at 8:30 PM on April 5, 2011


I've had this stomach problem, which I'm sure isn't unique to me. It seems that whenever I drink alcohol, my stomach will start to protest. I am almost never able to take shots because...

That's not a physiological problem. That's because shots are not exactly the easiest way to induce alcohol into one's system. Not to mention that they are gross. Stop doing shots.

Re your beer issue that you bring up further down the thread - if you feel overfull after drinking a beer or two, you should probably stop drinking rather than inducing vomiting so you can have more. This sort of thing probably contributes more to your stomach problems, and can't be good for you in any event.
posted by Sara C. at 9:14 PM on April 5, 2011


Do you have heartburn, acid reflux at other times? do you wake up coughing at night with something in your mouth? Do you sound hoarse, especially in the mornings?

if a zantac before helps then your stomach is producing quite a bit of acid. Adding an irritiant to the mix like hard liquor is not a good idea. You will also have this with some red wines, various cocktails (see the one up there with lemon juice, do not use) and most acidic fruits.

In the long run you can do serious damage to your stomach & more importantly oesophagus lining. Google Barrett's oesophagus and worst case scenario google oesophagectomy.

Zantac is a temporary fix, this may be an early indicator of a hiatus hernia so I would deffo go to your family physican and have him/her take a history
posted by Wilder at 4:39 AM on April 6, 2011


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