BabyUniversity.com › Forums › Ages & Stages › General Health Issues › Ask A Nurse › Allergic reaction: To Tequila?
New Posts  All Forums:Forum Nav:

Allergic reaction: To Tequila?

post #1 of 16
4/27/08 at 8:15pm
Thread Starter 
Wondering if anyone on the boards have any allergies to alcohol?

There are some alcohol's that my body reacts really strangely to.
Last night after Dylan's birthday party, I took Dylan (with Mary and Melissa) to our favorite mexican restaurant and decided to have a strawberry margarita. I got like a medium sized one (just a good size.. not small and certainly not huge) within about 4 drinks of the margarita, my entire body itched, my face was fire engine red, and my lips felt like they were swelling. I didn't feel good at all. I asked the waiter to take the drink and toss it because I was so ill from it (he then took it off the bill because I was so ill- which I didn't expect at all. that was an $8 drink!)

I drank about 2 glasses of water to try to flush my system, but was just ill the rest of the night.

I notice that some beers do this to me as well, and the last time I had a margarita I reacted similarly, but not nearly as bad.

Do you think this is a true allergy? Is there a way to possibly get tested??
Reply
post #2 of 16
4/27/08 at 9:17pm

Re: Allergic reaction: To Tequila?

Could you be allergic to strawberries? I don't know. I have never heard of this before. Are you on any medication that could be mixing with the alcohol and causing the reaction?
Reply
post #3 of 16
4/27/08 at 10:00pm
Thread Starter 

Re: Allergic reaction: To Tequila?

Definitely not allergic to strawberries. (Thank goodness, they're one of my favorites.)

Not on any medication either.

Thats why I find it so funny, allergic to alcohol?
Atleast I'm gaurenteed not to be an alcoholic like my Mother and Grandfather.
Reply
post #4 of 16
4/27/08 at 10:01pm

Re: Allergic reaction: To Tequila?

I would suspect the strawberries before the tequila, too. Though, if beer does it, I don't know.

Have you tried any other type of alcohol, like wine? I know a few people who have an allergy to sulfites, which pretty much covers anything that's been fermented - beer, wine, spirits, etc.

You could probably go to your GP and ask about it - maybe they can refer you to an allergist to test for food allergies?
Reply
post #5 of 16
4/27/08 at 10:28pm

Re: Allergic reaction: To Tequila?

I've never reacted quite that badly but alcohol in general always makes my lips swell, itch, and turn a bright red.
Reply
post #6 of 16
4/27/08 at 10:35pm

Re: Allergic reaction: To Tequila?

Read this... http://www.chowhound.com/topics/303255 There are no real answers but I think you'll find it interesting... especially the parts about Asian Flush.
Reply
post #7 of 16
4/28/08 at 12:33am

Re: Allergic reaction: To Tequila?

I found out the hard way that I am allergic to Rye. I ended up with alcohol poisoning...and I only drank maybe 4 ounces......

My body swelled up like a balloon. I had a 5 day hang over and don't remember any of the night. It was bad....and while it happened to me while I was young and "stupid".....I usually drank much more than that (and the guys I was with knew that too.....heck I was in the military...we all drank all the time)
Reply
post #8 of 16
4/28/08 at 1:54am

Re: Allergic reaction: To Tequila?

Quote:
Originally Posted by Liz109
OK, can I be a smartass for a moment?

I'm no doctor, but I recommend you not drink alcohol
Reply
post #9 of 16
4/28/08 at 5:00am

Re: Allergic reaction: To Tequila?

My Grandfather was allergic to all alcohol. It knocked him unconcious and he woke up with hives, needless to say my grandfather didn't drink
Reply
post #10 of 16
4/28/08 at 7:08am
Thread Starter 

Re: Allergic reaction: To Tequila?

Most wine's do it too.

I can drink my share of Michelob Ultra though! (Trust me..... )

I think I might make an appt with my GO to see if he can refer me for food allergies.. Would alcohol show up as like something like wheat, or yeast???
Reply
post #11 of 16
4/28/08 at 11:18am

Re: Allergic reaction: To Tequila?

It depends on the base of what you are drinking. Personally, I would look at what's added to the alcohol, not just alcohol as the issue. Is it wheat based? Rice based? Are hops the issue? You really need to know what is in the drinks that you are consuming, that way you can find a common allergen and avoid it.

Speak with your MD and tell him/her what happened and see what he/she thinks. I would probably either not drink or drink the things that I know I don't have issues with until then.
Reply
post #12 of 16
4/28/08 at 12:23pm
Thread Starter 

Re: Allergic reaction: To Tequila?

Oh I'm NOT drinking margaritas ever again. You can bet on that!

I just wondered how 'normal' it was?
Because I think it's weird.

Elaine, Thanks for that info, That was really interesting!!
Reply
post #13 of 16
3/1/11 at 7:26am

I'm a first year Chemistry student doing my own pondering about tequilla. The bar tender last night took a little too good of care of my friend and I've never seen her like that. I performed a lab experiment a few months ago involving Calcium Oxalate Monohydrate....naturally present in agave, rubarb, and is the material kidney stones are formed by. I theorize that like MSG or gluten allergies, some people are more tolerant to the injestion of this compound than others. Your case sounds like it could be a histamine allergy. A doctor would be more apt to inform you. They can certainly test for allergies.

Reply
post #14 of 16
4/2/11 at 8:14pm

i know this is an older question, but recently i have experienced allergic reactions to different wines and beers, it acts like a seasonal allergy such that i get headaches, runny nose, congestion headache.

i hadnt had tequila in a while and today i had about 3 drinks with tequila. a few hours after drinking, i had the same reaction, and so now i dont know what im allergic to, as tequila isnt fermented right?

you had said it might be a histamine allergy, how so? are there other ingredients in tequila that it shares with wine and beer that i could be allergic to?

Reply
post #15 of 16
7/28/11 at 8:06pm

I imagine that there is something in the alcohol that you are allergic to, rather than alcohol itself.  I could be wrong, but there is rye, fresh yeast, etc that is in different drinks that you may be allergic to.  And, yes, itching and swelling is usually an allergic reaction, versus a hyperractivity.

Reply
post #16 of 16
8/8/11 at 4:11am

great.

Reply
New Posts  All Forums:Forum Nav:
  Return Home
  Back to Forum: Ask A Nurse
BabyUniversity.com › Forums › Ages & Stages › General Health Issues › Ask A Nurse › Allergic reaction: To Tequila?