Most people report sharply reduced desire for alcohol on these meds, with lower tolerance, delayed effects from slowed gastric emptying, and harsher hangovers the next day. A few who used to drink heavily still enjoy a glass or two without restarting cravings, while others find even small amounts unappealing or risky for slipping back into old patterns. The original poster tested a sip recently and disliked it, which several readers saw as encouraging evidence they can safely choose moderation or abstinence.
What this discussion establishesWhether someone with a past daily drinking habit should risk any alcohol on vacation or stay completely sober to protect their progress
Still openHow the original poster will actually feel if they do have wine in France
Nothing here is advice.
I feel much better overall and staying away from alcohol keeps improving things for me. The whole family is going to France for vacation though, and I was thinking about trying some really good wine there. I am worried about what might happen afterward. Has anyone else tried this? What do you think?
I drink way less than before these meds but still have whiskey now and then. I will probably have a few this week after several weeks off. The only change I notice is that it takes fewer drinks to feel it now.
What exactly are you worried might happen? Restarting a habit, general health effects, or how it could affect your progress on the medication? My answer would change depending on which concern is biggest for you.
I only drink beer and cut way back from a lot to just two a day. I could still drink more if I wanted but I am not gaining weight from it. Since starting the med in January the most I have had is four or six in one day.
It is understandable to be concerned but I would not stress too much. I used to enjoy craft beers a lot yet after starting the med my interest dropped a lot. I still go out once a week and planned to limit myself to three but usually stop at two or even leave the second unfinished. I also walk right past the big beer section at the store now and only look at the zero percent options.
I still like alcohol and got into making cocktails during the pandemic when my bar had around thirty bottles. The main thing I learned is that slower digestion means the alcohol peaks later, so it is easy to drink more than you realize because you do not feel it right away. You notice the mistake the next day.
Just have a glass of wine with dinner. Even kids drink watered-down wine over there. When in Rome.
I have been on the med since late April and still have a couple drinks every night. I measure them so I know the exact amount and I am still losing weight. It is true that slower digestion changes how alcohol feels compared to before.
Since starting the med I have had a small glass of port occasionally or a cocktail once in a while with no problems.
A common experience is that the hangover the next day is awful. Everyone knows the only real cure is more alcohol, like a Bloody Mary at Sunday brunch.
That is rare now and was never very common except in some Mediterranean places to begin with.
A few glasses will not cause any harm. Enjoy the trip to France. Just do not go overboard because the hangovers can be terrible.
Nothing beats an ice-cold beer by a Wisconsin campfire or watching a warm Florida sunset. I used to drink about a six-pack a week. Since starting in March I have only had five beers total. It was not planned. The low-calorie beer fits my deficit but I simply lost the taste for it. Strange.
My first reaction was to just go for it, but that is not very helpful. More seriously, live your life. It depends why not drinking has been good for you. If alcohol makes you feel bad then skipping it is fine. If you only avoid it because of the empty calories then that is different. If you like wine it would be a shame to visit one of Europe's top wine countries and skip the good stuff.
I spent two weeks in France and Italy this summer. I had basically stopped drinking after starting the meds, though I used to do forty to sixty units a week. I was able to enjoy wine and food with meals and the off switch worked well. My wife and I would order a bottle at most meals, have one or two glasses, and stop. Our daughters finished the rest every time.
I switched to non-alcoholic beer to get the taste I sometimes want without the intoxication. Maybe look for that option.
Wisconsin fire and Florida sunset? I am confused. I still like beer but I have cut back a lot. I did have quite a few last week when neighbors visited.
I have not had any alcohol since before starting these meds. I have always had stomach issues and worried that slower digestion would make things worse by keeping it in my system longer. That is just my guess though.
You clearly know wines. Can you explain why you said not to mix white and red or to avoid rosé?
I have had one glass at different times while on the med and everything was fine. It tasted good, I enjoyed it, and there were no bad effects the next day.
Enjoy yourself. I have been drinking very lightly since starting the med in February but this past weekend at a friend reunion I had three or four drinks a day for two days and really liked them. I enjoy an overpriced cocktail now and then. Unless you are sober because of addiction issues I would say go ahead. Try some yellow wine while you are there. It is delicious and unique, like a thicker white wine, and hard to find outside France.
If you are worried about going on a total binge then do not drink. If you are worried about getting too tipsy then have one or two glasses. What are your main concerns? I used to have wine every night but since starting it does not appeal much. Last weekend I had a cocktail and a glass of wine and felt a little jolly but not obviously drunk. I woke with a small headache but drank water and felt fine.
Update: I had four bourbon and diet cokes last night. I feel it today, moving a bit slow and drank lots of water, but otherwise fine. That is why I do not do it often anymore, but I had a good time and managed to stay off the forum mostly. You should be okay in moderation, though that was over four hundred calories.
I have no issues with alcohol but remember that if you binge the slower digestion might cause problems. Alcohol gets absorbed in the small intestine but the med slows how fast it gets there. Two to five drinks is usually fine. Ten or fifteen though and you might feel pretty bad the next day.
I am worried about restarting alcohol and then feeling like I need it again. Also about feeling sick on the trip if I have several glasses and then drag through the vacation when I could be having clean fun. If the med curbs my interest that would be great, but what if it does not?
That is exactly what the part of me that likes wine thinks.
The worry that you might want to keep going could create more anxiety than the enjoyment you would get. You will definitely have fun on the trip even if you stay sober. If you want to try but fear overdoing it, test in a controlled setting like ordering one glass with dessert when the evening is ending so you cannot easily order more. Or do a wine tasting where you spit, though that would not work for me because I hate wasting it even though it is normal etiquette.
I rarely drink more than one or two because even that much gives me a hangover and makes me bloated. I went to a beer fest this weekend for a friend's birthday knowing it would be fun but that I am not used to heavy drinking. There are products that help prevent hangovers, some taken before bed and others before drinking. I used one before going out and had no hangover or bad bloating even though I drank more than two beers worth. Winning.
As someone who likes red wine I have found two glasses is about my limit. My stomach does not handle red well but white has milder effects so I switched to that. I do not feel great afterward but it does not stop me from enjoying the day or the next day.
Great suggestions, thank you.
Do tell. Product discussion is allowed.
Are you someone who used to have an alcohol problem or did you just stop because it stopped appealing after the med? If the first, it may not be worth it but only you can decide. If the second, go enjoy yourself. Keep in mind your tolerance might be lower so be careful.
I have not read every reply but I know someone on the med who tends to binge when they drink. They go long stretches without it then go all out. From watching them, they get very drunk after a break because they do not moderate well. So if you think you can stick to one or two glasses then try it, but if it will turn into a bottle or two it could ruin the vacation.
Thanks, I worry about that too.
It is a probiotic drink. It is not cheap since it costs about as much as an extra drink, but it is worth it in my opinion. I tried a couple other brands with herbs and DHM that help break down a byproduct of alcohol, but this one works better for me. First time I used it was on a cruise in March while drinking with a friend at the pool, dinner, and casino. I felt good the next morning except for lack of sleep. The other products helped some over two years but not as much. Maybe it is the absorption or timing. They are definitely better than nothing.
As someone who once struggled heavily with alcohol myself, once that idea pops into my head it becomes obvious how it can activate the brain's pleasure centers and spark a powerful urge to resume consuming it, since that's precisely what occurs. I decided against taking any chance because plenty of other options exist for enjoying meals. From my perspective the downsides outweigh any upside. I've broken free from that cycle while plenty of others remain trapped inside it. Whenever the sense of missing out starts to hit, I recall those evenings of heavy sweating plus early awakenings full of self-loathing.
You said you are very worried about the consequences. It does not affect the medication itself. Drinks can hit harder or take longer to feel. If that is what you meant then you are fine.
Ah, it clicks for me now. We both used to enjoy alcohol back then. I came across a guide on stopping that made all the difference, and I finished it ahead of my own journey. Those urges you're feeling don't seem positive at all. I switched over to mushrooms or cannabis instead, or even took up cigar smoking.
His book on quitting helped me stop all forms of nicotine. It is weird and a little eerie how well it works.
Drinking was a daily habit for me before, and it influenced my nighttime activities regularly. Each year I pause for about thirty days, and this time it lined up with beginning a new medication. That timing made it easy to stop for good. Over fifteen months have passed now, and my overall well-being has improved more than it has for ages. I don't experience any urges whatsoever. Still, there's this nagging thought about missing out on fine vintages that keeps bothering me. Preventing those urges from returning is important to me. Having just one serving without it turning into more would be nice if I knew it was possible. Appreciate the suggestion about the reading material.
Only you can decide if alcohol was neutral in your life before the med. I have been sober almost forty years. In the years I traveled to France for work I did not feel like I missed anything. The food was still delicious.
The med makes me forget about having a drink so I often go weeks without one. When I do drink I only have one and take my time enjoying it.
I am on a low weekly dose and really enjoy a glass of wine most nights. I did not notice any difference after starting. Go and indulge responsibly.
Can you do a small test on yourself before the trip? Do you feel like you are forcing yourself to stay away or is it happening more naturally?
I have done exactly this and honestly did not have much desire for wine while there. With all the history, culture, food, and scenery in France you will have an amazing time whether you drink or not.
The idea that drinking is an essential part of European culture is outdated. People there are just as aware as everyone else that recent science shows even moderate drinking is not harmless. Many who care about health have given it up, and the way these meds reduce cravings should be seen as a relief from something our brains push us toward. Alcohol is not the worst habit in small amounts but if you cannot picture enjoying yourself without it that might be a warning sign you are closer to a problem than you want to admit.
A couple beverages affect me the way a whole bunch would. Two is my strict daily ceiling. Tiny servings paired with little snacks made two lengthy overseas vacations quite enjoyable.
Yeah, two beers a day is pretty much my limit now too.
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