Advil's a bad idea if you regularly consume a lot of alcohol (ie: >2 drinks/day), but of the over-the-counter painkillers it's the safest for your liver (saw a study on this a while back). Tylenol's the worst, and you really shouldn't take it if alcohol's still in your system.
Lots of water and whatever non-acidic food you feel up to (eggs, bread, beans and rice) would be my recommendation. Also take a shower, go for a walk, but stay out of the heat.
Aspirin and alcohol can interact to cause a liver condition known as Reye's damage. However, the greatest risk, IIRP, is to those prone to the condition or the very young (who perhaps shouldn't be drinking anyway!), and, as with advil and booze, the problem arises with chronic use. You're correct in that the greater danger is stomach irritation.
*Medical advice disclaimer: I'm not a doctor, I just play one occasionally. However, I've done some, ahem, field research in alcohol-related biochemistry :)
The connection with aspirin and Reyes syndrome is in young children who are advised not to take aspirin because it can cause Reyes syndrome. That's why parents are advised to give Tylenol (acetaminophen) to children instead. Alcohol has not been implicated as a factor in Reyes Syndrome as far as I know. Of the three main classes of OTC pain relievers: aspirin, acetaminophen, and all the NSAIDs (Advil, Naprosyn, etc.), acetaminophen, is considered the least damaging but they all have risks.
Sometimes just a tall Coke with lots of ice helps enormously. When it's really bad, a big, greasy cheeseburger with a side of fries and a tall Coke with ice. I'm not kidding. Try it. Oh, and be sure and wear sunglasses.
Truth is, it's all about re-oxygenating your blood. My understanding is that it takes alot of oxygen to metabolize the alcohol...leaves you oxygen deficient. If you know anyone that's hooked up to an oxygen tank, see if they'll sport you a few hits. Does wonders.
Other "healthy" remedies: fizzy water seems to help more than regular (re-oxygenates the blood faster?), megadoses of B-complex, and some form of exercise that gets you lots of fresh air.
Hmmmm...if I drink still white wine, I get positively cross-eyed on 2 glasses (not so with red wine), but I can drink champagne all night and, as long as I'm not guzzling it, not get particularly drunk and not suffer the after effects.
One of the many benefits of living in Colorado is that when flatlander friends come to visit, we can drink them under the table (even a wine writer friend who drinks for a living).
When necessary, my hangover cure is Gatorade, saltines, and lots of sleep.
I second the cheeseburger and fries recommendation. And if you're a little queasy, a chocolate milkshake helps too! And drink as much water as you can.
Yup- my European family prescribes Fernet Branca or Becherovka (en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Becherovka)! If you can manage, both actually do help settle your stomach.
Take it from a former bartender and Marine. Your body uses natural sugars when metabolizing alcohol. Try apple juice (pectin) or stir some glucose in Tea. Drink lots of water. Next time use your head....
Who's judging ? I just assumed this person would just as soon not have another hangover. If this post is just info gathering for future reference, then I sincerely apologize to YOU for making you feel that I needed to hear your uh, judgement.....
I find that 6 aspirin taken with as much water as you can drink before you go to sleep virtually guarantees no headache when you wake up, then drink more water and apple juice.
Could seriously mess up your stomach and cause bruising/bleeding. Aspirin is an anticoagulant (things your blood) and can cause stomach ulcers if taken in excess.
What you say is true. However, I *rarely* drink to the point where I'm so fearful of a terrible hangover that I resort to the 6 aspirin remedy (3-4 times a year). Usually the cure is 2 aspirin and all the water I can drink. Do you think that 3-4 times a year is harmful?
Problem with dosing your stomach with that much aspirin is that it can literally burn a hole in your stomach.
I have a buddy who had the flu, and felt terrible. All he did was drink orange juice and take aspirin on an empty stomach all day. Took about 6-8 aspirins this way and ended up in an ambulance with 4 holes in his stomach.
Aspirin is excellent stuff, but I would never take more then 2 or maybe 3 at a time. It really tears your stomach up. Taking 6 after a night of drinking (also bad for your stomach) is not a good idea.
Although this is a tad off topic, a long time ago, Tylenol used to advertise that it "was safer than aspirin." Unfortunately there were a few (patients that I personally cared for) who took that ad literally, and in a suicidal gesture, consumed toxic amounts of it, rather than aspirin, because they really didn't want to die. One 32 y.o. woman I will never forget did exactly that after an argument with her husband, and since she felt no immediate symptoms she assumed the overdose had no effect, nor did she tell her husband about it. Until the next day when she suddenly felt like total s***. She was admitted to our ICU and there was absolutely nothing we could do for her except watch her die...luckily, now there is an antidote, if taken soon enough after ingestion.
My co-hound's a psychiatrist, and sees a lot of suicide attempts with acetaminophen. While they can clear it out of the system, if the patient was found after a while, they can't do anything about liver damage that may result (especially if the patient downed it with alcohol, which is not unusual). So he sees young patients whose suicide attempts are unsuccessful, but who end up on dialysis.
This used to be my strategy as well (except I'd do three aspirin instead of six, along with the "as much water as you can drink" before going to sleep). It's the most effective remedy I've ever found. Unfortunately, somewhere along the way, my stomach rebelled and I really can't handle that much aspirin any more. But if your stomach can, I highly recommend you try this.
For day after remedies, concur that lots of water and some sort of greasy breakfast (used to eat a slice of pizza when I lived in NYC; in LA I usually go for huevos rancheros). If your stomach is truly upset, a package of ramen and a can of seven-up can help you over the hump.
Guess what folks its the water that's doing the trick not the aspirin. A hangover is nothing more than the effects of dehydration, which is what the alcohol does to you. So anything you can do to counteract that, such as drinking lots of water before you go to bed, will help.
i saw an infomercial type thing the other day about a pill--dang, i can't remember what it's called--that you can take when you start drinking and it's supposed to prevent hangovers. anyone heard of this or tried it? sounds a bit creepy to me...
Several years ago there was a discussion on a wine board about some activated carbon pills that would prevent hangovers. One guy got some samples and tried them. His conclusion: "I found the effects of the capsules worse than the effects of alcohol."
Aspirin, water, sleep and a papaya or mamey milkshake to reintroduce the electrolytes pissed away during the evening's debauch. Papaya also contains the proper enzymes to neutralize that train-wreck of a stomach. Then, a nice heavy meal and some more sleep.
I remember in college we would go to the Infirmary complaining of a hangover. Inevitably we would be diagnosed with "alcohol poisoning" by the 60 year old, non-drinking nurse, and given a small injection of B-12 vitamin in the tush.
Yeah, Vitamin B works for me. I take one b-vitamin complex tab with LOTS of water before going to bed, and it works wonders. I realize the water is key, but the person who told me about this remedy seemed to think that one of the b vitamins (don't know which one, hence the complex tab) helps keep blood vessels open and happy. I haven't bothered to find out if there is any truth to this theory, but water+vitamin b seems to make a difference for me compared to water alone.
No kidding, there is a small but definite risk of complete liver blow-out with this combination (the higher the dose of either compound the worse the risk). Liver transplant or death, basically.
The "cure" is water and more water. Ibuprofen the night before and next AM will help with symptoms. The real cure is to not drink so much, of course.
Agreed. Normally, Tylenol is the safest choice, since it does not burden the kidney (I've encountered renal specialists who maintain that ibuprofen and naproxyn should never have been made available over the counter due to all the damage they have seen to kidneys from misuse), but in this instance, it is very prudent to avoid it to be kind to your battered liver (and I don't mean that in the fried chow sense...).
"ALCOHOL WARNING: If you consume 3 or more alcoholic drinks every day, ask your doctor whether you should take acetaminophen or other pain relievers/fever reducers. Acetaminophen may cause liver damage."
Aren't the warnings about consuming acetominophen and ibuprofen only related to the night of consumption, rather than the morning after? Hasn't most of the alcohol (not all of it, I know) been metabolized by the time you wake up feeling like hell the next morning?
Granted, an OD of acetominophen (even without the alcohol) can do very significant and irreversible liver damage. But do people really need to be concerned about taking it the next day?
I frankly don't know for certain. However, as I read the warning ("3 or more alcoholic drinks *every* day") they're concerned that the liver may already be compromised by heavy drinking and that the drug may further damage it, regardless of when its taken.
I have a friend who is a an RN, herbalist and naturopath. She's also a former chef and she throws the most amazing and decadent dinner parties.
She always offers kudzu tea to her guests before they head home after a night of excessive wine drinking and binge eating. She also makes sure to keep us well-hydrated.
My body generally makes me pay for any excesses, but I have yet to experience any ill effects from one of these hedonistic feasts.
Hydration is great, but the real trick is milk. I learned this at the CIA...drink a large (16 oz) glass of milk before going to bed. Apparently alcohol causes blood vessels to restrict, causing that tight, restricted feeling in the head during the hangover. The lactose in milk relaxes the vessels - less/no restriction, no headache! Also works to absorb nutritients into the blood stream.
Of course, if one must drink to excess, it's always best to have a full stomach first.
Cabbage before bed. About 10 minutes on an oxygen tank and Gatorade when you so rudely awaken. Having an oxygen tank handy may seem extreme, but it truly DOES make the meanest hangover just evaporate. A tepid shower with a seriously minty soap also seems to help me. Not that I've ever been hungover....
If you wake up with a really bad hangover, try this.
When you wake up drink a glass of water, a glass of oj or tomato juice, 2-3 aspirin, and a cup of coffee. Then sit in the sun for 15-30 minutes. More water and/or juice. Have an early lunch of really spicy food.
If it only happens with a certain drink, it could be an allergy. Try an antihistimine. I always have a headache after red wine, no mater, how much or little I drink.
I have found really really spicy soup, such as thai tomyumkhun is a good cure, something about that chili just clears out the groggy head, and it is, in addition to lots of water, more rehydrating liquid. I have heard menudo serves this purpose but I wouldn't want to look at tripe with a hangover!
Lola -- just look at all of the angels (myself included) who have proffered advice on ridding you of your nasty hangover. Sure hope it's gone by now (perhaps you're out chasing the "hair of the dog"?) and sure hope you didn't take any Tylenol :).
Advil, a shower, orange juice, and lots of water. Some people think flu pills help, but I've never tried them.
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Isn't there a warning about taking Advil (ditto Tylenol) with lots alcohol? Too much stress on the liver or something?
Anyway, water for sure.
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Advil's a bad idea if you regularly consume a lot of alcohol (ie: >2 drinks/day), but of the over-the-counter painkillers it's the safest for your liver (saw a study on this a while back). Tylenol's the worst, and you really shouldn't take it if alcohol's still in your system.
Lots of water and whatever non-acidic food you feel up to (eggs, bread, beans and rice) would be my recommendation. Also take a shower, go for a walk, but stay out of the heat.
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Aspirin isn't bad for your liver, is it? I thought its only fault was that it could irritate your stomach...
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Aspirin and alcohol can interact to cause a liver condition known as Reye's damage. However, the greatest risk, IIRP, is to those prone to the condition or the very young (who perhaps shouldn't be drinking anyway!), and, as with advil and booze, the problem arises with chronic use. You're correct in that the greater danger is stomach irritation.
*Medical advice disclaimer: I'm not a doctor, I just play one occasionally. However, I've done some, ahem, field research in alcohol-related biochemistry :)
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The connection with aspirin and Reyes syndrome is in young children who are advised not to take aspirin because it can cause Reyes syndrome. That's why parents are advised to give Tylenol (acetaminophen) to children instead. Alcohol has not been implicated as a factor in Reyes Syndrome as far as I know.
Of the three main classes of OTC pain relievers: aspirin, acetaminophen, and all the NSAIDs (Advil, Naprosyn, etc.), acetaminophen, is considered the least damaging but they all have risks.
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I had a TERRIBLE reaction to taking two Tylenol when I was very hung over once... my kidneys were in pain, no joke. It was awful.
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Popeyes spicy fried chicken and a biscuit.
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along with a beer... ;-)
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Painkillers, Gatorade, sleep if you have the time and a salty breakfast if your stomach can handle it.
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That's a good one. Emergen-C or Vitamin water work the same way as Gatorade.
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Sometimes just a tall Coke with lots of ice helps enormously. When it's really bad, a big, greasy cheeseburger with a side of fries and a tall Coke with ice. I'm not kidding. Try it. Oh, and be sure and wear sunglasses.
Truth is, it's all about re-oxygenating your blood. My understanding is that it takes alot of oxygen to metabolize the alcohol...leaves you oxygen deficient. If you know anyone that's hooked up to an oxygen tank, see if they'll sport you a few hits. Does wonders.
Other "healthy" remedies: fizzy water seems to help more than regular (re-oxygenates the blood faster?), megadoses of B-complex, and some form of exercise that gets you lots of fresh air.
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"takes alot of oxygen to metabolize the alcohol...leaves you oxygen deficient"
Ah hah! That explains why everyone said don't drink on my bike trip to high-altitute Park City. (don't drink on vacation? are you kidding?)
Also, re: the fizzy water - I wonder if that's why I always recover faster from excessive Champagne than excessive still wine?
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Hmmmm...if I drink still white wine, I get positively cross-eyed on 2 glasses (not so with red wine), but I can drink champagne all night and, as long as I'm not guzzling it, not get particularly drunk and not suffer the after effects.
Ti-i-i-i-iny bubbles....
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One of the many benefits of living in Colorado is that when flatlander friends come to visit, we can drink them under the table (even a wine writer friend who drinks for a living).
When necessary, my hangover cure is Gatorade, saltines, and lots of sleep.
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I second the cheeseburger and fries recommendation. And if you're a little queasy, a chocolate milkshake helps too! And drink as much water as you can.
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Some people swear by Fernet Branca. After tasting it, I'd rather stay hungover.
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Yup- my European family prescribes Fernet Branca or Becherovka (en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Becherovka)! If you can manage, both actually do help settle your stomach.
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Fried chicken. Cold.
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Take it from a former bartender and Marine. Your body uses natural sugars when metabolizing alcohol. Try apple juice (pectin) or stir some glucose in Tea. Drink lots of water. Next time use your head....
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Lets not judge, OK?
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Could be the ex-Marine meant "head" in the military sense. I use my head when I've got a 5* hangover.
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Who's judging ? I just assumed this person would just as soon not have another hangover. If this post is just info gathering for future reference, then I sincerely apologize to YOU for making you feel that I needed to hear your uh, judgement.....
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I find that 6 aspirin taken with as much water as you can drink before you go to sleep virtually guarantees no headache when you wake up, then drink more water and apple juice.
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I would not take that many aspirin, ever!
Could seriously mess up your stomach and cause bruising/bleeding. Aspirin is an anticoagulant (things your blood) and can cause stomach ulcers if taken in excess.
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What you say is true. However, I *rarely* drink to the point where I'm so fearful of a terrible hangover that I resort to the 6 aspirin remedy (3-4 times a year). Usually the cure is 2 aspirin and all the water I can drink. Do you think that 3-4 times a year is harmful?
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Problem with dosing your stomach with that much aspirin is that it can literally burn a hole in your stomach.
I have a buddy who had the flu, and felt terrible. All he did was drink orange juice and take aspirin on an empty stomach all day. Took about 6-8 aspirins this way and ended up in an ambulance with 4 holes in his stomach.
Aspirin is excellent stuff, but I would never take more then 2 or maybe 3 at a time. It really tears your stomach up. Taking 6 after a night of drinking (also bad for your stomach) is not a good idea.
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Thanks for the education.
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And I thought my father was just making that up when he made me drink lots of water with my St. Josephs when I was little.
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Although this is a tad off topic, a long time ago, Tylenol used to advertise that it "was safer than aspirin." Unfortunately there were a few (patients that I personally cared for) who took that ad literally, and in a suicidal gesture, consumed toxic amounts of it, rather than aspirin, because they really didn't want to die. One 32 y.o. woman I will never forget did exactly that after an argument with her husband, and since she felt no immediate symptoms she assumed the overdose had no effect, nor did she tell her husband about it. Until the next day when she suddenly felt like total s***. She was admitted to our ICU and there was absolutely nothing we could do for her except watch her die...luckily, now there is an antidote, if taken soon enough after ingestion.
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My co-hound's a psychiatrist, and sees a lot of suicide attempts with acetaminophen. While they can clear it out of the system, if the patient was found after a while, they can't do anything about liver damage that may result (especially if the patient downed it with alcohol, which is not unusual). So he sees young patients whose suicide attempts are unsuccessful, but who end up on dialysis.
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This used to be my strategy as well (except I'd do three aspirin instead of six, along with the "as much water as you can drink" before going to sleep). It's the most effective remedy I've ever found. Unfortunately, somewhere along the way, my stomach rebelled and I really can't handle that much aspirin any more. But if your stomach can, I highly recommend you try this.
For day after remedies, concur that lots of water and some sort of greasy breakfast (used to eat a slice of pizza when I lived in NYC; in LA I usually go for huevos rancheros). If your stomach is truly upset, a package of ramen and a can of seven-up can help you over the hump.
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Guess what folks its the water that's doing the trick not the aspirin. A hangover is nothing more than the effects of dehydration, which is what the alcohol does to you. So anything you can do to counteract that, such as drinking lots of water before you go to bed, will help.
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You're absolutely correct, water is the trick, as much as you can drink before bed.
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Menudo with tortillas. Millions of my cerveza-soaked Latino brothers can't all be wrong.
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i saw an infomercial type thing the other day about a pill--dang, i can't remember what it's called--that you can take when you start drinking and it's supposed to prevent hangovers. anyone heard of this or tried it? sounds a bit creepy to me...
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Several years ago there was a discussion on a wine board about some activated carbon pills that would prevent hangovers. One guy got some samples and tried them. His conclusion: "I found the effects of the capsules worse than the effects of alcohol."
Link: http://forums.about.com/n/mb/message....
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Alka Selter Morning Relief. Works great. Has a lot of caffeine, though, so if you have it AND coffee your hands will be shaking all day.
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The best hangover cure hands down is a joint and a bloody mary. Works for me every time.
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that's the weekend/unemployed version. It can also be used in combination with other remedies for increased effect.
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hair of the dog???
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Aspirin, water, sleep and a papaya or mamey milkshake to reintroduce the electrolytes pissed away during the evening's debauch. Papaya also contains the proper enzymes to neutralize that train-wreck of a stomach. Then, a nice heavy meal and some more sleep.
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For me, soy milk works wonders.
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While it may be hard for most of us to procure...
I remember in college we would go to the Infirmary complaining of a hangover. Inevitably we would be diagnosed with "alcohol poisoning" by the 60 year old, non-drinking nurse, and given a small injection of B-12 vitamin in the tush.
We'd be back at the keg by noon.
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Yeah, Vitamin B works for me. I take one b-vitamin complex tab with LOTS of water before going to bed, and it works wonders. I realize the water is key, but the person who told me about this remedy seemed to think that one of the b vitamins (don't know which one, hence the complex tab) helps keep blood vessels open and happy. I haven't bothered to find out if there is any truth to this theory, but water+vitamin b seems to make a difference for me compared to water alone.
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No kidding, there is a small but definite risk of complete liver blow-out with this combination (the higher the dose of either compound the worse the risk). Liver transplant or death, basically.
The "cure" is water and more water. Ibuprofen the night before and next AM will help with symptoms. The real cure is to not drink so much, of course.
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Agreed. Normally, Tylenol is the safest choice, since it does not burden the kidney (I've encountered renal specialists who maintain that ibuprofen and naproxyn should never have been made available over the counter due to all the damage they have seen to kidneys from misuse), but in this instance, it is very prudent to avoid it to be kind to your battered liver (and I don't mean that in the fried chow sense...).
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I'm reasonably certain that I read that Tylenol is a definite no-no. It may even be printed on their label, although I can't swear to that.
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It is on their label.
"ALCOHOL WARNING: If you consume 3 or more
alcoholic drinks every day, ask your doctor
whether you should take acetaminophen or
other pain relievers/fever reducers.
Acetaminophen may cause liver damage."
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Thanks, Tom. At least my long-term memory seems to be intact! pat
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Aren't the warnings about consuming acetominophen and ibuprofen only related to the night of consumption, rather than the morning after? Hasn't most of the alcohol (not all of it, I know) been metabolized by the time you wake up feeling like hell the next morning?
Granted, an OD of acetominophen (even without the alcohol) can do very significant and irreversible liver damage. But do people really need to be concerned about taking it the next day?
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I frankly don't know for certain. However, as I read the warning ("3 or more alcoholic drinks *every* day") they're concerned that the liver may already be compromised by heavy drinking and that the drug may further damage it, regardless of when its taken.
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liver blow out from vitamin b?
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I have a friend who is a an RN, herbalist and naturopath. She's also a former chef and she throws the most amazing and decadent dinner parties.
She always offers kudzu tea to her guests before they head home after a night of excessive wine drinking and binge eating. She also makes sure to keep us well-hydrated.
My body generally makes me pay for any excesses, but I have yet to experience any ill effects from one of these hedonistic feasts.
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Tomato juice.
The other trick is to drink a shot of whatever was your poison.
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Hydration is great, but the real trick is milk. I learned this at the CIA...drink a large (16 oz) glass of milk before going to bed. Apparently alcohol causes blood vessels to restrict, causing that tight, restricted feeling in the head during the hangover. The lactose in milk relaxes the vessels - less/no restriction, no headache! Also works to absorb nutritients into the blood stream.
Of course, if one must drink to excess, it's always best to have a full stomach first.
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Yeah, I heard the same about milk. Its supposed to do wonders. I've also heard that Menudo (Mexican Beef Stomach Soup) is as sure cure for a hangover.
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Cabbage before bed. About 10 minutes on an oxygen tank and Gatorade when you so rudely awaken. Having an oxygen tank handy may seem extreme, but it truly DOES make the meanest hangover just evaporate.
A tepid shower with a seriously minty soap also seems to help me. Not that I've ever been hungover....
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This is one of the funniest things I have ever read.
Keep writing!
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This is one of the funniest things I have ever read.
Keep writing!
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If you wake up with a really bad hangover, try this.
When you wake up drink a glass of water, a glass of oj or tomato juice, 2-3 aspirin, and a cup of coffee. Then sit in the sun for 15-30 minutes. More water and/or juice. Have an early lunch of really spicy food.
If it only happens with a certain drink, it could be an allergy. Try an antihistimine. I always have a headache after red wine, no mater, how much or little I drink.
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I have found really really spicy soup, such as thai tomyumkhun is a good cure, something about that chili just clears out the groggy head, and it is, in addition to lots of water, more rehydrating liquid.
I have heard menudo serves this purpose but I wouldn't want to look at tripe with a hangover!
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Lola -- just look at all of the angels (myself included) who have proffered advice on ridding you of your nasty hangover. Sure hope it's gone by now (perhaps you're out chasing the "hair of the dog"?) and sure hope you didn't take any Tylenol :).
Our best wishes for your feeling better.
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Thanks, feeling much better. I drank lots of seltzer water and orange juice, ate an egg and cheese sandwich for breakfast and then bbq for lunch.
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Sobriety!!
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There's always a puritan lurking around somewhere...
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Great. Now what's your cure for reality?
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I'm intrigued. How does it work?
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A little late, but jump in a cool pool - feels great!
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