Hangover.... should I start Met?

[julianyc]

I got prescribed Met before the Memorial Day weekend and decided I would wait until today to start taking it as my husband decided to throw a big family party at our house yesterday. I am really worried about drinking on Met, so I thought I would have one last hurrah and not drink once I go on the pill...... but I drank a little too much yesterday and have a bit of a hangover today. Do you think it is okay for me to take my first 500 pill tonight with dinner? I am trying to drink loads of water today and certainly don't plan on consuming any alcohol, but I am worried about what is already in my system. Do you think I am okay to start or should I wait?

[Gen224]

The alcohol you drank yesterday is no longer in your system, unless you came close to alcohol-poisoning levels. The hangover is typically from the dehydration of your system due to the alcohol, not b/c it's still in your bloodstream. Alcohol is a depressant and a dehydrator, so drinking water is good. Rehydrate your system and you'll probably feel better soon.

As far as the safety of the met in your system today, you'd be fine. But if you're still not feeling up to par tonight, you might not want to chance the potential gastro-distress that starting met can bring AND still feeling a bit hungover. :shock: That part might be more than you want. But safety-wise, you'll be fine. :)

HTH

[julianyc]

The alcohol you drank yesterday is no longer in your system, unless you came close to alcohol-poisoning levels. The hangover is typically from the dehydration of your system due to the alcohol, not b/c it's still in your bloodstream. Alcohol is a depressant and a dehydrator, so drinking water is good. Rehydrate your system and you'll probably feel better soon.

As far as the safety of the met in your system today, you'd be fine. But if you're still not feeling up to par tonight, you might not want to chance the potential gastro-distress that starting met can bring AND still feeling a bit hungover. :shock: That part might be more than you want. But safety-wise, you'll be fine. :)

HTH

Thanks for your reply.... I decided to wait and start tonight (I'd rather give my self a fresh slate!). Just out of curiosity, is it the dehyration that makes alcohol a danger (i.e. lactic acidosis)? I was just wondering that because there are other things I consume that are dehydrators (one a medication..... but also things like coffee). Are other things as dangerous as alcohol when it comes to the lactic acidosis?

[Gen224]

Although alcohol is a dehydrator, I think the real risk with excessive alcohol consumption is the fact that it is a depressant. Not just emotionally, but it lowers respiration rate, etc. And the major ways your body rids itself of lactic acid (the normal kind that builds up from exercise, etc.) is through respiration (breathing) and urination (kidney function). So if alcohol slows down the respiration rate and rate of excretion, any buildup of lactic acid cannot be adequately released by the body, and the buildup can become dangerous.

Also remember that for someone who abuses alcohol or drinks excessively, the risk of liver damage is great. And since the liver is the primary organ for cleansing the system of medications we take, putting met or another insulin sensitizer in a body where the liver isn't functioning correctly can exacerbate the problem. Chemical hepatitis is a real condition and can put the entire body system out of whack, which also increases the risk of lactic acidosis, but not in the "expected" way.

HTH

[julianyc]

Although alcohol is a dehydrator, I think the real risk with excessive alcohol consumption is the fact that it is a depressant. Not just emotionally, but it lowers respiration rate, etc. And the major ways your body rids itself of lactic acid (the normal kind that builds up from exercise, etc.) is through respiration (breathing) and urination (kidney function). So if alcohol slows down the respiration rate and rate of excretion, any buildup of lactic acid cannot be adequately released by the body, and the buildup can become dangerous.

Also remember that for someone who abuses alcohol or drinks excessively, the risk of liver damage is great. And since the liver is the primary organ for cleansing the system of medications we take, putting met or another insulin sensitizer in a body where the liver isn't functioning correctly can exacerbate the problem. Chemical hepatitis is a real condition and can put the entire body system out of whack, which also increases the risk of lactic acidosis, but not in the "expected" way.

HTH

Ahhhh.... thanks so much for the detailed explanation. I am planning on not drinking for a while at the begining to make sure I get through the worst of the side effects, but don't plan on drinking that much in general (maybe a glass of wine at a party once in a while), but I wanted to make sure that there weren't other things that could harm me.

Thanks for also alerting me to these facts..... I am waiting for my books to arrive in the mail (I certainly need to read up on these things), but I was so confused before.
Many thanks!