I stopped drinking alcohol because it would make my anxiety much worse, whereas before I started getting AF symptoms it would make me more silly and friendly. I haven't had any alcohol in over a year. I don't miss it much. Never did like being hungover

It seems to take more alcohol to make me feel a buzz after I got AF. It has been a year since I have tried but, when I was drinking occasionally , sometimes I would get a buzz off 1 or two drinks sometimes it would take many more. I didnt have any hangovers, I actually felt great the next day. Maybe because it raised my blood Sugar a bunch who knows.

I developed an alcohol intolerance when I developed AF. I can't even have a sip of alcohol without developing a hangover. From what I've read it has something to do with liver stress and/or your liver is using enzymes to detoxify your body but doesn't have enough of those enzymes left to detoxify alcohol too. Its too much of a burden.

I don't remember where I read that?

My experience was that alcohol's effects on me changed over time, presumably as my illness progressed and regressed.

One thing I did note is that most of my symptoms would worsen for 2–3 months after having a substantial amount of alcohol.

Hey Klauss,

I drink a few times a week. In fact, I just came back from an all inclusive resort -- nonstop eating and drinkin'.

Now that I am wheat free, I don't wake up really depressed post-booze anymore.

If I have a lot, I still wake up jittery most of the time, unless I do something regarding blood sugar/cortisol in the am.

I realise those were not your question, but I have two different affects.

Neuro/Pleasure
If I'm more burnt out than not, booze does not give me much pleasure. That used to be the case a lot, now it's not as much. It's absolutely a neurotransmitter and/or adrenal thing. Booze does boost GABA (same as benzo, L-thenanine) etc. As I mentioned in another thread, it's the least effective happywise when I feel burnt and can "taste" that I'm low on serotonin.

Energy
That's different than being tired - booze gives me energy, and let's me get tasks done. It also lets me wake up for social circumstances.

Cheers,
A+