And BTW, what about that unanimously approved "day of prayer" that came out of the Louisiana state senate? One senator said, "It's time for our miracle."
Hitchens has cancer. How long till loving xtians say, gloatingly, "god's will!"
(47 posts) (11 voices)-
Posted 2 years ago #
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Ty
ModeratorDying with an unpaid bar tab is undeniably awesome.
But the epicureans believed that moderation was the key to maximizing enjoyment. Drinking is fun. Hangovers are not. Therefore, stopping before you get drunk enough to get a hangover maximized your overall enjoyment.
That's the part I subscribe to.
Posted 2 years ago # -
Elemenope
ModeratorI think the most widely accepted theory for why we get hangovers from over-drinking is a combination of dehydration (from alcohol being a diuretic) and from acetaldehyde toxicity (from the body running out of aldehyde dehydrogenase during the metabolism of alcohol). The first is easily treatable, and the second one really isn't. Best is to find your own metabolic limit (through trial and error; if you woke up the next morning with a headache, try one less drink the next time until you don't), second best is four ibuprofen and a glass of water.
Posted 2 years ago # -
As far as I know -- if you don't mind my butting in (I fancy myself pretty knowledgeable on this topic) -- there are many MANY factors that contribute to hangovers. Low blood sugar, acetylaldehyde toxicity may be one, dehydration, methanol toxicity, skyrocketing blood pressure, electrolyte imbalance and so on.
I know that depending on what (and how much) I drink, my stomach can become very irritated. Ibuprofen exacerbates the problem manyfold, so I have to follow a strict procedure to "break" the hangover. First is a little food, usually fruit, plus Ibus (f*ck acetominophen). Upping the volume of my stomach contents decreases their irritating effects. Then comes water, and lots of it. Then comes a boiled egg. I find it hard to drink coffee the next day, so I also experience caffeine withdrawals, so if that gets too bad, I'll usually have tea.
The older I get, the longer these bastards last. Lately, the lingering lethargy and depression can last up to three days. Anyway, I've had to really cut back on my intake over the last while.
I realize that it's a self-inflicted problem. Kind of like Charlie on Always Sunny in Philadelphia. Explaining to Sweet Dee why he has to huff glue and scarf down a can of cat food before bed.
Dee: You're saying that your life is so terrible because you eat rat cheese and cat food and huff glue all day long?
Charlie: Uh, yeah.
Dee: Those aren't real problems, Charlie.
Charlie: What do you mean they're not real problems?
Dee: You make those problems up! You choose to do that stuff!
Charlie: Those are solutions to problems!But whatever.
Posted 2 years ago # -
Elemenope
ModeratorFor the electrolyte imbalance I've always found that pickle brine works wonders. I had forgotten about the hypoglycemia from short-circuiting the Krebs cycle; that's probably what causes that splitting-pain part of the headache and the irritability (your brain is *starving*!). I thought that methanol toxicity had been ruled out as a primary contributor because ethanol sufficiently monopolizes the alcohol dehydrogenase pathway and so the methanol is directly excreted instead of being metabolized to formaldehyde.
Posted 2 years ago # -
Hmm, the last I heard was that methanol was partially responsible for hangovers, but that may have changed. I do remember learning that alcohol dehydrogenase's affinity for ethanol is much higher than its affinity for other similar substances, so that sounds about right. However, I also remember hearing that "hair of the dog" may actually work because ethanol competitively inhibits the metabolism of the other alcohols that are still in your system, allowing you to excrete them. In any case, it still sounds like it's a good idea to intake plenty of water while you're drinking!
Posted 2 years ago # -
UrsaMinor
MemberI've had two hangovers in my life. They are evil. I'm utterly incapacitated by them until at least early afternoon the next day. I have been very careful not to overindulge since then, and the hellish memories are beginning to fade after thirty years. I like to have one or two drinks and then quit for the evening. Moderation is good, and the last time I checked, my liver was still doing fine.
Re common hangover cures: Ibuprofen and aspirin are OK to take if your stomach can handle it. No one should EVER take acetaminophen as a hangover cure after drinking alcohol. The most dangerous time to pop Tylenol is actually about 36 hours AFTER your last drink, because this is when the alcohol-induced enzymes peak in your liver, but if you drink every day you're at a steady state already and it doesn't matter. Acetaminophen has two degradation pathways, one harmless (normally the major pathway) and one highly toxic (normally the minor pathway). Consuming alcohol ramps up the enzyme that sends it down the toxic pathway. Also, if you just simply take too much of it, even if you're a teetotaler, a lot of it will go down the toxic pathway too. Note that you can also lose the genetic lottery and have this as your default way to metabolize acetaminophen, in which case you are screwed. In my opinion, the stuff has no place in anyone's medicine cabinet and should be withdrawn from the market because of the incredibly low ratio of acute toxic dose to therapeutic dose.
Posted 2 years ago # -
@ Elem: Hangovers are down to osmotic pressure at the blood/brain barrier. More water on the outside = less osmotic pressure (NOT the same as hydrostatic pressure = alcohol (and it's by-products) can't cross the barrier and so you don't get their negative effects.
Since booze dehydrates you (it's a natural diuretic and makes you piss more), what happens is that less water is available, i.e. a higher concentration of alcohol and by-products = higher osmotic pressure at blood/brain barrier = crap getting through.
Posted 2 years ago # -
yahweh
MemberAs I approach my 50th birthday, I have learned alot about how my body reacts to drinking. If you are drinking, the easiest way to minimize a hangover is to not drink so much that you actually get a hangover to begin with.
I now plan my drinking episodes to coincide with at least 2 days after of having nothing to do that requires any mental effort on my part just in case I cross that threshold of "one or five too many".Posted 2 years ago # -
Huxley
MemberThere is NO cure for hangovers if you have drunk enough. I expect the person who could effect a cure would be a millionaire - but, you have to go through the process of liver detoxification regardless.
i have spent many a time sitting with my head down a bog, vowing "Never again" but unfortunately that just became a personal challenge!
As far as Hitch goes, I wish him well and those that wish him harm can go fuck themselves.
Posted 2 years ago # -
Elemenope
Moderatoralcohol (and it's by-products) can't cross the barrier
Er, I'm pretty sure that the BBB is highly porous to alcohol. But you're right on the rest (since the brain has no nociceptic nerve endings [duh me], the glucose imbalance just causes the irritability; electrolyte and water imbalance causes the osmotic effect that causes the pain in the surrounding tissue as you described).
Posted 2 years ago #
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