Alcohol and Samters

[Guest guest]

yes. but i'm not giving it up. beer seems to be worse for me then

wine but i find that tecate is the most forgiving of the beers. hard

stuff like bourbon ,gin and vodka also have a worse affect on me then

beer or wine.

>

>

> I think alcohol exacerbates my condition and was wondering if this

is

> common or not. My ENT seems somewhat surprised by this, so I

thought I'd

> ask here.

>

> I drink only beer and wine (self imposed), and, a few years ago,

used to

> have a drink (only one) with dinner every night. Sometimes on the

> weekends, it'd be 2. However, after I got samters it became very

> difficult to have those occasional 2 drinks. I'm still new to this,

so I

> don't really know how to compare my symptoms to other people's but

I'll

> say that my reaction to alcohol isn't stable (I'm guessing it

varies

> depending on how much samters is acting up). One drink can have

either

> no effect or I can just begin to tell stuffiness. Sometimes 2

drinks can

> plug up a sinus, sometimes with a very bad headache that I can feel

in

> my teeth (sure sign of nasal swelling). And... sometimes this is

> accompanied by a thick mucus discharge... almost as if I'm fighting

a

> sinus infection. After these worse reactions... the next day... I'm

fine

> except for the feeling that the sinuses have closed down a notch.

>

> I read somewhere that alcohol swells nasal passages... and so with

> samters... it's probably not a good thing, but my ENT thinks brandy

> would be way worse for that than beer and wine. He's kinda

wondering if

> it's a sulfite reaction and suggests if I'm in an experimenting

mood...

> try something guaranteed to not have any sulfites, like harder

liquor.

> (I haven't tried that yet.)

>

> Anyone else have any reaction to alcohol and/or sulfites?

>

> Mike

>

[Guest guest]

I think alcohol pretty much affects all of us that way. I haven't really noticed differences with different kinds of alcohol, with the possible exception of wine being a little worse.

On 2/15/06, tex22_us <tex22_us@...> wrote:

yes. but i'm not giving it up. beer seems to be worse for me thenwine but i find that tecate is the most forgiving of the beers. hardstuff like bourbon ,gin and vodka also have a worse affect on me thenbeer or wine.

>>> I think alcohol exacerbates my condition and was wondering if this

is> common or not. My ENT seems somewhat surprised by this, so Ithought I'd> ask here.>> I drink only beer and wine (self imposed), and, a few years ago,used to> have a drink (only one) with dinner every night. Sometimes on the

> weekends, it'd be 2. However, after I got samters it became very> difficult to have those occasional 2 drinks. I'm still new to this,so I> don't really know how to compare my symptoms to other people's but

I'll> say that my reaction to alcohol isn't stable (I'm guessing itvaries> depending on how much samters is acting up). One drink can haveeither> no effect or I can just begin to tell stuffiness. Sometimes 2

drinks can> plug up a sinus, sometimes with a very bad headache that I can feelin> my teeth (sure sign of nasal swelling). And... sometimes this is> accompanied by a thick mucus discharge... almost as if I'm fighting

a> sinus infection. After these worse reactions... the next day... I'mfine> except for the feeling that the sinuses have closed down a notch.>> I read somewhere that alcohol swells nasal passages... and so with

> samters... it's probably not a good thing, but my ENT thinks brandy> would be way worse for that than beer and wine. He's kindawondering if> it's a sulfite reaction and suggests if I'm in an experimenting

mood...> try something guaranteed to not have any sulfites, like harderliquor.> (I haven't tried that yet.)>> Anyone else have any reaction to alcohol and/or sulfites?>> Mike

>

[Guest guest]

Hello - I'm fairly new to this group and this is my first post (be kind

to me!). I've read with interest everyone's input (and been persuaded

to buy a nasal irrigator). I haven't been diagnosed with Samters (I

don't think UK doctors have heard of it) but since I have asthma,

Aspirin allergy and nasal polyps I guess I qualify!!

Regarding alcohol - as I understand there are many food and drinks that

contain some levels of Salicylates and these include wine and beer.

Makes sense then that anyone with aspirin allergy/sensitivity would

react to them.

Regards to all - off for a glass of wine now - attishoo!!

Cary

>

> It's not the sulfites. i don't know what it is, but it's not the

> sulfites.

>

> I first had the reaction like that to beer and wine, but later on it

> progressed to all kinds of alcohol. I haven't had a drink in about

> four years now and it has helped avoid severe flare-ups.

>

> Lori

>

[Guest guest]

Cary--"Minx" I have a funny, mischievious Jack Terrier whose nickname is "Minx" (it works!)... It sounds like, acts like, you too, have Samters. Most of us, however, US or otherwise have been plagued with the doctors who don't know thing. I was really frustrated and scared by the inadequacy of treatment and information 9 years ago when I first got really sick. Over the years, professional knowledge levels have grown, though not nearly adequately. But more importantly my understanding has grown. Internet research and teaching hospitals helped me to find people and ultimately Docs and treatments who could help. son at Scripps in LaJolla, California and Winston Vaughan at the California Sinus Institute

in Palo Alto,California are some of our Guru's here. Start there if you don't know where to start in the UK. Your "ultimate healers" are in the UK too. Ya gotta find'em (Can someone help here?). Liz & Quincy--the "Minx" minx999 <cjb@...> wrote: Hello - I'm fairly new to this group and this is my first post (be kind to me!). I've read with interest everyone's input (and been persuaded to buy a nasal irrigator). I haven't been diagnosed with Samters (I don't think UK doctors have heard of it) but since I have asthma, Aspirin allergy and nasal polyps I guess I qualify!!Regarding alcohol - as I understand there are many food and drinks that

contain some levels of Salicylates and these include wine and beer. Makes sense then that anyone with aspirin allergy/sensitivity would react to them.Regards to all - off for a glass of wine now - attishoo!!Cary>> It's not the sulfites. i don't know what it is, but it's not the > sulfites.> > I first had the reaction like that to beer and wine, but later on it > progressed to all kinds of alcohol. I haven't had a drink in about > four years now and it has helped avoid severe flare-ups.> > Lori>

Relax. virus scanning helps detect nasty viruses!

[Guest guest]

Here is a very good page about the components in alcohol athat might

set us off.

I would note that there can be both sulfites and salicylates in

different types of alcohol, but that we should be careful when

discussing this. Sulfites and salicylates are NOT the same thing.

Also I will note that for me it is not sulfites, because I was

tested at Scripps (see below) and I was not allergic or reactive to

sulfites, and I am not only reactive to beer and wine but also hard

liquor.

http://www.allergyclinic.co.nz/guides/54.html

At Scripps they used to test for sulfite reaction prior to aspirin

desensitization, and my understanding is that out of hundreds of

people with Samters who did react to aspirin, NO ONE reacted to

sulfites.

Honestly, I don't really miss alcohol at all, but it is interesting

to think about what the mechanisms might be.

Lori

[Guest guest]

Hi Lori and all,

That was an interesting article, very thorough. I react to some wines and

sweet liquors. I can't predict which ones so I avoid them most of the time

and stick to beer which never bothers me. I noticed that hops are related

to cannabis. That was interesting considering that I don't tolerate

cannabis at all but love hoppy beers and ales.

Pam

--

[Guest guest]

, I would suggest that the reason you are having less of a

reaction after surgery is because the polyps themselves make the

very chemicals that make the polyps and asthma bad -- so the bigger

the polyps, the worse symptoms from everything, and the smaller the

polyps, the less symptoms and reactions from everything.

Maybe you are having a reaction but it is on such a low level you

don't know it. Certainly when my polyps are bigger, the reactions

to anything are bigger.

I do not think this would necessarily apply to aspirin, but it

depends on how your aspirin reaction manifests itself. Many people

are desensitized right after surgery, and they still react, some

strongly, to the aspirin. My aspirin reaction includes a very bad

anaphylactic-type asthma reaction with closing of the throat and bad

wheezing, so for me that is just the same with or without polyps.

Lori

[Guest guest]

That could certainly be true. I think

it more related to how clogged my sinuses are. The doctor really did not

remove many polyps with the last surgery, he was removing clogged up gunk and

removed part of my middle turbinate to open up my airways. My aspirin

allergy started shortly before my polyps got so bad I was wheezing every night.

It manifests as an asthma attack where my throat gets all fuzzy and I wheeze

badly. Then I had my first surgery to remove all the polyps. I was

good for a few months, and then I was having some sort of inflammatory process

going on that could not be broken. Prednisone only helped it when I was

on it. And I kept getting infections. I’m actually getting

worried it is going to start again. My cheek sinuses (I don’t

remember the technical name!) fill with liquid during the day while I am at

work, so if I bend over, my nose drips. Of course it stuffs me up. This

started up again last week and I noticed I was ok over the weekend, and

actually ok Monday but I spent most of the day in a different bldg than

normal. I also am less stuffy after going out to the barn to see my

horse, which makes no sense as I am allergic to horses and hay! But my

sinuses seem to loosen up at the barn and I can get all the accumulated junk

out from the day. I am beginning to wonder if there is something at work I

am allergic to!!! This really stresses me out. I have talked to

some of the maintenance guys at work and they say the duct work is filled with

stuff growing in there and I wonder if it is the mold I am allergic to but I have

no idea what to do about this. I have no idea if that is even the

problem. Any thoughts???

Thanks!

K.

Re: alcohol and

samters

,

I would suggest that the reason you are having less of a

reaction after surgery is because the polyps

themselves make the

very chemicals that make the polyps and asthma bad

-- so the bigger

the polyps, the worse symptoms from everything,

and the smaller the

polyps, the less symptoms and reactions from

everything.

Maybe you are having a reaction but it is on such

a low level you

don't know it. Certainly when my polyps are

bigger, the reactions

to anything are bigger.

I do not think this would necessarily apply to

aspirin, but it

depends on how your aspirin reaction manifests

itself. Many people

are desensitized right after surgery, and they

still react, some

strongly, to the aspirin. My aspirin

reaction includes a very bad

anaphylactic-type asthma reaction with closing of

the throat and bad

wheezing, so for me that is just the same with or

without polyps.

Lori

[Guest guest]

Hi ,

If there is mold or even dust in the ducts, that could wear you down. Seal off the duct closest to you with some cardboard and tape under the grill or diffuser. Then buy a small air filter to run next to your desk. I hope you can clear the air. I had to leave my job and it has taken some time to refocus my career to avoid dust.

Pam

I have talked to some of the maintenance guys at work and they say the duct work is filled with stuff growing in there and I wonder if it is the mold I am allergic to but I have no idea what to do about this. I have no idea if that is even the problem. Any thoughts???

Thanks!

K.

-

[Guest guest]

i'm allergic to mold and where i live the mold spore count is high

all the time. on the few days it goes down i can tell i'm not as bad

cause my eyes don't water on low count days. i'm lucky i work in a

shop thats almost like working outdoors. it has big garage doors that

stay open most of the time so i dont have to deal with duct mold like

you do. that would probably be worse for me.

>

> That could certainly be true. I think it more related to how

clogged my

> sinuses are. The doctor really did not remove many polyps with the

last

> surgery, he was removing clogged up gunk and removed part of my

middle

> turbinate to open up my airways. My aspirin allergy started shortly

> before my polyps got so bad I was wheezing every night. It

manifests as

> an asthma attack where my throat gets all fuzzy and I wheeze badly.

> Then I had my first surgery to remove all the polyps. I was good

for a

> few months, and then I was having some sort of inflammatory process

> going on that could not be broken. Prednisone only helped it when

I was

> on it. And I kept getting infections. I'm actually getting

worried it

> is going to start again. My cheek sinuses (I don't remember the

> technical name!) fill with liquid during the day while I am at

work, so

> if I bend over, my nose drips. Of course it stuffs me up. This

started

> up again last week and I noticed I was ok over the weekend, and

actually

> ok Monday but I spent most of the day in a different bldg than

normal.

> I also am less stuffy after going out to the barn to see my horse,

which

> makes no sense as I am allergic to horses and hay! But my sinuses

seem

> to loosen up at the barn and I can get all the accumulated junk out

from

> the day. I am beginning to wonder if there is something at work I

am

> allergic to!!! This really stresses me out. I have talked to some

of

> the maintenance guys at work and they say the duct work is filled

with

> stuff growing in there and I wonder if it is the mold I am allergic

to

> but I have no idea what to do about this. I have no idea if that is

> even the problem. Any thoughts???

>

>

>

> Thanks!

>

> K.

>

>

>

> Re: alcohol and samters

>

>

>

> , I would suggest that the reason you are having less of a

> reaction after surgery is because the polyps themselves make the

> very chemicals that make the polyps and asthma bad -- so the bigger

> the polyps, the worse symptoms from everything, and the smaller the

> polyps, the less symptoms and reactions from everything.

>

> Maybe you are having a reaction but it is on such a low level you

> don't know it. Certainly when my polyps are bigger, the reactions

> to anything are bigger.

>

> I do not think this would necessarily apply to aspirin, but it

> depends on how your aspirin reaction manifests itself. Many people

> are desensitized right after surgery, and they still react, some

> strongly, to the aspirin. My aspirin reaction includes a very bad

> anaphylactic-type asthma reaction with closing of the throat and

bad

> wheezing, so for me that is just the same with or without polyps.

>

> Lori

>

>

>

>

>

>

>

>

>