# 5-day hangover? **URL:** \ **Category:** In My Humble Opinion\ **Created:** [April 15, 2010, 1:41pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/5-day-hangover/536204 "2010-04-15T13:41:40Z")\ **Posts on this page:** 14\ **Page:** 1
**Author:** ![RedBloom](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/r/dbc845/32.png) [@RedBloom](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/RedBloom)\ **Post date:** [April 15, 2010, 1:41pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/5-day-hangover/536204/1 "2010-04-15T13:41:40Z")
I have a serious concern which I’m too afraid to go to my doctor about. This is because it has to do with a night of binge drinking Saturday night, which has left me almost non-functioning all week! Here’s my story: I haven’t binged for a long time, mostly because I’m on anti-depressants and anti-anxiety meds and have been for a few years now. I have a drink now and then, but that’s the extent. Well, getting together with old friends Saturday night led me to drink copious amounts of hard liquor/beer… which I’m simply not used to anymore. I toughed out the hangover on Sunday (cursing myself in the meanwhile)… and now it is Thursday and I am _still_ fatigued, fuzzy brained, anxious, depressed, achy, jumpy, sleepy, not hungry, etc. It’s enough that I’m terribly frightened, and wondering if it’s the alcohol or if it’s something else (something worse…). I’m in fine health besides this, so I’m not used to this feeling of lethargy for this extended period of time. I must know - am I dying, or shall I go see a doctor… 😕 ---
**Author:** ![EmAnJ](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/e/d2c977/32.png) [@EmAnJ](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/EmAnJ)\ **Post date:** [April 15, 2010, 2:11pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/5-day-hangover/536204/2 "2010-04-15T14:11:12Z")
Go see your doctor. ---
**Author:** ![Ike\_Witt](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/ike_witt/32/283_2.png) [@Ike\_Witt](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Ike_Witt)\ **Post date:** [April 15, 2010, 2:24pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/5-day-hangover/536204/3 "2010-04-15T14:24:50Z")
> [@EmAnJ](#): > > Go see your doctor. Seconded. What you are describing isn’t right… ---
**Author:** ![UltraVires](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/u/ecccb3/32.png) [@UltraVires](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/UltraVires)\ **Post date:** [April 15, 2010, 2:33pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/5-day-hangover/536204/4 "2010-04-15T14:33:41Z")
> [@RedBloom](#): > > I have a serious concern which I’m too afraid to go to my doctor about. This is because it has to do with a night of binge drinking Saturday night, which has left me almost non-functioning all week! Here’s my story: > > I haven’t binged for a long time, mostly because I’m on anti-depressants and anti-anxiety meds and have been for a few years now. I have a drink now and then, but that’s the extent. Well, getting together with old friends Saturday night led me to drink copious amounts of hard liquor/beer… which I’m simply not used to anymore. I toughed out the hangover on Sunday (cursing myself in the meanwhile)… and now it is Thursday and I am _still_ fatigued, fuzzy brained, anxious, depressed, achy, jumpy, sleepy, not hungry, etc. It’s enough that I’m terribly frightened, and wondering if it’s the alcohol or if it’s something else (something worse…). I’m in fine health besides this, so I’m not used to this feeling of lethargy for this extended period of time. > > I must know - am I dying, or shall I go see a doctor… 😕 Agree with go see the doc. However, anti-anxiety and anti-depressant meds react with booze in strange ways. That’s why it isn’t recommended, and if I had to bet a shiny nickel, I would say that your body is just reacting in a weird way and taking longer than normal to shake off the hangover. ---
**Author:** ![Really\_Not\_All\_That\_Bright](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/r/e8c25b/32.png) [@Really\_Not\_All\_That\_Bright](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Really_Not_All_That_Bright)\ **Post date:** [April 15, 2010, 2:35pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/5-day-hangover/536204/5 "2010-04-15T14:35:52Z")
> [@RedBloom](#): > > I must know - am I dying, or shall I go see a doctor… 😕 You’re not dying, but go and see a doctor anyway. ---
**Author:** ![Gagundathar](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/g/a183cd/32.png) [@Gagundathar](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Gagundathar)\ **Post date:** [April 15, 2010, 2:47pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/5-day-hangover/536204/6 "2010-04-15T14:47:15Z")
No, you ARE dying, but we all are… so don’t worry. I suggest you visit your physician and be honest about what you did. Good luck and I hope you feel better soon. ---
**Author:** ![RedBloom](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/r/dbc845/32.png) [@RedBloom](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/RedBloom)\ **Post date:** [April 15, 2010, 3:04pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/5-day-hangover/536204/7 "2010-04-15T15:04:35Z")
I’m gathering that I should go to the doctor. _shivers_ ---
**Author:** ![Perciful](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/p/b38774/32.png) [@Perciful](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Perciful)\ **Post date:** [April 16, 2010, 3:05am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/5-day-hangover/536204/8 "2010-04-16T03:05:12Z")
No it sounds like alcohol poisoning. I had it a couple of times in my drinking days and it is awful. One night I went out and some guy kept buying me double Vodka Gimlets. The next day I was in horrible pain. I had someone hammering on my skull and my stomach was doing flips. Any light sent a searing pain through my head. It took a couple days and a bland diet to get over it. A shot of pure oxygen is supposed to help. Also drink a lot of water because you are dehydrated. ---
**Author:** ![Green\_Cymbeline](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/green_cymbeline/32/9244_2.png) [@Green\_Cymbeline](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Green_Cymbeline)\ **Post date:** [April 16, 2010, 3:59am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/5-day-hangover/536204/9 "2010-04-16T03:59:16Z")
I have felt the effects of a hangover for 3-4 days afterward. I am also on antidepressants, so drinking does do more damage than it used to, but I have always had a history of getting terrible hangovers. I would say you are probably OK but who knows, maybe you damaged your liver or kidneys somehow, so if you have insurance and are not going to be spending hundreds that you don’t have, I would go to the doctor. Also, I am sure you have probably done this but, chug some Gatorade or Pedialyte, and eat a few substantial meals, and get plenty of rest (a good 10 hours for a few night would only help). ---
**Author:** ![Autolycus](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/a/22d042/32.png) [@Autolycus](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Autolycus)\ **Post date:** [April 16, 2010, 5:32am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/5-day-hangover/536204/10 "2010-04-16T05:32:05Z")
If I had to WAG, I’d say your combo of meds is reacting poorly with the alcohol. That, and you have a very low tolerance. I’ve read somewhere that alcohol can undo the effects of certain anti-anxiety/depression drugs, so that’s probably why you’re suffering those symptoms. I’d say the worry and concern is quite normal though, on the relative plus side. ---
**Author:** ![Autolycus](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/a/22d042/32.png) [@Autolycus](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Autolycus)\ **Post date:** [April 16, 2010, 5:33am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/5-day-hangover/536204/11 "2010-04-16T05:33:23Z")
Oh, and get well soon. Don’t forget the dope is a supportive community, and we’re all pullin’ for you. 🙂 ---
**Author:** ![RedBloom](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/r/dbc845/32.png) [@RedBloom](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/RedBloom)\ **Post date:** [April 16, 2010, 1:28pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/5-day-hangover/536204/12 "2010-04-16T13:28:17Z")
Thank you so much for your kind words - I’m chugging along this week and feeling ever so slightly better. Autolycus, I have a feeling you’re right. I feel like I’ve gone cold turkey from my meds, although I haven’t. Withdrawal + hangover + what feels like organ failure = bad week. Thanks again. ---
**Author:** ![Lust4Life](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/l/ecc23a/32.png) [@Lust4Life](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Lust4Life)\ **Post date:** [April 21, 2010, 5:07pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/5-day-hangover/536204/13 "2010-04-21T17:07:42Z")
I had a hangover that went on for several days. It turned out that I’d caught influenza while my immune system was weakened by the copius amount of alcohol that I’d consumed. ---
**Author:** ![Czarcasm](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/czarcasm/32/4050_2.png) [@Czarcasm](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Czarcasm)\ **Post date:** [April 21, 2010, 5:38pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/5-day-hangover/536204/14 "2010-04-21T17:38:24Z")
I think the best place to get medical advice would be your doctor. Closing thread.