Allergic to Vodka?

[Josh66]

I just noticed a rash starting on my neck...

I think it might be an allergic reaction...
Earlier this evening I had a few White Russians. Two with Absolut Pears and two with Stoli Blueberi (both were very good). Never had either of these Vodkas before (I don't usually get the flavored kind).

It's kind of freaking me out. I've never had any food allergies before, but I don't know what else this could be.

I put some of the Pear on my right arm, and the Blueberi on the left. If I get a rash on one of my arms at least I'll know what it's from.
The idea of being allergic to vodka kinda sucks though...

Anyone ever experience anything similar?

Anyway, just wondering if any of you had heard of something like this before...
I guess I'll just wait and see if anything happens to one of my arms.


edit
It's not rosacea if that's what you're thinking - I know what that looks like and this is completely different.


I was googling around... Interesting article from CNN:

CNN
Alcohol

An actual allergy to alcohol is quite rare, but being allergic to the grains and additives used in liquor is not: wheat or the preservative sulfur dioxide could cause a rash or a stuffy nose.

New York City allergist Wellington Tichenor, MD, founder of the information site Sinuses.com, also blames grains like corn, barley, and rye, as well as fruit flavorings. Wine and beer may create problems, too.

What to do: Stick with grain-free liquors like potato vodka, rum (made from sugar), and tequila (the agave plant). Skip all flavored liquers. And if sulfite preservatives in wine bother you, red wine tends to have fewer preservatives than white. Also, look for wine labeled "sulfite-free" (it won't stay fresh for long). And remember that anything with carbonation (like a wine cooler) increases the likelihood of an allergic reaction, Tichenor adds.

 

[rubbertree]

Noooo!!!! It cannot be!!!
hahah, j/k. I wonder if you are having a reaction to the fake flavoring? Try again with regular vodka. It just wouldn't be that cruel to you.

 

[Josh66]

I wonder if you are having a reaction to the fake flavoring?

I think that's probably what it is. So far I have not developed a rash on either arm, so who knows...

I hardly ever drink flavored vodka (so it would have been easy to not notice before), but the liquor store had an awesome deal going (50% off all liquor, 60% off all wine) so I loaded up, thought I'd try some vodkas I haven't had before.

The rash on my neck seems to be getting better (I only had 1 or 2 shots of each). I think I'll have to do some experimenting on myself...
One day I will only drink the Pear vodka, and the next day I will only drink the Blueberry vodka. We'll see which one causes the rash. I guess as a control for this experiment I will also have to drink unflavored vodka for a day.

 

[Jaszek]

you should drink the real Polish potato vodka It's the best one

 

[Josh66]

you should drink the real Polish potato vodka It's the best one

I had one a while ago that was pretty good. I can't remember the name of it though...

I can't remember the names of any of my favorites...I just remember what the bottle looks like, lol.

 

[Joves]

you should drink the real Polish potato vodka It's the best one

That good. Yeah it is most likely the flavorings or, it is a hint you need to quit drinking.

 

[Josh66]

or, it is a hint you need to quit drinking.

Nah, it can't be that. It's gotta be the flavorings.

I'm pretty sure that it is one of the flavorings. But, I've had pears and blueberries plenty of times before with no side effects, whatever they're using in the vodka must be artificial.

I don't know what else it could be. The rash is almost completely gone now. If it's the vodka I think it's probably the blueberi, which sucks because I thought that one tasted better (the timing would suggest that one).

What ever it is, it's not life threatening - more tests are needed, lol!

I've switched over to beer for the remainder of the night just to play it safe. Tomorrow I will study this in more detail...

 

[CrazyDriver]

I think I'll have to do some experimenting on myself...
One day I will only drink the Pear vodka, and the next day I will only drink the Blueberry vodka. We'll see which one causes the rash. I guess as a control for this experiment I will also have to drink unflavored vodka for a day.

Awe that sounds like something totally boring lol, make sure your trials are numerous and consistent. I would hate being allergic to alcohol.

 

[rubbertree]

I completely support your experimental research. Go forth, in the name of science!

Seriously though, you'd think, and I've been told, that if you were to react to something you'd ingested, the most likely place of the reaction site would be around your mouth or in your throat. And your rash seems to be going away, while the alcohol most certainly is still in your system.
Could this have been a dermatitis reaction to something you touched around your neck?
Regardless, I would be interested in the results of further experiments.
~signed... vodka, ginger ale and cranberry juice.

 

[Josh66]

Could this have been a dermatitis reaction to something you touched around your neck?

Well, I guess it could be, and I thought of that - but I have no idea what it could be. I haven't been in the woods recently, I haven't even been around anything 'unfamiliar' recently. Whatever it was it didn't last very long.

I still kinda think it was the bluberry flavoring in the vodka.

 

[Joves]

I've switched over to beer for the remainder of the night just to play it safe. Tomorrow I will study this in more detail...

Yeah nobody I know is allergic to beer.

 

[leighthal]

I am one of the unfortunates. I have been allergic to alcohol my whole life. Wine is my worst. Even smelling a glass of red wine will make my lips and throat swell, a rash soon after. I can drink vodka and sambuka (but man oh man do I get drunk quick! Half a shot and I'm happy). Everything else is on the no-no list.
I have no food allergies. So it is something in the fermentation process.

Sucks to be me!

Oh, and now you know someone allergic to beer.

 

[LuckySo-n-So]

the liquor store had an awesome deal going (50% off all liquor, 60% off all wine)

Surprises me that a very conservative state like TX allows this to happen. Right next door in my Banana Republic of La., the law states that stores can't sell alcohol for less than cost + 6%.

 

[KD5NRH]

I am one of the unfortunates. I have been allergic to alcohol my whole life. Wine is my worst. Even smelling a glass of red wine will make my lips and throat swell, a rash soon after.

Considering how few ingredients there are in most wines, you might want to see an allergist and get that narrowed down before you run into that ingredient somewhere you aren't expecting it.

I can drink vodka and sambuka

Then it's not the alcohol itself. If you can handle grape juice, then it's getting down to a pretty short list.

 

[Hertz van Rental]

What kind of rash did you get?
The type of rash is a good indicator as to it's cause.
Urticaria covers a range of skin conditions, from mild to severe. But it isn't often caused by an allergy.
Dermatitis - again there are a variety of types and degrees of severity - is most often triggered by an allergy.
Then there is just common or garden irritation and chafing.
If you say the rash is around your neck then it could be your clothes.
Have you changed your washing powder or conditioner recently? Or are you wearing something new?
I doubt very much if it is the vodka that is the cause - although if you will drink it adulterated with muck it would serve you right. Reactions to ingested substances tend not to be so localised. And if the vodka is coloured then it is more likely to be the colouring agent anyway.
foodreactions.org: Food Additives
Scroll down to the table to see what you might be doing to yourself

Flavoured vodkas are not brewed that way. They are nothing more than basic grain spirit with colourings and flavourings added. And the majority of flavourings are synthetic. For example, pear drops (remember them from childhood?) use amyl acetate (nail lacquer remover) as the flavouring. Other flavours use equally horrid chemicals. Fresh fruit extracts are rarely used as they are too variable in quality.
A real eye opener is crisps/potato chips. Of all the flavoured varieties the only one that vegetarians can eat are beef flavoured ones. They contain no meat. Cheese flavours on the other hand contain beef extract.
If you knew what the Food Industry put in things you'd only eat food you had grown yourself.
Quite often 'fresh' chicken is frequently only 85-90% chicken. The rest is water, some chemicals and often pork fat.

Stick with good quality vodka from Russia, Poland or Finland and if you must dilute it use orange juice or (my favourite) Champagne.