Some red wines make my whole body hot

[runabout]

I get little blisters inside the tip of my nose, my nose itches and sometimes the skin will split open.

It doesn't happen with all red wines (I mostly drink Merlots)but with some. I don't drink white wine and I have no problems with beer. I don't drink other alcohol.

It sounds to me like histamines may be the cause for the blisters and itching and the nasal congestion the next morning, but I don't understand the whole hot body thing.

Once at a nice restaurant I was soo hot I kept going to the bathroom to cool my face - I just wanted to rip my clothes off and jump in the bay- I couldn't even focus enough to eat my lovely meal.

Anybody else have this experience with the hot body? Know if that is a known reaction to histamines?

Any way to know what the content of histamines is in a particular wine?

I had one of those skin allergy tests where they test you for 33 things and I came back with a clean slate...

Thanks much!

Clara

[Thomas]

I don't think there is a way to know the histamine levels in specific wines. I have heard of others who have such a recation. (I get hot drinking any wine, but that is a complete other matter...)

My advice: talk it over with a knowledgeable physician--not all of them have a clue about food/allergy reactions. In fact, most of them don't, but we have one on this board who just happens to be on vacation right now, which all physicians seem to do with regularity...I am rambling!

[Innkeeper]

Welcome to the Wine Board, Clara. Some people have had luck taking an anithistamine before drinking the wine. Don't do this very long though, without consulting a physician.

[bridgehorse]

the only thing wine does to me is make me thirsty...i know the reason for this, it is because i do not drink water during my episodes of red wine drinking which i know is a mistake cause i pay for it later, especially during the night. i prefer to eat instead of drinking water while i drink red wine..

dan