One drink gives me a migraine

Hi everyone,

I used to be a heavy drinker (bottle of wine a night, but never to the point of blackouts) for about two years. This past January I stopped almost entirely and now only have a drink or two if I’m out to eat or at a party. So, I average maybe 4-5 drinks a month.

Since September, every time I’ve had a standard drink, I’ve developed a severe migraine around 20-30 minutes later. At first I thought it was caused by dehydration, or from wearing a mask at a show for a couple hours, not the drinks. After 3 or 4 more times of this happening, I’m pretty sure it’s the alcohol, but I have no clue why it started. My mom suggested it may be caused by additives in wines or beers, but I’ve gotten a migraine from a margarita and other mixed drinks as well.

I’m in my mid-20s, and am relatively active/eat healthily (vegetarian), and have no allergies. I have the occasional migraine, which I suspect is more hereditary, as my mom does too.

Does anyone have a similar experience or possibly know why it’s started happening? I enjoy having a drink with family and friends, but this has really made it painful for me! Google has returned some suggestions about tannins/sulfates being the culprit, but that seems specific to wines and not all drinks. Should I bring this up to my doctor? Any thoughts would be appreciated!