Science!

A woman who visited hospital seven times with slurred speech, only to be told she was drunk – despite saying she had not been drinking – had a rare condition which gave her the appearance of being intoxicated.

Over two years the 50-year-old woman visited the emergency department complaining of extreme daytime sleepiness and slurred speech.

She had been on several antibiotic courses for recurrent urinary tract infections alongside a proton pump inhibitor to reduce the amount of acid in her stomach.

Despite not drinking alcohol, she also had elevated blood alcohol levels and alcohol on her breath.

She was eventually diagnosed with auto-brewery syndrome, a condition that sees fungi in the gut create alcohol through fermentation.

Researchers say awareness of this syndrome – which has social, legal, and medical consequences – is essential for proper diagnosis and management.……

https://www.independent.co.uk/news/science/auto-brewery-syndrome-doctor-symptoms-b2555568.html