Poll : 14 August - 27 August 2013

Analysis

Thanks for all the feedback on this one. When we first ran a similar survey, back in June 2008, we also polled LVA staffers, whose remedies included everything from "egg whites + tablespoon sugar + 1/2 cup of milk. Cleans ya right out..." [Ed: Thanks. We'll take your word for it!] to " Drink a full 8 oz of water. And start with good bourbon to begin with." [Ed: That's more like it!]. For all the responses that time around, check out the Poll Archives.

Since then, some new options have been added, including Hangover Heaven (clinic, bus, and to-your-hotel-room service), REVIV Hydration Spa (MGM Grand), and electrolyte beer. But now, without further ado, here's the latest collective wisdom from our readership:

• "With only a few hangovers to my 'credit' I'm no expert, but the one time I had morning-after menudo I was amazed at my complete restoration. Who knows if I'll ever have a chance to try it again?" [Ed: We hope you don't need to, but if you do, it's plentiful around these parts.]
  
  
• "I drink only Vodka and never get a hangover."
  
  
• "EmergenC electrolyte powder the morning after and a lot of water. Jook (Chinese rice soup), pho, or ramen after drinking."
  
  
• "At last year's G2E, there was a booth giving out samples of a patch (like a nicotine patch) designed to prevent hangovers. I don't remember the name..." [Ed: Interesting, but since apparently it has not since swept the nation by storm -- none of us have heard of it -- we're guessing maybe it didn't work!]
  
  
• "'Lots and lots of water' is close, but I find this stuff to be nearly perfect binge-drinking hydration: www.vitalyte.com/products/electrolyte-replacement.html. They send email coupons a few times per year that are good for 10-20% off. We wait for them then buy it by the case (6 kilogram jars). No, we're not hungover that much. It's also great for being active in the desert heat. Good stuff. Not as sugary as Gatorade/Powerade and it has what you need when dehydration is a risk. No stake. Just a happy customer of about 6 years."
  
  
• "#1 Advil and vitamin B complex #2 Gatorade #3 A Bloody Mary with breakfast. Does it for me!!!"
  
  
• "I will have a drink or two when I am in Las Vegas, but I will not allow myself to get drunk. It’s just too ugly!"
  
  
• "I'm lucky, I don't really get hangovers. But my tried and true hangover prevention method is alternating drink, black coffee, drink, black coffee, rinse, repeat, and finish off the night with a decaf and a cookie in bed after a hot bath. Works for me."
  
  
• "Being an expert, I've learned to utilize several of these methods and others. I chose exercise as the healthiest. Eating fatty foods beforehand can help as well. 1g of vitamin C before heading out is supposed to help the liver to metabolize. Start drinking water as soon as your retiring from booze, if not occasionally during the adventure. Ibuprofen is the best pain reliever / anti-inflammatory for me and doesn't generally upset a sensitive stomach -- with more water in the a.m."
  
  
• "I rarely drink to great excess anymore. Can't run with the big dogs as I did when I was younger. Plus, getting totally hammered and gambling is a bad combination. For me, it's a matter of pacing myself throughout the evening and knowing when to slow down or stop. I do love those ice cold Heinekens at the Fremont for $2, however; and Ivy at the Golden Gate brings me very tasty gin and tonics... When necessary, I use my 6-step program:
  
  1. Drink a glass of water for every 2 alcoholic beverages while drinking. 2. Take a high potency Vitamin B complex tablet 3. Take 40 mg of Pepcid (famotidine) 4. Take 4 X-tra strength Tums 5. Take 600 mg of Ibuprofen 6. One packet of Pedialyte in a glass of water. This 6-step program has never failed me; if it did I would be using the 12-step program."
  
  
• "There's a tablet called Wake Up Call. Not expensive, and most of the drugstores have it. Yes, it works!"
  
  
• "Seeing how you could only pick one, I choose hair of the dog, but in reality there are several different things I do or try: 1) drink lots of water 2) eat a greasy breakfast of bacon and eggs, or the hangover burger at Binion's is pretty good 3) Sleep in, but usually not if I’m in Vegas! 4) Have sex, if the wife is willing
  
  
• "A good cold beer.