A woman has been diagnosed with a condition that causes her food to turn into alcohol, after her concerned mother noticed that her daughter frequently appeared ‘drunk’.
Brooke Kelsch, 47, from Salt Lake City, Utah, first noticed her daughter Alyssa, 26, had ‘fruity breath’, glossed over eyes, would break into fits of laughter and had slurred speech in 2018.
Despite appearing as though she were ‘drunk’, Brooke knew this was impossible because her daughter had not been drinking alcohol and immediately set about searching for answers.
After months of doctors appointments and specialist visits, Alyssa was finally diagnosed with auto-brewery syndrome – a rare condition which causes the carbohydrates and sugars she digests to turn into alcohol.
Alyssa (pictured), 26, from Salt Lake City, Utah, was diagnosed with auto-brewery syndrome after her mother Brooke Kelsch, 47, noticed her daughter frequently appeared ‘drunk’
The 26-year-old, pictured having treatment in hospital, would break into fits of laughter and seemed drunk, even though she hadn’t been drinking alcohol, before her mother decided to take her to the doctors
Alyssa’s rare condition causes the carbohydrates and sugars she digests to turn into alcohol. Pictured: The tattoo artist with glassy eyes during an episode of feeling ‘drunk’
Now, Alyssa, a tattoo artist, is on a course of anti-fungal medication to help stop her food from making her ‘drunk’, and Brooke is sharing her story to raise awareness for the rare syndrome.
Brooke said: ‘About two years ago, I noticed that her breath smelled fruity, her eyes seemed different and she was acting clumsy.
‘She would also randomly start giggling and slurring her words and, as the time went on, she would get mean and combative – she was acting like she was drunk.
‘But I knew that she wasn’t drunk – so I started researching other things that could cause her to behave like this.
After a number of doctors appointments and specialist visits, Alyssa was finally diagnosed with the condition auto-brewery syndrome
Alyssa’s (pictured with boyfriend Michael) condition helped explain why she appeared ‘drunk’ after eating meals
The tattoo artist has now been prescribed an anti-fungal medication to help reduce the ethanol levels in her body
‘After extensive research I read up about auto-brewery syndrome, but because it’s such a rare condition, no one believed that was it.
‘But then after seeing a number of specialists she was diagnosed with the condition and that explained a lot.
‘The condition was causing any sugar and carbohydrates to turn into alcohol – which explains why she seemed like she was drunk after she’d eat a meal.’
After series of tests, Alyssa was prescribed an anti-fungal medication to help reduce the ethanol level in her body.
Brooke, a company owner, said: ‘The medication that she takes for her auto-brewery syndrome helps Alyssa to eat normal foods without them giving her the ‘drunk’ aftermath.
‘She has been tested since taking them and her ethanol levels are going down, so it looks promising.
‘Doctor’s believe that she got the syndrome initially due to an antibiotic that she took which would have triggered it.
‘She also suffers with poly glandular autoimmune disorder type one, so we have had trouble with her anti-fungal medication interfering with some of the other tablets she is on.
‘Luckily Alyssa is a very tough girl and doesn’t let her syndrome get to her too much.
The medication Alyssa (with boyfriend Michael) takes helps her eat normal foods without them making her feel ‘drunk’
Alyssa (with boyfriend Michael) has seen her ethanol levels go down after starting her medication
Alyssa (left and right), who also suffers with poly glandular autoimmune disorder type one, takes an anti-fungal medication to help lower the ethanol levels in her body
Alyssa, who tries not to let her syndrome get to her, also has poly glandular autoimmune disorder type one
‘We don’t know if there will ever be a cure to her condition, but we’re willing to try anything that could help her.
‘We hope that by sharing Alyssa’s story that more people will become familiar with the condition and hopefully more research will be done to help people like her who are having to live with it.’
Alyssa’s family are now fundraising for her continued treatment, to donate visit: https://www.gofundme.com