Hello and welcome. Thanks for your query. I am glad you are only a social drinker, as alcohol is considered a poison by the body, and we all know of its ill effects. Let me first speak on consuming alcohol on an empty stomach. One of the most common complications we face, as doctors is when we get a patient coming in after consuming average - large quantities of alcohol on an empty stomach. The vomiting and nausea is mostly caused by the alcohol, as the body tries its best to expel the alcohol out. But, the most common problem we face is with the blood sugar levels. The consumption of alcohol on an empty stomach causes the secretion of insulin (which is a hormone released by the body that breaks down the sugar in the body), leading to a drop in the blood sugar level, also called hypoglycemia. Just for your information, a rise in blood sugar is called Hyperglycemia. Hypoglycemia is considered much more dangerous than HYPOglycemia. Symptoms of hypoglycemia in a sequence are: Sweating Dizziness Fatigue Nausea and headaches Consufion Irrelevant speech Coma Death In that sequence. This information is for your knowledge, just to help you make an informed decision, the next time you decide to consume alcohol on an empty stomach. Some times, when an individual who has consumed a large amount of alcohol and vomits, the vomitus (food contents) are not properly expelled, leading to a small amount causing irritation in the wind pipe as well, which is also an unsafe consequence. Do not worry, and consume a lot of clear fluids as it will help in re-hydrating you, consume a healthy diet, and you should be able to return to your daily routine in no time. If symptoms persist, you could consult your family physician and visit him for an examination. You could always write back to us for any further clarifications. Wishing a the best in health.