I heard not to drink liquor, but beer, two max a night, is ok. Does anyone know what happens if you drink more or what the effects are? The info I am reading is conflicting.
-- beer lover
I would love an answer to this one as well. I am usually a martini guy but an occasional beer would be nice replacement. I have my first chemo treatment tomorrow so it would be nice to know my options.
When we asked our oncologist about alcohol, we were told that it was okay in small amounts. We were specifically asking about wine because we've heard about all the amazing health benefits. Onc. said not to have more than one glass per night.
What happens if you break the rules and have more anyways? Will the chemo stop working? I've... Uh.... Well... I'm not the best at self control so I'm just curious beyond what is ok... Cuz I rebelled when my friend dropped by for a few hours..
And the real kicker in all this is that I feel absolutely freaking fine so I am having a heck of a time adjusting to this idea that I have cancer....
You know.... I don't know what happens if you rebel and drink more than recommended. LOL We're kind of rule followers. And, I didn't think to ask him that particular "what if..."
Here's some info I found...
http://www.cancerhelp.org.uk/about-cancer/cancer-questions/alcohol-and-chemotherapy
oi. The link is broken!
K, well here's what it said....
The two main dangers of drinking alcohol (assuming you're talking about small amounts of social drinking and not severe intoxication) are the sedative effects and the effects on the liver.
1) Many medications can cause sedation including, among others, pain medications, anti-anxiety meds, anti-nausea meds, anti-histamines, some psychiatric meds and sleeping pills of course. The danger is that the sedative effects of the alcohol will be added to those of the other drugs so you'd sleep much too long or even, in extreme cases, stop breathing altogether. So while not specifically dealing with the chemotherapy, this can be a problem with other medications that the patient may be taking.
2) The liver is necessary to clean the body of many medications, including chemotherapy. Alcohol can interfere with the liver's ability to do its job and the patient can suffer. For this reason, when in doubt, don't drink alcohol.
3) After considering #s 1 and 2, it is important to realize that alcohol is an important aspect of both relaxation and socializing in many people's lives. So ask the oncologist whether in the patient's situation it is safe to have the occasional alcoholic beverage.
Thanks! I know I need to be careful but I'm glad to know it doesn't interfere with the chemo, per se.
Hi everyone! I finished chemo on September 3, 2010. My doctor advised me to hold back on the alcohol while going to through chemo...however, I was barely 22 when I was diagnosed and I live in Las Vegas so I knew that wasn't entirely realistic...expecially when the majority of my friends were turning 21 during the 6month span I was going through chemo. I did not have any horrible side effects from drinking. I think it all depends on the person and how severe your side effects are from chemo. Your body will reject whatever it needs to. I did lose my hair and I was constantly nauseated from the ABVD, but I never threw up or lost weight. I would usually drink and go out on my "off weeks" when I didn't have chemo. Just keep in mind to be very cautious when being in big crowds...your health is imperative and even the common cold can put you in the hospital. Take precautions before you party people!! :)
I did go over the top, on a couple of occasions, without side effects, apart from feeling stupid when I sobered up.