Beer after Sovaldi

[BadBoy62]

How long after treatment of Sovaldi & ribovirin should I wait to have a beer or 3??

[keepingOnkeepingOn]

Oh wow. I was going to raze you and say "20 years" only to find it's a joke to begin with.

[patra_]

BD:  I laughed so hard when I read you answer, my husband wanted to hear what had caused that.  We both thoroughly enjoyed your sarcasm and humor!  Hey, and the advice wasn't bad either!

£inda: Always an inspiration.  You put your finger rifht on the pulse!  Thank you.

You both lifted my day.  Also, good advice in both cases.

Blessing and SVR ro all!

Pat

[hepcandme]

I thought your comment was really funny, BD!

You are an inspiration. I am always humbled at what people have gone through and continue to do to win this battle

I just came home from seeing Raiders of the Lost Ark at the Castro. Hadn't seen it since the 80s. What a great good guy/bad guy film where there are no subtleties and it was so cool to see it on the Big Screen at an incredible theatre like the Castro

So, that's what we're dealing with here - Hep C is the Nazi whose face is melted after looking at the Ark. People who fight this disease are Indiana Jones.

All the other stuff is the guy twirling his saber like a baton when Indy pulls out his gun and shoots him

[BigDaddy_59]

My comment wasn't meant to be serious.

I am going to invent a sarcasm font a hopefully make lots o' money (this is written in sarcasm font).

I have recovered from a seemingly hopeless state of mind and body and have learned to love and live my life. Just last week I was in the ICU after throwing up blood at 4am in the morning at work and then finished my shift and went to the ER. I believe my positive attitude has helped keep me alive. That and almost 21 years of not drinking.

Seriously, moderation in all things and abstention if that is not possible and don't come looking here for an OK...

:o)

[hepcandme]

I wonder why we continue to have this discussion? It seems pretty clear that for those who have no liver damage, sure, you can drink again

How much or why or whether people don't drink beer for the taste - hello, microbrews? is irrelevant

I just find it odd that this is a serious question. Those of us who can Never drink again do not post comments lambasting the drinking world. I actually would love to have a glass of pinot from my collection in the cellar. But I don't because it will kill me.

So, the next time this comes up in a post about when can I get drunk again, I will chalk it up to unwitting insensitivity and move on to the posts that I have depended on throughout my illness, those that encourage and are thoughtful and kind

[flyinlynn]

Like I said just depends if he has liver damage and to add as long as he does not drink to excess as that is bad for anyone.

If he is F0 or F1 and doesn't  drink a six pack a day and get faced every weekend he should be fine.

[can-do-man]

I really don't understand some of the comments. First, beer is not going to cause one to relapse. Second, an occasional drink or two is not going to destroy ones liver. Once you have rid yourself of Hep C and your not cirrhotic your no different then anybody else. Everybody has something they enjoy and if they do enjoy it they are ok with it. If it is something they don't enjoy then of course it will kill you. The truth is your liver is the strongest organ one has and can take a little abuse now and then and one will be just fine.

Now drinking 24/7 whether one has or had hep C is not a good ideal. But that was not the question that was asked nor have I ever seen it asked here.

My honest opinion is badboy if a couple of beers is what you want then enjoy it...

[Carlhcv]

People don't generally drink beer for the taste. They drink it for the buzz. Also, it seems that everyone is taking Badboy's screen name too literally. JMO  If one's liver is not damaged and hep c has been eliminated then why can't that person resume responsible drinking? Near beer tastes like crap.

[JimmyMose]

In my non medical opinion "getting drunk" is an unhealthy risk especially for older people.  It's a toxic shock to the liver.

There was a discussion about alcohol after SVR in these 2 threads earlier this year.

http://www.medhelp.org/posts/Hepatitis-C/Alcohol-after-treatment/show/2517446

http://www.medhelp.org/posts/Hepatitis-C/alcohol-after-svr-harvoni/show/2458381

[patra_]

Ribavirin takes approximately 6 months or so to clear out of your system.  My question, is WHY, after going through all that, you would want to take a chance on injuring your already beat up liver, assuming it is not cirrhotic or fibrotic at the 2 or 3 level now?

I used to enjoy drinking as much as anyone, but, when I was diagnosed in Feb 1994, I quit all alcohol.  Do I miss it? No. I can celebrate with the best of them, with no impairment of my faculties, no hangover the next morning and knowing that sparkling grape juice is okay for my liver.

AFTER 6 months, or so, if you feel like you must imbibe to keep your Badboy persona, choose one of the alcohol free beers.  True, they STILL have alcohol, approximately 1/2 a percent, and there are many , I think Busch even has one - just like the other badboys - but taking a far less chance with your precious liver!

My best answer is don't  do it at all, but if you must, choose alcohol free beer, tonic water with a twist of lime or sparkling grape juice.

Wishing you the best, and a healthy, happy liver, and life!

Blessings,

Pat

[Carlhcv]

A lot of folks are too quick to say never drink. As mentioned, if you have cirrhosis then you should not drink. If you tend to have a drinking problem then you should not drink. Otherwise I would wait a few weeks since some of these drugs seem to have a residual affect after EOT. Then you should be able to resume social drinking. I have a nice bottle of wine saved for myself just for this purpose. It's fun to get drunk once in awhile and if my current tx is a success then I plan to celebrate by getting drunk! I've never been much of a drinker and that is probably why I still have a healthy liver after 35+ years with hep C. It's not about being a bad boy. It's about being able to enjoy safe levels of alcohol again.

[BigDaddy_59]

47 years if you got Hep C from being a Bad Boy, 46 if not

[hepcandme]

can't say it any clearer than Pay or Lynn have

You don't have to drink to be a Bad Boy

[AugustineMama]

I would ask your doc, but if you have any liver damage at all alcohol is definitely a no no.

[flyinlynn]

Depends

Do you have liver damage?

Even if I finally beat hep c on this my 5th attempt I have cirrhosis so I can never have alcohol.

Good luck on treatment