Drinking Alcohol after SVR

Have any of the forum members who have achieved SVR used alcohol either on occasion or moderately?  What effects have you noticed?
Has anyone used alcohol after SVR and had follow up PCR's done, with a continued undetected status?

It would be interesting to see how many SVR's have taken the risk of using alcohol, and if there are any differences in tolerating alcohol than before therapy.  Also the question raised in previous posts about potential for relapse.  I would assume that there have been no relapses among our members after getting a 6-month SVR.  

I personally have had two situations where I had approximately three small glasses of wine per evening, both times well over one year post-tx.  I felt the effects much more heavily than in past years when I did drink.  Maybe not drinking for almost 15 years has something to do with the reaction that I had. Or maybe the after effects of interferon tx, or the condition of my liver.

I think I will probably avoid future consumption, to be on the safe side.

Any experiences among the forum members????

SVR's please provide some input.

Doubledose

[glamazon]

I would say that after 15 years on the water wagon you have developed a senstivity to alcohol. Since I am a recovering alcoholic I will never be able to tell you what it's like to drink post-SVR, God willing. Good luck!

Christine

[britgirl]

In my case drinking alcohol did not have an effect on my achieving SVR status. I began having the odd drink as soon as I finished tx and was clear at 6 months and a year. Now, two years on, I drink regularly and don't feel it affects me more or less than it used to. I am only answering this question because someone has asked it and I want to be honest. Please don't use it as springboard for anti-alcohol rants! I know alcohol is bad for livers. But the question is, does it interfere with SVR status and the answer has to be no. If the virus is dead at the end of tx, it is dead and drinking alcohol will not bring it back.

[BethUK]

My liver never got damaged by the HCV, it only ever showed mild inflammation on biopsy, and my alt/ast results have always been on the low side of normal. In my case I felt it was OK to go back to normal social drinking.  

I just got my 2 years post treatment PCR results recently which were negative, and all my blood results were in the normal range.

Britgirl, I will come to London for celebratory glass of red, before you leave the country!

[britgirl]

I'll e-mail you! We leave on 1st Feb

[scruffy]

Why risk further damage to a liver that has already been compromised? I depend on my liver to keep me alive. YOUR choice.

[BS1961]

Dr. Dieterich answered a question that involved alcohol today and drinking after svr.

http://www.thebody.com/Forums/AIDS/Hepatitis/Current/Q161467.html

[cuteus]

excellent question DD, i was commenting on this at another forum where someone posted it will reactivate the virus after SVR. I wanted to hear from those SVR and occassionally drinking, TY for taking the initiative.
With my mild damage, no addiction problem and after a negative 6 months post tx, I will have that special drink on occassions. We all make choices. I agree with britgirl, let's not make this an antialcohol thread. We want facts from those SVRs. Please don't attack them.

[jevs2]

Hey Britgirl, where are you off to?
I have just finished an induction course to return to nursing.
In my world everything is excellently good hope your world is the same.
Best wishes
Joanna x

[jonihs]

As another recovering alcoholic, I can only say that social drinking does not cause liver damage. If there is no damage from HCV, social drinking will not cause any. I have cirrhosis and prior to tx. my liver was inflamed and enlarged. Now, even though I still have cirrhosis and cannot drink, the inflamation (inflammation) is gone and my liver is back to normal size. So if tx. helped my sick liver that much in 6 mos., I can't imagine it doing less for a much healthier liver. As far as your liver being compromised, it is only compromised as long as the virus is present, as long as ther is no fibrosis. If fibrosis was present before tx., I would want a biopsy to make sure the tx. had reversed the fibrosis (as we know it can) before drinking. One thing to remember is that our livers are miraculous organs. Within a few years, they can and will completely heal themselves as long as there is no cirrhosis.  Joni

[new-sojourn]

All drinking causes damage.  there is no such thing as social drinking.  that's the name functional alcoholics apply to their behavior to spruce up their image.

The liver does have regenative powers b/it does not spontaniously regenerate.

I've had friends who started drinking after svr.  One's liver started to get worse, one developed kidney problems.

I'm too damaged to ever drink and prefer not to.  3yrs later, I enjoy not drinking.  And find it akin to never having to go into a Toys R Us again.

Also, I save $100 more or less a month not drinkin' and treat myself to a vacation every yr w/the $1200.  Unfortunately, I always seem to go to Amsterdam for the hash.

[Tallblonde]

I've enjoyed a margarita once or twice a month since being diagnosed a year ago and I plan to continue doing so.  My LFT's and VL are better than before dx.  I don't consider alcohol (in moderation) to be evil. There are even some health benefits to moderate alcohol consumption.  And you don't have to go to Amsterdam to get it!

Susan

[britgirl]

I am moving to Brazil, where my husband comes from. I am really excited. Apparently I promised him I would do this if i ever got SVR as he was so good to me during tx...needless to say, I can't remember this (brain fog?) but it doesn't sound such a bad idea, does it?

[DoubleDose]

Thanks for all the input from everyone.  It's a tough issue, and hard to clearly make decisions about, since we often have an unclear picture of our current liver status/health, unless we biopsy after SVR, and also we are not sure of long term ramifications of any sort of drinking after clearing HCV.  I, for one, hate to feel totally forbidden to have an occasional glass of wine...but I also am  apprehensive about what it might lead to, if the behavior becomes more a habit.  I believe my current thinking will be to mostly abstain, but on special celebrations to limit myself to one light drink...maybe every two or three months...or less.  I did not like the effects of having just three glasses of wine (later in the night, and next day), and maybe I HAVE developed a sensitivity to alcohol, OR my liver is easily stressed by it...who knows.  But I do believe extreme moderation is the chief watchword.  Maybe, in my case, abstaining almost fully would be the most prudent way to go.  Anyway, thanks to all.

DoubleDose

[myka]

see, today you admit to smoking dope, tomorrow you'll admit to shooting it. it takes a loser to spot one.

[Tallblonde]

Hmmmmm....where did I admit to smoking dope?  You must have me mixed up with someone else.  I suggest you re-read the thread.  Do you have any other purpose for coming here besides your obsession with me?  My post to you yesterday was the first time I've EVER interacted with you.  You have nothing to offer here except ridiculous attacks on a woman you've never met.  Every time you post, it just shows how pathetic your life must be. Get a life, dude.

[myka]

oops sorry. i should have said today you admit to drinking tomorrow you'll admit to drugs. anyone with hep c who continues to drink is nuts.

[Tallblonde]

Ahhhh....now I get it.  I said I enjoyed a margarita once or twice a month and you confused it with marijuana.  Hey, if you're going to attack me on a regular basis, I suggest you get your facts correct.  Otherwise, it just makes you look like an idiot.

By the way, how's your liver doing?

[cuteus]

I fail to see how anyone feels it is ok to make some one who is svr, no liver damage,  no alcohol abuse history, and if available, hcv free in liver tissue, feel as if they are committing a mortal sin by taking an occassional drink.  what gives?
I would not condone someone with lung ca, COPD, or respiratory illness to continue smoking, and even when healthy it can't be good for the lungs to be smoked, but if they choose to smoke and don't whine to me about their illness, I am not making them feel like **** for their choice.

Drinking while having hcv in our bodies is risky, but if tallblonde has been taking a drink and is still clearing the virus, then it mght not be the evil it is portrait by some.
All I say is that the question was for svrs to post their experience, and it gets turned into another anti drinking thread and some try to make those that choose to drink  feel as if they are the stupidest creatures on Earth.  

DD did not ask for our opinions on drinking, that was someone else's thread.

[Tallblonde]

You're right.  Name-calling is dumb.  I'll go back to ignoring you.

By the way, how's YOUR liver?

[myka]

loser... idiot. come on susan you can do better than that. name calling is so immature.

[Tallblonde]

There are more recent studies on this, but here's one from a few years ago that reached the same conclusion:

"While many physicians counsel their patients with chronic hepatitis C that no alcohol is best, these preliminary data do not show that light or moderate alcohol consumption over a 10-year period is associated with a higher rate of liver fibrosis than among those with zero consumption."

http://www.hivandhepatitis.com/hep_c/news/hepc_061200a.html

[Tallblonde]

Hepatitis Neighborhood has an article on a more recent study (April 2004):

"While drinking alcohol is considered risky for people with hepatitis, a new study concludes that the benefits of light drinking may outweigh the effect it might have on liver disease progression in people with chronic hepatitis C.

"Patients with HCV are generally counseled by their physicians to abstain from drinking alcohol, despite the fact that light alcohol intake, which most patients practice, has not been shown to lead to worse liver disease," write doctors in the department of Gastroenterology at the University of California at San Francisco. "Additionally, there is increasing evidence that light alcohol consumption bestows significant health benefits."

That includes the benefits that alcohol provides as a protective measure against heart disease, for example."

[cuteus]

Scott:
agree 100%!

Chev:
I have never been to Times Square on New Year's in 16 yrs of living in NY...so maybe it is time, soon.

[indyjo]

As far as drinking goes....I was a drinker and quit before starting treatment. I couldn't imagine a social event without alcohol and now can't stomach the thought of having an alcoholic drink. Funny huh? I think that it is possible to be a social drinker (not saying that I could be) and for some it becomes a quality of life issue. I agree that if someone's liver is compromised or if someone is in TX for HCV it would be stupid to have a drink. However.... If a person has a reasonably healthy liver, and is clear, then a drink or two is no more harmful than taking a couple of tylenol. I think (and I've thought wrong once or twice before) that it is all about the work that the liver has to do, so ALL things in moderation is the rule.

[DoubleDose]

Congrats on your undetected results!!!!  Your three month test results should pretty well assure you of SVR  (probably at about 98% to 99% odds of success), so you should celebrate.
Are you going to skip the 6 month PCR?, or do both a 6 month and 1 year PCR?  I think the 6 month is definitely a good idea to do, if only to keep you totally calm and confident until the 1 year test.  The 6 month result pretty much is the real thing...so you might just want to do that one.

I wish you the best in everything!!!  Tx is surely worth all the misery when you get the results that you received.  It's like a new and different life ahead!  Congratulations again!

[harley dude]

I had hcv appx. 25 years and drank beer during those years not knowing of the hcv till a couple of years ago, the hcv and drinking all those years damaged my liver- fibrosis stage 3, I cleared last month 6 months post tx and that was one of my questions to my doc on my final visit - can I drink on ocassions?- No said the Doc since your liver could still be in stage 3 fibrosis and it would just do more damage. Then I asked since doing a year of tx and not drinking for a year and a half and clearing, did my liver improve? doc said most probably but can't be sure unless another bioipsy is done. He said if I continue not to drink(at all) that my liver should improve. He than told me if I was like some with minimal liver damage or no damage he would see no problem with ocassional drinking. So it all depends on the condition of the liver wether you should drink or not. My rsponse was "What a Bummer"- but I did stop and will not drink again, my liver and my health is more important to me than a little Buzz.- Harley Dude

[cmorg]

I was diagnosed last year with acute hep C, genotype 1B.  I started tx in February (when I started to recover from the acute symptoms) and the doc only chose to keep me on the pegasys tx for 6 months.  3 months post treatment, no virus.  I do my 6 month test on January 10th.  I'm nervous.

I'm 25, so unfortunately my entire social life revolves around my friends and going to bars.  I admit that I've had a few beers since October, and my doctor seemed completely OK with that.  I will be extremely upset if I don't reach an SVR in January, and might think that alcohol could have played a factor, but I'm not going to beat myself up about it.  I just had the worst year of my life, and if I want to have 2 beers to celebrate making it this far, then I see absolutely nothing wrong with it.  That's my personal opinion though...

As far as the Valium/Xanax comments that were thrown around - I do NOT recommend any of the Benzo's.  I was on 2 mg of Ativan for 8 months during all of this - it is a great drug while you are taking it, but it is SO addictive.  When they took me off of it, I was almost having seizures.  I am actually still shaking a little bit on a daily basis.  The depression was so unbearable that I was also having suicidal thoughts for the first month when they tried to lower the dosage.  I would not consider taking any of these drugs unless you are willing to deal with the consequences of withdrawal.   If you make it through tx, you have probably experienced some of these symptoms already with the interferon - my recommendation would be to stay away from all drugs.  

[cmorg]

I was diagnosed last year with acute hep C, genotype 1B.  I started tx in February (when I started to recover from the acute symptoms) and the doc only chose to keep me on the pegasys tx for 6 months.  3 months post treatment, no virus.  I do my 6 month test on January 10th.  I'm nervous.

I'm 25, so unfortunately my entire social life revolves around my friends and going to bars.  I admit that I've had a few beers since October, and my doctor seemed completely OK with that.  I will be extremely upset if I don't reach an SVR in January, and might think that alcohol could have played a factor, but I'm not going to beat myself up about it.  I just had the worst year of my life, and if I want to have 2 beers to celebrate making it this far, then I see absolutely nothing wrong with it.  That's my personal opinion though...

As far as the Valium/Xanax comments that were thrown around - I do NOT recommend any of the Benzo's.  I was on 2 mg of Ativan for 8 months during all of this - it is a great drug while you are taking it, but it is SO addictive.  When they took me off of it, I was almost having seizures.  I am actually still shaking a little bit on a daily basis.  The depression was so unbearable that I was also having suicidal thoughts for the first month when they tried to lower the dosage.  I would not consider taking any of these drugs unless you are willing to deal with the consequences of withdrawal.   If you make it through tx, you have probably experienced some of these symptoms already with the interferon - my recommendation would be to stay away from all drugs.  

[nydr1]

Fractional Distillation


Fractional distillation relies on a fractionating column to separate out components with different volatilities found in the starting material.


This is achieved through the column's internal architecture in providing many areas where the rising vapour can intimately interact with the condensed liquid along the length of the column.


The support for the condensate (condensed liquid) inside the column can be simply achieved by filling the column with a high surface to volume packing material.

More complicated arrangements exist; such as a series of trays and bubble caps, where the vapour is forced to bubble through the condensate collected on the trays at various sites along the length of the column.


The separation along the height of the column can be viewed as a series of batch distillations, concentrating the more volatile component at the top and leaving behind the less volatile component at the bottom.


The efficiency of the column to separate out the volatile compounds is dependant on design elements, including column length.

The columns efficiency is stated as the number of theoretical plates.


Fractional distillation can be set up as a continuous process by removing the separated components from the different positions along the column (alcohol at the top) and the removed components replaced with more of the starting material.

The starting material is added at the middle of the column in the case of wine.


Further specialized distillations can remove components with similar volatilities such as methanol from an alcohol solution.


Fractional distillation can cheaply produce a neutral high strength spirit of between 94-96% v/v alcohol, called SVR (Spiritus Vinum Rectificatum).

SVR is the most suitable spirit for fortification purposes where minimal dilution or interference of the wine/grape flavours are intended.








































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