Remission of Autoimmune Hepatitis and Drinking

[holly101612]

Hi All,
I know this is mainly for Hep-C but I will ask the question anyway because some browse this with AIH and also all of you Hep-c's may have input as well.......
I am in remission of Autoimmune Hepatitis. My blood work has been Excellent since dx 3 years ago. I know AIH is an immune form of hepatitis and I am on Imuran (50mgs a day).
My doctor even wanted me to come off the meds but with all the research they are still trying to do, he wants to keep me on it for a while. My question is, and I know drinking alcohol is bad for the liver, but do any of you drink alcohol with Hepatitis? Just curious......I would never drink hard liquor, ie, Rum, Vodka, but I enjoy beer and wine......

[NYgirl]

Alcohol is alcohol. There is no such thing as hard alcohol vs. soft alcohol. Beer has alcohol. Vodka has alcohol. They have the same thing. So what difference would it make really...it's not like beer contains Hawaiian Punch instead and that makes it not 'hard'

I am an alcoholic who LOVED drinking (although it didn't love me back) who is (thanks to my liver oddly now) able to maintain sobriety much easier than ever before.  

KNOWING that putting ANY alcohol into my liver is like taking straight cyanide and injecting it...really showed me what tremendous damage I was doing to myself.

I do not drink AT ALL as I am currently on treatment. When I kill the virus I am still going to be left with liver damage. Once the rest of the liver is gone...it's gone.

So no...I don't drink and don't believe anyone with liver damage should.

If you had lung cancer would it be ok to have only ten 'ultra light' cigarettes a day compared to a pack of Camels?  Same thing. The answer is no.

[jmjm530]

Most everyone here has or had hepatitis c, so I'll talk from that point of view. I have absolutely no idea how this relates to autoimmune hepatitis.

With my doctor's blessing, I drank in moderation before and after treatment but not during treatment. "Moderation" was defined for me as no more than five drinks per week by one doctor and two drinks per week by another. As to the difference between beer, wine, vodka, etc, as NY Girl says, "alcohol is alcohol" BUT the amounts do vary depending on what you drink. Light beer, for example has less alcohol per bottle than regular beer. Personally, I only drink beer and wine and usually no more than 2-3 times per week. I should also add that while I did drink more in my 20's and 30's (I'm 59 now) I never had what you would call an alcohol problem or dependency. If you have or have had such a problem then you could be playing with fire even if you take one drink. At least that is what I have heard and read.

-- Jim

[NYgirl]

Even with liver damage your doctor said you can have up to FIVE drinks a week?  My doctor said under NO circumstances AFTER treatment should anyone with HepC EVER have more than two glasses of wine AT MOST A YEAR.

Five seems excessive big time even for someone who DOESNT have liver damage already doesn't it?

I don't really know anyone but alcoholics who drink that many glasses of wine in a week, do you?  It just sounds off to me.

[Maari]

I have AIH and have been in remission for about 1 year.  I was told by one Doc NO alcohol, not even cough syrup.  Another Doc told me that after I had been in remission for 5 years, I could have 1 glass of wine a year.

There does not seem to be just one answer.  I have chosen not to drink at all.  I do not want to have a flare up so I'm being careful. I am feeling good and do not want to mess that up.

Take care

Maari

[GrandOak]

nygirl:  except for gender differences, it almost sounds like we are two peas from the same pod.  But I'll stick with a single dose of 1a thank-you, no more doubles for me ;-)

holly:

As I understand AIH, the tx attempts to suppress the immune system whereas HCV tx attempts to boost it.  That's why those who are cross infected are kind of between a rock and a hard place, almost literally.  At least that's what those who are there tell me.

However, both tx's attempt the liver from being further damaged.  With a Working (or is it Drinking) Man's PHD on alcohol I know that it does have a severe impact on damaging the liver.  In fact, I believe it was my overzelous nature to always go full tilt boogy which may have weakened my liver to the point that HCV was able to go on such a rampage 30 yrs after I believe I contracted it.