Can I drink a beer?

[jphits]

I just finished a 24 week treatment for Hep c,- interferon, ribiviron, amantadine, folic acid.  I have type 2 and the virus has been cleared and I feel great! -as of now.  Normal liver function, etc.  For the last year I have stayed away from drinking anything.  So is it ok to have a beer?  My doctor has really hedged when I ask him.  Any thoughts?

[IRONHEADMYKE]

ARE YOU NUTTS??? WHY WOULD YOU TAKE A CHANCE AT MESSIN UP WHAT YOUVE ACCOMPLISHED??  MAYBE IM NUTS , WHO KNOWS

[jmjm530]

Glad it all worked out. Early-on, I noticed two things here in regard the way many doctors managed side effects. First, was a tendency either not to administer Procrit (epo) or administer it too late. And second, was a tendency to administer Neupogen too soon. (Won't even go into how many doctors lower dose before either).  Ironically, it's often the same doctors who come in too late with Procrit who come in too soon with Neupogen.

The difference is once hemoglobin starts sinking, it usually keeps going, not to mention the side effects. ANC (WBC) on the other hand, tend to bounce around a lot, and some studies suggest that low ANC (on treatment) is not associated with more infections, etc, as is the case in other instances. My medical team uses Procrit liberally, and rarely uses Neupogen unless ANC drops close to 200 and stays there. They are hepatologists (liver specialists) and have a very large treatment base, as opposed to simply following cookbook protocols.

All the best,

-- Jim

[Lilla]

The alcohol thing always gets my attention as there is so much opinion on it.  I personally feel moderation (being responsible) is the key, and not just to alcohol.   Food (junk food), cigarettes, and the list goes on and on.

My purpose of this post is to say "thank you" one hundred times over to you for responding to a post I did around month 3 into this treatment. I am a 2b, did 24 weeks.   However, into week 11 or 12, my ANC levels and WBC were very low and was told to go on Neupogen.  I hesitated and told my doctor I didn't want to do this. You were kind enough to forward me a link to an article about this, protocol when prescribed, when levels are really too low, etc.   Due to my persistence with my doctor, I was monitored closer with blood work, and YES my ANC rose on its own.   I realize not everyone would have this, but for me it did rise.     I'm now 9 weeks post treating and feeling better all the time.  Last CBC blood work showed WBC, RBC, ANC etc. all rising and within normal ranges.

Again, thank you.  

[jmjm530]

Just to piggyback on Mike's thoughts, regarding "liver disease isnt' the only disease people die from", that was really the crux of my liver specialist's advice that I drink in moderation (post SVR) for the benefit of my heart. At this point, he feels there's very little risk of health complications (or death) from my liver, however given my cholesterol/lipid profile, as well as family history, there are definite health risks (including death) from my heart issues. So weighing the risks versus rewards, he suggested moderate drinking to help my cardiac profile. That said, someone with significant liver damage and no cardiac issues, would no doubt have a different take on the risk/reward equation. But just for a moment to take the cardiac issue out of it -- as some suggest it's a form or rationalization (which hopefully this thread and these studies show it's not) -- I also spoke to another liver specialist who told me to go ahead and drink socially irrespective of any cardiac issues. His feeling was that now that I was SVR, there was no reason not to resume a normal (but responsible) lifestyle, which would include moderate drinking. I would define moderate drinking as no more than two drinks a day, although I drink closer to to between two drinks a week and two drinks a month.

-- Jim

[mikesimon]

I posted the article primarily because I found it quite illuminating. As I said, if I didn't have a liver issue I would probably research this more thoroughly and if I were convinced of the validity of the benefits outlined in that article I would think it prudent and responsible to have my 2 drinks a day. Unfortunately for me I don't think I could afford the risk to my liver and I have a moral problem with doing anything that might be disrespectful to the marvelous gift that I have received. But, I really do not know the risk/reward ratio and I'm not sure anyone would know without experimentation. I know the knee jerk response for anyone who has dealt with liver disease and though I hate knee jerk responses I can't, in good conscious, just dismiss it. I simply do not know how this would play our for me. I do know that it would be irresponsible for me to suggest that drinking is absolutely safe for someone with a background of HCV and I want to make that crystal clear. But like I said to Jim, liver disease isn't the only disease that people die from so I embrace and attempt to engage in dispassionate dialogue about a variety of diseases. And perhaps, though we might not think it prudent for us to follow the guidelines for alcohol intake suggested in the article, we might know someone for whom it would be prudent and beneficial and pass the information along to them. Mike

[Forseegood]

I also didnt say anything about apparent heart health benefits in drinking moderate amounts of alcohol either, I was addressing the moderate drinkers live longer issue in the study...

But we all have our own ways, no one is perfect, least of all me, I have a pretty healthy ego myself....Just some people are more gracious about being wrong, others not, if they admit any flaws in their posts at all, it's with a (Big Butt lol)  "but you didn't do this or that qualification".....whatever...I feel you have many good qualities as I so explained....you have helped many, many people here and have since I've been here...many times you are the voice of reason, when arguments can get all haywire and charged with emotions and little logic. Just that...

I've let a few of these episodes slide at the risk of sounding petty myself, this time I just thought I'd risk sounding really petty (and I know I do) to get this out of the way, sometimes keeping things in too many times can cause undue resentments, and I like to feel we are friends.I hope you still do too. :)

Can Do: So great to see you here, was just talking to Ina about you the other day. Hey, to me sometimes it's crazy to ask directions, too many people are caught up in being right at any cost, so they'll tell you stuff even though they don't know for sure...that used to happen to me in New York all the time, lol....but if I really don't have a clue, I'll ask! See if two different people tell me the same thing. Now I have a navigation system to solve all my problems, trouble is, I don't know how to operate it very well, and I'm asking people how to operate that too!

Mike Simon: yeah, I know I can come off as kind of "motherly" here and elsewhere, an obnoxious trait of mine.... lol...probably some type of sublimated maternal instinct that I have cause I never had kids myself, or some such nonsense. Because of course, any one of us can do whatever the hell we want to when it comes down to it, but we come here to debate the apparent risk/reward ratios, etc. Youre a bright guy, know you'll do what's best for yourself.