Off the Wagon:

[kirk8]

I went to an art museum last week and had a few beers with my friends.  I figured I might as well celebrate.  I have been undetectable for almost a month.  I thought I could just have a few and stop.  I’d been sober for over a year.  But a few days later I was drinking beer and watching sports and today, I was at the drug store and spotted a bottle of Jack.  The Honey One.  I’ve been eyeing it for months.  I couldn’t help myself.  I bought it and pounded most of it before I even thought about what I was doing.

I’m on Vic. And my Doc says that I only have to do 5 more months.  I have to do a blood test next week and was wondering how drinking may effect my liver enzymes and It’s effects on possible relapse.  I feel like **** for braking down and getting wasted but I couldn’t help myself.  Any encouragement will help.  Thanks.

[jules2551]

If you don't have a sponsor, find one and get into AA.  Hep C is enough, you don't need to black out and type on this website.  Babe if i can do it you can...get sober...get your life back...and finally life your life!

[GoofyDad]

"Yep thats for sure we all want the same thing here, "

So it's not just me who's wating for sprintime and tube tops?

[belle19]

you need help.  okease get it before you blow your chances of SVR.  good luck to you.  please think before you act.  belle

[copyman]

Well if you are going to fall off the wagon what a better place then a museum. at least it wasn't sleazy place like the back of a pool hall or something else :)

Dude, for real stop drinking. Finish treatment then after 6 months post when you are cured then you can have a few drinks.

hang in there
best of luck

[kirk8]

Wow!  I don’t remember posting this the other day!  I was shocked to open my e-mail and find that it was my most replied to post ever.  All I really remember is buying that bottle of whiskey and waking up to the empty bottle the next day.  Luckily, it was in time for my meds.

I felt like an idiot and haven’t drank since.  Thank you all for the encouragement.  It really strengthens my resolve to stay sober.  

I was surprised to see that there was any debate about how damaging alcohol is while on treatment.  Drinking has got to be the stupidest thing a person could possibly do during treatment.  

My doctor made me prove my sobriety prior to treatment and routinely checks my liver enzymes.  They could tell when I’d been sober from my enzymes and only agreed to treat after I had a significant drop in alcohol related enzymes. I am going to have to do my next test at the last minute to insure that they wont see the elevated levels.  Complete sobriety must be adhered to during treatment, for me at least.

When I said “I’m going to go to the dispensary tomorrow and indulge a vice that is less damaging to my liver.”  I meant the Marijuana dispensary.  I gave that up when I gave up drinking.  That was just a lifestyle choice, I doubt pot has much effect on treatment.  I just know I definitely cant do calculus while I’m stoned.


So many of you made great points.  Thanks!  I hope others read this and are reminded of how important sobriety is during treatment.  

[elpasolady]

I just want to add this.....as a person who has had struggles with alcohol, I distinctly remember reading somewhere that if anyone drinks during HCV treatment,  they greatly reduce their chances of SVR. ( this was before the addition of triple therapy)
Once I read that, there was no way I was going to go through treatment at all, if I thought I would not stop drinking.  It didn't make any sense. I will post the source if i find it.
Please, please get help to get you through this if you feel you can no longer stay in control of your drinking.  You made the decision to start treatment, so you owe it to yourself to do all you can do to make sure it is successful.
I will keep you in my prayers, I wish you all the best!!!!!!

[rockymoe]

Amen to frijole said. Why do the treatment if you are going to take care of it. i have been told a Hep c patient shouldn't drink period. The vic treatment has been a hard one for me and I can't even imagine blowing it for a drink. i agree call your AA sponsor if you have one, if you don't get one fast!!

[printze]

I am still waiting to start treatment , maybe in the new year once all the tests have been done fibroscan 26-11-11 , doctor meeting about treatment and to discuss insurance and  the costs. I found out in March , and that same day have not touched a drink not a cigarette 7 mths ago . I was told you can never drink again . Sue ,Immiss a nice bottleof wine at dinner and holidays, but to know thatthis could accelerate thsi hideous virus and cause further damage to my liver , no way . Not a chance in hell . Do yourself a favor and try to look at this in a more positive way. You are not missing anything you are gaining years to yourlife.  

[Proactive]

""There are way too many people that would love to trade off the hep C for alcoholism knowing that the cure was a whole lot easier than hep C !!!! ."

Hmmm, don't know what to think about that."

Nor do I. pro

[Proactive]

Good morning Kirk, I hope the take-away from the links I posted above are one of hope. I don't feel you have jeopardized your chances of a successful outcome for your Hepc course of treatment. As the studies have shown, you are not the first one to "fall off the wagon" while on TX, there is in fact a correlation.
  That said, my advise is to pick up the pieces and move forward, obviously from your original post you know right from wrong. Today is a new day, with a new beginning- take advantage of the knowledge you have gained from your fall. I wish you the very best of luck, if you need to talk you can see that here, there are always those willing to listen.
Pro

[James10500]

Sorry you fell off the wagon, not get back on while it's still moving slow.

[can-do-man]

Yep thats for sure we all want the same thing here, sorry i mistook what you said about the playground thing........... Hope treatment is going good for you and you get that SVR prize............ Wishing you the very best, and peace to you to.....:)

[EyesofBlue55]

No Im not upset at all!!!!Everyone doesnt have to agree with me-its just MY opinion.And about the playground thing-youd have to be an alcohiloic and go to AA to understand that.Hey were all in the same boat just at different places  no problem!!!I appreciate everyone here.We all want the same thing!!! PEACE-cindy

[can-do-man]

I'm sorry it upsets you if someone is not sure they agree with you, your opinion does not bother me in the least, and i don't totally disagree with you as i first said. "Hmmm, don't know what to think about that."

I would find a place to boring for me to have friends and a playground where everyone agreed with everything i said, but thats just me........ Sorry if i upset you as that was not my intent.

[EyesofBlue55]

Kinda like snorting Comet thinking its cocaine???????With no buzz    LOL !!!Would Pi$$ me off !!!

[GoofyDad]

FWIW -  The Gish camp advised I should avoid even the occaisional non-alcoholic beer on TX. They felt it could have a slight impact and just wasn't worth it.  

[lynda607]

Six months to 48 weeks of antiviral therapy can produce a promising future for many who can then put HCV behind them. The cure for alcoholism is not easier and it is a lifelong commitment with relapse rates much higher than those who have undergone therapy

Sadly, in the end, failure to overcome HCV or alcoholism produce the same results.

[EyesofBlue55]

Time to find new friends and playgrounds for sure!!!!!!

[EyesofBlue55]

No one said that it wasnt a serious disease.I can tell you first hand that it is.I have it im my family and yes it  does destroy lives(and livers).This is my personal opinion No pi$$ing  match here!!!And nor did I say it was fun and easy.Unless youve been there with someone close to you and witnessed them being sober for quite some time because of AA you can really not say how hard or how fun it has been for them.The first step for an alcoholic is to get out of denial about his disease.No one said it would be easy-like I said just my opinion

Oh BTW,Im not an alcoholic either  just someone who cares about several...

[slideman]

I would bet the hangover from that JD was nice on tx..... My Dr told me that hep is somewhat like drinking everyday, that is its hard as hell on your liver. Your liver is doing battle every day with the hep anyway. When you dump booze on it too, well you can figure that out. I can also tell you that when I did tx 10 yrs ago, I thought it was fun to do some cocaine. Maybe like liquor, it had nothing to do with tx, and didnt cause me any harm. But my tx did not work last time. Did the coke cause that? I dont know. Will the booze hurt your tx? Dont know that either. Here is what I do know for sure. I now need to do 48 wks of tx instead of 24. If tx dont work this time I may not be able to ever do triple tx again in my life. When tx fails, it puts you in a different situation for tx next time. In my case 10 yrs later!!
I am not preaching at you my friend, I am an alchoholic dope head myself!! I dont beleive people that drink socially, or "normally" get a bottle of Jack and drink themselves into a health risk like this. If you need help dont be to proud to get it, that will hurt everybody in your llife. I'm glad you found the courage to post your mistake on here. AA is know different, it saved my life. Take it easy!! One Day At A Time!!

[willbb]

Kirk..I imagine you can see from the response here ...we would all concur that drinking with  liver disease(HCV or otherwise) is certainly not in you better interests
Adherence to the meds is crucial with the P.I"s to be effective and  if this is a problem ..failure is likely.
If you fail on a P.I then you may not be able to treat for many years to come because of resistance issues.
If eradication of HCV is important to you..I would hope you seek out some help with any other problems you may have..

Best to you..
Will

[can-do-man]

"AA is free,good sponsor.meetings and talk therapy????"

Wow you make it sound like something fun to do, not wanting to get in a pi$$ing match with you but alcoholism is very much a serious  disease that for some people can be very hard to get rid of, i'm sure those that are sure wish it was as easy to be rid of as you make it sound.

Not only can alcoholism destory ones own life but many others around them, plus many innocent lifes..... Since i'm cirrhotic thats now SVR i'm sure not discounting having Hep-C but as they say many people die from something else then die from it.

Oh BTW, i'm not an alcoholic

[EyesofBlue55]

I would trade trade in a heartbeat.AA is free,good sponsor.meetings and talk therapy????You bet id trade then to have stay sick from side effects ,taking  pills up to a year and the injections plus all the sides??????
  Anything is possible-youve got to want it bad enough-that is the key.Like quitting smoking,Say your gonna quit but just one here and there wont hurt you,youll never succeed.Like a Dr.telling you that you have lung cancer but you continue to smoke!!!!! Yeah Id trade in a heartbeat !!!!!

[can-do-man]

"There are way too many people that would love to trade off the hep C for alcoholism knowing that the cure was a whole lot easier than hep C !!!! ."

Hmmm, don't know what to think about that.