re:alcohol??

oopie07

hi everyone,

just wanted to ask if anyone drinks? i'm on methotrexate and have been adviced not to drink. i don't really drink but every now and then perhaps every 3 months friends ask me to go out. I feel like a right miserable party pooper and hate the thought of going out because i am worried about the effects of drinking. I drink because i think they won't ask me to go out again...
wondered if anyone else has a drink now and again or completely stays off the stuff... i'm 29

thanx xx

elnafinn

Hi!

This question comes up every now and again. If you do a search on here and type in methotrexate and alcohol you will be able to read at least 3 -4 past threads on this very subject.

I do not take metho but I remember some people have the odd drink when out with friends and others go nowhere the stuff. It seems to be a very personal choice after weighing up the pros and cons.

Have a read of the past threads and perhaps post your question on the Living with Arthritis Zone. That zone is more lively than this one at the moment.

Luv
Elna

oopie07

elnafinn wrote:

Hi!
thanx elna, much appreciated xx
This question comes up every now and again. If you do a search on here and type in methotrexate and alcohol you will be able to read at least 3 -4 past threads on this very subject.

I do not take metho but I remember some people have the odd drink when out with friends and others go nowhere the stuff. It seems to be a very personal choice after weighing up the pros and cons.

Have a read of the past threads and perhaps post your question on the Living with Arthritis Zone. That zone is more lively than this one at the moment.

Luv
Elna

emmarose33

I haven't tried MTX yet because I am still breastfeeding my son. I have told my consultant I will try it if I absolutely have to, but the reason I am so reluctant is because I LOVE my evening glass of wine.
She told me she could make a deal with me, whereby I am allowed 1 small glass a night, not one and half, not two, just the one SMALL glass, if I go for extra bloodtests. She said it should be a regular thing, and I can't save all my wine up for the weekend and drink 7 glasses then! That could be very bad for me. I don't like to get drunk anyway, but I have decided if I do start it I will stop drinking all together. I don't trust myself with just one small glass.

eckstardeluxe

Not for a while as I am completely dependent on my Tramadol and Gabapentin and would have to stop them to drink,not tried it as too scared of what might happen. The hubby is doing my share though

kezzad

i have been on methx for about a month now and again the advice is always not to drink really but i know it is hard with friends. I am 22 and have a large group of friends that love to drink and go out all the time and its always hard to convince them that i really cant join in because of my meds. to be honest if i do even have one on the odd occasion it doesnt make me feel very good but oddly makes me relax and sleep a bit better! Being quite young its difficult to adjust to the lifestyle changes but i suppose its that or suffer even more. Do any of you find the methx is helping? My doctor never really said but is it something you take for the rest of your life?

angelita2012

kezzad wrote:

i have been on methx for about a month now and again the advice is always not to drink really but i know it is hard with friends. I am 22 and have a large group of friends that love to drink and go out all the time and its always hard to convince them that i really cant join in because of my meds. to be honest if i do even have one on the odd occasion it doesnt make me feel very good but oddly makes me relax and sleep a bit better! Being quite young its difficult to adjust to the lifestyle changes but i suppose its that or suffer even more. Do any of you find the methx is helping? My doctor never really said but is it something you take for the rest of your life?

Hi, I'm 23, I have RA and been on methx for more than 5 month, my doc never told me that I shouldn't drink, and I found out that is not good at all in a bad way; I went on holidays with my friends, had a few drinks a couple of days and then I was with fever and very weak for 5 days.
I do have to take methx for the rest of my life, don't know if is the same on your case.
(it's my 1st time in a forum, I'm not very good at expressing myself)

auntie

hi
i was told by my doctors that on methotrexate i can drink a maximum of 5-6 glasses wine per week, or 2-3 pints of lager, and no spirits. i didn't realise that some people are told not to drink at all though, but i'm reluctant to give up the very little that i am allowed to drink as i'm only 21 and feel like i haven't outlived my (slightly) rebellious streak completely yet! so i've cut right down and now probably have about 3 glasses of wine a week but am wondering after reading all your posts whether this may still be too much? i hope not! i really want the mtx to work so maybe i should come off alcohol completely just to be on the safe side... sorry i'm rambling! any thoughts?

zoepluscats

I tend to steer clear of alcohol. If your friends put pressure on you to drink it, I'd suggest you find some new friends.

oopie07 wrote:

hi everyone,

just wanted to ask if anyone drinks? i'm on methotrexate and have been adviced not to drink. i don't really drink but every now and then perhaps every 3 months friends ask me to go out. I feel like a right miserable party pooper and hate the thought of going out because i am worried about the effects of drinking. I drink because i think they won't ask me to go out again...
wondered if anyone else has a drink now and again or completely stays off the stuff... i'm 29

thanx xx

jackie1955

Hi, I'm older than you lot, just sneaked a peek at how you young things deal with all the stuff we have going on. Thought I'd share my experience of alcohol with you.......

Well, as to alcohol. YES PLEASE No, seriously, I enjoyed a social drink pre RA, never one for getting drunk or binge drinking, but did like a few drinks on an evening out.

I've been on MTX for about 4 months. Six weeks before I started taking it I stopped having alcohol, I thought if I've got to give it up I might as well get used to it!

After a couple of months on MTX, I decided the odd wine spritzer wouldn't hurt surely? I 'tried' one drink, fearing it would give me a huge hangover or react badly cos of the meds - but I was fine. So, I had a few over the course of a month. My blood tests/liver function is good, and my nurse said the key is to be sensible about alcohol.

My tips are:

Have long drinks..... a little wine in a big glass topped up with ice and lemonade goes a long way!

Add slices of fresh fruit - very sophisticated!

You will appreciate it more and it does become more of a treat if you drink on one or two days per week only.

Don't drink on MTX days.

Don't binge drink.

And don't drink if you don't really want one - its your choice.

p.s. Just thought, if you drive and don't drink your mates will just love you....... as DES (designated driver for the evening)

auntie

zoepluscats wrote:

I tend to steer clear of alcohol. If your friends put pressure on you to drink it, I'd suggest you find some new friends.

my friends don't exactly put the pressure on but they do sort of try and go about persuading me because i know they want me to enjoy myself too (not that you can' t enjoy yourself without alcohol, that's not what i meant!) so they know about my 6 glasses of wine limit and always ask 'how many glasses have you had this week' so i feel like i should accept if i haven't reached my 'limit' for the week! silly really... i was never a massive drinker anyway, i don't know why it makes so much difference now.

good advice, jackie, thanks

missishy

Hi All,

I am on Metho and my Rhumy told me I was fine to drink - in moderation and have been so far for past year maybe and been fine however recently got drunk spent all day throwing up and from now on in feel sick everytime I have a drink - even just one! I feel really gutted as I am so worried about being even sadder and more boring than I am all ready - I am 25 and still got a bit of rebel in me.

Has anyone found that drinking makes them feel ill! - am particularly down today as am having a flare

Let me know your experiences.

bailey27

I am not on mtx but take sulphasalazine, prednisalone and celebrex.. I'm too scared to drink alcohol whilst on medicationa s you just dont know what it is doing to your insides.

sunshine75

Hi there. I was put on methotrexate just before I went off to Uni at 19, and the advice was not to drink.

To be honest I never followed this for the next 3 years and lived a full student life, I'm 36 now and ok! I'm not saying you should drink loads on medication but from research I've seen since I think you can drink within moderation. You just have to remember that your liver has to detox any medication you take and drinking on top of that means it has more to detox.

As long as you are monitored regularly with blood tests and are sensible I would imagine it would be ok to go out and enjoy yourself every now and again.

hope this helps!

take care. x

fernie16

Hi
i've been on methotrexate for almost 2 years and i drink occasionally i am fine and all my blood tests come back normal i find that if you dont drink more than one glass/bottle of something i am fine have never drank spirits on the methotrexate but they are stronger than other alcohol so i wouldn't try it just stay strong around your friends dont give in to the pressure but go out and have fun because otherwise you will end up isolating yourself and thats no good for anyone also dont drink on your methotrexate day
x fern

Ankyspond

Hi,

I am on oldie just having a wonder around the forum, 43 to be exact I know that sounds ancient to you all hey!!

I am on methotrexate and if I go out somewhere special I have a couple of drinks and feel fine, I was told the hospital to try and have a blood test a few days after drinking. xx

emsjane

I saw the Rheumy nurse recently and she said as long as your blood tests arn't throwing up any problems, you are ok to have a few drinks duriing the week. As long as you don't go over the weekly recommended allowance!
She also said, if you wanted to have most of the units in one evening it was ok, but then to have a break for the week afterwards to allow your liver to recover!!! So go for it, but be aware and be sensible