Alcohol whilst on Tamoxifen!

[Mindy63]

Interesting.
I am very partial to a wine or 3 but my gut feeling is that it doesn't combine well with tamoxifen. I feel better when I've not had a drink for a while. That said, I continue to tipple at the weekends.

[walkabout]

I asked my oncologist and surgeon about continuing to drink after diagnosis and both seemed surprised I had asked ! I think I asked because looking on the American sites the ladies there seem to often be advised to stop . I decided if the docs here thought we should stop they would tell us so have carried on with my ( one ) glass of wine a night but Everyone has to do what makes them most comfortable . I have been on tamoxifen just over 2 years.

[Summer60]

It could be because Tamoxifen can rarely cause liver enzymes to rise, as is the case with me. It's not on the contraindications leaflet for some reason, but when I saw a liver specialist after the enzyme reading kept rising, he agreed that the Tamoxifen was probably to blame. However, he did say I could see out the treatment safely (I finish Tamoxifen in Autumn 2016 and will switch to Letrozole for a couple of years).

I used to drink a glass of wine daily before dx, now I only have about one glass of wine about every other month, otherwise I get a bad stomach ache if I have much more. Now I don't really miss it.

Our livers don't really like alcohol, but I think if you can tolerate the odd drink now and again then that's fine. After all, stress is the worst thing for us, and wine is incredibly relaxing!

If you find you start getting stomach ache or discomfort on the right hand side just below the ribs, then see your GP who can run blood tests to check your liver function.

As I said, it is a rare side effect of Tamoxifen, which is an excellent drug and has saved many lives.

Cheers!   (Lifting glass of fruit juice)!

[Mindy63]

I wonder why only 6 to 7 units. Anyone have any ideas. I thought safe limit was 14 units per week. Is it to do with the tamoxifen or is it to do with safer limits when you've had breast cancer.

[DizzyDee]

Hello ladies,

Just saw my oncs at The Royal Marsden and they are world leaders in BC. Was advised to keep to 6-7 units a week of alchohol whilst on Tamoxifen so we can drink.

Cheers ladies xxxx

[MysteryMouse]

Hello ladies I thought I would just let you know that I had it confirmed by the nurse that there is no contra-indication to drinking alchohol (in moderation) and being on Tamoxifen.  Phew!  Big relief!  Amazing how when you hear something from someone else it can cause soooo much worry!

MM

xx

[eileen728]

catokitty - Glad you said that!That's good - wine and chocolate 2 things that help me feel better and letrozole for 5 years without them seems too much to ask! xx

[Nenya]

Ooh glad you said that catokitty, sometimes you just 'need' a glass lol

[MysteryMouse]

I am sure things will get better with time.  It is still early days so hopefully the fears will ease.  You make sure you have a fantastic time at your eldest's wedding in Sept! I am a lot more emotional these days.  Most of the time now I am bumping along fine but it doesn't take very much to completely derail me and send me off into a neurotic worry period! 😛  Would so love to bee normal again with everyday normal worries! 😛  Still just glad to be here! 🙂

MM

XX

[Jobey68]

I know exactly what you mean , I'm almost 47 and like you have no married children just yet, my eldest is due to wed in Sept this year though, was going to our best year yet but hadn't banked on BC coming along and trying to ruin everything, almost everything gives me the wobbles lately but I'm sure that will ease in time... I hope! Xx

[catokitty]

I am on letrozole. When onc asked me about my alcohol intake I said I had I stopped drinking completely and she said "there's no need to give up". Same goes for chocolate. We have enough to put up with xx

[MysteryMouse]

Thanks catchpole.  I will ring the ladies on Macmillan or Breast Cancer Care to see what they know (Will report back).  These worries always get me when I have just started to 'sail straight' again and now I am going round in circles again if you know what I mean! 😞 I eat healthily and am trying to get my fitness back to give me the best chance. Wine is such a stress buster! Am only 47 so really really want to get old and see grandchildren etc (my kids aren't even married yet) ha! Trying to draw a line under things as I know worry is not going to change anything but it is hard.

Thanks for replying everyone!

MM

xx 

[catchpole]

Im on Tamoxifen and agree iuve never heard of not drinkig alcohol.  Good grief im not giving up a glass of wine like you say keeps you sane,  I shall mention it when start rads,  What do our helpful ladies on the helpline say,have they ever heard of it.., When i met up with my dear friend who has had ovarian cancer and is also on some kind hormone pills, we did share a bottle of wine at lunchtime, though neither of us normally drin k then, We just felt we wanted to celebrate our survival,!  I do have an alcohol free day a week now and i often just have half a glass apart from weekends when ill have a whole glass, but to give it up altogether. no i think thst would be too much to ask,Surely it would say on leaflet with pills if you shouldnt drink.  I now look for lower alcohol wines anyway at home but if out a bit difficult. What next is this damm disease going to stop us doing.junw

[MysteryMouse]

Thanks Kim68.  

MM

xx

[Jobey68]

It definitely helps with the stress! I'm not normally a huge drinker either but this has tested me to my absolute limits and if it wasn't for being able to drink and relax I would have gone insane, I only saw my oncologist last week so it's still fresh in my mind, she did make me laugh when she asked how much I drank! I said maybe a couple of bottles a week and she said is that between you? (Hubby was there) As if LOL! was prob on more like a bottle a day when first diagnosed!!!! You enjoy your wine and don't worry, I will be xxx

[MysteryMouse]

Thanks Kim68 for replying so quick.  There always seems to be something else to worry about.  Yes, I agree it helps to keep us sane and I want to be able to enjoy a glass or 2 of wine with my husband at the week-end.  I have re-read the leaflet in the Tamoxifen pack and no-where does it say don't drink alcohol but there is lots on internet saying not to.  My Oncologist certainly did not tell me not to and I would have hoped she would have done if it was so important.  I had already asked her about drinking during chemo as that was a 'worry of the month' back then and she said that was fine.  God we have been through so much and I want my life to be as 'normal' as possible and having a few glasses of wine certainly helps with stress! 🙂  Everthing seems to make me paranoid now 😞

MM

XX

[Jobey68]

I've been on it for a month and I still drink, oncologist said to limit it to 2 bottles of wine per week but never said not to drink, it's the only thing that keeps me sane!! Xx

[MysteryMouse]

Help!  I am now panicking!

I started taking Tamoxifen back in February and I was not told not to drink alcohol and even the enclosed leaflet doesn't mention it. Now a friend who has been through breast cancer and is also on Tamoxifen says she was told not to drink any alcohol at all. Whilst going through chemo and rads I asked about drinking alcohol and was told it was fine and no-one discussed Tamoxifen with me as I was just given the prescription. Of course I have now read loads of things on the internet and am worrying myself sick.  I am not a big drinker but did enjoy a couple of glasses of red wine on a Fri and Sat and thought I was doing everthing right and now I find this out. Thought I was getting past the worries! 😞

MM

xx