Just wondering, who drinks alcohol whilst having chemo treatment and what are the guidelines.
My oncologist said a glass of wine with dinner at night was fine…binging not such a good idea (which I figured for myself).
However - how many of you still fancy the odd glass and what effects does it have?
Hi Pheebster.
About a week after my chemo i’m back on the wine. some days I might have half a glass and other the whole bottle. It dosnt seem to have had any effect on me.
Julie
Hi: When on the Epi part of the E-CMF, any alcohol tasted vile for the first week, after that it was OK. OH would open lovely bottle of red and it was vile to me so he had to drink alone - poor thing! Did try to cut down to give my liver a chance to deal with one poison at a time. However, have returned to normal now- couple of glasses with dinner but have not had any spirits. I have been OK all the way thru - started chemo on 28 May and finish 25 November - no sickness or anything - very lucky me. My BCN is convinced I am an alcoholic but something has got to get you thru all this, just don’t overdo it!
Good luck.
Julia
I have been drinking all the way through (ok so I have only had 1 FEC so far) and all seems fine and no adverse side affects from the drink 
me too Kyhra.i like my 2 pint tins of carlin a night,then carried on going to my local working mens club,every sat and sun ,night were i lose count ha ha (about 8 or nine halfs i think.got told it was ok to drink in moderation lol
You go girls! I thought I would get replies along the lines of…“are you stupid”!!!
I only drink wine and the occasional lager, so no worries about spirits. I was hoping I would hate it and hopefully lose a couple of pounds, but looks as though it’ll be business as usual!!! I’ll be in the middle of treatment over Xmas and New Year, so at least I wont be unable to enjoy a few slurps!
Carrieann - you are an inspiration - do you think your success has something to do with your mindset - are you very positive?
I was fine drinking wine with dinner most days but the main things you want to watch are:
dehydration: FEC really makes your mouth dry for example so you need more water than usual.
acid reflux: Some days I was jsut so acidic that wine would have been a really really bad idea.
I had my first FEC yesterday. The nurse suggested staying off booze for a couple of days just in case a wine-fuelled hangover masked genuine symptoms. She said that by next week there was nothing wrong with a glass of wine or whatever else I fancied with dinner. Just not binge drinking, but other than the couple of weeks between my dx and op, I haven’t been a massive drinker on the whole anyway.
For the first 10 days after taxotere, red wine (my usual tipple) just takes like vinegar so I’ve had to adapt my palette to a sweeter type of white wine (asti spumante is my favourite). Having said that I usually try to avoid ALL alcohol for the first week, just to give my liver a rest and also because I generally have to take such a concoction of other tablets I’m never sure if the mix with alcohol is good.
After a recent bad spell when I was on antibiotics, the night I finished and felt so much better (after being on them for 3 weeks) I thought I’d celebrate, the wine was tasting good and I did so enjoy it. After 3 glasses, unfortunately I was a little bit tipsy, couldn’t walk properly, slurring my speech and boy did my head go round and round when I went to bed. Consequently I spent half the night speaking to the toilet!
How strange, I haven’t been sick once on chemo yet red wine…I was disappointed with myself too, after only 3 glasses!
Cheers everyone!
Hi Pheebster: Hate to say this but the “positive” word brings me out in spots! Hate it along with being “Strong” and “Fighting it”. However, yes I guess I am positive about getting thru this thing on the simple basis that I have no choice. I don’t want the bloody disease to kill me (I’m 61) so I have to put up with the poison and chip fryer (chemo and radio).
Certainly working all the way through this has really helped – it gives me a reason to get up and out in the morning. The next thing is to get my sorry ass into some exercise classes. We are away in the Lakes next week but after that will start moving.
Have a good weekend and enjoy your favourite tipples!!
Julia
Sorry about the positive word…it is a cliche, I agree.
Too long working in the medical world myself!..getting swept along in the jargon!
Shall we just agree you have your head in gear and put two fingers up to the negatives?
I agree with the fighting it phrase…load of b>>>>>>>s
Perhaps we should start a special BC b"llshit bingo thread for all the words and phrases that everyone hates to hear so much. My particular hates at the moment are “brave” and “courageous”.
I can’t sleep, wish it were because I’d had a delicious glass of Cloudy Bay and was praying to the porcelain god, but alas, it’s just restlessness.
carrieann
It was good to read about the lack of sickness you experienced, as I will be starting chemo soon and I really hate being sick , so I hope I am as lucky as you
Adoch: When do you start? I am 16th
As encouragement to all my drinking buddies out there…1st week after epi I really don’t fancy much as everything tastes so weird, maybe the odd sip of cointreau to wake my mouth up.After that, back on my usual G and T’s, two a night usually. I’m sure it’s bad for me, but I do love a wee GandT!!!
Loathed lingo: thinking positive, fighting battles, brave, inspirational, example to us all, you will win, congratulations, doable, mopping up cells, she didn’t deserve it…
Jane
“But you’re looking so well”!!!
(Feel bl**dy awful…)
Maybe when my hair falls out I’ll get more sympathy!
All I keep getting is ’ you’re doing so well ‘…doh! That’s because I don’t stop moving, can’t ponder, can’t dwell on what may or may not be and basically run around like a blue assed fly just to keep my mind active and work off all the bleedin’ wine I’ve been shovelling down my neck because it makes me feel more “positive” but ultimately fatter!!! urgggggggggggggh
I had my first FEC on Thur and don’t feel like drinking at all - that’s a first! Bloody heartburn, ewww
Totally agree ladies I am sick of people saying “you look so well” (god only knows what I looked like before as I have now put on weight am bald and the eyebrows are on the way out) the only advantage with having a chubbier face is it masks the wrinkles! the other sayings are “you are so brave” “positive” like heck I have no bloody choice I am not brave I am frightened I am not positive I feel weak and negative but I will get through this with gritted teeth as all of you will because we want out lives back.
Cat as for the not sleeping I find a small mug of warm milk with 2 teaspoons of manuka honey helps with the restlesness. Hope that helps. As for booze I haven’t really fancied it (I do normally drink) but will be looking forward to my glass (or bottle) of champangne when I get to the end of the treatment.
Bev