Hi all,
I’m fed up with reading how drinking wine can cause breast cancer, everytime I reach for a glass of wine (weekends only) I feel really guilty. Just wondering if anybody else has carried on drinking and past the dreaded 5 year anniversery, without a reacurrence.
Many Thanks
Hi there,
why do you feel guilty about having a few glasses of wine? - if you stop/avoid/cut down eating and drinking everything thats supposed to give you breast cancer you would die from dehydration or starvation before you died of cancer! If it gives you pleasure then carry on - a little of what you fancy does you good after all! I drank wine before, during and after diagnosis and continue to do so as I am a firm believer in enjoying myself whilst on this planet - especially after having to go through breast cancer! I am nowhere near the 5 year yard stick and dont worry about getting there either - what will be will be and if I do get a recurrence then so be it - but I certainly wont think my drinking caused it.
Bottoms up!
Clarabelle x
Yep, as I did before. Its too late now anyhow and I dont need to be made to feel like I brought this on myself! Maybe once I get through treatment I will reconsider what I eat/drink/smoke etc but for now getting through this as best I can and don’t need guilt on top of it! I could never have drunk/smoked/eaten too much of something and still got BC, I refuse to sit and wonder whether I caused this myself. I am only 3 months post dx so can’t say if I will be drinking 5 years from now, somehow I think I might!
Yep…I am 6 yrs from the mammo that detected my invasive tumour, and have drunk white wine virtually every evening, except when on FEC chemo, when I lived on Fortijuice, ( a hospital prescribed nutritional drink) ginger beer, and occasionally a finger of Stone’s green ginger wine topped up with lots of ice and ginger ale. I used to call it my “chemo cocktail”. I had no solid food during FEC as I had severe diarrhea - sometimes in the street! My sister is almost an alcoholic, so if drinking alcohol causes breast cancer, she would have had it years ago - not that I would wish this disease on anyone. As far as I know, I am now NED and had no recurrence. My hairdresser is and always has been, teetotal, and she has had breast cancer, and a recurrence.
Well,I’m a guinness drinker and thought nothing of going to the pub for a couple of pints even during chemo.I didn’t give up anything except dairy- but thats another story.If it’s not the guinness I liked a nice bottle of red -up until a couple of months ago when a friend told me about a programme he’d seen on television about what actually goes into most bottles of wine these days -all sorts of rubbish!!! I wish I’d seen the programme but if it’'s put him off drinking wine(and hes alcholic) I’ll just stick to the guinness.By the way I’m 5ys post dx this month(hurray!!!)
I still drink wine and don’t intend to stop just because I have cancer. I wouldn’t say that I drink a lot but its something that I enjoy doing with my OH
I drink a couple of glasses of red every night with dinner. I used to sometimes drink more, but have cut it down.
I also smoke. I haven’t cut out dairy from my diet, I have osteoporosis and have to keep my calcium intake up. In any case, why should I live my life with no little pleasures?
xxx
Was so glad to read all your comments as I too have carried on enjoying my wine despite a few guilt pangs brought on by the relentless media coverage of what you should and shouldn’t be eating/drinking to prevent cancer! You need to have something to relieve the stress brought on by this condition. I am in the midst of treatment for the second time and at no time has anyone said I shouldn’t be enjoying my wine! xx
I had a peroni beer last night. The fifth anniversary of my diagnosis is on Friday.
Mole
I like my wine and sometimes also wonder if I should be drinking it, but then haven’t stopped dairy either. I think if wine was the cause of our problem it would be acknowledged by the professionals, although my cons said to maybe cut down diary. Eat/drink everything in moderation and I dont think you can go wrong. Enjoy!
cheers Angela x
There is a chemical called ‘resveratrol’ which is found in red wine (and red grapes, also cherries I think) which has anti-cancer properties.
The problem with a lot of the research is that it isn’t drink specific, it tends to lump all forms of alcohol together - it is possible that red wine protects, whereas other forms of alcohol are bad. No-one knows for sure as the research to check this out isn’t being done.
When I asked my onc the dairy question, he said he had no opinion on dairy, but that I should drink red wine.
I haven’t stopped drinking red wine. I don’t smoke (gave up nearly 4 years ago) and don’t go out much. I love friday nights…shower, pj’s chill with wine and a magazine.
Not going to give it up
Anita
Ihave just finished chemo and waiting to start rads at the end of this month. I have not given up drinking wine or smoking,although will try again with tha cigs after new year. My cousin died of breast cancer 18 years ago and she dodnt drink or smokeIt is hard enough going through this without giving up one of the small pleasures i have left . CHEERS
Yes I drink wine every night and still smoke (though am going to try again in the new year to stop).
Wendy 8 and other smokers do you think we could open a thread in the new year to try and support each other in giving up?
Normski
Bottoms up!
Thats a brill idea lets do that
I too drink wine almost every night but unlike everyone here on this subject I am worried to death - so why do I do it?!!! Any philosophies to pass on??
I have done a lot of research into alcohol and BC risk, and APPARENTLY sufficient folate intake from food (not sure about supplements) cancels out the oestrogen production (which wine produces), Mine was oestrogen positive. I am on Arimidex (anastrozole) which stops the oestrogen production. Anyone have any more info on this?
I am due for my one year review on 11 Dec. and being a natural worrier anyway, am dreading it. I am considering not having a mammogram as the affected breast still hurts a lot. Mine was detected in November 2007on routine mammo. and when I was called back for a repeat, the pain was so excrutiating that I could not bear another one, and my surgeon, in whom I have tremendous faith, did the lumpectomy without a further mammo. Anyone with similar experience on this?
Love to you all. This site is such a tremendous help. I don’t know how I would cope without it.
Yes I was similar to you. Oestrogen positive, Lumpectomy August 2007 and went for my 1 year review Mammo in July this year. I also was not looking forward to it as my breast was still tender but it was O.K. I was recalled for the OTHER breast and was more frightened than the first time. It turned out to be normal breast tissue, I think they were just being cautious.
Please don’t cancel your Mammo, just tell the Radiographer that your breast is painful, she will understand. Maybe you could ask your GP or ONC for some strong painkillers to take before you go.
As to the wine I beleive you can take Folic Acid to increase your folate intake but thats all that I know ( or possibly want to know), head in sand and all that.
Take care Kookey
Normski x
Hi, re smoking, I have tried (and failed) several times since my DX and am thinking about having another go during my next painfully sore mouth week following my 3rd FEC next week cos I don’t know why I am doing it cos it hurts so much.
IF I don’t succeed (and I know its not a positive start, expecting myself to fail) then I would be happy to join a thread in the new year. Please lets not make it a new year’s resolution (I hate them) and give up on the 1st Jan, we could all pick our own dates as the support for each other would be the same or a mutually agreed date.
I think if I go for it then I might just keep it private between us and me cos the one thing I hate the most is the other people tutting when I fail. My OH is a smoker and won’t give up so it will make it harder but I am willing to give it a go.
I may start off seriously cutting down in the run up to an agreed date as I found when I last cut right down the 5 a day I had I REALLY enjoyed and realise that the other 15 fags in the day are just habit! There I go, thinking about ciggies and I am lighting one up!!
xx
I know my start date will probably be 5th January when I return to work after Christmas. I still have patches from the last time I tried and also the chewing gum. I succeeded for 11 months about 5 years ago but tried again last year and failed miserably. When and how should we start this any ideas? Wendy 8 is also interested so we are a trio at the moment. Maybe we should move to another thread with a better heading for our case.
Moderator what do you think?
Normski x
x
Hi Normski
If you would like to start a thread about giving up smoking, you are quite welcome.
Kind regards and best of luck to all of you who wish to give up. Hopefully, working together to support each other will help you succeed.
Louise
Facilitator