alcohol post tx but before svr

[bpspoiler]

Would it be okay to drink wine after I complete tx? No more than a couple of glasses!  I have type 2b and have been undetectable since week 4.  My liver enzymes are normal and my pre-tx ultrasound showed no damage. I have never been a heavy drinker.  
I will finish my 24 week treatment next week and my husband and I are planning on renewing our wedding vows and taking a second honeymoon.  I would like to enjoy a little wine during our vacation.

I would like to know:

1) Will consuming the wine bring back the virus/cause a relapse?  
2)Or is the issue that I don't know whether or not I have SVR'd and would be drinking with a possible active virus?

I realize by posting this question on the internet I am asking for many a lecture.  If possible, please refrain.  I just want an answer to the question and my doctor is always in such a darned hurry.  I won't see him again until 3 months post tx so I would like to know the knowledge that some of your might have.  Thank you all and many blessings to each of you....

[keepingOnkeepingOn]

A couple glasses of wine and I'd be half in the bag and falling down.  It's your call. You know in your heart what the right thing to do is.

[LivinGood]

Hi bpspoiler,

I too share your concerns and my liver health is pretty much the same as yours. The three biopsies I had showed no fibrosis and only mild inflammation. My enzymes were almost always within normal bounds and my viral load very low every time it was checked. My symptoms on the worst days were just a feeling of being run down and I still get that post Tx. I was HCV undetectable two weeks after starting Tx. In short, I have been lucky as it sounds like you have.

There was a time in my life, when I was young and stupid, that I drank regularly and probably more than is healthy even for a non HCVer. That is ancient history and I never had a problem stopping for a while which I think is a good idea for anybody who drinks more than once a week (a month of abstinence every year is good practice - you can be sure you don't have a problem unless you pine away for a drink every day). I stopped during Tx and have stayed abstinent for a month after Tx ended - 16 weeks. I found this to be of little consequence other than a couple of social gatherings I went to that I had to explain that I was on meds and would not be drinking.

I don't think a glass of wine or two is going to make any difference and what little in the way of studies on this backs up my opinion. There are those who will say "why would you touch a drop after you have been so lucky to live this long and then eradicate the virus?" To each his (or her) own. For some of us, the occasional drink of wine to celebrate a special occasion or just because, adds to the enjoyment of life. For others, it is an invitation to disaster. No one can decide what is best for oneself other than them self. Others may have an opinion, but unless they have studies to back it up, that is all it is; "opinion".

Bottom line is that there are no studies that show it will cause relapse, you are otherwise healthy and your liver appears to have escaped with little damage, you are obviously concerned enough to ask the question and so, by my measure, you probably don't have a drinking problem or you wouldn't have asked, and you feel it would add enjoyment to your life. My situation is quite similar and for what it's worth, I celebrated with a couple of beers after my last check-up. Congratulations on your upcoming anniversary and for successful Tx!

[snakeplissken8011]

I agree!. I USED TO BE type 1b, I am a month post TX, have been virus free for 6 months now. Last weeek I decided to have a beer at the local pub with some old friends. I don't think it will result in a relapse. If the virus is gone, its gone. If it is lurking inside, when I find out I will not drink a drop and will try the next round of drugs coming.
I was never an alcoholic, having a glass of wine or a beer is a part of life I enjoy and I thank God for allowing me the opportunity to be virus free and enjoy responsibly!

[Anne1717]

When  I drink, I break out in spots - Sully's Tavern, Joe's Bar and Grille.................

[Mary4now]

as far as I can tell, I'm done with drinking, would I say I had a problem, oh no, i just enjoyed it a lot, I stopped when it started not feeling good anymore.  
I think a couple of drinks is fine, I for one at 61 yrs. have had enough to last.

[working dog]

my x did 48 weeks tx about 10 years ago...she wasn't a big drinker before but did like a couple glasses of wine maybe once or twice a week...after tx she waited maybe a year then would once in a while would drink a glass or two...not anymore...her body just can't take it... says its from the hep....she did have hep real bad back in 70 so maybe that messed up her liver really bad...so if your body reacts different to alcohol after tx your not alone...good luck...billy

[Anne1717]

Good luck to you and I hope it's a good hearty red with which you will celebrate and please raise a glass to the rest of us yet to finish tx.  We'll be there in spirit.  

[bpspoiler]

Thank you to everyone for your candor!  I was very nervous about posting because I've noticed, in the past, people make assumptions there are those of us out there just looking for permission to drink alcohol.  I have never had a drinking or drug problem so moderation is not a problem for me.  I also have no signs of fibrosis nor am I cirrhotic so I'm very lucky.  I truly appreciate your well wishes and hope nothing but the best for all of you!  Blessings...

[lovebird99]

Alcohol will not bring the virus back.  The only risk is that you might be drinking while you have active virus.

I hope you get your SVR.  If I ever do I am going to have a glass of champagne to celebrate.

[Junebug812]

Anne, well said. So many grey areas that it's dangerous to put all of us in the same basket. I like how reasonable this thread is when it could have easily gone a different path. Bspoiler, thanks for having the courage to bring up this topic.

June

[Magnum]

My Gastro and I discussed the alcohol question. I told him that for my mother's birthday I would like to drink a couple of glasses of champagne. He didn't think that was a problem. I'm waiting to treat and am considered mildly cirrhotic, so I don't know about under treatment or post treatment or in a drinking mood, but seems that this small amount of alcohol can't turn the tide of this disease one way or another.

Let's be sure we understand his reasoning. A birthday comes once a year, as does Christmas and New Year's Eve. So if you add that up to six glasses of champagne per year, I'm sure that any liver specialist will say this will have no effect on the current state of the liver. However... if you drink two glasses a day, then I will pray for you because at that point you are asking for trouble. Otherwise, it's up to you...

Magnum

[Junebug812]

Hmmm, maybe I should be more concerned about radioactive sushi rather than hot sake. Nah, the government says it's all ok. They wouldn't lie....right?

;)

[Anne1717]

I sometimes feel that there is an automatic assumption that if you have HCV then you are an alcoholic and fall into the group of "you must NEVER touch alcohol AGAIN."   It is the same as saying that if you have HCV, then you must hav contracted it through drugs.  There are so many gray areas.  
Believe me, I understand that alcohol is poison to some as it has ravaged our family.  My fayjer has been in AA for 45 years, a brother who got sober on his own, and still another brother who will die an alcoholic.  I have a healthy fear of wha it can do and the utmost respect for those who have had to give up an addiction.

Having said that,  many people on this site are not addicted to anything and should not have to be held to an unreasonable standard.  I am not an alcoholic and if I was, my dad would be the first person to drag me by my ears to meetings.  And, being newly diagnosed and acute,  I have the liver of a baby, no damage or compromised liver in the slightest.  So, any standard applied to a heavy drinker with stage 3 cirrhosis,  should not be applied to a tee tottler who wants to have a glass of wine on their anniversary.

We are all well meaning supportive people, but when it comes to this issue, we paint everyone with the same brush, so much so that no one dares to ask a legitimate question.

My heart goes out to those so sick with addiction.  I am too familiar with what it does and the havoc it creates.  But please don't lump everyone unfairly.  Once I am done treating,  I plan to celebrate and that celebration will include a rack of lamb and a St. Emillion.  And,  my dad will be there cheering me on.

[mikesimon]

Sure you can have a drink or two but Junebug - you better be careful with that raw seafood.

Mike

[Junebug812]

I agree with the other comments. I for one plan on "celebrating" with a glass of wine once I'm done with tx. I think it's important to take into consideration some of the things mentioned above such as having problems with alcohol in the past, amount of liver damage, etc. Since I have little damage and have never had a problem with alcohol, I feel fine about having wine once in awhile when this is all said and done. And I look forward to a cup of hot sake with sushi. It's just not the same experience without it!

Best of luck!

[jusjames]

cant see it being a problem having a few drinks

[pjxak]

Just one study....

Drug Alcohol Depend. 2010 Jul 1;110(1-2):167-71. Epub 2010 Mar 23.

Treatment outcome in relation to alcohol consumption during hepatitis C therapy: an analysis of the Swiss Hepatitis C Cohort Study.
Bruggmann P, Dampz M, Gerlach T, Kravecz L, Falcato L.

ARUD Zurich, Konradstr. 32, 8005 Zurich, Switzerland. [email protected]

Abstract
BACKGROUND: Adherence to hepatitis C treatment is influenced by alcohol as is the action of interferon; yet the clinical significance of the latter remains unclear. The aim of our study was to investigate the influence of ongoing alcohol intake on sustained viral response (SVR) rates in adherent patients receiving hepatitis C treatment.

METHODS: A retrospective analysis of patients treated with antiviral therapy for hepatitis C infection who were enrolled in the Swiss Hepatitis C Cohort Study was completed. Patients were eligible for the study if they had their HCV RNA tested 6 months following treatment completion and at least one cohort follow-up visit during HCV therapy, documenting the consumed amount of alcohol. They were assigned to three groups according to the amount of alcohol consumption: group A without alcohol consumption, group B 24 g/d alcohol.

RESULTS: 554 patients were included. Patients with at least 80% of the scheduled cumulative dose and duration did not significantly differ between the three groups. SVR rates according to alcohol consumption were 60% for non-drinkers (group A), 57% in group B and 50% in group C. No significant negative influence from alcohol consumption during therapy was observed in the multiple regression analysis for treatment success.

CONCLUSION: In this evaluation, we demonstrated comparable SVR rates in non-drinkers and in patients with daily amounts of alcohol intake up to 24 g during hepatitis C therapy.

Copyright 2010 Elsevier Ireland Ltd. All rights reserved.
PMID: 20334985 [PubMed - indexed for MEDLINE]

[can-do-man]

Wishing you the best and ENJOY

[willbb]

  "Now if you were going to kill a gallon of Port,"

  LOL



bpspoiler: Congrats on  finishing tx. and enjoy your honeymoon

[Mary4now]

have you had a problem with alcohol in the past?  
why dont you consider stopping after all this time without?  have a nice glass of non alcoholic spritzer?
alcohol has destroyed so many lives and livers,

[Bali05]

the argument against drinking alcohol before SVR is achieved is that should you
relapse despite good odds will you blame the alcohol ?

[SusieS2010]

First of all, congrats on being so close to the finish line. The question you ask was asked of one of the top docs in hepatology at the American Association for the Study of Liver Disease (AASLD) in Boston, last year. His response was that there is no data on the amount of alcohol that is safe for  a person with hepatitis C. It depends on so many things....the amount of liver damage, the amount of alcohol, how often one drinks, etc. He said that even for a person with cirrhosis, a very occasional glass of wine is not harmful. One should never drink on an empty stomach and one should try and have some water or juice, after the drink. He said that doctors rarely tell patients that an occaisional alcoholic beverage is ok because they don't know how people define "ocdaisional" or "small" amount.

My personal opinion is that if you can trust yourself to have just one and not make every occasion a special occasion, it is ok to have a drink after treatment.

Have a great vacation. You deserve it!

[R Glass]

1) Will consuming the wine bring back the virus/cause a relapse?  
NO

2) Or is the issue that I don't know whether or not I have SVR'd and would be drinking with a possible active virus?
IN MY OPINION!  With minimal Liver Damage, an occasional couple of glasses of wine are not going to do any significant damage to your liver even with an active virus. Now if you were going to kill a gallon of Port, my answer would be different.

"I realize by posting this question on the Internet I am asking for many a lecture.  If possible, please refrain"
Hopefully the Hyenas will stay at bay. Awhile back, a lady asked a similar question and before it was over with she was accused of being an Alcoholic. Needless to say, she was offended and never came back.

[Bali05]

I would not drink alcohol during detox from tx but in the end it is a personal decision.
Hey let`s all move to a muslim country that might solve the alcohol problem :-)