Question about alcohol consumption - Advanced Prostate...

Advanced Prostate Cancer

20,782 members25,890 posts

Question about alcohol consumption

snoraste profile image
38 Replies

I'm hearing conflicting opinions about alcohol consumption - and of particular interest to me, wine consumption.

My dietitian's opinion was this: If you don't drink wine, don't start now. But if you like it, limit it to two glasses a week.

I'm reading other dietitians' opinion, and I see variations from absolutely zero, to one/two glass a day.

Curious about your experiences/thoughts on this.

Written by
snoraste profile image
snoraste
To view profiles and participate in discussions please or .
38 Replies
spinosa profile image
spinosa

boy - I would think...2 per day, no more than....seems the standard. Maybe smaller than usual glasses, so you don't feel as deprived?

snoraste profile image
snoraste in reply to spinosa

I'm trying to get a better feel for the alcohol/sugar/carb interplay in wines/liquors. Whiskey and vodka have no sugar or carbs, but are high in alcohol. So is it better to drink whiskey? or we should avoid hard liquors categorically and stick to very dry wines although they have sugar/carbs? Maybe I'm overthinking the subject.

Dr_WHO profile image
Dr_WHO

On the weekend I have a glass of wine with my wife, put a fire in the fireplace and listen to a 40/50 year old LP. For me this is my best treatment for cancer.

in reply to Dr_WHO

Let it Bleed.

in reply to Dr_WHO

What's the point of living if you have to give up everything? The goal isn't to die with a body in perfect condition, it's to live life to the fullest. I figure if I do it right, everything will be completely used up when I die. Why leave anything for the worms? Life: use it or lose it.

Dan59 profile image
Dan59 in reply to Dr_WHO

Red Wine has a lot of antioxidents, and I had read it could be very beneficial in moderation. Here is an old one that some would dance to. dailymotion.com/video/x2nztrc

I love wine but find I really can't drink much of it without feeing the negative effects. Alcohol causes inflammation, so if I am having any kind of pain it makes it worse for me. Having some kind of back pain is becoming the "new normal" for me, although it's minimal.

I only drink half a glass of wine occasionally. And make sure I don't drink any for at least one or two days after. Alcohol is a toxin to your body, but one I also happen to enjoy. I have to listen to my body which tells me it's not happy if I drink more than a small amount. One more thing I've had to give up. Such is life with cancer.

spinosa profile image
spinosa in reply to

cutting down is not giving up! Savor that smaller amount!

Thanks. I've really drank quite a bit of alcohol in my life. Not an alcoholic for sure, but far from a tea-totaler. My liver is OK as far as I know, but probably "high mileage".

jkholmes profile image
jkholmes

Well after talking to my dr he said anything in moderation . Have read that red wine might have some benefits. I have a few drinks whenever i feel like it. I do this in moderation. I exercise and eat well. With all the drugs in me the last thing i worry about is a few drinks. It also relaxes me and makes me feel normal. Its my life and not giving in to cancer

snoraste profile image
snoraste

looks like the time tested methods of moderation and watchfulness work best here as well.

As far as injesting toxins goes, it's pretty hard to beat injecting pure cytoxic poison directly into your veins. If chemotherapy didn't kill me, I can probably handle some wine here and there.

BigM62 profile image
BigM62

I would worry more if you are on treatment with risk of liver issues. Like chemo they carefully watch your liver function. But if you are cruising with ADT, i would enjoy as desired - knowing the sugat content is definately not helping.

Apollo123 profile image
Apollo123

I drink occasionally but overindulgence on a night out before Christmas (it was great I totally forgot I had cancer) where I drank normally as I would have when out with the lads before diagnosis left me in a state. It was like my liver couldn’t tolerate it and I was on the verge of going to the hospital, the low mood that follows a good drink isn’t worth it now. I occasionally have a drink but no more big nights out on the pop with lads, I still go but drink a third of what I used to. I probably have a glass of wine every two weeks because I feel almost tee total now. I have never had a bad experience from 2 glasses of red wine 🍷 So as long as you aren’t on liver effecting medication I’m sure you can try a glass or two and see how you feel afterwards. 👍

Overindulgence has to be avoided now for me too. Advanced cancer and alcohol in large quantities don't mix well from my experience, especially with some treatments as you indicated. Drinking too much is like buying on credit. You definitely pay later and with interest.

in reply to

I loved drinking, super bowl wedding 4th new yrs. I was a happy drinker with cohorts , made me gregarious and outgoing. Against my normally shy social footprint . I quit cold turkey with kidney failure. In fact 3yrs ago on superbowl night I could not pee and this saga began for me . Last New Year’s Eve I drank happily from a single barrel,jack Daniels reserve. Buenisimo, like a fine scotch, I was a scotch guy .It was the first time that I had a drink after neauphostmy tubes and such. I was with a friend and my family snowed in a tiny cabin in the mountains. Was great fun. This new year ,I had been having nausea for a month and that day I could not eat..We had everybody at our house again. I, had a drink at night fall ,then shot off some major fireworks. Got sick , puucking then dry heaving.. Happy New Years! In the morning sick as a dog up chucking green bile ,my stomach lining.. I am the one person out of millions of people with hangovers on New Year’s Day that say “ I’ ll NEVER! Drink again that really means it.. I never really liked the taste of beer or wine except the $$$ very expensive “chateau la feits” and such . So I now will have a glass when out to dinner with friends or one drink socially , but I will not drink to get high.. I actually used to,think that I ate well and lived a fairly healthy lifestyle. In reality over 40 years ever since I took my first sip of beer I was an ocational weekend warrior. Can’t stand that next day feeling.. when you are youngin your own mind you’re invincible,,,in reality it’s those life long bad habits that add up not your favor.. Until APC I lived my life of Eat Drink and Be Merry , I still believe this holds great merit. Also I was a bit of the 60 s 70 s 80 s 90s the 2000 s And the 2010 s at least five decades of the that theory Sex , drugs, and rock and roll,. Now you can just call me No Mo Mo Joe .. ... I still have fun .. alcohol is out for me.. no mo desire for that either... Better in every way ....

Chiquis profile image
Chiquis

My Husband Ken, has been having problems to sleep for quite some time. He talked to his Medical Oncologist about it. To our surprise, He told him... go the old fashion way with whisky and coke before going to bed. 🤗 He said that it will be better than prescribing sleeping pills for him. We aren't really going to be doing it though.

Sincerely,

Erika

in reply to Chiquis

If you have access to high quality medical cannabis, I can recommend that from personal experience. If you do, get a good indica and take a small amount before bed. I had some stressful times where I could not sleep. I used very little and slept really well.

Neal-Snyder profile image
Neal-Snyder in reply to

I second Gregg's motion. A few tokes before bedtime have helped me go to sleep for decades, & in recent years, it has been medical cannabis. Since I found out I had advanced PCa, though, it takes a smoke AND a trazodone AND listening to music (on headphones, so I won't bother my wife).

Shooter1 profile image
Shooter1

Had my once every three week beer with mex.food for dinner last night. Onc. told me, one beer or 1 glass (not bottle) of wine with dinner on third week after chemo. OK>

Doug

pjoshea13 profile image
pjoshea13

About a year ago, I posted:

"Foods/Supplements-Vitamins: Alcoholic Beverages"

It would not have included an Australian study from September [1].

The study is of interest because it looked at "the risk of aggressive prostate cancer" [APC].

"Beer intake frequency of ⩾5 days per week was associated with increased risk compared with no beer intake (odds ratio=1.66 ...)"

HOWEVER:

"wine was protective at all frequencies of consumption compared with those with no wine intake."

The glycemic index for red wine is close to zero, so it isn't a bad carb [LOL]. The ethanol appears not to be a PCa problem at all. I drink rather a lot of red wine & I'm still here after 14 years. I doubt that red wine makes much difference one way or the other. Pampered vines have no reason to produce grapes high in protective resveratrol.

I have a hyperactive liver. The sedative used in colonoscopies has no effect on me. I was given an extra dose during my last procedure, before it was aborted. My designated driver wanted to take me home so that I could sleep off the effects, but we went to a nearby restaurant for lunch & I had 2 glasses of wine. I was not at all sleepy that afternoon.

I mention this because I don't believe that there is one-size-fits-all recommendation. And also to point out a potential problem for habitual drinkers - rapid clearance of meds.

-Patrick

[1] ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pubmed/284...

Burnett1948 profile image
Burnett1948

Burnett1948.snoraste I have struggled with having a red wine or beer both of which I like. I have about about 2 half classes of white wine a week now. I found that alcohol is an irritant which seemed to make my incontinence worse. I sleep better and I believe (rightly or wrongly) I have more energy.

erjlg3 profile image
erjlg3

I questioned Dr. Myers about this because of Elgie's alcohol intake. I don't remember his exact words but he said It wouldn't affect the cancer. Just his opinion.

in reply to erjlg3

Very funny!

paulofaus profile image
paulofaus

What's life without a drink I say. My body doesn't like excess so I try to limit to two drinks and only a couple of nights per week. My days of 'having a bender' are well and truly over.

auroracham profile image
auroracham

My Dr at MD Anderson says cannabis has a drug interaction with Zitiga, so I stayed away.

in reply to auroracham

Much respect to you , never heard of marijuana having an interaction with any pharmaceuticals??

auroracham profile image
auroracham in reply to

Just what my prostate specialist at MD Anderson told me, not my personal opinion. They are number one last I checked.

in reply to auroracham

I understand it wasn’t your opinion .I had not heard of that before. You are lucky to have a number one team. That is fantastic. Thank you!

I believe that we should all embrace life and enjoy the gifts that god has provided for us...this is a hard road we are all on and for me, i choose to try to live as normally as i can. We all have to deal with this shit in our own ways but we have a common bond. Enjoy all things in moderation, enjoy the days. "What may be good for one man,may not be good for the other".

milto27xabc profile image
milto27xabc

Stop smoking,stop drinking ,exercise,lose 20 pounds, take drugs that have all sorts of crummy side effects---and your life will be miserable but you will have followed orders. I drink 2 oz of good Canadian rye every night--been overweight all my life, exercise, don't smoke, have had high blood pressure for 40 years, am borderline diabetic am on Lupron and zitiga and was diagnosed in 2005 with lymph node enlargement in 2007, Am 85 PSA 0.6 and testosterone <0.1and still here , so go figure. Good luck.

in reply to milto27xabc

Canadian rye eehh.!!!! We love our neighbors to the north...

Shooter1 profile image
Shooter1 in reply to

A little red wine is good for mind, body and spirit. We still have a life to live. Glass of wine last night with ribs and good south of the border dark beer with Mex food night before...chemo today and off them for next 2 weeks, just won't taste right. .

Doug

in reply to Shooter1

A bohemia sounds good. Take care the next two weeks. Much success with treatments.Hope it goes well for you. Hang in there ....

TNCanuck profile image
TNCanuck

Thinking that alcohol is a particularly bad combination with Zytiga, which has a fairly high risk of causing liver damage.

pete0550 profile image
pete0550

A couple of articles from my UK newspaper which may help you find some low alcohol wine. I have searched over the years for a decent low alcohol red with disappointing results. I've found low alcohol sparkling wine to be very palatable and I agree with the writer that there are some great alternative non/low alcohol beers. However I agree that the reds are getting better and there is definitely a wider choice over here. Good to see that the alcohol industry is taking more seriously the notion that there are many of us who would like to enjoy a decent wine without the side effects of a moderate/high alcohol content.

theguardian.com/lifeandstyl...

theguardian.com/society/201...

Break60 profile image
Break60

I drink at least a bottle a day . Probably not good but I’m living life.

Bob

j-o-h-n profile image
j-o-h-n

I'll drink to that...HIC

Good Luck and Good Health.

j-o-h-n Wednesday 01/31/2018 10:21 PM EST

You may also like...

What about alcohol?

in your life.\\" I was honest with him, and he put no restrictions on me. If you enjoy(ed)...

Questions About Lupron

the ADT? 3. Have 1 glass of red wine a day and an occasional beer. Does alcohol increase the side...

Questions about assembling a care team

How does a second opinion work? Do you tell the first doctor? If they disagree and you like the...

Alcohol, Dairy and Occasional Sweet? What's the Verdit?

I'm wondering if consuming an occasional glass of red wine (or even a beer) can make cancer progress

Question about bicalutamide

My PSA is 0.66 now. The low was 0.5, and most readings (six (weeks and quarterly) have been 0.6...