How do you good people get on if drinking Alcohol, should it be avoided altogether ? I read somewhere that a couple of glasses of white wine is ok for your lungs, I do enjoy a beer but I'm not big on it normally maybe one day over a weekend, I had 3 pints of lager yesterday the first drink I had in week's, and I woke up during the night not feeling very well, palpitations a bit but I managed to calm myself down, it may have just been coincidence, but if that's the way it's going to be with Bronchiectasis then I will just pack up altogether, as it's no real big deal, my health is more important. What are your thoughts please.
Written by
TG58
To view profiles and participate in discussions please or .
Your health is more important TG58. Could the alcohol be reacting with any meds you take?
Pete doesn’t drink as it makes him feel unwell. He has sarcoidosis and COPD.
Take care xxx
Hi TG58. I have had bronch all of my life. I enjoy a little glass now and then and it has never had any affect on the bronch. Everything in moderation.
Forgot to say that there us one antibiotic that you really can't have alcohol with. Metranidozole. Projectile vomiting is immediate. Usually I don't feel like drinking alcohol if I am poorly enough to be taking other antibiotics but my consultants have always said that a little bit is ok. Your choice.
Yes I never drink alcohol when I'm taking antibiotics for anything, I did it once when I was a lot younger with horrible results, I learned my lesson on that one ☺️
Always best to be guided by what you know suits you. X
I used to enjoy a pint of real ale, a malt whisky, g&t or a chianti... but now I don’t drink, think as sassy59 says, it’s the meds, I take quite a lot now. I don’t even fancy a tipple! But if you enjoy it & it doesn’t affect you, I think a couple of drinks helps you relax & will do you good. But as Hidden advises, avoid avoid if ever you’re on metronidazole! Avoid for at least 48hrs after the course. I once had a small glass of chianti the next day & was so ill, never again
Have a look online with a drug interaction checker ( with food, supplements and alcohol ), list the meds you take and see what comes up. If you cannot get to a pharmacist.
Its the fiz that affects us most including that in Beer. Also excess alcohol could be detrimental not just for breathing but other health issues as well.
At least this is what is recommended for COPD I suspect it would be the same for bronchiectasis, I have both Bronchiectasis and emphysema (COPD) I do enjoy half bitter occasionally and also a glass of wine on separate nights, but have to admit I don't ever go over 2 these days even when celebrating.
Bronchiectasis and COPD both can experience difficulty breathing if the volume of food or fizzy drink is quite high. I would say possible 3 pints of beer not such a good idea, but perhaps one with a meal, and another away from any meal you may be able to tolerate.
I know some men with COPD have still somehow managed to go to beer fests but like anything else, some may be effected and others not so much.
Good point, maybe 3 was going it a bit after a period of abstinence, TG 😂 Your alcohol tolerance has probably reduced. Also some of these lagers are quite strong.
i couldn't possibly comment hic strangely the more i drink the better my breathing becomes.perhaps it's just the relaxation effect,i might add that drink and any forms of medicine are not good bed fellows and you bronch people have to take quite a lot of strong antibiotics and drinking would probably dimmish their therapeutic qualities?
I can't drink as much now as I used with copd. I am on various meds and a couple of inhalers. I am fine with a couple of lagers twice a week but notice I get too drunk if I have 3 now.
I remember being out 1 night and had 2 lagers and 3/4 shorts and I was quite tipsy. Anyway when I got home I couldn't breathe very well and got a bit panicky. So I came in here freaking out and fortunately (it was 1 am) several members were on. Lovely Jennifer (who remembers her? She also did the birthdays before Cas) took over and was brilliant. She talked me down and said she would stay with me all night if needed! After about an hour though I was feeling much better. I will never forget that and also a couple of others too.
I was gutted when she left the site and still think fondly of her. If I remember right several of them left over the same incident, Velvet and Mmentzer (?). Can't quite remember why. x
Thanks for all the pointers/feedback, I am not on any antibiotics at the moment haven't been for a couple of weeks, it could of just been a fact of over doing it, I am on some newish meds for my acid reflux the GP changed them midweek as I was worried acid might be getting into my lungs, it's just a temporary measure for a month to see how I get on, I also take statins although I ive never had a problem with them, I have a fostair inhaler which I had to take about 3 in the morning when it happened, I guess I will just have to keep an eye on it, I think I really need to see a bronchiectasis specialist as I was only diagnosed back in April so it's all relatively new, and I do find GPs seem to have different opinions, although I don't hold out much hope of seeing a specialist anytime soon, unless I go to A &E which is the last place I want to go right now, it's all very stressful sometimes and quite overwhelming trying to keep calm 😒
A new diagnosis is always difficult because we need to adjust lifestyle so much and learn what works and what doesn't but you will get there, just keep reading about it and other peoples experience and advice.
You might want to check out this website too for more resources and information:
Are you by any chance taking Metoclopromide for your reflux problem? I was on it for 3 yrs and you definitely shouldn't drink alcohol with that. It was wonderful for the reflux, though. xx Moy
No I haven't taken that one, I normally take esomaprazole, but that was changed last week to pantoprazole just to test it out for a month, GP said it might be better if acid is getting into osophegus and lungs, so early days yet, but thanks for mentioning it.
I occasionally get night palpitations for no apparent reason. Had them twice recently which may be down to the hot weather. I tried a lighter counterpane at night which seems to have worked.
I have a glass of wine with my meal every day and it hasn't hurt me at all. Don't forget the influence of the weather. Large amount of cold drink + hot weather is more likely to have an effect
Everything in moderation as the saying goes, maybe go for 1-2 pints or glasses of wine next time and see how you get on.
I cannot tolerate more than a couple glasses of bubby or no more than two G&Ts. My partner calls me a lightweight when it comes to alcohol LOL
I find that it really affects my breathing, overall health, stomach and takes me 2/3 days to recover from any drinking (even if I have only one which is probably twice a year anyway!).
When I think back thirty years ago how much I drank socially only, after work drinks, doing out partying etc and what I drink now which is barely 1-2 glasses if something a year!
If I have any alcohol at all I tend to drink lots water before bedtime so I don't feel so bad in the mornings and always make sure I have eaten something or stomach will suffer the next day.
I do find that if I am fighting anything else in any other area if my body, it nearly always affects my lungs anyway which is obviously my weak point.
I also have Bronchiectasis.
Enjoy life but be sensible.
Take good care 🌈
As gastric reflux is often a problem/cause of exacerbations in bronchiectasis and lots of us take omeprazole to deal with this, I always make sure I have my glass of wine early in the evening, around 6.30pm and no later, so that any gastric irritation should have disappeared by the time you go to bed.
Yes I normally take esomaprazole for reflux I also have diverticulitis, last week the doctor asked me to change the esomaprazole to pantaprazole for a month to see how I get on, as I was worried about acid getting into my lungs, I think the pantaprazole are more specific to the osophegus, it's obviously early days yet as I only started taking them last Wednesday, and I had this episode on Saturday after a drink, I have noticed my chest hurts a bit sometimes when I take deep breaths since Saturday although it's not constant, I'm going out for a long walk today so will see how I get on, although pollen count is high today so I don't suppose that will help as I get hay fever as well, here's hoping ☺️
I’d be much more suspicious of the meds reaction than of the bronc itself. I am currently on no meds for bronc in between exacerbations (although constant set of stuff for heart) and I can happily have a (fairly weak) G & T, OR a glass of red wine OR a cold beer with no problem at all. White wine has a less good effect, and champers or prosecco will have me feeling headachey and a bit breathless after only a couple of sips, so I avoid them. Obviously, it must be the type of fizz in champers which is the problem - different from in tonic?
I've got bronchiectasis but am not on any medication for it currently. I drink wine several times a week and have not found it affects my breathing at all.
Interesting about the acid reflux treatment. I was on Lansoprazole but had to stop as my sodium levels became too low. I am using an "alternative medicine" for it these days. Apparently you shouldn't be on Lansoprazole indefinitely; I'd been taking it for a very long time.
I was on Lansoprazole for a while, but I had to go back to esomaprazole as the Lansoprazole wasn't strong enough, from what I understand esomaprazole isn't good long term either. Someone once mentioned to me it can cause cancer, although I never looked into that, so not sure.
I've never heard that.. People say all sorts of things! Ranitidine was found to possibly cause cancer recently.
Try giving up drinking altogether, it can worsen the effect of being unwell. I wonder if you were a bit dehydrated from the booze, had a bit of a panic attack.... drink does not always work so well when on various medications... maybe have a chat with your G P... they will phone you at home during these difficult times.
Six year sufferer of bronchX - still relatively mild, but on a slow downward slope. I'm the main organiser of a group of social drinkers and runners (Hash House Harriers) here in Thailand where I moved on retirement 12 years ago for a second life and what turned out to be my first family blessed of children.
In spite of that social drinking background (and in spite of being a former CAMRA* member) I have never really been an alcohol abuser, but I used to enjoy getting a bit merry-but-not-drunk once or twice a month - say 4 pints of real ale, or its wine equivalent, over a half day or evening - but overall averaged out at the recommended max weekly units (24 units*, I think it was?).
I've found that as my bronchiectasis has slowly progressed and, as more recently I've had a bypass op and take more drugs, I don't feel good after drinking to merry-but-not-drunk status, so I've cut back. I don't drink at home anyway and I'm limited to a couple of pints equivalent or less on my 2 or 3 weekly social visits to expat bars and not much more than that on my once-a-month hashing event. Reckon I average out at 10 units a week now. OK - I have drunk a bit at home during stay-at-home-isolation but only 5 units a week for the last 3 months!
I guess I would find it harder to cut back if British real ale were still easily available to me! The beer in Asia is the usual industrial alcohol known as lager.
Listen to your own body and resist the temptation to copy the crowd would be my epithet for alcohol.
* For our non-Brit readers CAMRA is Campaign for Real Ale and units (of alcohol) are used to recommend healthy consumption limits - measuring alcohol consumption where half a pint or a small glass of wine is one unit.
From what I understand beer, because of the Barley is not good for you. According to some websites a glass of Red Wine ie Cabernet Sav because of the oxidants is the better drink, one per night with a meal should be ok. That is as long as there no conflict with meds.
Yes I think wine would be a better bet than lager because of the gas, I did read white wine was ok as well, I am not a big drinker never have been, so fortunately I wouldn't have one every night, normally just over the weekend Saturday or Sunday, after this event though I may leave it as still not right, I think I might have to start antibiotics again 😒
Content on HealthUnlocked does not replace the relationship between you and doctors or other healthcare professionals nor the advice you receive from them.
Never delay seeking advice or dialling emergency services because of something that you have read on HealthUnlocked.
strangely the more i drink the better my breathing becomes.perhaps it's just the relaxation effect,i might add that drink and any forms of medicine are not good bed fellows and you bronch people have to take quite a lot of strong antibiotics and drinking would probably dimmish their therapeutic qualities? 
Active breathing and bronchiectasis
Bronchiectasis and Haemophilus Influenzae
Bronchiectasis & Atelectasis update
