Interferon and alcohol interaction

[cgcheets]

Hi all! Since starting Pegasys about a year ago I've found that I struggle to drink alcohol anymore. I've never drunk heavily (would drink on average twice a week, and up to 2 glasses of wine or a few beers per time) but since starting interferon, even drinking just 1 glass of wine is unpleasant! It makes me feel lightheaded, nauseous and as though the room is spinning. Any previously 'pleasant' effects of drinking no longer occur! It also knocks me out for the next day, even if all I have is 1-2 glasses. The result has been I've pretty much stopped drinking (which has come with lots of perks!) but I just wondered if anyone know the mechanisms behind this? Is it simply dehydration, or something else? It does tend to be worse in the few days preceding my injection but can be any day.

[Scottishterrier]

Don't know if this helps maybe mine was to do with the three clots to liver prior to getting put on Hu I have et jak2+ but since that many years ago I can't even have a glass of sparkling wine at Christmas I feel sick as a dog after drinking so since then I totally avoid alcohol must be something to do with the drugsStay safe

Scottish terrier xx

[Otterfield]

I went off alcohol completely after having viral myocarditis in 2016. Then in 2019, staying with friends, I had a couple of glasses of wine (to be polite - silly me!) and had the mother of all hangovers the next day.

[Hopetohelp]

Now I have always liked a drink, although I cut down dramatically when diagnosed. The peg didn’t affect this until after a year of taking peg . Generally alcohol is still fine and still get a little buzz but after about an hour I start to feel like I want something to eat and i don’t fancy the alcohol much😅anymore. I always drink loads of water with the alcohol . I guess it’s a good thing we don’t fancy it as much as I am sure it won’t help dehydration and probably with our condition we shouldn’t drink at all but it’s a risk I take regards quality of life and all that, and I do enjoy a little tipple to relax at the end of the week.

[hunter5582]

The interferons and alcohol can both be hard on your liver and kidneys. Caution when combining them is a good idea. For a variety of reasons, some people may be more sensitive the the effects of combining the two.

I did find this caution noted.

If you drink alcohol, dizziness, drowsiness or lightheadedness may be worse.

myvmc.com/drugs/pegasys/

I expect for most of us, a little alcohol with Pegasys/Besremi is OK, but little means little. Be kind to your liver! And kidneys.

[Solyesh]

Same here! I used to have a couple of glasses of red wine a week (loved) and I no longer can do that. If I have even a half a glass of red wine I start feeling "off" ..it is no longer pleasant - feel heavy, lethargic...less so with white wine and harder spirits..but in general I have more or less cut alcohol out almost completely (once a week a glass of white wine and when on vacation ;-)) I have had liver sensitivity to Peg so perhaps that is part of it (although my MPN specialist said that he did not think my level of drinking with the Peg would do any additional damage to my liver). When I got my first high liver readings, I did stop all alcohol 100% (my ability to stay on Peg much more important than enjoying a drink once in a while) but slowly added back the glass a week and saw no difference in the numbers. Do yo have regular CMP to test liver, kidney levels?

[cgcheets in reply to Solyesh]

Ahh yes this sounds really similar to me. I've also cut alcohol out unless special occasions and even then will only have one drink. Yes I see my Haem team at least every 3 months and have regular bloods and my liver/renal function is always fine. As you say very poignantly - it's more important to stay on Peg than have a glass of wine!!

[Wyebird]

Hi no such side affects for me on Peg

[jon1972]

I have made the same observations as many of the above. Champaign makes me want to die with incredible hangovers, red wine puts me to sleep, and harder spirits seems to have the least affect. I haven't noticed it affecting my liver counts that much though

[EPguy]

I looked up alcohol and very excess drinking. This is not your question and it's a really bad idea, but in total non-seriousness, it seems overdoing it can improve MPN blood counts.

"The Hematological Complications of Alcoholism"

pubs.niaaa.nih.gov/publicat...

<<diminished RBC production ...A decrease in the number of WBC’s..., and impaired platelet production>>

Reads like PV therapy, but of course a really bad way to get there...

--

In seriousness, I have always been super sensitive to alcohol (and any drug) , more than 1/2 glass left me trashed. Since my Dx it's just sips, and INF has even reduced that. Maybe being sensitive to drugs can help MPN therapy response.