RA on so many drugs and I just want a glass of wine ☹️☹️😩 So missing a drink at weekends !!!!

[Doughnut61]

Hi all, I am on MTX Hydro and steroids - can I please have a glass of wine?

Has anyone ?

Please advise 😘😘

[helixhelix]

Put 'alcohol' in the search box on the top right of your screen and you'll get loads of posts on the subject! It's a popular question...

They way I did it was not to drink at all for the first couple of months to give my body a chance to adapt, and then slowly add in a little bit and keep a close eye on my blood test results. So I now have maybe 3 or 4 units a week. Never the day before, the day of, and the day after MTX day. And never more than 2 units a day. That works for me and my liver - but we're all different.

[Doughnut61 in reply to helixhelix]

Thank you x how dum am I ? I'm new to this and didn't even know you could search in that box 😱

[Hidden in reply to helixhelix]

DoubleX - I did the same thing whilst on MTX, and just kept it kinda low. Then watched my blood work. Even when I did drink with it though, I didn't go wild. Just mainly a couple on the weekend when my DH (Dear Hubby) was having a drink.

[Kariss]

The guidelines say that if you must have a drink, keep it to one small glass a week! I can't be bothered with that, it doesn't seem worth the worry so I have a chunk of chocolate instead I make an exception at Christmas and have my one glass (plus my chunk of chocolate too! )

[SharonHarris1983]

Your best bet is to ask your GP for advice Doughnut61. When I was on MTX in the past I was advised not to drink above government recommended guidelines, but it could be different depending on the combination of meds you're on etc. Ask you GP, they can clarify it for you

[Philip]

I'm on the beer atm lol but not too much lol

[nomoreheels]

I'm on MTX, SSZ & steroids. I don't drink because it makes me ill, I suppose it's an intolerance but I can really understand why you'd want one specially if you've been told or thought you shouldn't, I'd be the same if I couldn't eat choc because of meds!

It really is best to ask your Rheumy. If your liver tests are ok, by that I mean within recommended guidelines, I would think it shouldn't matter if you imbibe sensibly though do remember it may give a false result & it is important because he/she needs to know if it's your meds causing problems with your liver. If your Rheumy says ok then maybe it's best not to drink on MTX day or the day before your drug monitoring bloods.

Whenever my LFT results were slightly off one of my Consultant's stock responses was to suggest I didn't drink until my next test, I guess to 'prove the point'. No matter how often I told him I didn't drink I got the over-the-glasses look & he said "not spirits, keep to drinking to wine & beer"! The one time he did believe me was when I had a really high result after increasing my MTX, but I think only because the dose was different & I was more likely to have a higher than normal result. But, hey, I knew it could only be the meds so just took his doubts with a pinch of salt, he wasn't ever going to believe me! Just proves though there's no right or wrong just that we're all different.

[Moomin8]

Hi Doughnut 61, I always ask if I can have alcohol each time I have a new medication added to the mix. With my mtx injections (25mg) I was told not the day before, the day or the day after to give my liver the chance to process mtx. With Sulfasalazine I was told it was ok- in moderation of course. With prednisolene I was told in moderation again. So as I have chosen to inject on a Monday, I might have a couple of glasses of wine on Friday, Saturday or. occasionally in the week -not often though as I'm back to work full time atm (with the help of another month of prednisolone!)

I have a blood test every 2 or sometimes 4 wks atm as I'm anaemic and still flaring after my initial diagnosis 9 months ago. I always check my ALT and that is good atm. The only time it raised beyond "normal" was as a reaction to Diclofenic.

Everyone is different and one should always follow the advise of the rheumatologist or GP, depending on the drug added to ones protocol.

We all want to get back to "normality" whatever that is to us as individuals.

As helixhelix said, I also avoided alchohol at first to let my body get used to the medication.

Good luck with your journey 🙂

[Hidden in reply to Moomin8]

Diclofenac really made me poorly; used to get toxicity all the time (feeing nauseas).

[AgedCrone]

I think on the whole it's a case of "try it & see"!(unless of course you do have other health problems )

My Rheumy just said " as long as you don't drink the whole bottle"! (wine!).

I was only taking 20mg Mtx...I had a glass of red wine most evenings & my blood tests were fine. I'm not a big drinker & one small glass a day seemed acceptable for me....but run it past your Rheumy!

Cheers Doughnut61

[smithfield]

Hi Doughnut. I was prescribed methotrexate earlier this year.unfortunately it did not work for me, but so many people get really good results taking it.

But getting back to your question. Without my asking

the consultant said to me, if you drink alcohol have no more than 4 units a week.Avoiding the day before, the day you take it and the day after to enable your liver to absorb the methotrexate. This seems to be the common sense approach most people are given.

I do not drink a lot but sometimes a chilled glass of wine is a treat. I prefer the low alcohol 5.5% volume. It tastes the same and is in my view equally enjoyable.

[sylvi]

I had to give up alcohol a year before my ra diagnosis and have since been told i could have had ra a lot longer as someone said that alcohol keeps ra down. I don't know about that,but i do know ra hasn't been kind to me since i stopped and it didn't come on its own. I am sure if your very careful a couple of drinks won't hurt you,this is my personal opinion.xxxxx

[Cornishrex]

My own rheumie said a small glass of wine a day would be OK. He was old school. I ended up having a glass of wine every day other than the night of, and the night after, MTX night. I kept a close eye on my blood results and I took a herbal supplement every day to help support my liver. I was only on the MTX for around a year, but I didn't have any adverse effect that I felt (or saw in the bloods). As others have said, you probably need to see how your body copes with the MTX and then what shape your liver is in.

[anne999]

I was told i could have up to 10 units a week.

[Hidden]

Oh I do miss my glass of wine, so much....maybe one day I'll be ok to have a glass again....

[Grayling]

I was the same when i started on my RA jabs (MTX & Humira) frightened of what the booze could to my liver, but over the months i had my favourite drink a G&T, very weak and boy was it good with no side affects, but it was not a license to go mad. I now have a tipple once a fortnight and look forward to it. We have got only one liver so lets look after it, if it means giving up the booze so be it.

[Doughnut61]

Unfortunately my liver readings are always above normal even without the odd tipple ☺️

[Grayling]

Well that's good isn't it, I've just received news that my mother had only 6 weeks to live after a stroke, i don't smoke so I had a couple stiff ones and gave blood the following week, only to be told that my liver markers were up and to cut out the booze, hell you cant even drown your sorrows. So take care, I'm going to do.

[Hidden in reply to Grayling]

Oh dear. Sod medical advice, look after yourself in any way that works. Take care x

[Hidden]

I’m not a drinker, but I do have a drink on occasion. Just drink lots of water the following day to help flush your system. You can’t give everything up. We have made enough concessions x