Methotrexate and alcohol.

[Hildestj]

How much alcohol is safe? I usually drink 3-4 pints beer every friday and saturday. Can I continue doing that when taking methtrotrexate, or is that too much alcohol?

[helixhelix]

Have your doctors discussed alcohol with you? These days it seems that once you have settled down on MTX they are ok with drinking up to the recommended weekly limit of 14 units.

Depending on what type of beer you are drinking your 3-4 pints twice a week could add up to 24 units - way above the recommended limit. Look at this guide to see what the difference between beers is.

nhs.uk/Livewell/alcohol/Doc...

And here's what NRAS say about alcohol.

nras.org.uk/methotrexate-mo...

When I first started MTX I didn't drink at all for about 2 months to give my body the best chance of tolerating it. After that I started drinking a glass a week, and when my blood results continued to look ok I increased to having a drink with my dinner maybe 3/4 nights a week. I rarely exceed maybe 10 units or so a week. I was told that the worst thing was to binge drink. So I think you should discuss with your doctor.

[spzgirl51]

Hello Hildestj

It is a very personal choice how much alcohol to have on methotrexate? I would say be cautious. My rheumatologist practitioner advised me that you can have up to 14 units a week ? My g.p hinted that she can tell who drinks as it can subtly affect your blood work results? I would say it also depend s on how methotrexate affects you? I found with trial and error that drinking a very small amount of a fairly low alcoholic drink gave me severe nausea. But I may have been marginally dehydrated at the time?

Some people recommend zero alcohol. It depends how well your body tolerates methotrexate and your social choices? I tend to limit my self to having a drop of two on high days and holidays. It probably best to find a balance that feels right to you?

I have found that my sensitivity to methotrexate has changed over the years that I have taken it. When I have a bad week for side affects , I would personally avoid alcohol as it would definitely make me feel worse for longer.

But , I hope things work out well for you. Give yourself plenty of time to adjust? Good luck.

[Dspooky01]

Hi,

I’ve just started on Methotrexate (3 weeks) and still have a drink but limit myself to no more than 11 units per week with nil on the day of taking and the day before and after.

I’m becoming an expert on non or very low alcoholic drinks. I haven’t found a decent wine yet but Brewdog Nanny State beer is actually quite good and Heineken 0.0% lager not bad.

Does anyone know of a good red or white wine which is either low or none alcohol?

[Appletree12345 in reply to Dspooky01]

There is 'Nonsecco' a sparkling white - ok with a splash of orange - looks and feels like a Buck's Fizz. I purchased some dealcoholised red and rose by Torres Spain but haven't tried yet. The beers mentioned by others are good plus Beck's Blue. Non alcoholic drinks seem to be increasing in range and being stocked by more pubs. Bar staff don't look at me in disgust when I order these days there is a non alcoholic 'spirit' but expensive and I haven't tried yet.

[Hildestj]

I get a bit confused when it comes to units of alcohol. There are many different guidings when it comes to this. I am from Norway, and by our definitons 14 units means 9 pints a week, 2 and a half bottle of wine. And other english sources sais this:

14 units of alcohol equal:

14 single measures of spirits (ABV 37.5%); seven pints of average-strength (4%) lager; nine and one-third 125ml glasses of average-strength (12%) wine; seven 175ml glasses of average-strength (12%) wine; four and two-thirds 250ml glasses of average-strength (12%) wine.

So I am a bit confused. Can I drink a bottle of wine every saturday, or 4 pints of beer? If I limit the alcohol to one day.

[Hidden]

They tell you no alcohol is “safe” even if you’re fit and healthy. You’re roughly drinking 16 units of alcohol a week, probably just on the safe side for a man, beyond that of a woman. I do know that several people have been recalled due to the first signs of liver failure (though perfectly recoverable from) and the reason is nearly always that they’ve had a skinful the night before testing. It does bring it home to you though, how alcohol affects a person’s liver.

I hope one day it’ll be as anti social as smoking. Alcohol contains many carcinogens, as well as having a lot to answer for in terms of domestic violence and violence towards ambulance drivers, nurses etc. After all, no man came home and beat his wife up because he had too many cigarettes!

To get back to MTX and your drinking, I got more and more blasé when I realised it wasn’t going to do me any great harm. I wouldn’t worry unless your liver function seems impaired (you’d be recalled from your most recent blood test). I wouldn’t hammer paracetamol either (Tylenol/acetaminophen) depending which country you’re from) as this, plus alcohol and MTX all make your liver work hard.