Mixing alcohol with Prednisolone.

[Jayveedee]

Has anyone got views about drinking alcohol while on Prednisolone, can it affect the symptoms of PMR or the side affects of Pred? Speaking as a white wine lover!

[123mossie]

I’ve had moderate amounts of alcohol, it’s had no effect on pmr but the weight gain is noticeable. On the days I have a glass, next day 1lb gain😕

[Billiebobdog in reply to 123mossie]

Ahh that explains it! Couple of drinks this week and up went the weight, pretty sure it had nothing to do with going over board at the restaurant we went to as well! 😂

[Kendrew]

I only have a drink to celebrate a birthday, anniversary, Christmas/new year, etc and even then I don't really have more than 1 or 2 glasses of wine. No ill effects but it's always best to check with GP or pharmacist if you're taking other meds too as can effect the absorption of some of them as well as increasing or decreasing the effectiveness of some medication. Everything in moderation!

[SheffieldJane]

I haven’t come across a definite warning about moderate drinking with Prednisalone. However, I think both substances together can be harsh on the stomach. I am avoiding it for this reason. It’s a shame, I like white wine too. It used to be fine.

[Nextoneplease]

Sadly I find that wine tends to make my arm and shoulder muscles scream!!! However….in celebrating a birthday last weekend, I tried a sour cherry negroni (gin and Campari based I believe) and found half a glass quite soothing - and it didn’t cause pain 😊So I don’t know!

That said, I drink alcohol only maybe six times a year, half a glass at a time….it has hurt my joints for years 🤔

[squashie]

My daily glass of sparkling, or white or red (with the very occasional extra one or two) doesn't seem to have any effect on me.

[piglette]

Whenever I have a new medication it is the first thing I check, is it OK to have alcohol! Pred seemed fine.

[Bcol]

I don't have a drink every day but not had any adverse effects from red or white wine.

[MamaBeagle]

I allow myself to drink at weekends....no problems.

[DorsetLady PMRGCAuk volunteer]

First 6 months on high GCA doses I gave up completely……but then had the occasional drink, no discernible adverse effect. Although, as stated, moderation would be wise.

[Coffeebeans]

I'm not a big drinker anymore because in the early days of PMR alcohol would really make the pain worse the next day. I could minimise the pain a little if I woke in the middle.of the night and literally down a pint of water - I think dehydration played a big part.

Since I got below 10mg, I can have a few drinks without any issues. You will have to see how you go but it's good to know that if the pain is variable there is a possible culprit.

[Daffodilia]

I think pred can affect digestive tract so alcohol can make that worse so I avoid - May be a few drinks in three years as I tend to get upset stomach

[Arflane97G]

When I first for PMR I completely lost my taste for tea, coffee and alcohol! After a few months I tried a glass of wine and found it really strong so stuck to one glass on a Friday / Saturday night and really enjoyed it!

[SnazzyD]

There isn’t a direct contradiction but this doesn’t mean caution doesn’t need to be heeded in my opinion. From 60mg to about 30mg I didn’t drink at all and then only had two small glasses of wine a week. This was partly to keep the carbohydrate level down in my diet and partly because alcohol is a toxin, plus the harsh effects on the stomach and I didn’t want to give my body any more to deal with than it had already. The trouble with alcohol is that you can be oblivious of ill effects which can accumulate or be subtle which can be overridden by the need or like the person has for it. Now even off Pred, I don’t drink in the week and share half a bottle of 11-12% wine with my husband over 2-3 days at the weekend, except on holiday when its a heavenly glass a day. I avoid any alcohol above 12.5%. I absolutely love wine but my body doesn’t always deserve the extra load from it. Alcohol is one of those things that can make people think whatever they like about it, so looking at the dialogue one has around it can be revealing as to whether one knows it’s not a good idea but trying to make a case for why this time it’s a special case.

[Hidden]

I changed from white wine to gin and slimline tonic. Gin is anti inflammatory and low calorie! 👏🏻😀

[Jayveedee in reply to Hidden]

Can’t stand gin!!

[Hidden in reply to Jayveedee]

😩

[Sharitone in reply to Hidden]

But I believe gin is an anti-depressant for some people, so maybe not that great for a lot of people in this forum?🤔

[LBM1953]

HI. Before PMR I used to have a bottle of beer most nights and sometimes my wife and I split a bottle of wine over a weekend, so nothing excessive. My early days of PMR meant I didn't want any alcohol at all!!! Was in Cornwall for two weeks beginning of September and maybe had one drink a night (maybe one and a half some nights) with no ill effects. Back home I maybe have the equivalent of 10-14 units a week with no ill effects). I have been avoiding beer (mostly but not completely) because of the carbs element. I have decided to try and get back to as normal a life as I can without taking any undue risk or excessive anything!! LBM1953

[SID3]

I have not cut down noticeably on my 14 units of wine a week since diagnosis in May - now down to 9mg a day and a bit sore in the shoulders first thing, but am otherwise functioning, including playing golf once a week (admittedly even worse than before). I got through a tough ank spon period in my 20s by exercising through the pain, and was OK from 30 to now (72) so have decided to keep going normally as much as I can until the body tells me I'm wrong.

[pigeonstreet]

I have two glasses of red wine every evening and don’t have any noticeable effects. I think that it’s important to hang on to things that give pleasure considering how the world is shaping up.

[Jayveedee in reply to pigeonstreet]

Couldn’t agree more!

[PMRpro Ambassador]

Hasn't stopped me - though a bottle does now last 6 days, a mini of prosecco fills the Sunday gap. No effect on weight or anything else. Pre-pred though my evenings were notably less painful once I'd had my glass of wine with dinner (larger in those days).Wine seems fine - but G&T seems to make my atrial fibrillation worse - I generally have lots of short episodes rather than a big protracted one that needs hospital.

[jinasc]

PMRpro will tell you I was known as the 'Brandy Queen'. Those Medieval Monks knew a thing or two about medicines: 🤔🤔 ( Had been a G&T no ice or lemon gal - had to stop that grr. )

Medieval Monk taking his medicine.

[PMRpro Ambassador in reply to jinasc]

It's not as if you drink a bottle a day - do you?

[Jayveedee in reply to PMRpro]

Not every day lol! 🍾

[PMRpro Ambassador in reply to Jayveedee]

That was me having a dig at jinasc

[Jayveedee in reply to PMRpro]

😂

[jinasc in reply to PMRpro]

Just half 🤗😈🥃🥃 Cheers and chin chin 🥂🥂

[cycli]

Like a whisky mac in the evening. Glass of wine with meal, but not every night. I don't drink a lot but I enjoy a tipple. Had no noticeable affect so far. But as Snazzy says it does tend to help you feel that

[winfong]

Unrelated to pred, I totally gave it up last year when I developed PMR/GCA. Those 2 made me feel bad enough that the idea of any alcohol was simply not appealing at all.

Around the holidays, I started to drink again, but had to give it up after a diverticulitis attack. I doubt I'll ever take it up again as I've just got too many conditions and take way too many pills.

[Captainjonny]

I picked this from reporting of a 2004 clinical trial, albeit about atherosclerosis ... "Conclusions: Both wine and gin showed anti-inflammatory effects by reducing plasma fibrinogen and IL-1alpha levels. However, wine had the additional effect of decreasing hs-CRP, as well as monocyte and endothelial adhesion molecules." Don't ask me about the details but it's enough for me to enjoy my red wine at the weekend!

[Carver63]

during the first 4 month on Prednisone i consumed alcohol and gained 28 lbs. I quit completely in September of last year and have had less issues with side effects of Pred and lost 10 of those lbs. So my experience says i will stay off Alcohol until i am done with Prednisone.

[PMRpro Ambassador in reply to Carver63]

I have tried no alcohol, no gluten, no nightshade veg - and some other tings. The only thing that has really made a difference is low carbs - with limited alcohol as a result. And low carb meant weight loss - and I still managed some wine.

[Karenjaninaz]

Alcohol turned on me in 1986 so I have been totally absent since then. My heart used to race in the middle of the night after a bout. I developed an allergy. So my life basically is alcohol free and one gets used to it and doesn’t miss it; it has other pleasures. I have hypoglycemia normally and alcohol would’ve made it worse. Now that I have adrenal insufficiency I have to have a special diet to keep my sugar from dropping from carbohydrates. The alcohol would’ve been a problem for that too because it will drop the blood sugar as it is a carbohydrate. We each have our own path to best enjoy life.

[Jayveedee in reply to Karenjaninaz]

Thank you,

[Meggsy]

Love my weekend bubbly or sometimes a scotch or two. I eat low carb and have never put on any weight. I actually lost weight during a recent bout of shingles.

[LemonZest11]

I love wine, I have at least a couple of glasses every night, it's the only fun left. Hasn't impacted on my progress at all. But I'm not advocating my recalcitrant behaviour for others! 🥂