MTX users.....Do you drink? | Arthritis Information

I have been on MTX for 1 Year. It has completely changed my life. I have a bit of morning stiffness in a few fingers and minimal other aches and pains at times. At first I was very good at following RD's suggestion of no more than 2 alcoholic drinks per week, (he is my age). I interpreted that as I would have a total of no more of 8 or so per month, going some weeks without while once or twice a month having a more than two on social outings with friends and family. In my circle it is constantly around me and a big part of every occasion. My last Appt in April I brought it up to him and spoke honestly and openly about it. He said that he had patients who drank and that they were still ok. I expressed that I would like to be able to have more if I wanted, I am not a big drinker but there are times that I do like to indulge - I don't get sloberring, slurring and staggering and am responsible about the whole drinking and driving thing. He just said that as long as my blood work came back I could try it...... I was just wondering if there were others out there like me who choose to do their own thing? On the other hand I do sweat it out every 8 weeks for those lab results, and worry I'm on MTX and Orencia. My rheumie said "occasional drink" is okay. What's occasional? I used to have about 2 glasses of wine a month.....but for the last two labs, my liver numbers are off. I haven't had anything since the first lab. Just took my 3rd lab on Friday, I won't know until about Wednesday. When I saw him last appt, he said that my 2 glasses a month did not infuence my lab....but for me, It is not worth having it. AND....my social group always drinks. Martini's before dinner, wine with dinner...My life has changed since RA....socially it's a bummer to not have anything. NO, I'm not an alcoholic, NO, I'm not a big drinker, but not being included just plain sucks.

Please be careful drinking....2 drinks a week sounds like a lot on MTX.

I'm not a big drinker, but I do like to have a couple glasses of wine occasionally. Last week we had a bunch of family over and I made up some pina colada slush and had 2 ( I think )to drink. There was a fair amount left over so on Friday, I had a friend of mine over and we both each had 4 drinks. Now, I probably won't have anything to drink for a few weeks. That's usually how it goes for me...I might have a few drinks at a get together...then nothing for a few weeks. So far (I've been on mtx for about 17 years now) I haven't had a problem. But I also know that that can change.I'm on MTX and Simponi (and others) and I don't drink at all. At one time I was having a couple glasses of wine on the weekends, but my LFT's were always moderately elevated. I haven't had any wine for the past year, and my LFT's are now always WNL. Drinking is not worth the risk for me, as I know I will probably be on all these meds for the rest of my life.Hi Bonnie

We had an RA support meeting last month and the speakers were 2 rheumatologists. One of the ladies brought up this same question and the reply was ideally you can have up to five units in a week. The lady said she could do that in a night easily. The Rhuemy asked her how long she'd been on MTX shed said 4 years. He asked her how her liver function tests were. She said they were fine as far as she knew but she relies on her GP to tell her otherwise. The rheumy said that if her liver function tests were fine specifically the ALT numbers then her liver was obviously coping with it. He reiterated that ideally its 5 units a week but everyone is different and so you have to be aware of what your body can tolerate.

He said that the reason you have to be careful is because if you flare and your liver function test results go ballistic then they wont know whether its the alcohol or the medication.

Hope that has helped.

My RD said that it was up to me and how my LF tests came back. I have at the most 2 drinks a week, usually a beer or a glass of wine. Maybe once a month I'll have a martini. In 4 years I've had one slightly elevated LF, had it repeated the same week and labs were normal. For me it's very easy to have no more than the recommended amount. I just remember the pain prior to MXT and I don't have a problem with having 1 or 2 drinks. If it came to the point I couldn't drink then so be it. I'd rather not drink than jeopardize my liver or have to stop my medication. Remember you LFs can be elevated due to diet also. LindyGot a question? How many alcoholic drinks are in a pint?

I have not drank anything alcoholic in over a year. So... I am no help.I rarely drink...and while I've never been a big drinker I did stop when I began MTX. Of course that was 20 years ago and much less was known about long term use. If you are a regular drinker you may want to bump up your blood work to every 4 weeks instead of every 8 but let your liver and your dr be your guide

Not a sip. Ever. I can't stand the taste of alcohol, in any form. I make up for it, however, by smoking an obscene amount. I was on MTX for 5 or 6 years. I drank on a regular basis. Rarely if ever did I get drunk; but anyone that's drank on a regular basis ;that means you could have at least three without "getting drunk" and then you go into this sort of gray area. Sometimes by the 4th I'd have a pretty good buzz....sometimes; not so much. You have a higher tolerance when you drink often I think.

I don't mean to sound like a lush; but I did pour a glass of wine the minute I walked in the door from work; Every night. Often it was just two.....and on weekends; maybe more.

My liver test were always fine until that last year. When they first came back elevated we reduced the MTX. Advised not to drink and not to take any tylenol. I followed that warning to the T. Nothing from then on; but still taking MTX at a slightly lower dose. I retested in a few weeks and again; they were elevated. We reduced the MTX; no wine, no tylenol. Long story short; we evenutally stopped it completely and waited a few weeks. When it still came back elevated they did an ultrasound of my liver and found nothing so they sent me to a GI doctor that deals with liver and stomach stuff. At this point I'd probable been off the MTX a month or more. They retested the blood work and it was back to normal. Had they been elevated that time I would have had a liver biopsy; which I hear is no fun at all.

Luckily for me I was also taking Humira so although a little rough RA wise at first; I adjusted to being off the MTX. I've done well without it; Although not as well than I did with it. I've choosen not to take it after that scare. I do like to have a drink and at this point I'm happy to be off of it. IF at some point I begin to do very poorly again I'll restart MTX again and I'll probable drink but I will be far more selective as to when I do.

The reason we go for so many blood test is so that they can catch problems early. If you keep up with your blood test more times than not they can correct problems by stopping medications....or habits.

I enjoy some beers or some good glasses of wine on occasion prior to MTX. .....

I sincerely miss it...I enjoy the taste of a good beer and a good red wine....... but I rarely drink now.. I believe in two years I've had less than 10 glasses... my blood work has always come back great for the liver...

I have a lot of parties this fall... and a wedding in February... I'll save my celebrations for then!!

This is a big worry of mine as well. My circle are all drinkers and my husband. My doctor says I shouldn't drink. Then he said 2 a month would be OK.
OK
That is not realistic for me. I had always been a martini every night at 9 PM and then on the weekends more.
This is part of my life and I really resent giving it up.
Now that summer is here and BBQ's and social things are happening- and there is laying by the pool days...
Well on both Saturdays and Sundays I have been having 2 glasses of wine with dinner and a Martini or 2.
Am I scared- yes. Especially when usually when this question is asked here it is answered by a majority of people who do not drink at all or very infrequently and most don't miss it at all. It makes me feel like a lush.
It's so hard to be around my friends otherwise and my husband too! He continues to drink all week and I feel so left out.

I do enjoy my red wine, so worried like others when I started mtx. My doctor is fine with moderate drinking and tests are done every 8 weeks. The first few months, I only had 2/week to see how tests were doing. After about 4-6 months, I increased to 4/week. I save my wine for the weekend (mtx on Wed) never drink day before, of or after mtx.

I've now been on mtx for 2 1/2 years and my levels have been well within normal limits. I've asked my doctor three times if 4/week is fine and she has no problems with it. If the levels increased, I would just need to back off. I would quit the wine if I had to choose between mtx and wine, but glad that I don't need to.

No.

I love the taste of rum drinks like Strawberry daquiris etc, and I used to have maybe 3 or 4 a year.. Now, I have everything virgin.. A virgin Tom Collins is awesome.

I HATE wine so thats not an issue, although my extended family are real wine people. They never said a word about it.

Mark doesnt drink at all, I'm talking he can go 5-6 years without a drop and then he might have a half a beer. So its not like we miss it as a couple thing.

Thanks Sno- you have pegged my feelings! I just want to feel like "ME". I always stay far away from my MTX days and drink lots and lots of water the day of and after having drinks.

I also can't help but wonder if the doctors aren't being super conservative when they are talking drinking and MTX for RA- vs. drinking and taking mega doses for cancer.

After all- they claim that the side effects they warn about for the biologics really are meant more for the cancer patients who take them.

I've been on MTX for nearly a year. I have liver function tests every three months. So far they have been fine. I drink three glasses of wine per night on the weekend and one on the weeknights, for a total of 12 or 13 per week. My doc has no problem with it. Actually I started drinking more when I developed RA due to how nicely it supplements pain relief (Relafen). I was taking huge doses of ibuprofen before diagnosis. If my LF tests show up bad, I will worry about it then.I don't think you sound like a lush at all, WTBRAF. I drink a few (large) glasses of wine on weekends and once or twice during the week, and I don't for a minute consider myself a lush, either.

I haven't started MTX, and at the moment am feeling pretty good without it, but my RD said only 2 glasses a week. That may be the reason I have been postponing starting it. Getting blood work this month, and if the inflammation numbers are elevated I guess I'll have to bite the bullet and begin MTX. Don't know what I'm going to do about the wine, but I doubt I'll keep it at just 2/week.

My doctor never had a problem with it either....and even when my tet started coming back elevated all he said was to halt consumption until we had this worked out. Provided you are getting your blood work done on a regular basis they will see (most) problems long before they actually become real problems. Well ol' wannabe just got back from her bi monthly blood work. Drank a lot of water this morning....we'll see what the tests say...I have never been a much for alcohol but I do like a daiquiri every now and then. Once I started the MTX the RD said no alcohol. I have tried the virgin daiquiris and they are pretty good. So really haven't felt to awful having to give the alcohol up. That and I was scared to tempt fate.
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