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MTX, Humira, and Alcohol

Posted , 6 users are following.

gabriellaroma
gabriellaroma

Hi everyone,

What are your doctors' opinions/ your experiences with drinking alcohol while taking these drugs? My Rhuemy suggestions minimal drinking obviously but I'm really worried about doing damage to my liver etc.

I'm not a heavy drinker by any means (less than 4 drinks a week) but find its difficult socially to cut back to zero. Plus I'm 25 years old living in Italy and EVERYONE drinks wine ALL the time!

I'm curious to know if most of you out there have just completely cut out alcohol and if you have, any tips on how to adjust to the social part of it.

Any advice is helpful,

Gabriella

0 likes, 9 replies

9 Replies

  • shaz6098
    shaz6098 gabriellaroma

    Posted

    Hi Gabriella,

    What is your MTX dose? I am currently on 25mg per week and I still drink wine. I don't get drunk every night, but sometimes, esp at the end of a working week, it nice to meet up with my girl friends and have a couple of glasses of wine.

    It's a worth noting, that you should have taken every time you get your MTX, and in doing so your Doctor will be able to see if there are any slight changes in things like Liver and kidney function test.

    I guess it comes down to personal choice. See how you get on.

    Good luck x

    • gabriellaroma
      gabriellaroma shaz6098

      Posted

      Hi Shaz,

      Thanks for the reply. I take 15mg MTX and humira. I inject on Wednesday and usually drink Friday and Saturday. I find that anything more than two glasses leaves me completely destroyed and in bed the entire next day - it's really frustrating and takes a lot of discipline.

      I usually go with wine but have you have better luck with other types of alcohol?

  • donna1952
    donna1952 gabriellaroma

    Posted

    When I asked specifically about this issue my rheumatologist said " mtx is cleared from the body in 2days, so a glass of wine should be ok" I work at a winery and the prospect of no wine was depressing....I had some beer last weekend, but the joy was kinda gone....I'm 65 and I can't imagine being your age and having to cut out completely.....

  • lol8
    lol8 gabriellaroma

    Posted

    Hi i inject 20mg weekly of mthx and was told only 5 units a week and never on or after injection day. I have kept to this for 3 yrs now and have got use to it. Any more and i feel tipsy!!!

    I inject on a Wednesday so that i can have my 5 units at the weekend x

  • kimmyr
    kimmyr gabriellaroma

    Posted

    This is all greta to know!  I am on 20mg every sunday evenign of MTX orally and humira every other week.  WHen I was just on humira I stuck to my social drinking (1-2 drinks a week), but when i started MTX I stopped all together (it also helped that I was going sugar and gluten free the month of may as well).  I would love to still have a glass of wine a week...may try and see how my body handles it.    The one thing I did notice with the MTX is my increased sun sensitivity.  I peeled for a month after a slight burn on my arms and then just had bad sunburn (i think) on my lips.
    • gabriellaroma
      gabriellaroma kimmyr

      Posted

      Hi Kimmy,

      I go gluten free as well cuase it helps with my skin with the inflammation and stomach stuff. Are you still sugar free? Did you notice a difference?

    • kimmyr
      kimmyr gabriellaroma

      Posted

      I am not sure to be honest with you.  Ironically, I started my MTX and went gluten/sugar free the same day.  bad timing, I know!  Overall, I feel a bit more energetic (but that could be due to sleeping in now that kids are on summer break) and my joints are not as sore (although as you know any given day things can flare).  I think the most improivement I have seen is in my finger and wrist hoints.  I am still gluten and sugar free for the most part, but not as strict as I was for sugar in products as I had been in May.  Sorry there is not a more straight forward answer!

       

    • gabriellaroma
      gabriellaroma kimmyr

      Posted

      Cutting out sugar could definitely help with the energy levels (no crashes). I often survive on caffeine for my longer days at work but I'm sure I'm only making things worse in the long run.

  • tony35673
    tony35673 gabriellaroma

    Posted

    Most of the RA meds warn against drinking, however, a couple of drinks per week is considered safe.   I have half nips so I can have four drinks per week.   Mind you I very rarely drink anyway so it doesn't worry me overly

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