What About Drinking Alcohol with Hepatitis C

What About Drinking Alcohol with Hepatitis C

12 step hepatitis c alcohol
While you are on Hepatitis C treatment, you need to focus..

I speak from experience. My dad was an alcoholic with with hepatic encephalopathy, ascites, portal hypertension, and was in a hepatic coma for a month at one point. He pulled out and lived for another 25 years.  What About Drinking Alcohol with Hepatitis C,  and I cite a study below with higher death rate for Hepatitis patients who drink. 

We know that the Hepatitis C Virus attacks the liver. If you get rid of the virus with Hepatitis C treatment that is awesome!  Your liver gets a break and NO more damage – unless you drink or use drugs. If you take meds to control Hepatitis B, and take vitamins that are safe for you, and live a good lifestyle, it can be helpful too!

Alcohol and the Liver

Drinking alarms and inflames your liver. It is a double whammy if you have hepatitis.  If you are at any stage of Cirrhosis and have Hepatitis C, then drinking beer, wine, or any alcohol is like throwing gasoline on a fire. You may have to make some changes.

A word about Cirrhosis No one can tell exactly how fast damage happens, because everybody is different. I never drank after that first drink of Boone’s Farm and Miller ponies. I did not like it or what it had done to my family, so drinking was out of my life. When I was 45, I got wine at Christmas, and I loved it occasionally with meals, while traveling, or during a GNO, Girl’s Night Out. I also liked Bailey’s with my coffee. Watch my youtube on my dad and quitting drinking. 

Even then, with very little alcohol in 8 years, I fanned the Hepatitis C flames. My liver totally decompensated at age 53. Read My Story of Hepatitis.  Did those few drinks over several years time make my Cirrhosis worse? Probably so. Or maybe not. I did not know that Hep C was gnawing on my liver. If I had to do it again, I would not have drank a single drop.

drink wine cirrhosis Alcohol hepatitis
A Drink a Day is Not Okay

Alcohol with Hepatitis

Do not drink at all until after you have completed treatment. Suck up and git ‘er done. Your life will be a mess for a while anyway. Adding one more thing may seem difficult if you drink regularly, but just don’t allow yourself to drink. You will be going through a lot of change just dealing with Hepatitis. You may need help or support from a 12 Step Recovery Group like AA or Celebrate Recovery.

Once you are Hepatitis C FREE why start again?

If your liver is in good shape and you are virus free, your doctor may approve an occasional drink. Eat a healthy diet of foods that heal  your liver, and if you are young and do not have an addictive personality, it may be fine to indulge. You know yourself. Do what makes sense.

If your liver is a hot mess and you are struggling with ascites, varices, portal hypertension, jaundice, elevated liver enzymes  Or if you have weak kidneys... or have Cirrhossis. Don’t drink. If you can stop the wine and beer during treatment and it helps you. Stick with the program!

Double the Rate of Death

Dr. Younossi and a researcher for Duke University conducted over 10+ years.  Hepatitis Doubles the rate of death WHEN the patient drinks.

The bottom line is that even moderate drinkers who averaged 2 or 3 day day were 74 times more likely to die than those  who DO NOT drink.

“A drink a day is not OK,” Younossi told Reuters Health. “Even a moderate amount of alcohol use in the setting of hepatitis C can increase the risk of death and liver-related mortality specifically.” 

 A Drink a Day is not OK if you have Hepatitis C or Liver Disease.

I will never drink for the rest of my life. I am your Best Friend. We’re gonna do this. Karen:)

For more topics on cirrhosis, liver disease, or diet click here!

 

BTW: For this study, a drink was considered 10 grams of alcohol which equals – 4 oz of wine, 12 oz of beer, or 1 oz of hard liquor

http://www.reuters.com/article/2013/03/15/us-hepatitis-drinking-idUSBRE92E11420130315

pics via redbubble.com, brighteyecounseling.com.uk, jimmyscottshighandtight.com

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11 thoughts on “What About Drinking Alcohol with Hepatitis C”

  1. i’m so glad i read this!! thanks for the great advice. day 44 for me on sovaldi/olysio.

    1. I’m glad it gave you a boost! We need the mental pick me up by day 44. Bravo to you for seeking out uplifting encouragment. I hope your SVR comes true and your side effects are few dear friend.
      Sweet words like yours make my day,
      xo Karen:)

      1. I’m still struggling with this but I really like your ideas on the post it’s “a drink a day is not ok”. Thank you!

        1. Dave,

          Addictions are so tough. I have an addictive personality. Our minds find a certain groove that releases chemicals and it’s hard to override the need for them. I’ve experimented with a lot of ways to rewire the brain so that we can get a similar effect from other things. The “cues” drive our behavior and we have to chill out and ignore the cues.

          Was this more than you needed to hear? haha. Sum it up to say that I’m here for you and am sending you my best wishes. xo Karen:)

  2. I’m scared, I Don’t have insurance, I was diagnosed over five years ago, I’m an alcoholic, I have a twelve year old…….I need to live. Thanks, single mom, scared

    1. Oh sweetie! I know how you feel. There is help out there. There is financial help in the form of grants, there is help in each state, depending on what state you live in. Also the manufacturer of each drug is helping people as well. I will get the PAN foundation website and come back. Do you know your geno type? I also wanted to say that HCV is very slow moving. Try not to panic. I had it for 30 years before I found out. Back soon, in the mean time, try not to eat red meat, fried foods. Drink water. it is your livers friend.

    1. Hi it is possible, if you recently contracted it, for your body to fight it off, however that is about 20% to 30% of the people. He should have told you to check back in 6 months to see what your viral load is. You will always test positive for HCV but if your body fights it off, you won’t have a viral load, two different tests. I hope your body does fight it off. Take Care, Dee

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