Is It Safe to Drink Alcohol During Chemotherapy?

Like most aspects of
chemotherapy, it is
really best to check
with your doctor
about whether or
not it is safe for
you to drink alcohol
during chemotherapy
treatment. Most
chemotherapy drugs
are not affected by
alcohol consumption,
but there are some
chemotherapy drugs
that can cause adverse
reactions or reduce the
effectiveness if alcohol
is consumed. One such
example is procarbazine.

While most chemotherapy
drugs are not affected by
alcohol use, many other medications prescribed along with chemotherapy
should
not be taken with alcohol. Medications such as pain killers, sleep aids, and anti-
nausea medications may interact with alcohol, causing adverse reactions.

The dehydrating effects of alcohol may also be a concern if you are
undergoing
chemotherapy, as you already have a heightened risk of dehydration
because of
your treatment. Nausea, vomiting, and diarrhea are common side
effects of
chemotherapy, and are also direct causes of dehydration. Add
alcohol into the
mix, and the dehydration effect is worsened.

How alcohol affects the liver is also something to take into consideration.
The liver processes all of the toxins in our body, including chemotherapy.
Alcohol can interfere with the liver's ability to effectively metabolize such
toxins.
Your doctor may recommend that you avoid alcohol altogether, especially
if you
already suffer from liver damage or are undergoing treatment of cancers
affecting
the liver.

Benefits to Consuming Moderate Amounts of Alcohol During

Chemotherapy

Keep in mind that drinking alcohol during chemotherapy isn't something
that is exactly encouraged, although it may be allowed for some
patients. If your doctor allows you
consume alcohol during chemotherapy, it will be recommended that it be
done in moderation. Your doctor will tell you how much alcohol
is safe for you to drink. Heavy drinking is never recommended.

Some oncologists recommend an occasional glass of wine to help
stimulate the
appetite in people who have lost their desire to eat. Small amounts of alcohol
may
also be recommended to help you relax. Of course, these recommendations
are made only after he or she evaluates the medications you are taking and
how alcohol may affect their efficacy.

* I asked my oncoloigist can I drink while having chemo? He said if you
feel like you can but most don't.
I could not drink red wine it made me feel really sick, but
bourbon was fine. Its good to still go out and have a drink, makes you feel
normal.

Comments

Kate Jackson Breast Cancer a flash back

THE MOST MOMENTOUS CHANGE IN Kate Jackson's life began early one morning in January 1987, during her fourth season on the hit TV series Scarecrow and Mrs. King. After a phone call informed her that the show's taping was canceled because costar Bruce Boxleitner had the flu, Jackson went back to sleep. When she woke several hours later, "It was out of the blue, but perfectly clear," she recalls. "I sat up in bed and literally said, 'You have to have a mammogram.' " She did, and two days later a biopsy confirmed her vague fears: A minute growth found in her left breast was determined to be malignant. "I was forced to face, squared up, my own mortality," says Jackson. "I had to decide whether I wanted to live or to die. And if you choose life, as I did, it's never the same." For three TV seasons 16 years ago, she was famous as Sabrina Duncan, a girl-next-door gone glamorous and the character critics dubbed the brainiest o

"Hard nipples" - areola or nipple skin

Someone once wrote"... when i get really cold, or get goosebumbs all over my body, the whole things really scrunch up, like, my entire areola scrunches itself up into a wrinkled little mound. it looks really weird and ugly, and i haven't ever seen other people's breasts do it. what is wrong with my areola/nipples??" The answer: Well nothing is wrong. This is what my areola does too. It's a normal reaction to the coldness or to irritation / stimulation. The little muscles in the areola do a similar goosebump thing as your other skin can do. People often call this phenomenon "hard nipples". Also note that skin on areola has less feeling or sensation to it than other areas of your body. If the areola was very sensitive, then breastfeeding would probably be quite uncomfortable because the baby pulls and tugs it! The nipples are sensitive but the sensitivity changes with hormonal changes, such as occur at mestrual cycle or pregnancy. Also this v

The four stages of breast development

In Stage 1 shows the flat breasts of childhood. By Stage 2, breast buds are formed as milk ducts and fat tissue develop. In Stage 3, the breast become round and full, and the areola darkens. Stage 4 shows fully mature breasts. (Illustration by GGS Information Services.) period begins. Usually these signs are accompanied by the appearance of pubic hair and hair under the arms. Once ovulation and menstruation begin, the maturing of the breasts begins with the formation of secretory glands at the end of the milk ducts. The breasts and duct system continue to grow and mature with the development of many glands and lobules. The rate at which breasts grow varies significantly and is different for each young woman. Breast development occurs in five stages: Stage One: In preadolescence, the breasts are flat and only the tip of the nipple is raised. Stage Two: Buds appear, breast and nipple are raised, fat tissue begins to form and the areola (dark area of skin that surrounds

I am still a woman - Confessions of a twice cancer survivor - my journey by Nina Ann McCurley

Search This Blog