Senior Member (100+ posts) Joined: Dec 2011 Posts: 126 | I have struggled a lot with the alcohol decision myself... being 26 years old and living in New Orleans now, I am constantly surrounded by it. I spoke with one doctor who told me I could never drink again, but then my primary oncologist told me it was fine in moderation.
Ultimately, I decided I needed to just live my life and do things in moderation. I will drink a couple of beers on the weekends, whether this is a good or bad decision I cannot tell, but I am in my 20s and it is really hard to cut alcohol out of my life all-together. I agree with the darker beers now; I never used to like them, but enjoy them more now.
I didn't drink at all for my first 6 months post treatment, but occasionally would take a sip here and there until I realized that certain alcohols didn't burn anymore. Really during the first year it was a toss up whether or not alcohol would burn - I would drink a beer one day and it would be fine, the next week I would try the same beer and it would burn/irritate my mouth. I just avoid anything that burns my mouth now - which includes liquor and wine.
Good luck!
Emily - 24 years old at diagnosis HPV-, no risk factors T2N2b Squamous Cell Carcinoma Left oral tongue, poorly differentiated Hemiglossectamy, reconstruction, partial neck dissection 30 Radiation treatments, weekly chemo (cisplatin) 1/13/12 last day of treatment Diagnosed October 2011
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