Hi All - I would be interested to hear how people feel about drinking alcohol after cancer treatment. While not a big drinker, I did enjoy a nice glass of wine a few times a week before all this. Now I wonder if that should be off my list of things to look foward to when this is all done and over with? Thoughts/experiences?

(I've got 3 chemo's and 8 radiation session under my belt; seeing that this is going to be a long process/winter!)

Nancy

I asked my radiation oncologist that exact question. He said in his experience, hard liquors were banned. He thought a beer was fine and actually that was one way I got thru my weeks of radiation and chemo TX, without a PEG, downing a Dos Equis at dinner to wash down the food the first five weeks It didn't go well with Ensure the last weeks.
Once I got the PEG permanently, he said wine was fine down the tube since it does not touch the oral cavity at all. Beer fizzes too much or else I would do that.
Some others here are adamantly against any alcohol use, it's a personal choice IMO, especially when your doctor okays it
In fact this last round, my RO remembered the wine and switched me off Percocet because of the Tyneol (liver risk with alcohol for Tyneol) to HyrdoMorphone (dilaudid)
We have had hotter discussions on this issue but by this time primarily for the reason of all "hot discussions", i.e. "but MY doctor said otherwise". And when posters did ask their doctors, many were pleasantly surprised by the answer.
Especially if the cancer is HPV+ caused and not from alochol abuse which is a whole different issue not applicable to you
I'm notorious for insisting on having fun
Charm,

I just don't think it is worth risking. Having a recurrence is an awful thing.
Kris now finds alcohol tastes awful and burns his oral cavity - he has no tongue.
No, I am of the opinion not to take the risk.
Tammy

Nancy, I think all things in moderation are ok. Talk this over with each of your doctors and see what they think about it. The question is what and how much you want to drink. A couple sips of wine once or twice a month is not even comparable to a few shots daily of hard liquor.

I was never much of a drinker before I got sick. Since I was diagnosed almost 6 years ago I have only had a couple sips of a pina coloda once. Ive had OC 3 times and wouldnt survive a 4th round so I avoid alcohol and dont tempt fate. Thats just me, others may have a different view and occasionally drink a glass of wine or beer. It really is a very personal choice to make with your medical history and medications to consider prior to trying it out. Who knows, you may not even like the taste of beer, wine or any other liquor after treatments due to a much different sense of taste.

I live in California and am surround by good wine. I have a little bit now and then if fine. Everything in moderation.

I didn't touch alcohol from the time of my first surgery until say 2009. After that I would allow myself a beer or two whenever I wanted, and now at 5 years out past the end of treatment for my 2nd cancerr, I feel free to do what I want. For me, that means enjoy the beer of my choice. I stay away from wine - which burns the oral cavity - and hard liquor (except for the odd mai tai) and my beer is usually a darker smoother beer which tastes smoother and less "biting" to me.

Good luck on yoru decision. Life IS short, enjoy it.

Donna

My ENT told me that an occasional beer wouldn't hurt, but even after 3 1/2 years, even communion wine sort of burns my mouth. I also had a coffee with Kailua in it, and I put some cream in it and that was OK. However, I really haven't had a drink since 2009. I guess that I really don't want to take the chance.

I really don't drink anymore, and not much desire to. Occasionally I have a glass of beer, darker more preferable due to less carbonation, and is one thing I can taste. Can't really drink hard liquor since it burns like fire. I like to make a Michalada with the beer, which is basically a Mexican bloody Mary, and tasty. Some studies show that with non smokers, moderate alcohol use does not appear to be an important cause or HNSCC. More than 5 drinks daily or more than 21 drinks per week have an increased risk. I don't think I even drink that in a year now. One type of alcohol I did stop using was in mouthwash.

Nancy, since I was a long time drinker of both beer and wine this has been an issue of concern to me. There have been many posts on this subject here and I've probably read them all. You might consider searching for and reading same if you haven't already.

To say that the issue isn't settled is an understatement.

I will per usual just give you the benefit of my own personal experience. Since I didn't have chemo I was treated predominantly by a radiation oncologist. She adamantly told me no alcohol. A toast on New Year's Eve or my birthday ok. Otherwise: nyet.

I did consult with a medical oncologist (and wine lover...) and his opinion was that drinking wine/beer in moderation was ok.

So as the expression has it: go figure.

Both of these people are brilliant, btw, and I have enormous respect for them. I finally decided that as I rather prefer breathing to drinking I would err on the side of caution. As a side note I'm being treated by a neurologist for another condition and he's always been of the opinion that I shouldn't drink, and in fact that alcohol is bad for you. As is caffeine, especially for men. I know many docs feel differently about both.

Finally, and sorry for the long post, here I am nearly 4 years out from treatment and I don't care about alcohol at all. Couple years ago had a sip of beer on a hot day and must admit I liked it, but that was then.

I hope this helps rather than confuses.

Best of luck with the rest of your therapy! You'll definitely get through it and come out the other side.

New research from NCI came out on 2/14/13 about alcohol use and cancer:

http://www.nlm.nih.gov/medlineplus/news/fullstory_134037.html