Drinking alcohol while on Arimidex and having ILC ER-

IllinoisNancy

I have been told to cut back on drinking to just one drink a week.  They say that even one drink can cause cancer to come back.   I hope this just isn't true.  I'm trying to stay social with my family and it make it hard at times.  I really appreciate your comments.

 Thank you,

Illinois Nancy

Racy

Nancy, I'm with you. I really enjoy drinking and hate the idea that it causes cancer. I'm still drinking but worry about every sip.



My onc said moderate drinking is ok.



I wonder if the AI can mitigate the potential of the alcohol to be bad for us.



Sorry I don't have a true answer but I understand!

Moderators

Nancy, there's an article in the Breast Cancer Risks section of the main Breastcancer.org site called Drinking Alcohol. It also includes smart suggestions for cutting back while continuing social activities, and a link to a column on the subject.

• The Mods

paml

Hi Nancy,

I stopped drinking alcohol after being diagnosed. I still use my nice wine glasses at parties. I just fill them with white grape juice. 

pupmom

My husband gave me an article about wine and bc, but I have lost the original and can't remember who did the study. Anyway, it said that white wine presents a risk for bc, but red wine actually reduces risk. Hope somebody else has information about the study and its conclusions.

Galsal

I can't see living in a bubble because it might come back if I have a drink.  Now and then I do but I've always been a very moderate drinker.

melmcbee

I was a great daily beer drinker prior to dx. I have no breast cancer in my family except way back. lol. The info I have read has made me believe thats what caused my breast cancer. But who knows. Now Im too nauseous and stressed to drink. Ive basically cut it out and trying to cut out cigs too. It sucks but I feel like its my best chance. Good luck to you.

Racy

That study sounds good to me Yorkiemom :-).

Anonymous

My oncologist, who just treated my ILC, also said that red wine cuts risk--she cited a b.c. conference she had just attended this past Jan.  But she said 3 a week max, and probably not all at one time.  That's 6 oz each, btw--not 8 or 10 oz each

Claire in AZ

Anonymous

PS If I do drink these days, I take sips from hubby's beer now and again, or order one glass of red wine and keep adding water, so it lasts a lot longer. I call it my Jesus drink.

akler53

Ha ha ha! Hi, I am  new here. have ILC, too.   Clairinasz, you made me laugh so much! I put ice in my ....red wine....blasphemy I know... but that is what I do to make my bevie last longer...And I call it 'Ohmyjesuswine' ... sigh..., the right thing is to be moderate for sure, but what does that mean? for me it means 6oz of wine (in two 3oz portions on ice) on Friday and Saturday evening. I believe Everyone has to do what they are comfortable with, though I think we do need to be conscious of our alcohol intake.  

take care

A

Momine

I am another one who sticks to 3 or less drinks a week after DX. Red wine was always my preferred drink, so when I do have a drink it is usually red wine.

wallycat

Hi Nancy!

I can't believe I missed this thread.

The alcohol conversation has gone on and on on these boards and I have to say that I think some people enjoy drinking and find it as hard to quit as eating, because wine is a food.  Others don't care one way or the other.

I am in the enjoy it camp and though I could quit (meaning I don't consider myself an alcoholic), I find it gives me a quality of life (deluded though that may be).  I think these threads continue to come up because we want validation for something we would prefer to continue.

I too read the study that red wine acts as an aromatase inhibitor.  

Will we ever know if alcohol gave us the cancer to start (thus implying that our genetic makeup is flawed and cannot handle booze)?  No.

Especially during the month of October, when a flurry of articles about survivors or treatments is flooding the internet/TV, I read about women that "did everything right" and they either got dx or got a recurrence.

I have no idea if drinking wine (or the occasional pour of Port or a small after dinner pour of Armagnac or single malt scotch twice/month) will increase my risk....but I have posted this before, so I will say it again here....

I used to tell my patients (I was a dietitian--sadly unemployed now) that they should only take on alternative or newsworthy stuff if after they did this and found out it did not help, they would not have resented their life/time committed to the change, because as we all know, science/nutrition/information on health continues to change and change and change.

If they knew FOR SURE that alcohol would cause my recurrence, I would not think twice----quit.  But they can't.  These same people tell us BMI, exercise, diet mitigate getting an initial cancer dx...and those of us who were vegetarians, bmi of 19 and exercised 2hours/day want to know...HOW COME I still got it!!??!!  So these same "they" are telling us alcohol may increase risk of recurrence.  well, maybe those of us destined to get a recurrence can do everything perfectly and we would still get it.  Asking myself the same question I asked my patients...yeah, I would be angry if I gave up a nice glass of wine with dinner/friends and found out I had a recurrence.  If I drink my wine and get a recurrence, it may be easier to at least have a "blame" place and that works for me.

Maybe I am in denial.  If I die tomorrow, I would like it on my terms.

Julia Child had her left breast removed, continued to eat and drink with abandon and died a week shy of 94.  May we all be as lucky as she was.

footloose

Here,here Wallycat. But everyone speaks of wine - I prefer whiskey or bourbon.

I just want to know it's effects on how well the meds work.

jessie123

After all the reading I've done in the last 6 months I'm beginning to realize that when they tell us to exercise, eat healthy foods etc. they are trying to keep our immune systems healthy to fight the cancer. The obesity and alcohol warnings are due to the increases in estrogen they cause --- which increases BC risks. They aren't saying that alcohol alone is causing BC - alcohol increases our estrogen levels and estrogen is our enemy.