Drinking and bc

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carolupa
carolupa Member Posts: 24
Drinking and bc

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  • carolupa
    carolupa Member Posts: 24
    edited June 2008

    What are the risks of drinking (alcohol) after a bc diagnosis? I have read that women who have 2+ drinks a day regularly are more likely to get bc. But once it's there, does it make a difference to chances of recurrence, I wonder? My doc said a glass of wine now and then won't hurt. I had totally stopped alcohol during chemo, rads, and for some time afterwards, but slowly have gotten back into the habit of having a very small glass of wine every evening, and an occasional beer (no hard liquor). Any information you have on this would be welcome! (Maybe I need someone to tell me to lay off it, but it does relax you at the end of the day.)

  • faithandfifty
    faithandfifty Member Posts: 10,007
    edited June 2008

    When I asked my BC specialist/surgeon if there was "anything" in my power to keep my risks for recurrance low...... I was asking about diet, alternative medicine, wholistic, supliments etc etc.....

    In his informed opionion the jury was still out on all of the above. He said he could not find 'good, hard science' to document anything specific..... tho undoubtedly in time there would be insight on all of the above.

    Then he went on to say that the one 'good, hard science' topic he'd been aware of was the link between alcohol consumption & BC/recurrance. He suggested I give up my VERY moderate consumption all together.

    I said, "Whoa! Like not even a toast on New Year's, weddings??"

    and he said, Listen you asked me for my opinion, and my opinion is to forgo alcohol. period. That's one thing you can choose.

    Who wanted to hear that? Not I.

    I'll be interested to hear what others have to say. 

  • carolupa
    carolupa Member Posts: 24
    edited June 2008

    Thanks for your inputs, that's food for thought (and possibly action) ... I'm also interested to hear what others are doing.

  • carolupa
    carolupa Member Posts: 24
    edited June 2008

    Thanks for your inputs, that's food for thought (and possibly action) ... I'm also interested to hear what others are doing.

  • ImShelle
    ImShelle Member Posts: 21
    edited June 2008

    I find the topic interesting... especially since I didn't fit the mold for BC except for my family history (ok, so that's huge, right?). 

    I was 34, a personal trainer and a fitness competitor when I was diagnosed.  I suppose I ate too few veggies and too much sugar as a child though.  There are links to sugar comsumption and breast cancer, plenty of naturopathic books out there pointing to it.  Besides, if you recall during your testing, they inject you with a glucose (sugar) seeking agent because cancer cells take up glucose at more than 2X the amount of a regular cell. 

    My "assumption" is this.  If your body is having to deal with any toxins in your body, it can't fight the cancer.  But to give up toasts on New Years and at weddings?  Hmmm, what happened to living after breast cancer?

  • junie
    junie Member Posts: 1,216
    edited June 2008

    This is a subject that pops up often.   There is a thread on the Humor and Games section about drinking.   It's been around for a couple years.   Can't remember where it was initially posted, but the moderators moved it to the humor section.   You'll find a lot of posts there from sisters who believe that there is a QOL after dx that includes alcohol.   Might want to check it out.   As with most things, moderation is a big key, but my onc told me that even during chemo a glass or two of red wine a day was fine.

    junie

  • tmac
    tmac Member Posts: 236
    edited June 2008

    Yikes!  Alcohol off limits?  I'm not a big drinker, but I do like my wine.  Infact, was at a younger cousin's HS grad. party in the 95 degree heat, and the cold, keg beer was quite tasty!  Brought back college memories :)

    Well, I agree, anything in moderation should be okay.  

    Teresa  

  • omo
    omo Member Posts: 193
    edited June 2008

    I don't know whether diet can really affect our conditions that much, but when I was first dx I started to eat healthier, like more veg, fruits ets, less fats.

    And I have read time and again, that barbecued food should be avoided at all costs cos the cooking process aids carcinogens.So no more barbecues for me!!!!

  • carolupa
    carolupa Member Posts: 24
    edited June 2008

    Thanks for the tips, I'll check out the old threads. I guess none of this is certain. For a long time one of the other 'certain' links of diet to breast cancer was too much fat in the diet. But the most recent large study didn't find any connection (which doesn't mean we should all go back to eating fat!) I don't know whether any more recent studies have checked for alcohol the same way.

  • joyh
    joyh Member Posts: 91
    edited June 2008

    Does anyone know is splenda is the same as sugar as far  as glucose comsumption?

     I usually have a glass of white wine at night,(not right now, on chemo) but Teresa you surely  know how to make a mug of beer sound good!  What I

     wouldn't give.  It's in the 90's here .

    Joy 

  • faithandfifty
    faithandfifty Member Posts: 10,007
    edited June 2008

    I think QOL is the key and moderation is the answer.

    That's just the brilliant wisdom I've reached for my situation a year in.

    BALANCE. BALANCE. BALANCE.

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