Does anyone drink alcohol since after their treatment?

I have read many articles on both sides of this issue. After my anal cancer treatment I did have an occasional glass of wine just as I did since I was 18yrs old (or maybe younger)......I am now 55. I think that yes alcohol in excess contributes to several different cancers, but so does stress, poor diet, lack of exercise, and all the environmental stuff we have been exposed to over time.

Like everything else moderation is key, and combine that occasional drink with other healthy choices.

That being said, 2yrs ago I was diagnosed with an estrogen + breast cancer that feeds off of even the tiniest amount of estrogen. I had a double mastectomy. I am now on a med that keeps any cancer cells from binding to estrogen in my body so try not to eat/drink ANYTHING that may contribute to estrogen production. And yes, even after menopause our bodies still have these enzymes/hormones floating around. Since I have also read too many articles stating that alcohol increases estrogen production I do not any longer drink alcohol. Maybe if I did not have the daily visual reminders of what I have lost (aka boobs) I would not be quite so anxious about this. But in my mind, for ME, it would be like mixing gasoline and water.

Enjoy......and be well!

katheryn

Prior to treatment, I enjoyed a glass of wine before bed most nights and a few vanilla Stoli's & Cokes on Fri. & Sat. evenings.  I did not have drink my entire treatment and for a good while after.  I really lost the taste for everything during treatment.  My concern is that I was told HPV is also associated with head & neck cancers and I would think alcohol would increase the risk.  I try to limit my alcohol to one night on the weekend and it's usually just a couple of glasses of red wine.  I think everything in moderation is ok.

jcruz said:

drinking

Yes I do drink in moderation.  Months after my treatment ended I weaned myself off of the oxcycontin that I needed for pain management.  My daughter and her boyfriend came out to visit and we went to our favorite Mexican restaurant and ordered the best margaritas on the menu.  We went around the table with toasts and mine was "Hooray I'm drinking now!"

I've cut back recently to almost no drinking but that's because I'm taking two anti-depressants and even though the psychiatrist said an occasional drink was fine I just want to give the drugs time to work on my brain without the introduction of alcohol.

Janet

I did not drink alcohol or smoke before being diagnosed and continue to not drink or smoke after treatment. So we can't say that had any hand in my developing any cancer cells. I believe moderation in everything makes for a well balanced life. Cheers!

I still enjoy my wine.  lol

Maybe I should be more concerned about my wine intake (1 year post treatment), but I take these studies with a huge grain of salt (also bad for you!).  Also,  I think alcohol frequently gets pegged as a culprit due to behavior clustering.  When I worked as a server during college, it was common knowledge that you'd make more money working the smoking section (back in the day).  Smokers were more likely to order alcohol ($$) and more likely to order a big porterhouse ($$) instead of soup and salad combo.  So when a group of drinkers do worse in a medical study, how do you know that there aren't other behaviors more common in the test group than the control group? 

mp327 said:

caholz33

I believe those are all very valid points.  I do not think that alcohol, in moderation, is as evil as some studies make it out to be.  I live in the state of Georgia and smoking is allowed in restaurants and/or bars where access is prohibited for anyone under the age of 18, including employees under 18.  While I do still enjoy a couple of drinks a week, I refuse to go into a bar that allows smoking.  I truly believe the 2nd. hand smoke would be much more to my detriment than the small amount of alcohol I consume.  I appreciate your comments very much!

This is also the reason that we should not look at statistics as the predictor of what will happen to us.  There are too many variables.  We do not know the other health issues that factor into this among the study group--previous cancers, conditions such as heart disease and diabetes, and lifestyle, etc.

Why is it all the things that we love are bad for us according to the stats?  lol  I love drinking wine and have a few drinks a week whether wine at night while I am online or beer after a long day of work.  I'd rather live my life doing things that are bad than not living my life at all.  

Just wondering how far after treatment ended did everyone wait to have a drink ? Since the heat kicked in I have been craving a beer, a cold glass of chardonay, a margarita or a seabreaze, just wondering when I can have it so I can decide which I want lol

qv62 said:

how soon after treatment ends ?

Just wondering how far after treatment ended did everyone wait to have a drink ? Since the heat kicked in I have been craving a beer, a cold glass of chardonay, a margarita or a seabreaze, just wondering when I can have it so I can decide which I want lol

It was probably 3 months or so before I had my first drink post-treatment.  And that was only after I had asked my med onc and he told me to go for it!  Like Gabby said, we all must continue to live our lives and enjoy simple pleasures, such as a cold beer on a hot summer day.  I think you'll know when your body can handle a little alcohol.  Moderation is key and I would suggest having that first drink at home to test the waters, so to speak.