Can I drink beer after completing treatment?

[Jim]

Hi,
I have been recently diagnosed with Hep C 1a.
Love my beer!
I have been brewing my own beer for over 25yrs. All natural and great tasting.
Now I have been diagnosed with Hep C and I have stopped drinking.
After completing treatment will I ever be able to drink again?
Jim

[greyrocker]

If you successfully complete tx, meaning that you reach SVR, then perhaps yes. I think it would depend on the state of your liver and how much you drink. If you have more advanced liver disease, then no, you shouldn't drink.

Remember though, there's a big difference between completing treatment (tx) and doing so successfully; meaning eradication of the virus. Not everyone that completes tx does this, unfortunately. 

greyrocker

[banarep]

my liver was at stage I, so I now have an occasional drink

[ole44]

don"t know what your liver condition but I would give my liver time to heal after tx and you achieve SVR

[banarep]

to clarify,  I waited 6 months after treatment ended before I had a beer.

[keith]

Personally I don't think twice about it. I cleared the virus about a year and a half ago(SVR) and was told my liver was good so why not. I never was a big drinker but if my buds are partying on a Friday or Saturday night , I,m in!!!I don't worry about it at all because I had hep c for 30 + years and liver was never any worse than grade 2 , stage 2 but if it was any worse than that I may not think this way!!

 keith

[Feb4]

I'm with Keith 
F4

[Rattler]

I think there are two separate issues here.

If someone achieves SVR at 24 weeks, likes to drink moderately and has  minimal liver changes, then he/she can continue to drink moderately.
However, if they have more advanced liver damage, either from having carried the HCV virus for many years, and/or from more than moderate alcohol consumption for a significant time, then they must tread very carefully, as their liver is compromised.
This is common sense.

The other issue which has been raised is whether someone who achieved and remained UND until the last week of treatment, should abstain from alcohol totally until they (hopefully) achieve SVR at 24 weeks.
For someone like myself, who enjoys a glass of wine with my evening meal, I have given a lot of thought to this 24 week 'waiting' time, If I remain UND at the end of my treatment.
I am sure I will not wait but continue to enjoy an occasional glass of wine or bottle of beer.
This is an individual decision.
Please note I have not tried to define 'moderate' I am aware this word is open to extreme interpretation !
lol.

[banarep]

I agree.  I waited 6 months before I had a drink. 

[sunny2day]

Is there any research that indicates that drinking alcohol after completing tx would contribute to the virus making a comeback?

Alcohol can and the hcv virus does damage the liver, but what is their relationship to eachother?  Lots of things can stress the liver i.e. tylenol ~ should we avoid that too?  Meat??  argh   

[banarep]

I looked and found nothing.  Not sure what you mean my contributing to a comeback.  Alcohol is bad for the liver, if the liver is compromised, but I do not think drinking will make the virus reappear. 

[sunny2day]

I looked and found nothing.  Not sure what you mean my contributing to a comeback.  Alcohol is bad for the liver, if the liver is compromised, but I do not think drinking will make the virus reappear. 

Thanks for looking into it, bana, I wouldn't think the alcohol would make the virus more likely to reappear but would want to know if it could.  I'm going to be taking very good care of my liver after this anyway.  I have no idea what the state of my liver is so I worry a bit about that but none of the 3 specialists felt I needed a biopsy as it's generally not sop to get one done for geno 2.  I wonder why that is?     

[greyrocker]

http://www.hepatitis-central.com/mt/archives/2011/02/another_reason.html

This is why I would abstain until SVR was observed...just in case.

Ultimately though, I don't think there is a right or wrong answer for whether or not one should drink in the 6 month post-tx period. Personally, I wouldn't take any chances.

greyrocker

[sunny2day]

Thank you, GR, lots of good info there.

I didn't realize that alcohol suppresses natural interferon action in the liver.  That's good to know...

[banarep]

rocker,

great article.  that is why i waited until after my 6 month check up and I still only have a couple of drinks a week, if that many.