Please let`s not get personal here, folks.  This is obviously an issue that causes strong emotional respones from people, but we should all be free to express our opinions and points of view without fear of being shot down. 

Zlikster makes some good points here, and the question of whether we chose to drink or not post SVR comes down to personal cholce and, we hope, the state of health of our liver.  Ted`s original question was whether drinking can bring back hep c or not and I think that`s been covered here already.

With due respect to everyone, I`m closing this thread.

To put this much effort into defending an indefensible postion leads me to believe that you might need a meeting instead of a drink.

some people do, some people don't, some people do get it, but do it anyways, some people overreact, some people hide the facts, some people like to live healthy, some dont, some like to live risky life without accepting consequences, some people consider probability and risks, some people like to share experiences and their personal opinions

I just typed whats is my plan regarding alcohol consumption post TX/SVR which deeply depends on my liver condition/health.  Never again will i get to do drugs that can harm my liver and get wasted on alcohol, that short term "happy social feeling" is not worth the risk for my liver. I am not ignorant of the facts, i just take risks in life which i consider reasonable according to facts or the weight of aims. I took a risk with Interfeon, knowing there is (beside other possible long term sx) slight 1-2% chance my hearing could be affected on which i depend in my profession. I took that risk, considering timing of possible availabiliity of new interferon-free meds in my country, price of the SoC therapy/insurance, lenght and chance of SVR, my liver health, etc...now my hearing got imparied by interferon in first few days of therapy, but i again weighted it out, and decided to take a further risk and go for full length therapy regardeless, being optimistic that my hearing problems will be temporary and that post TX i will be back with my hearing on pre TX levels. Some people would sacrifice their hearing ability for SVR in any case...

there is no proper research/publication regarding alochol consumption in people that have achieved SVR (i wish there was, if someone can point me to any?), there are ton of publications regarding alcohol consumption in CHCV patients, and all conclude even ocasional/moderate drinking with no/mild liver fibrosis can make liver fibrosis progress more quickly.

lets not make this pro and anti alcohol bashing thread stick to the facts and share our expereinces, our doctors advices, links, etc..what i have gathered from infromation available online and from doctors (please correct me if i am wrong):

CHCV patients - no alcohol!
CHCV patients on therapy -  no alcohol!
SVR patients post TX with healthy liver - 6-12months EOT debatable, cautious moderate drinking according to liver health, choice is yours
healthy folks - choice is yours, binge (and excesive) drinking over weekends is more harmful than moderate everyday drinking
cirrhotics - no alcohol!
does alcohol consumption reactivates HCV in SVR patients? - no

type of alcohol and amount of it, ingestion with certain types of food, usage with meds/drugs,etc also plays a factor in liver damage...

maybe i still don't get it, but i am trying to figure it out

best

Some people just don't get it.

About twenty years ago I was dignosed with hepatitis C after being told I had non A non B hepatitis for years.  I was sent to a famous hepatologist whose accomplishments were only exceeded by his level of arrogance.  I specifically asked him whether it was OK to drink.  I have never been an excessive drinker but enjoyed a periodic night cap.  He said absolutely OK.  Five years later with my liver worsening, I was told what ohters in this forum have said.  It is a direct liver toxin.  No benefit, clear harm.  Would still love to have an occassional one, but I do not play Russian Roulette.  The data is not sorta, kinda or anything else.  It is absolutely clear...no alcohol, not even a little.

in my case,
as soon as i was diagnosed with hcv, i killed off any type of alcohol consumption. I just got mouthwash yesterday (mouth infections from therapy), but no alcohol in it ;) I am even more "nazi" now about tiny traces of alcohol in products than my muslim friends are!

I tho do intend to have a drink sometimes if i get rid of virus (SVR), but not before 6 months after EOT or even a year i guess.
Of course if my liver regenerates to normal (going for A0, F0, size normal, no fatty cells)...i am/was at begining of therapy A1 F1 according to FibroTest (ALT level 10-20% over), had for 2 years a mild fatty liver (HCV G3 fault) according to ultrasound, Fibroscan says 5kPa which is good. If i were cirothic, i guess i would never had a sip again. This is my personal opinion tho.

I asked my doc about it, she said if i achieve SVR for good a glass of wine won't kill me or bring hepatitis back, but doctors do not/can't advise alcohol consumption, regardeless of hcv infection. Smoking, alcohol (i would even add sugar!) are definetly toxins in my book, but life is full of toxins of all types!

I have 2 mates, who achived SVR 10 years ago or more. Both were GT1 with 1 year SoC therapy. Both are still smokers and do drink sometimes, but never like they did before hcv. Thats what both have told me. They can have 1-3 drinks at a pub, but never get wasted anymore.

to sum it up my plan:
if SVR = EOT 12months + liver enzymes normal + liver size normal/no fatty cells then glass of wine OK

marktrux wrote:

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Since you didn't ask if it was a good idea to start drinking after SVR, I won't lecture you about drinking. The simple answer is NO it will not bring back HVC. It will agrivate your liver, but nothing short of re-infection will bring it back once true SVR is acheived.

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 This makes more sense.  It doesn't seem like alchohol would bring back a virus, but it is not good for the liver and probably depending on the amount of damage to your liver, the worse alcohol would be.  I don't think it is ever a good idea to drink on a regular basis.

Since you didn't ask if it was a good idea to start drinking after SVR, I won't lecture you about drinking. The simple answer is NO it will not bring back HVC. It will agrivate your liver, but nothing short of re-infection will bring it back once true SVR is acheived.

Scout 

Thats the funniest thing I've read in years.

What a great way to get a message across.

Please keep them coming your fantastic 

Matt

I walked in front of a truck today and wasn't hit. Can I do so tomorrow and be immune from the truck bumper creaming my a$$? I sure hope so as I do love them bumpers.

My doc told me that drinking and smoking can bring it back .

Ken

JIme wrote:

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It is amazing to me that we are on a hep c forum and people are asking if they can drink after tx. Amazing.

If I had cancer and the Dr told me to never eat carrots again I would never eat carrots again and never question it. But with drinking people seem to never want to give it up. No matter what the consequences. Amazing.

---

 Ditto 

thanks for all your impute,should of never had that 1st beer 3 weeks ago. I know better,after 6 months sobber,guess i'll start over.

Hi Ted,

Obviously the decision is yours. You say you're cirrhotic and there's been enough written about the dangers of any alcohol consumption. Even if you achieve SVR, there will be a tiny amount of virus remaining, looking for some damaged hepatocytes to attack. Having been through treatment, is it worth the risk?

Turtles 

Because you are cirrhotic everytime you drink it destroys liver cells and you are diverting your bodies resources to deal with the alcohol, which in turn lowers your immune system to a multitude of predators. 

So maybe you should be asking how does drinking effect my bodies ability to fight off all types of diseases including HCV

Matt

Hi Ted....I don't have the answer to your question...but I do have some information to share.

I had a very open, liberal doctor-on one of my yearly visits, he looked straight into my eyes and said "You can NEVER have another drink (wine-beer etc) ever again..ever!  It is poision to your liver bottom-line"...

The choice is yours!

have been undetectable for around 5 months or so. not declared healed yet but was taken off treatment 3 months ago,had too many complications. anyway for the last 3 weeks I'v been having a couple of brews after my work days.

can that cause hep c to come back?

I won't even use cold medicine or mouthwash with alcohol, it's toxic to us.