HRT & Alcohol Consumption, what is safe?

[tunak]

Hi ladies and gents!

So lately i have been becoming paranoid about drinking. I was wondering what you think is the safe amount of alcohol to consume per week. I go out alot with friends and will drink 1-3 beers every time we go out.

For example my friends and I like to go out and eat/drink beer every tuesday, wednesday nights (1-2 glass each night). I also go out thursday or friday os saturday night and i drink 1-3 liquor drinks per night. Now I dont drink this much every week but i do drink alcohol maybe 1-4 glasses of beer or liquor a week Am i drinking too much!?  I will skip my spiro if i know i am drinking more than a glass of liquor.

I get my blood levels checked every 6 months to make sure my bodily functions are normal.

Thank you so much in advance!

[Maja.V]

General consensus is that you shouldn't drink. At all.

Now some say they drink a lot, others that they don't at all (like me), some say they drink a bit. The amount of alcohol you consume seems a bit excessive in my opinion, and maybe it would be wise to reduce it.

Considering the 'skipping spiro' part, I don't think that's wise. Either stay on it or drop it completely. Taking different doses every other day isn't going to do you any good.

Just my opinion.

[VannaSiamese]

I wouldn't be drinking at all if I were you, it's much worse for your mental and physical health now that you are on Spiro. You should really consider giving up drinking completely. Remember, you are transitioning, so it may not be a bad idea to transition other parts of your life as well
And yes, before you ask me "well do you drink?" no I don't, I haven't drank in years since I started hormones.

The FDA food triangle recommends no more than 7 drinks a week for women, and 14 drinks a week for men... You choose which you are.

[Christine Eryn]

I drink heavily on the weekends, almost never during the week and have done this for years and years. I have been on E since 2007 and E + Spiro since 2009. My last blood test results were outstanding back in April of last year. I dunno if 2 mixed drinks or not is heavy, but I do get pretty tipsy. I don't drink alcohol right after I take my doses of course. Everyone is different.

[Cadence Jean]

I didn't realize that drinking on spiro was an issue.  I've been on spiro(in varying doses) for over two years, with no change to my alcohol consumption...well, maybe that's a wee bit of a lie.  I drink more now because I try to only drink when I'm happy, and I'm way happier.   Tunak, if you think there might be an issue, I'd suggest setting up an appointment with your health care provider and asking them what they recommend.  I've gotten pretty blasted and I've doing fine...but again, it really depends on the individual and your provider knows you way better than any of us.

[Jamie D]

After my open heart surgery, I was on Aldactone (spiro) as a diuretic, because I did not tolerate the thiazide diuretics.  But I had to go off the spiro when my dosage of lisinopril was increased (both are potassium-sparing).

I don't remember any alcohol warnings on the label.

[Asfsd4214]

Hi ladies and gents!

So lately i have been becoming paranoid about drinking. I was wondering what you think is the safe amount of alcohol to consume per week. I go out alot with friends and will drink 1-3 beers every time we go out.

For example my friends and I like to go out and eat/drink beer every tuesday, wednesday nights (1-2 glass each night). I also go out thursday or friday os saturday night and i drink 1-3 liquor drinks per night. Now I dont drink this much every week but i do drink alcohol maybe 1-4 glasses of beer or liquor a week Am i drinking too much!?  I will skip my spiro if i know i am drinking more than a glass of liquor.

I get my blood levels checked every 6 months to make sure my bodily functions are normal.

Thank you so much in advance!

I wouldn't recommend skipping the spiro.

Personally I used to drink a LOT and it didn't hurt me any more so that I'm aware of on HRT than not.

As others have said... the "safest" among is none. But I don't consider it my job to talk people out of taking risks, and personally I don't think this is a particularly riskier one just because you're on HRT/Spiro.

Just for some added information, here in Australia and likely other places, they often place warnings on spironolactone that it may increase the effects of alcohol. To my understanding, this is purely because spironolactone reduces blood pressure which in itself increases susceptibility to alcohol effects. Not because in itself the medicating interacts directly with alcohol.

[Flo]

I think the main reason to moderate the alcohol consumption is the effect of spiro and HRT in general on liver and kidneys.

I get my blood/urine tested monthly for kidney & liver function since I'm on other meds for heart and arthritis, plus HRT for 3 years.

Before HRT I was a major alcohol abuser (due to the conflict) but now...nearly none or very little.

Feeling of well-being and balance is very real for me at least since HRT started, but took a little while.

I don't think a few beers a day will kill you...

Flo

[8888]

If you're not an alcoholic then don't drink. It's a choice, and the smart option is to avoid it altogether, especially if you're worried about your health. What's wrong with taking non-alcoholic beer or orange juice instead when you go out?

[Asfsd4214]

What's wrong with taking non-alcoholic beer or orange juice instead when you go out?

They're non-alcoholic...?









Hey you asked...

[Shantel]

This is an excellent subject. I may be what is called a maintenance level alcoholic, although I have enormous willpower and have quit for up to five years. I've been on several types of estrogenic applications for over ten years and don't use Spironolactone as the gonads have been gone almost as long. I have found out that my two cocktail per day self imposed limit has actually accentuated the effects of estrogen, this information is backed up by my lady doctor who specializes in HRT for both men and women. I have noticed that if I go beyond my two drink limit for upwards of a week that my blood pressure spikes and I start getting horrible leg cramps in the groin, the hamstrings as well as the calf muscles. Not fun on the toilet during a pee session either, so I set the self imposed maximin of no more than two cocktails within a 24 hour period and it works. I suppose it would be even better it I quit because each drink is a double shot which translates to 240 useless, fat promoting calories each. I just haven't arrived at that place yet!