Recently I went to my Rheumatology follow-up appointment. I see a Rheumatologist (an inflammatory disease doctor who deals with all kinds of pain ailments) for fibromyalgia and inflammatory arthritis. This is an excerpt of our conversation:
ME: There was a recent study published that recommended drinking a glass of red wine every day for fibromyalgia symptoms. It seems that red wine raises GABA levels, thus reducing pain perception.
My Rheumatologist: Wow, that’s interesting! I hope you aren’t doing this?
ME: (Bright and cheery) Yes, I have been having 2-3 glasses a week. And it seems to help, at least for the evening.
DR: But don’t you know you aren’t supposed to drink?
ME: (confused as to whether I was in church or at a Dr visit) Nnnnooooo. Um, why?
DR: You are taking methotrexate. You cant drink while you are taking this drug. How long have we had you on this?
ME: Um, 4 years.
DR: And no one told you?
ME: Um, no.
DR: Well I am telling you now. You cant drink. Some Rheumatologists’ let their patients’ drink one glass a week….but I am not one of them. Drinking and methotrexate lead to liver failure.
ME: Um, I like hard cider, is that also not allowed?
DR: Does it have alcohol in it?
ME: Um, yup, a little, but only 4%.
DR: (glances up and shakes his head NO).
Going home I was a little despondent. I can taste alcohol to some degree, and I like a glass of wine or cider now and then. Sometimes I go months without anything, but NEVER? Sulking, I started to make Beef Stroghanoff. As I went to get the Sherry, I thought about the alcohol thing.
And poured it anyway.
Life is too short not to put Sherry in one’s gourmet meals.
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Awwww…..bummer. Liver failure is a miserable way to go. But on a brighter note, the sherry (or any alcohol) that you cook with is perfectly safe (as long as you don’t drink it) because the alcohol evaporates during cooking. If you add it at the end, just leave the lid off. And don’t cheat by sniffing the fumes LOL!
Cheers.! hic.
I know about drugs and meds. I can’t drink anything anymore because of what I take.
Thankfully I was never much into drinking other than socially so it does put a dampener on social events. As a result I am often the designated driver…woopee!!
I love hard cider. Got into it in England. Now they have it here, and I cant help but to have one or two a week. The alcohol content is so darn low that I am not a bit guilty. I have an alcohol intolerance to certain wines (prob sulfites) that cause me to go numb and nutty. But cider doesn’t!