When I was on methotrexate, I drank 2-3 glasses of wine a week. My doctor said one to two a day was fine even. My liver was NOT affected by that small amount of alcohol.
If you are worried and know you want to have more than 2-3, just swap for a spritzer or mimosa. You'll get to have more that way, but with the same intake of alcohol.
On the flip side, Cymbalta increases half life of some drugs, like methotrexate. The combination raised my enzymes off the charts to the point I had to stop everything. My rheumatologist was UNFAMILIAR with the regarding cymbal and he'd never had a patient react as I did. My liver doctor (you suddenly get a liver doctor when you need a biopsy) had seen it often even with other drugs.
Go, have fun!

I did it once... Never again!

I felt terrible the next day but everyone is different.

i think a lot of things are good. it is good if you are young (20's, 30's even 40"s) it is good if your liver enzymes are not elevated, now.

all good. but mine were not elevated also, in my 40's but are now.

it has taken herculean willpower NOT to use the NSAIDS - I can't do anything about frequent hospitalizations for pneumonia and iv antibiotics.

it seems like it is a personal moot discussion for each individual on here until the fat lady sings. then, when that occurs, you either lower your enzymes or stop or change your treatment. but if and when it does occur you will feel a might protective about your liver as you should. whether you should feel protective about it before is whether or not you believe that your actions will ultimately raise those numbers. that's a personal decision. I know I liked to ignore the possibilities in favor of a present reality. we are all human.

it's just the numbers game also plays into age and ultimately the decisions we all make, change. and some have fabulous luck on methotrexate for a good while without liver change.

depot

Was your rheumy talking about 1 to 2 drinks a day, a week, or a month?

None of mine have ever mentioned alcohol. My first was raised in the Soviet Union. By their standards, we Americans are rank amateurs at drinking! I figured that was why she never bothered discussing it. The second one never even bothered to ask what drugs I was taking or what I was allergic to. The third, who knows?

I've never been much of a drinker. When I first started meth I didn't drink a drop for at least six months. Since then, I have a drink or two on the odd occasion. Liver enzymes have always been fine.

As others have said, there isn't really research to back up a link between moderate alcohol use and liver damage. If you doctor says it's OK, that's a good endorsement. You certainly don't want to get blasted anyway- insulting the new in-laws and breaking glassware doesn't make for a great wedding! Congratulations, and enjoy all the festivities.

My rhuemy told me 2 drinks a week is fine. On my son's wedding I had Too much fun and had 3 or 4 ..I kept losing my drinks and I'm a lightweight. I get a buzz on 2 sips. So I skipped mtx that week, my rhuemy suggested and all was well.
Lots of happiness to you....oh to be young again. I'm so jealous. =)

Lin

I have a glass of wine every evening and so far no issues with swelling, etc. However I'm only on Celebrex and my RA is not very bad (yet).

Alcohol makes me feel like i have been hit by a truck the next day, even if I have only one glass. This started about a year before I was DX'd with RA. At the time, I was chalking it up to hormonal imbalance (since I had certain times of them month where I was hit with extreme fatigued that lasted only a day), but now I realized it was likely the RA all along. As much as I would love to have a drink or two, it's not worth the risk to my liver, or the way I feel later.

I think I will just have a drink or two on my honeymoon and at my wedding. We are going to an all inclusive resort so I'm sure they water down most of their drinks anyways HAHA!! We will see how my liver enzymes are at my next few follow ups.

Thanks everyone!! :)

How did things go with the wedding? What about the all inclusive and alcohol? I had the same issue with an all inclusive in Mexico! I drank every day, but not nearly what I used to! ,y liver was fine, but I came home with the shingles! Just curious, what dosage of MTX are you all taking?

I am on methotrexate too - and sometimes my live enzyme level goes up...and then back to normal. It's been this way for a very long time. Even without alcohol. I am not much of a drinker. But.....if I want a drink or two one evening I don't worry about it. We have to have a few vices every now and then. :)

Hope everything goes well and you have a fun time. I think all the advice you got was good. I am on plaquenil and doing well after 3 yrs.
@ Trinaunz I also am a craft beer drinker.

Congrats on your upcoming summer festivities!

You got a lot of good responses here but I noticed one component you probably need to set your mind at ease is more people chiming in on what their dosage is. Some here may be saying everything is fine & dandy but what if their MTX is only 5mg weekly. I'm @ 7.5mg but when I was at double that amount a month ago & having 3-4 beers on Friday nights after work, elevated enzyme levels were shown. However RA affects were minimal & have always been minimal after being on MTX.

So my Rheumy cut my MTX in 1/2 to the now 7.5mg & put me on Plaq 100mg twice a day & now my enzyme levels are back to normal & have been for a few months & I'm still doing 3-4 beers a week. Also, I'm 44 years of age.

SO I think the factors you need to consider is the med, dosage, age & possibly how long the person has been on it to get a better comfort level.

Sometimes, (like tonight) I come here just to get a final decision on what I'm going to do. Like I came here tonight to see (should I drink again tonight 1 or 2 beers?) And after reading this post I will probably decide not to do that this week.

My main state rheumy said no alcohol at all. I followed and had zero but my liver enzymes went up. I was off mtx for nearly a year. At the end of that time I saw a private rheumy as I needed a different drug as arava producing side effects and he put me back on mtx at a lower dose.

He said a couple of drinks a week is ok. Until relatively recently I would sometimes, not every week, have two units and one of those might be low alcohol beer. My liver enzymes did not budge.

But recently my RA has upped itself to attack both hands. Am in a lot of carpel tunnel type pain and instead of alcohol helping I feel if anything even sorer next day. Part of this has been a rise in the liver enzymes too but they are going down again at last test.

I guess all these words sum up to say see if you can handle a couple of drinks a week but check if it worsens symptoms and keep up the liver enzyme tests. After a while at functions no one notices what you are drinking and if the company is right you will enjoy yourself.

I am on mtx and have been on it for six years. I do drink alcohol in moderation and have not had any liver damage. However, it does make the pain and fatigue much worse. I can understand you wanting to enjoy your special day. I think as long as you don't overdo it you'll be okay. Just have a little. Congratulations by the way !

Just had my first party for my upcoming wedding... Joint shower with all of my friends and family. Had two drinks. Completely feel like crap now! Joints hurt, nauseated, and in a full blown sjogrens flare. I guess it's also weighing how bad it's going to cause a flare or not :(

Thanks for the well wishes and advice again!