PLEASE HELP! Alcohol and chemotherapy drug interactions?
Question:
Does anyone know the ramifications of abusing alcohol while receiving chemotherapy? What is the effect? My mother in law is currently undergoing chemo for stage 3 ovarian cancer. The problem is that she is a major alcoholic. She has recently (in the last few weeks) she has gone back to her old ways of drinking heavily. Anyone who has known of this situation who can comment? Thanks in advance.
Answers:
There are several issues (off the top of my head) I see with taking chemo and drinking alcohol. The first would be it is more likley that your MIL will become dehydrated. People on chemo need to be well hydrated to help flush the chemo out of their body. This may lead to increased toxicities from the chemo. Also, alcohol tends to depress the immune system. Your MIL's immune system will already be compromised from the chemo putting her at higher risk of overwhelming infection and possible sepsis. I would also be concerned about her falling and injuring herself. Her platlet count might be low and she could bleed very badly. And finally, the question would need to be raised as to how the chemo is interacting with the alcohol. Is the alcohol stopping the chemo from doing it's job?
Perhaps you MIL is experiencing depression (and who wouldn't with stage 3 ovarian cancer?) Would she consider talking about it with a counselor or possibly starting an antidepressant to help her through this?
Talk with the Dr. Usually alcohol and chemo together is a major no-no. You MIL may be depressed and has given up and decided to do what she did before - Good Luck...
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