Is it okay for me to have an occasional Adult Beverage?

Lemme check. I sort of feel like the more you add, the less you should have The Booze, since you're already taxing your liver with metabolizing all those drugs. That's just my out-of-my-ass opinion, not based on anything scientific. I'll go look stuff up and let you know.

Steph, could I ask you to check on Cymbalta too? What's the alcohol story with that one?

I do skip booze on Zithromax but generally when I am taking it, I am trying to fight something big and I don't want to tax my body more. And it's an intense course.

Okay, first Jilli -- rifampin and azithromycin both list precautions w/r/t liver enzymes being altered (by "precautions," I mean "reported at a level barely high enough to be listed as a side effect," NOT "kiss your liver goodbye"). That's my best guess as to why avoiding alcohol is recommended. Plus, multiple drugs *are* putting more of a burden on your body in general, and your liver specifically, even though you need to be taking them and they're doing what they need to do.

My I-am-not-a-doctor "advice" -- skip the alcohol. HOWEVER, my what-would-I-do-if-it-were-me confession -- I would probably have 1 drink, once in a while. I think the best thing to do is ask your doctor's opinion, but make sure you specify what you mean by "occasional" drink -- the answer might vary depending on whether you mean once a week or once every 2 weeks, etc., or depending on where you are in the drug pulse cycle when you have the drink.

Now billytea -- you should be fine drinking with Cymbalta. My experience of taking ADs and drinking is that you should see how one drink affects you before you decide to start chugging kegs of beer (as is your wont) -- when I first started Zoloft, alcohol would make me tipsy really quickly, on just 1 drink. But I built up a tolerance after a while, which I think is normal with ADs. So just keep an eye on it.

Are you kidding me? It was right there on the tin NOT to read it, Jilli. Sweetie, Jillifont does not mean "of interest to Jilli especially."

Seriously! That's negligence on a par with Lou Gehrig getting Lou Gehrig's Disease. He should've avoided that one.

Now billytea -- you should be fine drinking with Cymbalta. My experience of taking ADs and drinking is that you should see how one drink affects you before you decide to start chugging kegs of beer (as is your wont) -- when I first started Zoloft, alcohol would make me tipsy really quickly, on just 1 drink. But I built up a tolerance after a while, which I think is normal with ADs. So just keep an eye on it.

Cool, thanks.

Are you kidding me? It was right there on the tin NOT to read it, Jilli. Sweetie, Jillifont does not mean "of interest to Jilli especially."

I know, I know. I have no brain right now, I swear.

I would probably have 1 drink, once in a while. I think the best thing to do is ask your doctor's opinion, but make sure you specify what you mean by "occasional" drink

I'm writing the email to her right now. Thank you for your not-a-doctor advice!

My last round of blood tests showed that my liver enzymes were fantastic, and I have been having an occasional drink. But yeah, now that I'm adding in yet another abx, Really Specific Instructions would be good.

The last round of tests also showed that I AM getting better. I still feel awful, but the disease(s) are being thumped into submission.

I asked my doctor about drinking on New Year's Eve with the meds I'm taking. She said getting buzzed was fine for one night, but not to make a habit of it. I think it goes back to the concept of moderation in all things.

Went to the Humane Society's volunteer orientation with my roommate, so we can try to be cat foster parents. Only in Seattle are the "featured" people in the adoption video a gay male couple, a single woman, and an unmarried straight couple, no children anywhere in sight. (Seattle has the lowest # of children per capita of any big city) They also offer Doggy Yoga.

Don't ever knock the back bumper off of a Toyota Camry. $770 to replace and paint. All out of my pocket. Upside? It's not the full $2500 deductible I was responsible for.

Oof. I mean, yay less than $2500, but yeesh.

Vortex, I have done that many times, leave my leftovers when I meant to take them. Hate.

It was particularly bitter making because I could have finished it, but decided to do what you're supposed to and stop eating when I was no longer hungry. Next time I'm just going to stuff my face.