I won't comment too much about coffee. I am a real sinner on that one. I drink more coffee than anyone should, even without any extra condition or medication. Most of my drugs make me sleepy and the coffee helps me get through the work day.

As far as alcohol, my thoughts are similar to many others. Alcohol does not mix at all with a lot of medications. The pharmacist will always add a sticker to the bottle that warns against using alcohol. Some will warn to “be careful” and others will say “DO NOT MIX”.

Many of the drug-related car crashes that have made the news, both locally and nationally, seem to have one thing in common. In addition to the prescription drug, the driver also had alcohol. Sometimes it was not even very much, but the combination was enough to really intensify the effects.

Ambien is one example that comes to mind immediately. This drug works well when used as directed, but will totally knock you out with just one drink.

I am on eighteen different drugs, many of which warn against using any alcohol. The added risk of putting another intoxicant into the mix is not worth it. I have been off of alcohol for this reason since I developed RSD in 1986.

My campaign is to get more non-alcoholic choices offered. The market drives everything. If you like beer, ask for a non-alcoholic beer when you are out, even if you know they don’t have it. At nicer restaurants, ask for de-alcoholized wine (this is made exactly like regular wine, and then processed to remove the alcohol.) After a while, the liquor managers will get the idea that people are willing to buy this stuff. You don’t need to totally give up the taste, just the “buzz.” (You can get the buzz from your drugs, I guess. )

As the baby-boomer generation ages, more of us need to avoid alcohol for many reasons. Hopefully, more “good” choices will become available, not just cola.

It can work, I promise.

Good luck,

Mike