Hi everyone. I just wondered if any of you lovely people who have been taking Tecfidera for a wee while could tell me if it is OK to have a glass of wine some times as I have been invited to a wedding .
Annex
no problem at all. i can neck the required quantity of friday night bevvies and maintain the usual twice daily tec intake with no conflict nor complications.
Thanks for that.
Anne
Hello,
I was told also that it was no problem, however, leave at least an hour from taking a dose to having a drink.
Jools
X
Jools is correct - wait at least an hour after the Tecfidera dose.
I’ve had several glasses of wine (about 11%) but i was told to not have anything over 30%(so no spirits). I don’t know if this is just until you get used to the medication or long term.
I will ask next time i see neuro. I would think the stronger the spirit - the more likely you are to flush!!
I’m on my 13th week of Tecfidera now.
Would like to have a brandy with santa this xmas though!
Teresa.x
There is medicinal values to Brandy as well as Tecfidera 
So it is advised to wait an hour after Tec before getting your booze on… but what about the other way around?
1 Like
Hiya,
I take both my Tec doses in daylight hours, so that I can drink in the evenings if I want to, after both doses for the day are done.
…usualy first dose with breakfast and second dose late afternoon with an after school snack (I’m a mummy so the second dose opportunity always arises!)
NB: my MS Nurse says that as long as there are at least 4 hours between doses, no pattern needs to be followed for doses, other than one I’d chose myself.
Jools
X
hello ann how are you? im friend of crazy
Hi
I am feeling a bit down today I don’t really know why.I have so many things on my mind that has to be done for Xmas it is starting to worry me.Hubby works he does his best when he gets time.
My mobility is not to good at the moment so I am finding it difficult to get about.I don’t start Tecfidera until January I am also really scared about starting it because of side affects but I know I have to be on something.
Sorry to go on it is just the way I am feeling today.Thanks for asking how I am it is nice to have a friend.
Anne
Hi ,
I can only talk of my own experience with the Tecfidera.
Don’t be scared even though i was a bit worried as well to start with. It was mild on my body with the biggest change being some very very loud noises (i did not think the human body was capable of such noise ) from gas over the first few months and also a bit of itching when flushing occurs but nothing excessive. All good overall, I actually feel it has a feel good element built into it. I am on my fourth month of the Tecfidera and have not had alcohol so far but might start slipping a few lights in over Christmas. I have also returned to full duties with my work and the Tecfidera was not detected on the random drug test with work… Be nice if someone found a cure so we could all get back to normal.
Good Luck
Skip
Hi Anne…you are not alone !..I know that doesn’t get your Xmas stuff done but I feel the same at the moment.My husband works and last night was a rough night for me, with my pain, and he was awake with me most of the night. He went to work this morning as usual.
Started taking Tecfidera a week ago and feel a bit sick.
I say have a great Xmas, and Xmas to me means being with the ones you love that is the important thing.
Julie x
Hi,
Happy Birthday!
I’m not on Tec, but just a thought - why not have your birthday drink today, and start your new medication tomorrow?
If you’ve already been diagnosed six years, I can’t see what difference 24 hours would make. Personally, I wouldn’t start a new medication on my special day, regardless of alcohol, just in case I don’t feel well with it.
Or do you mean your birthday is not today, but soon…?
Tina
It’s never bothered me to drink wine and take Tecfidera. I don’t drink spirits and don’t drink a huge amount at any one time (binge drinking in the City days are long behind me). And I believe our resident Tec expert Paulo would agree, I seem to remember something from him about drinking a few then taking his Tecfidera.
I’m on Tec and the leaflet that comes with each packet there’s a bit about alcohol, under section 2.
Consumption of more than a small quantity (more than 50ml) of strong alcoholic drink should be avoided within an hour of taking Tecfidera, as alcohol can interact with this medicine. This could cause inflammation of the stomach (gastritis).
I didn’t have a very positive experience with tecfidera and alcohol. It made me violently ill the next day. However, i am a vodka drinker (don’t like wine or beer) - so that may have had an influence.
In all honesty I don’t really drink unless I have an event or special occasion / night out, for instance earlier this year my sister got married which resulted in a hen do and wedding reception. On both occasions i only took my tecfidera in the morning (as advised by nurse) - but the morning after the night before seen me praying to the porcelain god and feeling awful for days. I also tried just a couple of drinks after waiting more than an hour after my evening tecfidera dose - still made me sick.
In all fairness, tecfidera just wasn’t the drug for me. I stopped in August after taking it for a year as the other side effects were a problem. I’m now on Plegridy and was absolutely fine after a night out at the weekend.
Just out of curiosity, has anyone else who takes Pregabalin found that they seem to suffer less with hangovers? I’ve been taking Pregabalin for around 4 years, and am convinced that it stops hangovers (used to suffer terribly after drinking). With the exception of the year that I was on Tecfidera, I a never suffer anymore - hopefully i’ve not jinxed it by asking the question lol!
I value rehydration… especially after playing hockey… especially in the form of oat sodas. Sometimes this effort to adequately replenish bodily fluids can go on late into the night and finally, when it is time to lie down, i am confronted by dose two of tecfidera (I always take capsule #2 at bedtime).
I have never experienced any adverse effects from having a belly full of booze before or after Tecfidera being taken. Perhaps to my shame… i have actually taken tecfidera once or twice, with the help of a gulp full of beer and so…
But with all that being said, we all have varying tolerances to this brand of poison and so caution is what i would advise. I do not anticipate problems (based upon my own experience) but i would want to see Tecfidera could be taken happily without booze, before taking it with
but 'appy birfdee!