Moderate Use of Alcohol

I am 'reading' my relapse after 10 years without a flare as an invitation to tend to my health. I was drinking my wine or beer with dinner/TV and/or occasionally a shot or two of whiskey to relax at day's end. After the shock of debilitation from the flare and the return to prednisone I of course went online to read and understand what I could. (Grateful to finally land on this Mayo site.) One thing I read online was that ANY alcohol with prednisone was a very bad thing! I also read up on the anti-inflammatory diet with little to no refined flour or sugar. The holiday season was just beginning, so okay . . . I skipped the festivities entirely and enjoyed a peaceful, inwardly-focused rest. I realized I am a decade older and it's probably time to change my pace. I'd like to be here in good health a decade from now. I am learning to take rest breaks while working, and am keeping steady with my pool exercise. I admit I'm cowed by the frigid weather and am looking forward to spring walks again. I am back to eating whole, natural foods as I did earlier in my life. I added back a craft-style non-alcoholic beer--not every day, but often enough not to feel deprived (it's really quite good). Now @ 10 mg of prednisone I decided to experiment a bit with alcohol and other sugars that I enjoy. I tried wine again but ran into the difficulty of keeping it to one glass--(you drink the first one and the wine drinks the second one...etc.)--so I might have to save that for social occasions. Restraint is a learned habit that I have not yet mastered. I even indulged this week in a shot of whiskey with my favorite TV show--and with difficulty managed to keep it to one with a water chaser. Old habits are hard to break and I am going to keep a tight rein on this because I want to have a healthy retirement and be able to enjoy my hobbies and an active lifestyle. I'm calling the whole PMR flare episode a gift to learn about aging healthfully. Spiritually, it is an opportunity to learn self-restraint and acceptance. One added "bonus" (LOL): I also figured out what household appliances I needed to have around should this 'correction' (flare) ever happen again: a walker, a raised toilet seat, how to rearrange the bathroom so I can reach essentials without having to raise my arms, etc. All in all, it's been a fruitful learning experience.

Hello @rnm my heart goes out to you. Last June I too was diagnosed with PMR after months of being in pain. Up to that point I had been a very active person, eating healthy, and enjoying daily moderate wine with supper. I too have acid reflux now so I keep it to just one small glass with supper but not daily.
I remember well the feeling of being overwhelmed with the diagnosis and feeling very lost at sea. This forum has been so helpful!
If I have one bit of advice for you is: don't rush the process of weaning off prednisone!! I did .. and I paid for it .. and in the end it only lengthens the whole process. My GP wanted me to go down 2.5 MG from a start of 20mg every two weeks . When I got to 7.5 I had a huge flare up and only going back up to 30 mg reduced the pain. So now I am at 13mg and tapering 1mg at a time every 3 to 4 weeks depending on my symptoms.
I wish you all the best,

hi @rnm, I've had PMR and GCA, and I'm being treated for a relapse for the last year. I was a regular wine drinker before the onset of PMR/GCA about five years ago. Through the course of these disorders, I lost my taste for wine. It just didn't taste good anymore. I've abstained from drinking the last few years, especially because I was on high dosages of Prednisone.
Now I'm down to 3 mg.
I recently asked my rheumatologist about drinking alcohol and he said "in moderation" was okay.
I just found a red blend that tastes good, but only drink a couple of ounces.

I was finally diagnosed with PMR after going through months of pain and I am a moderate wine drinker. I enjoy wine every night. I stopped when I first started taking prednisone when I did a Z-Pak but now I’m finding that it doesn’t bother me it doesn’t bother my stomach. I don’t have headaches so I don’t know that there’s a problem since the two of them don’t really have a reaction to one another. I’m now on 20 mg of prednisone.

I'm on an anti-inflammatory diet (low carb, high protein, no red meat, "no" sugar or salt). I enjoy red wine but since alcohol has sugars, I keep it to small amounts. I have 2-3 ounces with or after dinner and have no ill effects. (5oz. is considered a glass of wine. )

A few glasses of wine each week don't seem to make as much of a difference as a meal of pasta. I have a one drink maximum which seems to have little affect on PMR.

My rheumatologist said I could drink moderately. I had quit drinking completely with the PMR, but resumed a few beers on the weekends to no ill affect. I also find fake beer to be an acceptable substitute for every day. As they say, listen to your body.