If you have hep C, your risk of developing liver damage is higher if you also drink alcohol. Reducing your alcohol intake can be the first step towards lessening the risk of serious liver damage. Try to reduce your alcohol use to, or below, the national alcohol recommendations for the general public, which are:

• Both men and women should not drink more than two standard drinks per day (a standard drink is one schooner of light beer, one middy of full strength beer, one standard glass of wine or one nip of spirits)
• If on any occasion, you do drink over the above limit, you should not drink more than four standard drinks in a day

People with hep C who have evidence of liver damage should cut out alcohol use altogether.

Click on the following link to open the current Australian guidelines:

Australian alcohol guidelines - 2MB PDF

 

If you have difficulty reducing your alcohol intake, seek advice from your doctor or the Alcohol & Drug Information Service (web link). The following tips may also be helpful:

• Have regular alcohol-free days
• Try low alcohol drinks
• Follow each alcoholic drink with several non-alcoholic drinks
• Avoid places where there is pressure to drink
• Avoid drinking in rounds (having turns at buying everyone’s drinks)
• Finish your drink and then wait a while before starting a new one

 

 

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Stock photos used. People shown may have no actual connection with hepatitis C.

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This page last updated 12 May 2010

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