Alcohol is also known by its chemical name which is ethanol. It is a psychoactive substance which is an active ingredient in drinks like beer, distilled spirits also known as hard liquor and wine. Alcohol has been known to have harmful interactions with many prescription medications, also some OTC (over-the-counter) drugs, as well as some herbal remedies.

Not sure how alcohol interacts with your meds? Ask a doctor.

If you are not sure about which medicines can be combined with alcohol, you should at best avoid any kind of alcohol consumption. You should first consult with your doctor and ask him/her if it is safe to mix alcohol and medications. Get in touch with Docprime to book an appointment with a doctor online as it offers a with the best qualified doctors. This platform gives you a range of healthcare services keeping your comfort a priority. Whether you need a doctor consultation or follow-ups, their experienced doctors will attend to you to meet your medical requirements.

Is It Okay to Drink Alcohol and Take Medication?

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What can happen when you mix alcohol with medications 

Is It Okay to Drink Alcohol and Take Medication?

One should not take any form of medication if you have consumed alcohol. Taking alcohol with medications may cause many problems such as:

  • Nausea and vomiting

  • Headaches

  • Abnormal behaviour

  • Drowsiness

  • Fainting

  • Dizziness

  • Fainting

  • Accidents

  • Loss of coordination

Mixing alcohol with any type of medication increases the risk of complications like:

  • Heart problems

  • Liver damage

  • Internal bleeding

  • Depression

  • Impaired breathing

Is It Okay to Drink Alcohol and Take Medication?

In many cases, alcohol interactions decrease the efficiency of the medications or render them useless. And in some other cases, alcohol interactions make drugs harmful or even toxic to the body.
If alcohol is consumed in small amounts, it can also intensify the side effects of medication. Common side effects are drowsiness, light-headedness and sleepiness. This can interfere with the ability to operate any machinery or concentration or drive a vehicle and this can lead to some serious or fatal accidents. Because alcohol interacts with most of the commonly used medications, it is very important to note the warning levels and also to ask your doctor or pharmacist. Most of the doctors will advise you not to use alcohol with any medicines – herbal or non-herbal.
People taking painkillers or sedative drugs such as diazepam or valium should avoid the consumption of alcohol. People using anti-depressants such as Prozac or fluoxetine should avoid alcohol altogether.

Is It Okay to Drink Alcohol and Take Medication?

There are many antibiotics which basically don’t mix with alcohol. Simply put, it will make you become sick. But there are also many commonly recommended antibiotics, which do not cause any problems while drinking as long as your consumption is below the recommended amount.
There are some people who take long-term medications. These people should not indulge in drinking, as the alcohol can make some medicines to become less effective and also their conditions can get worse. Many examples of long-term treatments include medicines for diabetes, epilepsy, or drugs such as Warfarin to thin the blood.
The myth that alcohol can improve your immune system is not proven. Drinking alcohol only causes your system to become numb and the only positive effects are just psychological.

In many cases, alcohol interactions decrease the efficiency of the #medications or render them useless. And in some other cases, #alcohol interactions make drugs harmful or even #toxic to the body.Click To Tweet

How alcohol can interfere with medication

Alcohol Addiction: Are Stop Drinking Experts Essential?

Consuming alcohol has its effects. The first one is that alcohol acts as a depressant. This means that it affects the way your brain works. It numbs your senses and this is the reason your sense don’t work properly. There are some medicines also that affect the functioning of your brain. If you consume alcohol, then there will be an engagement. Alcohol will increase the sedative effects of causing you to sleep and cause dizziness. This also changes your brain and body in terms of the way they respond to the medicines. Drinking alcohol makes the medication less effective. Drugs or medicines like Valium or Diazepam – or any other drug that makes you drowsy or make you sleepy – the alcohol in your body makes the time of reaction decrease and also gets you tired faster than the usual time.

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The second effect is that the way drugs get absorbed by the body and then broken down in your liver. If your alcohol consumption is more than usual and you drink it in excessive amounts, then your liver produces more enzymes. These extra enzymes help in getting rid of the alcohol in your body faster. The same enzymes then break down the medication or medicines you have taken and then leave them with no effect at all. One of the prime examples is the medication for epilepsy.

Dangerous for old-aged people and women

Is It Okay to Drink Alcohol and Take Medication?

Alcohol is not only dangerous to young people but also to women who take medications while drinking alcohol. These woman are particularly vulnerable for no other reason than their bodies contain less water when compared with men. This makes their blood-alcohol content rise more quickly than that of men. This means that if medicines are mixed with alcohol, then they can cause more damage to a female’s internal organs.
Older people are affected more than younger people when their medicines are mixed with alcohol. It can lead to serious injuries and lead to falls. Older people usually take more than one medication which makes them more vulnerable — as the medicines don’t react well with alcohol.
As we age, our body’s ability to break down alcohol mostly begins to slow down. If you are still not sure about which medicine can be combined with alcohol, you should at best avoid any kind of alcohol consumption. You should first consult with your doctor and ask him/her if it is safe to mix alcohol and medicine.
 
Have you ever experienced problems with alcohol and drug interaction?
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