Mixing alcohol with medications like painkillers or antidepressants can worsen side effects quickly.Some combinations\u2014like alcohol with sedatives or blood thinners\u2014can be dangerous or even deadly.Talk to a health care professional before drinking while on any medication, even over-the-counter.<\/p>\n
If you like to have a glass of wine or a cocktail every now and then but also take certain medications, you may have wondered if you shouldn\u2019t be mixing them. Well, we\u2019ve got you covered.\u00a0\n<\/p>\n
When it comes to drinking alcohol<\/a>, there are plenty of warnings that come with it and guidance on how to do it responsibly. One of the most common warnings we tend to see is not to mix alcohol with medications. But what exactly does this mean? Does this mean you shouldn\u2019t take a pill and sip on an alcoholic beverage at the same time? Does this mean that you shouldn\u2019t drink alcohol if you\u2019re regularly taking medication? And what medications could actually be negatively affected? There are a lot of questions surrounding this particular warning, so we decided to ask medical doctors about what you really need to know about how alcohol can affect your medication.\n<\/p>\n \u201cAlcohol and medication can interact in different ways based on the medication and the individual\u2019s physiology,\u201d says Thomas Pontinen, M.D.<\/a>, co-founder of MAPS, an interventional pain management clinic based in Chicago. \u201cMany medications can become less effective with alcohol, which can be of concern for individuals who need their medication to stay healthy. This is because alcohol can affect the body\u2019s ability to absorb medication.\u201d\n<\/p>\n Here\u2019s the science behind which medications don\u2019t mix well with alcohol and what happens to your body\u2014and the effectiveness of the medication\u2014when you do drink alcohol while taking them.\n<\/p>\n How Alcohol and Medication Interact <\/p>\n \u201cAlcohol should be avoided while taking medication because, in general, it can make side effects worse, diminish the intended benefit of the medication, and threaten the health and well-being of the individual taking it,\u201d Pontinen explains. \u201cIt\u2019s also important to mention that alcohol and many medications are metabolized by the liver, so combining them can put a lot of stress on the essential organ and worsen other conditions like liver disease.\u201d\n<\/p>\n \u201cThere are a range of side effects and symptoms that may occur, including change in blood pressure, fainting, change in behavior, maybe even nausea and vomiting or dizziness and headaches,\u201d says Laura Purdy, M.D.<\/a>, a board-certified family medicine physician and the medical director at EXILERA. \u201cWhen it comes to operating heavy machinery and driving a car, there are additional concerns because lack of coordination, change in mood, emotion and behavior can also be an issue. The effects might be stronger than you are used to, and you may feel more impaired after having one drink than you would typically plan for. Bottom line, your body can respond totally differently then, when both are consumed versus when just taking medications.\u201d\n<\/p>\n Here are 7 medications that shouldn’t be mixed with alcohol:\n<\/p>\n 1. Pain Relievers <\/p>\n \u201cWhen alcohol is mixed with medications such as acetaminophen (Tylenol) and nonsteroidal anti-inflammatory drugs (NSAIDs) like aspirin or ibuprofen, liver damage and gastrointestinal bleeding can be a result,\u201d says Katy Dubinsky, Pharm.D.<\/a>, a pharmacist and the founder and CEO of Vitalize.\n<\/p>\n 2. Antidepressants <\/p>\n According to Purdy, antidepressants won\u2019t be as effective when mixed with alcohol, and in some cases, could even make symptoms worse. This includes selective serotonin reuptake inhibitors (SSRIs) and serotonin and norepinephrine reuptake inhibitors (SNRIs). Dubinsky explains that mixing the two can also make you feel more sleepy and less coordinated.\n<\/p>\n 3. Antibiotics <\/p>\n \u201cTaking certain antibiotics with alcohol might have serious side effects, such as headaches, flushing and nausea,\u201d says Dubinsky. \u201cExamples of these include metronidazole and tinidazole.\u201d\n<\/p>\n