Everyone knows that under no circumstances can alcohol and antibiotics be combined, but now, the course of treatment has ended and the last pill has been taken and it is not clear how long it is possible to drink strong alcohol after takingof antibiotics? Do I have to wait a few days, or can I have a few drinks that evening? To answer this question, you need to understand in more detail how antibacterial drugs and alcoholic beverages work in the body and how long after treatment should pass so that drinking does not harm health.
How many days after antibiotic treatment can you drink alcohol?
Medicines from this group are prescribed to treat inflammatory diseases that the body cannot cope with on its own. Antibiotics attack pathogens, destroying their cellular structure, so that the disease recedes and the patient feels better.
However, there is another side to taking antibacterial agents. Since their removal from the body falls entirely onto the liver, it must take a considerable blow. Experts have also proven that in people who consumed alcohol during antibiotic therapy, the effectiveness of the treatment was significantly lower than in patients who completely gave up alcohol.
It all depends on the medicine used for treatment. It is best to check this question with your doctor. He will tell you in detail after that time you can go back to your normal way of life and get alcoholic drinks. If it is not possible to contact a doctor, then you can carefully review the instructions for the medicine.
Must be marked there:
- Duration of treatment;
- This medicine is compatible with ethanol;
- The period during which you should not drink alcohol even after the end of therapy.
The ban usually lasts from three to seven days. It all depends on the type of medicine and the duration of its elimination from the body.
If the note does not contain any information about the compatibility of a medicine with alcohol, it does not mean that you can start drinking immediately after completing the course of treatment.
In any case, it is recommended to wait at least one day to allow the remaining ingredients of the medicine to leave the body.
It is important to remember that even if the interaction with ethyl alcohol is not mentioned in the instructions for the medicine, you should still not drink alcohol immediately after antibiotics. This can damage the body that is still immature after the disease and cause unwanted side effects.
Which antibiotics should never be combined with alcohol?
Despite all the doctors' bans, some patients undergoing treatment with antibacterial agents still manage to drink strong drinks. At the same time, they do not even think about the possible consequences and refer to the fact that all the prohibitions of doctors are nothing more than an unnecessary precaution. In fact, if the simultaneous use of alcohol and drugs did not affect in any way the well-being of the patient, it does not mean that everything went without a trace for the body.
The ingredients of ethyl alcohol and medicine may not interact directly, however, ethanol may significantly reduce the therapeutic properties of the medicine and the effectiveness of the treatment. The disease will not recede anywhere and an additional course of therapy will be required, which will create a high load on the liver and other organs of the secretory system.There is also a group of antibacterial drugs, against which it is strictly forbidden to drink alcoholic beverages. Information about alcohol incompatibility is indicated on the note for these drugs, in addition, the patient should be warned about this by the attending physician, responsible for prescribing the drug.
Drugs that are completely incompatible with ethyl alcohol include:
- Tetracycline.They are widely used in medical practice for the treatment of various infectious diseases.
- Levomicetinat.Drugs in this group themselves can cause serious side effects and their concomitant intake of strong drinks can worsen the toxic effect of the drug.
- Linkosamidet.Drinking alcohol while taking these antibiotics adversely affects the central nervous system and liver.
- Aminoglycoside.Some of the most potent antibacterial agents that do not work well with other medicines. Contrast is categorically contraindicated to drink strong drinks during treatment with these drugs.
- Cephalosporins. A disulfiram-like reaction may occur due to concomitant use of these strong drinks. The person will experience symptoms of severe intoxication, which will lead to a significant deterioration of his health.
- Anti-tuberculosis antibiotics.
- Macrolide.The interaction of these substances with ethanol has a strong toxic effect on the brain and liver.
- Antibioticsused to treat leprosy.
There are several groups of antibacterial drugs, the records of which do not show how they interact with ethyl alcohol.
These drugs include:
- Antifungal agents;
- Penicillin drugs and others.
The fact that the instructions for use do not contain information about the effects of combining these drugs with alcohol does not mean that their combination is permissible. It should be borne in mind that each person's body is unique, and someone after a combination of alcohol and antibacterial agents will remain safe and healthy, and someone will be at great risk.
So how long after treatment with antibacterial drugs can you be able to drink alcohol? It all depends on the type of antibiotic and the physical condition of the patient. If the note indicates that it is forbidden to drink alcohol while taking the medication, then it is better to wait until the remaining ingredients of the medication are completely removed from the body. This usually lasts about two weeks, so it is best to wait until the end of this period with strong drinks.
If the instructions for the medicinal product do not indicate the specifics of its interaction with ethanol, then it is still better not to drink alcohol for at least three days after the end of therapy.
If you have any further questions, please contact your doctor. He will explain in detail whether it is possible to consume alcohol while taking one or another antibacterial drug and will tell you how long after the end of therapy it is better not to drink alcohol.
Possible consequences of combining
Drinking alcohol after antibiotics can cause unwanted symptoms and adverse reactions from the body. The fact is that there are a number of antibiotics that can block the breakdown of ethanol in the body. Because of this, acetaldehyde ceases to be excreted from tissues and organs and begins to accumulate in them.
In this case, the body is poisoned and the person experiences painful symptoms of intoxication:
- Nausea and vomiting attacks;
- An intolerable headache that even sedatives can not relieve;
- Dizziness;
- Difficulty breathing;
- Suppression of chest pain;
- Redness of the skin;
- Sweating;
- An increase or decrease in blood pressure.
This is not a complete list of the terrible consequences of combining alcohol and drugs.
It is important to remember that only a small number of antibiotics have been shown to be incompatible with ethanol in clinical trials to date. The rest is either not yet fully understood, or remains in doubt.
In any case, a person should be aware that heavy drinking has a negative effect on the treatment process. Ethanol interferes with the normal absorption of drugs and significantly reduces their effectiveness. Therefore, during the course of therapy, you should refuse to take any kind of alcohol, even the weakest.
This will help you avoid unpleasant side effects and keep you healthy. After all, no one can say for sure how the simultaneous intake of alcohol and antibacterial agents will affect the health of a particular person.