The dangers of mixing alcohol with prescription drugs are well known. When you pick your prescription up at the pharmacy, chances are the label or package insert will come with a warning if it is not safe to consume alcohol while you are taking the medication. One of the deadliest combinations is alcohol and narcotic pain medications. On their own, opioids can cause can alcoholism be cured drowsiness, dizziness, slowed or impaired breathing, impaired motor control, abnormal behavior, and memory loss. Medications prescribed to lower cholesterol levels (known as statins) can cause flushing, itching, stomach bleeding, and liver damage. Combining these drugs with alcohol can make the risks and side effects worse, especially if you have liver disease.
- The Sinclair Method is the standard treatment protocol for alcohol dependence in Finland, the method is also used in the U.K., but the method has yet to catch on in the United States.
- This is especially true if you are taking a medication that makes you sleepy or causes sedation.
- Many people find that a combination of treatments works best, and you can get them together through a program.
- The sedating effect of these drugs can be increased by alcohol, leading to slowed or impaired breathing, impaired motor control, abnormal behavior, memory loss, and fainting.
What is Medication-Assisted Treatment (MAT)?
In some cases, alcohol increases the bioavailability of a drug, which can raise the concentration of the medication in your blood to toxic levels. If you take any medication—even over-the-counter (OTC) products—drinking alcohol might affect how your meds work. At least one small-scale study found that taking disulfiram reduced binge-eating episodes, which could result in weight loss. However, out of the 12 subjects in the study, 11 reported having side effects, causing researchers to conclude that Antabuse is not a good solution for people with binge eating disorder. At the beginning of your treatment, you may take more or less than what you will take as your maintenance dose, depending on your provider’s instructions.
Antabuse (Disulfiram)
Disulfiram can interact with other medications, so you should talk to your healthcare provider before using any other prescription or over-the-counter (OTC) drugs or supplements. Understanding these medications enables individuals to make informed decisions about their treatment options and find the support they need to overcome alcohol dependence. It’s important to note that naltrexone is referred to as an opioid receptor antagonist, meaning it impacts the opioid receptors and blocks the effects of ingested opioids. Medicines are usually used with talk therapy and support groups to treat alcohol use disorder.
Who is at risk for alcohol use disorder?
- Antabuse (disulfiram) is a medicine used to treat alcohol use disorder.
- Anyone with kidney or liver issues should not take naltrexone without guidance from a healthcare professional.
- Seek out friends, family members, and healthcare professionals who help you stay on your new path.
- If you are not sure if it is safe to drink alcohol while you are taking medication, call a local pharmacy or talk to your doctor about the potential interactions.
- AUD is a chronic and often relapsing disease that may involve compulsive alcohol use, loss of control over drinking, and a negative emotional state when a person is not drinking.
They may also benefit from attending support groups where they can share their experiences with others in recovery. Although overcoming AUD is a challenging process, medications can help people stay in recovery and prevent them from returning to drinking. Evidence-based treatment for AUD typically combines behavioral therapy and medications to treat those with substance use disorders.
- However, with proper treatment, many people recover from alcohol use disorder.
- Trying to tough it out on your own can be like trying to cure appendicitis with cheerful thoughts.
- For example, you may start taking four tablets a day for several weeks, then take just one or even half a tablet to maintain your treatment long-term.
- Drinking even a small amount of alcohol while taking an antibiotic called Flagyl (metronidazole) can cause a severe reaction, making you extremely sick with nausea and vomiting.
- The effects of the mix can be especially serious—if not deadly—when the cough medicine also contains alcohol.
Combining alcohol with medications used to treat hypertension (high blood pressure) can cause dizziness, fainting, drowsiness, and arrhythmia (irregular heartbeat). As with cold and flu remedies, combining alcohol with medications used to treat a cough can cause drowsiness, dizziness, and motor impairment. The effects of the mix can be especially serious—if not deadly—when the cough medicine also contains alcohol. Some research has found that alcohol does not appear to worsen liver inflammation in certain people who take medication for their cholesterol. A 2006 Harvard study found that moderate alcohol use did not have a significant negative effect on the livers of men taking statins after heart surgery.
Do the Medications Make You Sick When You Drink?
Drugs & Supplements
Health Alerts from Harvard Medical School
- The report included 135 studies and was reviewed by health care professionals, researchers, experts, and the public.
- But according to Peart, this study still leaves much to be desired in terms of efficacy.
- Ali Rogin is a correspondent for the PBS News Hour and PBS News Weekend, reporting on a number of topics including foreign affairs, health care and arts and culture.
- Without appropriate motivation and supportive therapy, disulfiram is unlikely to lead to substantive effects on the drinking patterns of chronic alcoholism.
- The steps below will help you safely begin medication-assisted treatment.
- Other things, such as having low self-esteem or being impulsive, may raise the risk of alcohol use disorder.