However, the question is a little different for people who drink a lot of alcohol regularly. In some cases, such people might need an increased dose of their antibiotic. It can cause nausea, dizziness, headache, chest and abdominal discomfort, flushing, vomiting, and hangover-like symptoms. A 2020 review shows a lack of solid evidence behind how common this is, but caution is still warranted.

Can you drink alcohol with antibiotics?

Since having alcohol in your system can also cause these symptoms on its own, using both antibiotics and alcohol together increases your risk of these side effects. Isoniazid is often used with other medications to help treat or prevent tuberculosis (TB), a serious bacterial lung infection. Isoniazid (plus rifampin) is found in other drug combinations used for TB called Rifamate or IsonaRif. The combined use of ethionamide with excess alcohol may increase the risk of central nervous system toxicity and possible psychosis. Ethionamide is also toxic to the liver and should be administered cautiously in patients with liver disease and a history of alcoholism. For example, if you already have ongoing liver problems, it may be more important to avoid alcohol while taking certain antibiotics.

Acute alcohol use, binge drinking, and chronic alcohol use can all be harmful, whether you take medication or not. If your doctor tells you that you shouldn’t drink alcohol, ask how long you should wait before drinking again. You may need to wait at least 72 hours after finishing your course of antibiotics before having any alcohol. Talk to your doctor or pharmacist if you’re unsure about the details of your medications. But that likely depends on your age, overall health, and the type of drug you’re taking.

Keep in mind that antibiotics are often prescribed on a short-term basis. Consider waiting until you’re off the medications to have your next drink. It may reduce the chance of complications or side effects brought on by antibiotics. If the label on your drug says not to drink alcohol during treatment, follow that advice.

Can You Drink Alcohol While Taking Amoxicillin?

1. Levofloxacin, moxifloxacin, and trovafloxacin had improved efficacy in alcohol-fed rats compared to alcohol-free rats (24).
2. Recent data do not support that nitrofurantoin and alcohol causes a disulfiram-like reaction or other adverse reactions/toxicities.
3. Despite this, it should be safe to consume alcohol again about hours (between two to three days) after you finish your course of amoxicillin.
4. Although some antibiotics can interact with alcohol, the risks are not the same for all types.

Drinking these with this medicine can cause a harmful rise in blood pressure. Mixing alcohol and some antibiotics may cause side effects like liver problems or a “disulfiram-like reaction”. Some antibiotics cannot be taken with alcohol at all, so follow your healthcare provider’s instructions. Both alcohol and antibiotics can cause side effects in your body, and drinking alcohol while taking antibiotics can raise your risk of these harmful effects. Here, we’ll discuss the safety of mixing alcohol and antibiotics. We’ll also explain what effects alcohol can have on your body’s ability to fight infection.

International Patients

Penicillins, including penicillin and amoxicillin, are commonly prescribed antibiotics that fall under the category of beta-lactam antibiotics. They’re often used to fight bacterial infections like strep throat, pneumonia, or meningitis and can be given by mouth or injection. One of the most common alcohol and antibiotic interactions is with the antimicrobial agent metronidazole (Flagyl). Metronidazole is used for a variety of infections, including stomach or intestine, skin, joint and lung infections.

Treatment is prolonged, with agents known to be hepatotoxic (98). Multidrug-resistant tuberculosis has necessitated the use of second-line agents, which can result in adverse neurological reactions, making concomitant use with alcohol undesirable (99). Concurrent use of alcohol precipitated disulfiram reactions in two patients treated with ketoconazole.

Nitroimidazoles are used for parasitic or anaerobic infections (45). The most common example is metronidazole; however, tinidazole and secnidazole are also members of this class. Minocycline may attenuate alcohol-mediated toxicity in pregnant mice.

PK/PD and efficacy.

For example, you should probably avoid using alcohol while taking the antifungals Nizoral (ketoconazole) or Gris-PEG (griseofulvin), due to risk of liver problems. However, some other antifungals, such as Diflucan (fluconazole), might be able to be used more safely with alcohol. Keep in mind that some cold medicines and mouthwashes also have alcohol. Antibiotics and alcohol can cause some of the same side effects.

In fact, mixing antibiotics with alcohol may add to, trigger, or complicate the side effects of your medication. There is a risk for additive liver toxicity, especially if you have preexisting liver disease or chronically abuse alcohol. Check with your doctor before you consume alcohol while taking pyrazinamide. Ketoconazole is an oral antifungal medication used to treat certain fungal infections when patients have failed other treatments or are intolerant to them and the benefits can you mix muscle relaxers with alcohol outweigh the risk. The effect of alcohol may be increased by griseofulvin, producing a “disulfiram-like” effect such as rapid heart rate, headache, confusion, fainting, flushing, cramping, nausea, and vomiting.

Antibiotics have the potential to increase your sensitivity to light. Limit your time outdoors, especially when the sun is directly above you and the rays are stronger. If you go outside, apply sunscreen and protective clothing to prevent sunburn and skin damage.