can you drink alcohol if you are taking antibiotics?

Answer 1

you shouldn't... I have heard that alcohol will hurt the effectiveness of the anitbiotics...

Answer 2

It depends on the antibiotics you take.

As a rule it will not interfere with the effectiveness.
Another rule. You can get very sick from it. Really, like you had about a bucket to much.

From a real doctor:
A widespread myth holds that you shouldn't drink alcohol while taking antibiotics, but in fact, drinking doesn't lessen the effects of the drugs. However, alcohol can lower your general energy and delay your recovery so it is best to minimize drinking until you've finished the prescribed course of antibiotic treatment. (Beyond that, chronic liver damage from excessive alcohol consumption can affect the metabolism and toxicity of antibiotics.)

There are other precautions you should take when on antibiotics. Antibiotics not only kill harmful bacteria that are making you sick, they also destroy the beneficial flora in your gut and can promote the development of resistant organisms in your body. To restore the helpful organisms, be sure to take supplemental acidophilus while you're on antibiotics. Acidophilus is the general name for dried or liquid cultures of the living lactobacillus bacteria that aid digestion. Always check the expiration date to help ensure that the acidophilus product you choose is still viable. Take one tablespoon of the liquid culture advertisement

or one to two capsules after meals, unless the label directs otherwise. I recommend taking acidophilus to restore "friendly" cultures even when on antibiotics for just a few days. And I particularly recommend products containing lactobacillus GG, a strain proven to survive passage through the strong acid in the stomach. (Visit Culterelle for more information: http://www.culturelle.com/)

The organisms that withstand antibiotic treatment contribute to the growing problem of antibiotic resistance, which leaves us with fewer options for therapy when knockout treatments really are needed. For that reason, I generally encourage people to seek alternatives to antibiotics, whenever possible. For example, long-term antibiotic therapy for acne isn't very wise (instead, try an anti-inflammatory diet, taking essential fatty acids and using traditional Chinese medicine). I would reserve antibiotics for situations that really require them, such as bacterial infections in vital organs or fast-moving infections that the immune system can't contain.

Andrew Weil, M.D.

Answer 3

Most of the antibiotics are metabolised in the liver.Alcohol destroys the liver in the longrun and can alter the metabolism of certain antibiotics in short run.Some antibiotics like metronidazole can cause severe withdrawal symptoms.Inaddition to that,both antibiotics and alcohol can increase the acid levels.advised not to take.

Answer 4

you should not. First of all some antibiotics interact with alcohol and all interfere with it. The antibiotic will not work effectively if you consume alcohol.

Answer 5

Not a good idea to drink alcohol with any prescription drugs it defeats the purpose of the drugs

Answer 6

you can but you shouldn't. read the information on the medication if you still have it or look it up on the net. drug digest.com is great for looking up interactions. remember that if you area woman and on the pill the antibiotics can decrease the pills effectiveness. also sunlight is best avoided when on an anti-biotic.

Answer 7

Call your pharmacist.

Answer 8

No. They will be ineffective.

Answer 9

absolutely not. You can die from that.