Antibiotics, despite the long list of contraindications and a wide range of side effects, are a much needed medicine that has saved more than one life. Because only antibiotics can destroy bacteria in the body that cause dangerous diseases.
<1_img_centerxx>Before these drugs were invented, many people died from bacterial infections. Many diseases were considered incurable due to the absence of such drugs.
Antibiotics cannot be taken without a doctor's prescription and it is very important to follow the rules for taking them. In addition, be aware that antibiotics are incompatible with alcohol. The answers to all questions related to taking antibiotics are contained in this article.
Rules of antibiotics
The most important rule for taking antibiotics is to use them only in cases where it is impossible to do without them. Indications for use are symptoms of an acute bacterial infection, which the body cannot cope with on its own. To obtain the desired therapeutic effect, antibiotics cannot be taken indiscriminately.
It is imperative to follow the instructions below:
- You cannot prescribe yourself an antibiotic if there is no medical training. Only a doctor will be able to determine the cause of the disease - a virus or bacteria. With a viral infection, antibiotics do not help, on the contrary, they can worsen the course of the disease.
- You cannot stop the prescribed treatment if you feel better. A relapse of the disease may occur;
- Do not change the dosage of the antibiotic during treatment. A decrease in the dose threatens the bacteria to develop resistance to the drug, and an increase is fraught with side effects or overdose;
- You can not drink the antibiotic with tea, juice and especially milk, otherwise the drug will be unnecessary. Milk, dairy products and fermented milk products are incompatible with antibiotics, they reduce the effect of the drug. You can drink the drug only with water, about 0. 5-1 glass;
- You can't take antibiotics whenever it's convenient for you. It is important to follow the instructions of the medicine and to use the medicine as described, namely: before, during or after a meal. In addition, it is important to respect the frequency of administration (1 time in 24 hours, 2 times in 12 hours, 3 times in 8 hours, etc. ), to create the desired concentration of antibiotic in the body;
- Do not combine taking antibiotics with physical activity;
- You cannot drink alcohol while you are taking antibiotics.
Before prescribing an antibiotic, it is imperative to inform the doctor of the following:
- the medications that are being taken at the moment;
- pregnancy or breastfeeding;
- kidney or liver disease;
- Diabetes.
And also if observed earlier:
- the appearance of side effects;
- the development of allergic reactions;
- recent use of antimicrobial agents.
When can I drink alcohol after finishing the course of antibiotics?
Different antibiotics have different active ingredients. And, therefore, each drug has its own conditions for elimination from the body. In one case, it is a short period, and alcohol can be taken the next day, and in the other, abstinence from alcohol is required for 7 days.
The necessary information, as a rule, is indicated by the manufacturer in the annotation to the preparation. If it is absent, it is better to wait 10 days. In addition, if the patient has kidney or liver problems, this period should be at least doubled.
How long after alcohol can you drink antibiotics?
Alcohol is completely eliminated from the body 21 hours after the last intake. After this period, you can take the prescribed antibiotics. However, in any case, it is best to reduce alcohol consumption as much as possible if you are taking a course.
Reasons for the incompatibility of alcohol and antibiotics
Besides the fact that taking antibiotics places great strain on the kidneys and liver, and taking it with alcohol only worsens the situation, since ethanol slows down the work of the excretory systems, there is another important reasonincompatibility.
All the substances that enter the human body begin to decay until only the original parts remain. This also happens with alcohol and antibiotics. The danger of co-administration is that the antibiotic molecules are similar to alcohol molecules. The body cannot recognize it properly, which leads to failure.
Alcohol is perceived by the body as a drug, which leads to the fact that alcohol molecules are poorly processed by the body.
Consequences of non-compliance with the rules for taking antibiotics
With a violation of the rules of taking antibiotics, as well as with the wrong choice of a drug or an incorrectly prescribed treatment regimen, often unwanted side effects occur.
These include:
- Dysbacteriosis. It is caused by an imbalance between the healthy and pathogenic microflora of the body, which occurs when the pathogenic bacteria begin to quantitatively overtake the bacteria that perform the protective functions of the body. Dysbacteriosis manifests itself in the form of repeated candidiasis or diarrhea.
- Allergic reactions. Individual intolerance to the components of the drug plays an important role here. Allergic reactions are different, including irreversible.
- Antibiotic resistance of bacteria. Pathogenic microorganisms are able to adapt to the active substance of the antibiotic, it is enough to loosen the "grip". They continue to reproduce, and the disease continues as a result.
Only a serious attitude to taking antibiotics will give the required therapeutic effect.
What antibiotics are strictly prohibited with alcoholic beverages?
There are antibiotics that are strictly forbidden to consume at the same time as drinks containing alcohol. This information, of course, is indicated in the annotation to the drug, moreover, the doctor who is responsible for prescribing the antibiotic must warn the patient.
These drugs include the following antibiotics:
- Tetracycline group. Preparations based on them are often used in medicine, have a wide spectrum of action;
- Chloramphenicol group. This group of drugs often causes side effects and, in combination with alcohol, can increase the toxic effect of the drug;
- Group of lincosamides. When taken simultaneously with drinks containing alcohol, it has a negative effect on the liver and central nervous system;
- Group of aminoglycosides. This group of drugs is one of the strongest among antibiotics. Poor compatibility with other drugs, let alone alcohol
- The group of cephalosporins. Joint consumption of alcohol causes symptoms of severe intoxication of the body, which leads to a sharp deterioration in well-being;
- Macrolide group. The combination of alcohol and an antibiotic has a strong toxic effect on the liver and brain;
- Antibiotics used to treat tuberculosis;
- Antibiotics used to treat leprosy.
There are also drugs on the pharmacological market for which the annotation does not contain information on the interaction with alcohol.
The lack of information about the combination with alcohol does not at all mean that the combination is allowed. It is not necessary to expose the body to unnecessary risks.
Possible consequences of the combination of an antibiotic and alcohol
There is no way to know in advance how a particular organism will react to the simultaneous consumption of liquids containing alcohol and antibiotics. Damage can be done to any area of the body.
However, there are the most common consequences:
- Severe allergic reactions;
- Severe and unbearable headaches;
- Dizziness;
- Difficulty in breathing
- Chest pain, pressing character;
- A sharp rise or fall in blood pressure;
- Darkening of the mind;
- Excessive sweating;
- Nausea or vomiting;
- Damage to the liver;
- Aggravated states of intoxication and hangovers;
- The need to repeat the course of antibiotics. Alcohol will reduce or destroy the effect of the drug.
The consequences can be even sadder, it all depends on the individual and their state of health. The negative consequences are always the suffering of the organism, in whole or in part. The negative effects can be easily avoided by simply eliminating alcohol and antibiotics.
It is important to know that at present, thanks to clinical studies, only a part of all antibiotics have been shown to be incompatible with alcohol. The rest of the drugs are in doubt or not fully understood.
A person himself should understand the onset of possible consequences, focusing on drugs, the incompatibility of which with ethanol has already been investigated. Responsibility for your health should be a priority over all life circumstances associated with alcohol consumption.
And to get the best result from the treatment, you have to give up alcohol, whatever it is, even the weakest.