The Holiday season is the traditional time for get-togethers with family and friends.

Many people celebrate the holidays, as well as various other occasions, with wine, beer or spirits. One of the most common questions pharmacists are asked is: "Can I drink while I'm taking medication?"

It's important to know, first of all, that even if you don't swallow your medication with alcohol, there can still be some interaction. What matters is that the alcohol and the medication wind up in your body at the same time. This is often the case because alcohol, like your medication, takes several hours to be completely eliminated.

Several things can happen if people on medication consume alcohol. Here are some of the possible reactions and the types of medication with which they can occur.

Alcohol can increase drowsiness caused by certain drugs, such as analgesics containing

codeine. This effect can also be felt with antihistamines (for allergies), certain antidepressants, anti-anxiety medication or tranquillizers.

Another side effect that can be aggravated by alcohol is stomach irritation. You should therefore be very careful if you take aspirin or anti-inflammatory drugs that can irritate your stomach. Hence, it's recommended that you not drink alcohol on an empty stomach. But at the slightest sign of discomfort, you should stop drinking alcohol.

Alcohol is poorly tolerated by some people and can lead to an increase in blood pressure. In people treated for hypertension, the effect of medication can be diminished by alcohol. People suffering from heart failure are also very sensitive to alcohol and should consult their doctor to find out if alcohol is contraindicated in their case. Certain types of alcohol (e.g.: red wine, white wine, champagne) can cause migraines. It's therefore wise for some people to avoid them at all times.

People who take certain drugs with alcohol can experience very specific symptoms: nausea, headaches and even severe vomiting. These effects are fairly severe, regardless of the amount of alcohol consumed. For example, people who take metronidazole (Flagy|^TM) in any form (oral or vaginal) must avoid alcohol. Other drugs also cause this effect, the best known being chlorpropamide (Diabinese ^TM) and disulfiram (Antabuse^TM)

With the Antabuse effect, there's no point skipping a dose in order to drink alcohol, since it takes several days for drugs to be completely eliminated from the body. Thus, the risks of experiencing the undesirable symptoms described above are still significant. It's better to refrain from drinking any alcohol when taking medication known to cause the Antabuse effect

In cases where the unwanted effects of drugs are increased with alcohol, it's important to look at the extent of these effects. For more details, and for advice on a specific situation, don't hesitate to consult your pharmacist, the best professional to ask.

As for cases where alcohol reduces the efficacy of drugs or may aggravate the person's condition, it's better to choose other beverages. In most cases, skipping a dose to have a drink may be dangerous, particularly for people who are taking antibiotics for an infection. The infection can worsen with alcohol consumption.

If you can't have alcohol, but you'd still like a drink, why not choose exotic fruit juice, soft drinks (if your condition allows it) or juices mixed with soda water (club soda). You can certainly find some interesting ideas in recipe books. Check them out.

The effects of taking alcohol with certain drugs vary according to the person's health, the medication and the amount of alcohol involved. If your condition or the drugs you're taking allow you to drink alcohol, just make sure you don't get drunk. One thing is certain: you should never stop taking your medication or "skip" a dose in order to drink alcohol. If you have any doubts, don't hesitate to talk to your pharmacist. Then go ahead and enjoy yourself!

Those who think that the best way to cure a hangover is to take two aspirins are wrong. While aspirin can make headaches more bearable, it can also cause stomach irritation. Acetaminophen is currently the best medicine available for headaches of the "day after". This being said, it is important that people who have more than one alcohol based drink (beer, wine or spirits) every day, know that they should not take the maximum daily dose of acetaminophen for many days in a row. A lower dose is recommended for these people to avoid liver damage. While there is no miracle hangover cure, the Milk thistle herb has helped a few people in the past. If you find yourself in a situation where you need this kind of help, ask your pharmacist to propose a standardized product containing Milk Thistle in an appropriate dose.

Courtesy - Liverpool Pharmacy 715 Krosno Blvd