pill before breakfast, glass of wine with dinner?

[digitS']

If a person is considered a "current drinker" because that person "had alcohol on at least one day in the past year," I'm guilty as charged.

"Of those current drinkers, about 42 percent said that in the past month, they'd used a medication that can interact with alcohol. That figure was even higher among drinkers older than 65, at about 78 percent, the findings showed." link

I've never been much of a drinker. I think I will let it go at that. I don't think alcohol played a part in stomach distress that keeps me from being able to take anti-inflammatories.

This study points to big problem. One drink a year? Think how many 42% or 78% would include out of that population! I've gone back through and deleted a half dozen sentences in my post but are we really that reluctant to discuss our drinking and medications with our doctors and pharmacists?

Steve

[rainbowgardener]

Is there a link to the study? It's not quite making sense to me so far. So you have a drink and then three months later you take a pill that could interact with the alcohol, were there still any alcohol in your system, which there is not. Are they claiming somehow there is still an interaction effect? I'm not buying it.

Yes you have to be careful about mixing alcohol and medications, probably more than many people realize. But as far as I'm concerned if the alcohol is out of your system, it is gone (say for caution's sake 12 hours) and then it can't have any effect on medication you take after that.

Trickier is how long after taking the medication before you would want to put alcohol on top of it and that varies widely by medication type, person's age, metabolic rate and other factors.

[webmaster]

You're right, Steve. That study does appear to be flawed.

The findings were based on responses from almost 27,000 U.S. adults who took part in a government health survey. About three-quarters of men and two-thirds of women in the study were considered "current drinkers," because they'd had alcohol on at least one day in the past year.

[imafan26]

That is a new one on me. Men are allowed one drink a day, preferably red wine (a couple of ounces, not the whole bottle), and preferably with a meal, it is supposed to actually be helpful in lowering LDL the bad cholesterol and good for the heart. However, alcohol of any kind on a daily basis may not be good for you overall. I believe and occasional glass (normal sized) doesn't hurt as long as it is taken responsibly. Once a year, one glass, no driving or operating of vehicles for at least a couple of hours or maybe have someone else who wasn't drinking drive, and making sure you eat and drink water too hardly makes anyone an alcoholic.

As for the pills. As we get less young, we seem to accumulate many more pills. It is sometimes hard to juggle them all. Alchohol does not mix well with most of them. Some medications can't be taken at the same time, some have to be taken with food, and others on an empty stomach.

Then there are the food interactions. You should not take cholesterol or cozaar (ARB for blood pressure) with grapefruit, or pomelo. I love pomelo! But,wait, I don't eat the equivalent of a quart of grapefruit juice a day.

There is the problem with caffeine especially if you have asthma, and have a rescue inhaler. Caffeine and the bronchodilator will both speed up the heart. But, who plans on having an asthma attack. Caffeine and theobromine in coffee, tea, colas, and chocolate are all stimulants. I guess you just have to just drink water?

Green leafy vegetables are good for you right?, maybe not if you take warfarin. Vitamin K is the antagonist, and is the main reason why blood levels need to be closely monitored.

I don't think anything goes with MAO inhibitors. It is a warning on practically all medication labels.

I think about 90% of drugs have warnings about having more than 3 drinks a day with any medication. Hey, if anyone drinks more than 3 a day, I think they are already self medicating.



https://www.fda.gov/downloads/Drugs/Reso ... 229033.pdf

[digitS']

Good point on self medicating. "less young" ?

Here is a press release on the study. Link

Near the bottom is a " NIAAA fact sheet." That shows the medication and alcohol interaction concerns. One of my prescriptions (daily, for years) is on that list but I was aware of the potential problem. Another I hadn't thought of is a 24 hour allergy med that I like to take on those long summer days I'm outside so much. Over the counter - I benefit most by taking it at lunchtime.

Here's where a study might be more relevant and informative -- ER visits because of accidents with medicines and alcohol implicated.

Steve

[imafan26]

The problem with alcohol is that the body doesn't really like it and will metabolize it first. People who drink regularly probably have a bit of liver damage thrown into the mix.

Most medications are eventually metabolized by the liver and converted or excreted through the kidney.

Medication, foods, and alcohol can interact on each other to either prevent absorption (Calcium reduces thyroid absorption, you need to have 4 hours between them or you will probably have to take more thyroid to get the levels up), bind so they cannot do their job, or increase or decrease their effectiveness---synergy.

Alcohol is relatively easy for the body to convert and the body does not like it so it is usually the first thing the liver tries to get rid of. It will do that before it will metabolize the other drugs, so the drugs can hang around longer than they were intended. It is why so many people die when mixing sleeping pills, narcotics and other depressants with alcohol which is another depressant.

Pills are not the only things that can do that. Some foods and herbs can have similar effects on some people

Bitter melon reduces blood sugar, and can help if you are diabetic, but it is not so good if you are hypoglycemic.

[digitS']

I don't have any trouble with bittermelon, Imafan.

Nope. No problems from not eating even the smallest bite ...


Strangely pretty fruit when it is too mature - has an inner glow!

Steve