Pseudoephedrine: medicine for a stuffy or blocked nose

Alcohol might affect how well some antibiotic medications work. If you have angina, you might be prescribed a medication called nitroglycerin. Antipsychotics may be prescribed for people with conditions such as bipolar disorder or schizophrenia. John C. Umhau, MD, MPH, CPE is board-certified in addiction medicine and preventative medicine. For over 20 years Dr. Umhau was a senior clinical investigator at the National Institute on Alcohol Abuse and Alcoholism of the National Institutes of Health .

sudafed and alcohol

Sudafed is a stimulant, so it’s dangerous to mix it with a depressant . Still, some types of alcohol are more harmful than others. A few beers or glasses of wine won’t have severe effects but drinking several shots of liquor causes problems.

Simply put, alcohol can enhance the effects of the active ingredients in NyQuil, leading to potentially harmful consequences. Combining NyQuil with alcohol can make side effects like dizziness or drowsiness worse. Those include antidepressants, opioids, blood-thinners, and benzodiazepines, a class of drugs that’s often used to treat anxiety and sleep issues, Dr. MacKinnon says. Caffeine can increase the side effects of this medication. Avoid drinking large amounts of beverages containing caffeine , eating large amounts of chocolate, or taking nonprescription products that contain caffeine.

Conditions of concern

Learn how long alcohol can be detected in your system, and how long the effects from alcohol may last. Both alcohol and Claritin slow down nervous system activity. When an allergen enters your body, your immune system may mistakenly identify the allergen as a dangerous intruder. It then activates chemicals, like histamine, to fight off the intruder. Claritin is the brand-name version of a drug called loratadine. Verywell Mind uses only high-quality sources, including peer-reviewed studies, to support the facts within our articles.

Medications prescribed to lower cholesterol levels can cause flushing, itching, stomach bleeding, and liver damage. Combining these drugs with alcohol can make the risks and side effects worse, especially if you have liver disease. Hard drugs like heroin, crystal methamphetamine and crack cocaine can cause addiction after one or two uses.

Ask your pharmacist if you have any questions about how alcohol might interact with a drug you are taking. This pamphlet lists medications that can cause harm when taken with alcohol and describes the effects that can result. Most important, the list does not include all the ingredients in every medication. Sudafed 12 Hour can last for about 12 hours in your body before another dose is needed. This means the effects of mixing it with alcohol, such as nasal congestion, may also last a long time. Having high BAC leads to binge drinking and alcohol poisoning, which are fatal.

If you’ve taken Sudafed for a week and your symptoms don’t go away or get better, call your doctor. It means limiting consumption to no more than one or two drinks in a single day. However, McMillan and Dr. Soliman still urge patients to stick to mocktails until the need for Sudafed is totally gone. Pharmacist Moms, an advocacy group for women in the pharmaceutical field with children. However, certain food groups also have benefits when it comes to helping with the discomfort of withdrawal symptoms and detoxification.

Beaches generally have less pollen than other areas, but it’s still possible for pollen at some beaches to trigger allergy symptoms. Healthline has strict sourcing guidelines and relies on peer-reviewed studies, academic research institutions, and medical associations. The reason for these prescription requirements eco sober house boston is that PSE, the main ingredient in Sudafed, is used to make illegal methamphetamine. Also called crystal meth, methamphetamine is a highly addictive drug. These requirements help prevent people from buying Sudafed to make this drug. Here’s what you need to know to use this drug safely to relieve your congestion.

  • Read on to learn more about the risks of mixing NyQuil with alcohol, and what to do if you’ve already mixed the two.
  • It’s important to note that this list is not exhaustive and may not include every medication you are taking.
  • The information we provide is not intended to be a substitute for professional medical advice, diagnosis or treatment.
  • This opens up your nasal passages and allows your sinuses to drain.

If you have further questions about using Sudafed, ask your doctor or pharmacist. They can help you choose a medication that can help safely relieve nasal symptoms for you or your child. We publish material that is researched, cited, edited and reviewed by licensed medical professionals. The information we provide is not intended to be a substitute for professional medical advice, diagnosis or treatment. It should not be used in place of the advice of your physician or other qualified healthcare providers.

What Are the Effects of Alcohol?

Sudafed 24 Hour lasts a full day in your body, meaning that any negative consequences of mixing it with alcohol may also last an extended period of time. In fact, adults who take more than 240 milligrams of Sudafed will encounter issues without alcohol. The amount of Sudafed that’s dangerous to take with alcohol also depends on https://sober-house.net/ the type of Sudafed. Some types of Sudafed can last for up to 24 hours, which makes them more dangerous to take with alcohol. Still, consuming alcohol and Sudafed at the same time can leave an aftertaste in your mouth. Alcohol will have its normal taste once the taste of Sudafed is out of the mouth and off of the taste buds.

When the substances are combined, the effect is intensified, and your judgment and focus will be further impaired. If you’re still wondering if you can mix alcohol and pseudoephedrine, the answer is yes – but only a small amount. If you’re taking medicine like Sudafed, you should consult with your doctor before drinking alcohol just to be on the safe side. They will want to see what other medications you’re on and discuss your options with you. Drugs.com provides accurate and independent information on more than 24,000 prescription drugs, over-the-counter medicines and natural products. This material is provided for educational purposes only and is not intended for medical advice, diagnosis or treatment.

There are various paths to treating an addiction to pseudoephedrine. Some people opt to attend a residential treatment center for anywhere from 28 days to six months or more. This is a great option for those who desire to leave their home and dedicate their focus solely on recovery.

These drugs can also make the effects of alcohol more intense, leading to impaired judgment and sedation. Medications that are prescribed to treat nausea can make you feel drowsy, dizzy, and may impair your motor control—symptoms that can also be caused by alcohol. Some drugs used to prevent and treat motion sickness can also be purchased over-the-counter. So, mixing the two together increases the likelihood of overdose on either substance. Alcohol can make some medications less effective by interfering with how they are absorbed in the digestive tract.

Asthma is a condition that causes breathing difficulties. Learn how alcohol use can affect asthma and how to lower the chances of an attack. Pseudoephedrine may have adverse effects when combined with other medications.

Alcohol can increase your risk of stomach bleeding caused by naproxen. Call your doctor at once if you have symptoms of bleeding in your stomach or intestines. This includes black, bloody, or tarry stools, or coughing up blood or vomit that looks like coffee grounds.

Pseudoephedrine Side Effects

Since NyQuil already contains acetaminophen, you should avoid doubling up. So, talk to your doctor and pharmacist, read the enclosed warning pamphlet with your medication, and make sure you actually follow the advice. Blacking out is scary and dangerous, but it might not be the only thing you’re at risk for when mixing medicine and alcohol. Liquid products, chewable tablets, or dissolving tablets/strips may contain sugar and/or aspartame. Ask your doctor or pharmacist about using this product safely. Take this medication by mouth with or without food, usually every 4 to 6 hours, as directed by the product package or by your doctor.

sudafed and alcohol

However, a person should check with a doctor or pharmacist before having them together. Combining medication and alcohol could make the medication less effective. It can also intensify the effects of alcohol, particularly drowsiness and concentration difficulties. People may take pseudoephedrine when they are experiencing conditions that cause a blocked nose, such as a cold.

In case of overdose

But some people can end up becoming dependent on such medications. You may not realize that some OTC medications have the potential for abuse or dependence. Mixing alcohol with any drug could be a recipe for disaster. Regardless of what the drug is, there is the potential of an interaction that can cause your body to suffer.

More common side effects

A multicenter, randomized, placebo controlled study of pseudoephedrine for the temporary relief of nasal congestion in children with the common cold. One 2019 study evaluated the effectiveness and safety of pseudoephedrine for children between 6 and 11 years old when treating nasal congestion due to a common cold. This means a person’s nasal congestion symptoms may take longer to improve if a person continues to drink alcohol while taking Sudafed. Mixing anti-anxiety and epilepsy medications with alcoholic beverages can cause slowed breathing, impaired motor control, abnormal behavior, and memory loss. If you’re drinking excessively or regularly, you are increasing the risk of adverse medication reactions.

What are the Effects of Mixing Alcohol and Sudafed?

As a result, women are more susceptible to alcohol-related damage to organs such as the liver. Even some herbal remedies can have harmful effects when combined with alcohol. These include many OTC nonsteroidal anti-inflammatory drugs , other pain medications, certain medications for mood disorders, and many more. Taking a recommended dose of acetaminophen and having a few drinks once in a while won’t typically lead to liver problems. However, heavy alcohol use and repeated acetaminophen use can lead to liver damage.