Mixing alcohol with medicines or drugs

It's best not to drink alcohol when you're taking antibiotics. Alcohol can make antibiotic side effects worse. Some antibiotics, such as metronidazole, can cause serious side effects when mixed with alcohol.

Ask your GP or pharmacist if it is safe to drink alcohol while you're taking antibiotics.

Taking antidepressants with alcohol can increase side effects.

For example:

• drowsiness
• dizziness
• coordination problems

Alcohol can also make depression worse.

Alcohol and depression

Alcohol and different types of antidepressants

Do not to drink alcohol when taking antihistamines. Some antihistamines make you feel drowsy and affect your coordination. Alcohol can increase the risk of this happening.

Methadone slows down your central nervous system. This affects all your organs as well as your mood.

Taking methadone with alcohol increases the risk of overdose. This can cause unconsciousness, coma or death.

The combination can also:

• affect your coordination
• lower your breathing rate
• increase the risk of choking on vomit or food
• increase the risk of liver problems, including liver cancer, if you have hepatitis C

Non-steroidal anti-inflammatory drugs (NSAIDs) are medicines often used to relieve pain and reduce swelling. Alcohol can interact with some NSAIDs, such as aspirin.

Aspirin increases the absorption of alcohol into your bloodstream.

Taking aspirin with alcohol can damage the lining of your stomach. There is also a risk of gastrointestinal bleeding (bleeding in your gut).

Other NSAIDs include ibuprofen (Nurofen), naproxen (Naprosyn) and diclofenac (Diclac, Difene, Voltarol).

Opioid painkillers slow down your central nervous system (brain and spinal column). This affects every organ in your body as well as your mood.

Examples of opioid painkillers include:

• codeine
• oxycodone
• morphine
• fentanyl

The sedative effects of opioids and alcohol together can affect your breathing. This can cause unconsciousness, coma or even death.

The combination can also:

• affect your coordination
• increase the risk of choking on vomit or food
• increase the risk of overdose

It's best not to drink alcohol when you take paracetamol, especially if you drink regularly.

The combination can increase your risk of liver damage, or make liver problems worse.

Paracetamol

Sedative medicines include:

• benzodiapeines, such as alprozolam (Xanax) and diazepam
• Z drugs, such as Zopiclone and Zolpidem.

Taking sedatives with alcohol can cause:

• poor coordination
• dizziness
• slower reaction time
• memory loss
• increased risk of overdose

It can also slow down your breathing or heart rate. This can cause death.

Steroids and alcohol do not work very well together, with both likely to upset your stomach.

Alcohol can also worsen some steroid side effects, such as indigestion or stomach problems.

Steroids

Amphetamines are stimulant drugs. When you take amphetamines with alcohol, you may need to drink more to feel intoxicated.

The combination increases your risk of:

• overdose
• heart failure

Interactions between cannabis and alcohol are unpredictable. Taking cannabis with alcohol can intensify the effects of both drugs.

Mixing alcohol and cannabis can cause your movements to slow down. It can also affect your coordination.

You may experience increased negative effects, such as:

• vomiting
• panic
• anxiety
• paranoia

Taking cocaine with alcohol creates a substance in the liver called cocaethylene. This is more toxic than cocaine alone and increases the risk of a cardiac arrest.

Taking cocaine with alcohol can also:

• increase the amount of alcohol you need to feel intoxicated
• affect your coordination
• give you a worse comedown

Taking GHB or GBL with alcohol can slow down your breathing or heart rate. This can cause death.

It can also cause:

• poor coordination
• slower reaction time
• memory loss
• choking on vomit or food

Heroin is an opioid drug. It slows down your central nervous system (brain and spinal column). This affects all your organs as well as your mood. Taking heroin with alcohol increases this effect.

It also increases your risk of overdose. This can cause unconsciousness, coma or death.

It can also:

• affect your coordination
• lower your breathing rate
• increase the risk of choking on vomit or food

Mixing ketamine and alcohol can slow down your breathing and increase side effects such as:

• dizziness
• drowsiness
• confusion
• difficulty concentrating
• excessive sedation
• nausea and vomiting

Interactions between alcohol and LSD are unpredictable.

LSD may decrease your perception of the effects of alcohol or how drunk you feel. This can lead to you taking too much of either substance.

Interactions between alcohol and magic mushrooms are unpredictable. But it is considered a high risk combination.

Drinking alcohol while taking magic mushroom can also increase your risk of a 'bad trip'. This can include hallucinations and frightening emotions.

Interactions with alcohol and MDMA (ecstasy) are unpredictable. The effects of both drugs may last longer than expected if you take alcohol with MDMA.

Mixing alcohol and MDMA can also:

• increase the risk of dehydration - MDMA deaths often involve alcohol
• give you a worse comedown

Taking poppers with alcohol increases your risk of extreme dizziness or fainting. It can also result in a dangerous drop in blood pressure.

Using solvents such as glue with alcohol can cause nausea, vomiting and dizziness. You may also have similar symptoms to a hot flush, when your face suddenly goes red.