Drinking alcohol while taking a variety of prescription drugs is never a good idea. No matter what prescription drug you’re on, it’s a good idea to check with your pharmacist or doctor about whether or not you can consume alcohol at the same time. Mixing Xanax and alcohol or prescription opiates and alcohol can lead to serious health effects. Warnings against mixing Xanax and alcohol are not exaggerated. If you’re on prescription medications that advise you not to drink, ignoring the instruction could create a deadly result.
Why Is Mixing Xanax and Alcohol Dangerous?
Mixing alcohol with a prescription drug can have many different effects. First of all, drinking alcohol can render a drug less potent. If you are prescribed a drug, it’s been determined that your body requires it. By drinking, you can cause the prescription in question not to work, leading to the exacerbation of your symptoms. Mixing alcohol with drugs can also cause you to become drowsy which can be dangerous if you are operating equipment, driving, or even walking. It’s not uncommon for people to suffer injuries as a result from falling after mixing Xanax and alcohol or alcohol and some other medication. Alcohol has a way of intensifying the effects that prescription drugs can have. For instance, many people experience sleepiness or nausea when taking a pain medication; drinking alcohol can worsen those symptoms.
Dangerous Effects
Mixing Xanax and alcohol or other addictive drugs with alcohol can lead to serious health problems, not just a bout of nausea. Some people who have mixed their prescription medications with alcohol have suffered internal bleeding, loss of coordination, confusion, and fainting. Other effects of mixing alcohol and prescription drugs are breathing difficulties and heart problems. Mixing Xanax and alcohol, for example, can lead to sedation and decreased motor skills. If enough of each substance has been consumed, unconsciousness can occur.
Many people who are addicted to prescription drugs or alcohol will abuse these substances together. The risks are real and no one can be sure when overdose or another serious effect might occur. If you aren’t sure if you can drink alcohol while taking a specific prescription medication, be sure to consult an expert like your doctor of pharmacist.
