Bad news...

[RobWalker]

I started a new course of medication today, and I'll be taking it for a maximum of 6 months, minimum of a few months. The label states "do not drink alcohol while taking this medication."

 

[31bb3]

Sorry about that but at least you can still brew and will have plenty of stock matured by then and you will be in recovery

 

[calumscott]

Sorry about that but at least you can still brew and will have plenty of stock matured by then and you will be in recovery

What eddie said. We'll be in awe of your stash...

 

[Jeltz]

Get well soon,

 

[Aleman]

Ok so take you medication with water!




































Then have a beer or two

I really don't understand the problem :hmm: :whistle: :whistle: :whistle: :whistle:

 

[oldstout]

Sorry about that but at least you can still brew and will have plenty of stock matured by then and you will be in recovery

What eddie said. We'll be in awe of your stash...

*AHEM*!!!

Sorry to hear that Rob but as a member of the Stache Polizia it would be rude not to intervene at this juncture and concur with my learned BB brother :hmm:

Keep brewing....


And in six months time :whistle:














...well you know the score by now :mrgreen:


Good luck with the medication and abstinence :thumb:




:

 

[ScottM]

What's the medication you are on? I don't think it can be anything dangerous as the ones I know of that you REALLY can't drink with are fairly potent and tend to be week long courses maximum or they start to do damage to the organs.

If it helps set your mind at ease any the "don't drink" thing isn't aimed at someone having a couple of pints, it's aimed at people who gorge themselves on drink daily/nightly, as going overboard will make the medication virtually useless and lead to serious liver damage. Not only are you giving your organs a pounding with alcohol but antibiotics, and other medications obviously, give them a pounding too.

Just don't go over the score and you'll be right as rain

 

[Casey76]

Scott, I have to disagree.

There are many medications out there which interact with alcohol. The danger is not often with increased risk of liver damage from the alcohol, but with over or under exposure to the medication, depending on how the interaction effects the bioavailability and metabolism of the medication.

With drugs which have a narrow therapeutic window - and this even includes many antibiotics - over or under exposure can lead to lasting consequences.

Rob - I wish you a speedy recovery, and mental fortitude for your enforced abstinence.

 

[ScottM]

Scott, I have to disagree.

There are many medications out there which interact with alcohol. The danger is not often with increased risk of liver damage from the alcohol, but with over or under exposure to the medication, depending on how the interaction effects the bioavailability and metabolism of the medication.

With drugs which have a narrow therapeutic window - and this even includes many antibiotics - over or under exposure can lead to lasting consequences.

Rob - I wish you a speedy recovery, and mental fortitude for your enforced abstinence.

This isn't my opinion though, I didn't know this information until last year when it was all explained to us by my Mum's Oncologist. She said to us that this information is put on most medication as a precaution rather than a necessity. It was explained that there are very few medications where no alcohol intake is an absolute necessity. You will always know when you are taking this type of medication though as it's drummed into you at every stage in obtaining them. Meds that are handed to you with a little "don't drink" in the small print definitely isn't one of them.

It was explained to my Mum that moderation is the key. A couple of halfs at night before bedtime will have no adverse effects.

 

[Wendy1971]

aw bless ya get well soon :thumb:

 

[Cyclops]

Get well soon and make a speedy recovery.

:thumb:

 

[Vossy1]

It's not that hard RW, you probably won't even miss it. I had to do the same thing 2 years ago, once the reality hits, alcohol doesn't seem to matter much anymore

 

[PD]

they are over protective, and also covering their own backs, they don't know what type of work you do what you drive etc etc which can all be affected if taking a mixture of alcohol and drugs.
Don't drive heavy machinery is a good one... I suppose light machinery doesn't hurt as much...Get well soon and remember it doesn't stop you making the stuff, you have lots of friends out here who will gladly help you out with tasting,storage and pertinent advice..... :clap: All the best.

 

[RobWalker]

This one too is purely precautionary. The tablets I'm on drop your blood pressure and heart rate, as well as limit some chemical production, so any kind of stimulant/depressant is to generally be avoided at least until I'm adjusted to them! You are right though, I used to basically disregard the label whenit said dont drink, hahah.

Thanks for the kind words all im looking forward to brewing up a mega stash!

 

[calumscott]

Thanks for the kind words all im looking forward to brewing up a mega stash!

That's the spirit!! :thumb:

...and just remember, if it gets too big there will be *ahem* plenty *ahem* of volunteers *ahem* to *cough* reduce it a bit for you...

 

[Casey76]

Scott, I have to disagree.

There are many medications out there which interact with alcohol. The danger is not often with increased risk of liver damage from the alcohol, but with over or under exposure to the medication, depending on how the interaction effects the bioavailability and metabolism of the medication.

With drugs which have a narrow therapeutic window - and this even includes many antibiotics - over or under exposure can lead to lasting consequences.

Rob - I wish you a speedy recovery, and mental fortitude for your enforced abstinence.

This isn't my opinion though, I didn't know this information until last year when it was all explained to us by my Mum's Oncologist. She said to us that this information is put on most medication as a precaution rather than a necessity. It was explained that there are very few medications where no alcohol intake is an absolute necessity. You will always know when you are taking this type of medication though as it's drummed into you at every stage in obtaining them. Meds that are handed to you with a little "don't drink" in the small print definitely isn't one of them.

It was explained to my Mum that moderation is the key. A couple of halfs at night before bedtime will have no adverse effects.

Scott, I'm sure that would be OK for your mum, if her oncologist explained it that way, however you can't tell other people to basically ignore what it says on the patient information leaflet.

I've worked in pharmacovigilance (drug safety) for more than 10 years, and if it says in the PIL "don't drink alcohol" it is there for a reason. For some drugs alcohol can enhance (or decrease) the effect of the drug, with some other drugs, the effect of the alcohol will be enhanced - sometimes to the point where "a couple of halves at night" can result in serious sedation and depression of the respiratory system.

While in most cases it is purely precautionary - better to be safe than sorry, etc - if you are unlucky enough to be in that group of the population who are fast or slow metabolisers, or over-express certain enzymes, in that case the warning is there for a tangible reason.

Rob, I'm sure you will be back to normal once your body adjusts to your new regimen.

 

[BIGJIM72]

Wish you a speedy recovery Rob.All the best mate.

 

[ScottM]

Scott, I have to disagree.

There are many medications out there which interact with alcohol. The danger is not often with increased risk of liver damage from the alcohol, but with over or under exposure to the medication, depending on how the interaction effects the bioavailability and metabolism of the medication.

With drugs which have a narrow therapeutic window - and this even includes many antibiotics - over or under exposure can lead to lasting consequences.

Rob - I wish you a speedy recovery, and mental fortitude for your enforced abstinence.

This isn't my opinion though, I didn't know this information until last year when it was all explained to us by my Mum's Oncologist. She said to us that this information is put on most medication as a precaution rather than a necessity. It was explained that there are very few medications where no alcohol intake is an absolute necessity. You will always know when you are taking this type of medication though as it's drummed into you at every stage in obtaining them. Meds that are handed to you with a little "don't drink" in the small print definitely isn't one of them.

It was explained to my Mum that moderation is the key. A couple of halfs at night before bedtime will have no adverse effects.

Scott, I'm sure that would be OK for your mum, if her oncologist explained it that way, however you can't tell other people to basically ignore what it says on the patient information leaflet.

I've worked in pharmacovigilance (drug safety) for more than 10 years, and if it says in the PIL "don't drink alcohol" it is there for a reason. For some drugs alcohol can enhance (or decrease) the effect of the drug, with some other drugs, the effect of the alcohol will be enhanced - sometimes to the point where "a couple of halves at night" can result in serious sedation and depression of the respiratory system.

While in most cases it is purely precautionary - better to be safe than sorry, etc - if you are unlucky enough to be in that group of the population who are fast or slow metabolisers, or over-express certain enzymes, in that case the warning is there for a tangible reason.

Rob, I'm sure you will be back to normal once your body adjusts to your new regimen.

I'm still not buying it, it seems you are intent on looking at the extreme situations rather than the mundane day to day meds that most people go onto. If it IS one of the drugs that actually has a proper adverse effect when taken with alcohol then it is drummed into you by the doctor. When it's just a cover note it's generally just on the label and the doctor doesn't even bother mentioning it. Effectively every medication has "do not drink" and/or "do not operate heavy machinery", IMO it's a bit of a get out of jail free card stamped onto everything "just in case". We're starting to get as bad as the Yanks with the "injury lawyers for you" brigade so it's no wonder the pharmaceutical companies need to cover their backsides.

I myself have been on a few different antibiotics in my lifetime and the only ones that I was told not to drink while on, at all, was the steroid ones I was taking for a serious chest infection. Every other time nothing has been mentioned and I generally don't even look at any leaflets, I just take as instructed by the doctor.

Anything that would cause the symptoms or complications you describe would be outlined by the doc leaving no doubt IMO.

 

[evanvine]

My father was a GP, I once asked him why you can't take certain medications with alcohol.
His reply was that the effect of one enhances the effect of the other.
So you either get well quicker or you get pissed quicker.

 

[Vossy1]

Casey76 touched on the subject but to add my tuppenth :lol: .
Alcohol rarely interacts with medications, it does however interfere with the metabolism of the drugs, ie, the way they are broken down in the body, this is usually via an affect on the liver.
It can thus increase metabolism (break down) or decrease metabolism (break down). In short term meds this may not be a problem....however...if you take meds long term the effects can be cumulative meaning the amount of drug in your system increases day by day until side effects are noticed...this can be very dangerous. It's also worth noting that whilst alcohol may not interfere with the initial medication in question it may interfere with it's break down products which can be equally as dangerous, sometimes more so.
Speaking as someone who worked within oncology for 12 years I have to say that the advice of the doctor whilst appreciably sensible for short term meds, was totally inappropriate from an oncology point of view, or the view of long term medication.