Is drinking alcohol and taking medicine bad for your older adults?

Drinking alcohol and taking prescription medication can be very harmful to any person’s health. But our older generation is even more susceptible to illness or death when they choose to mix alcohol with their medications. Our bodies are not as strong as we get older. We cannot recover as quickly, and our bodies are not as good at breaking down alcohol as we age. This causes the alcohol to stay in the system even longer than a younger person. This is why, mixing alcohol and medication is a serious no no, especially for those of us that are over 50 years of age. Most prescription medications and most over the counter medications warn against drinking alcohol while you are taking them. Los Gatos home care understands that although it may seem unlikely that a small amount of alcohol will harm you while taking your medication, it could end up to be life threatening, so be sure to consult your doctor or pharmacist before drinking alcohol while on ANY medications. Since antibiotics are a common form of medication these days, many people wonder specifically about whether drinking alcohol while taking antibiotics can be harmful. The answer is yes. Keep in mind that even though alcohol does not usually lesson the effects of the antibiotics, it will lessen the effects of other medications. And anytime you choose to drink alcohol while taking medication, there could be moderate to severe side effects. Los Gatos Senior Care states that the most typical side effects people suffer from while drinking alcohol in conjunction with medication are upset stomach, dizziness, and drowsiness. Though you may also suffer from flushing of the skin, headaches, fainting, loss of coordination, nausea, vomiting, and rapid heart rate. Los Gatos Elderly Care states that it is never advisable to drink alcohol while on any medication, but if you choose to do so, and you suffer from these symptoms, you may want to consult a health professional. Most recently in the news headlines there have been many deaths reported about people mixing alcohol with prescription medications. Since alcohol and antidepressants are both mood altering drugs, it is difficult to determine the outcome of such a combination. The best choice you can make in this matter would be, just don't do it. Mixing alcohol with antidepressants or anxiety medications will never have a good outcome, and it could even end in death.