Can You Mix Alcohol with Antihistamines?

You should also avoid driving or doing anything that requires your complete concentration until you know how this antihistamine affects you. First, some medications, including cold and allergy drugs, contain multiple ingredients that can react with alcohol. If the medication label isn’t clear, consult with your pharmacist about the potentially negative effects of combining the two substances. If you have chronic seasonal allergies it is unlikely your doctor will recommend a first-generation antihistamine, says Dr. Mantione, because these are normally used for acute reactions. Instead, she explains, you’ll likely be steered toward one of the second-generation allergy medications. Loratadine , fexofenadine , or cetirizine and alcohol are generally considered a slightly safer combination.

Moreover, the presence of Claritain causes the liver to process alcohol more slowly, allowing it to accumulate in the bloodstream and increase the risk of overdose. Claritin works by blocking the body’s response to chemicals known as histamines. These chemicals produce an immune system response that can cause allergies. Suppressing these chemicals, therefore, results in decreased allergy symptoms. The primary side effects caused by combining Claritin and alcohol exist because both substances can lead to sleepiness and fatigue. If you or a loved one struggles with drinking, you are not alone.

Mixing alcohol and Claritin could leave you feeling tired or sleepy. While Claritin doesn’t usually cause drowsiness on its own, this side effect is more likely when alcohol is present. 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. Read our editorial process to learn more about how we fact-check and keep our content accurate, reliable, and trustworthy. Alcohol might affect how well some antibiotic medications work.

Antihistamines and Alcohol

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 . Buddy T is an anonymous writer and founding member of the Online Al-Anon Outreach Committee with decades of experience writing about alcoholism. For a full list see the leaflet inside your medicines packet. Like all medicines, Claritin can cause side effects although not everyone gets them.

In some cases, mixing alcohol with medications can lead to an overdose or alcohol poisoning—both of which are potentially life-threatening medical emergencies. Claritin , a new nonsedating antihistamine, was evaluated for efficacy and safety in 228 patients with perennial allergic rhinitis. Efficacy was maintained throughout the 28 day course of treatment 1.

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Your doctor might suggest you or your child take a higher dose of Claritin for severe itchy skin rash or angioedema . Do not take 2 antihistamines together unless recommended by your doctor. You may need to take it 9 things you think are environmentally friendly for longer if you’re taking it to prevent symptoms from hay fever when the pollen count is high. However, Claritin , desloratadine and fexofenadine seem to be less likely to make you feel sleepy than cetirizine .

One ingredient in some cough suppressants called dextromethorphan can be especially dangerous because it can cause extreme sedation and respiratory depression. Some research has found that alcohol does not appear to worsen liver inflammation in certain people who take medication for their cholesterol. A 2006 Harvard study found that moderate alcohol use did not have a significant negative effect on the livers of men taking statins after heart surgery. You might not need to completely avoid alcohol if you are taking a blood thinner.

It is not effective when dealing with colds, the flu, or other respiratory infections. Taking Claritin will not help with a runny nose or other irritation caused by viral or bacterial infections. Call your healthcare provider for help with those conditions. As an antihistamine, loratadine is approved to treat allergy symptoms and hives. Although certain medicines should not be used together at all, in other cases two different medicines may be used together even if an interaction might occur.

Increased risk of overdose

Other non-drowsy antihistamines like cetirizine , desloratadine, fexofenadine, levocetirizine seem to work as well as Claritin . These are signs of a potentially life-threatening allergic reaction known as anaphylaxis. Since Claritin does not cause drowsiness, it can be taken at any time of day. Check the product label to see how much of a particular product you should take within 24 hours. If you are using Claritin to treat hives, contact your healthcare provider if they do not improve within three days or if they last for more than six weeks.

Compared to some other antihistamines, Claritin has less chance of causing drowsiness for the mother or the baby. This, along with the low levels in milk, makes Claritin one of the preferred antihistamines for use during breastfeeding. Be sure to talk to your healthcare provider about all of your breastfeeding questions. Keep in mind that Claritin is specifically an allergy medicine.

How should Claritin be used?

Known generically as cetirizine, Zyrtec has also become a prominent player in the antihistamine market. To avoid potentially dangerous Zyrtec alcohol interactions, you should refrain from consuming wine, beer or other alcoholic drinks while taking this antihistamine. This widely used drug has become well known as an allergy, cold and flu medication, notes the National Institute on Alcohol Abuse and Alcoholism. When seeking allergy relief, always default to the instructions on the box to avoid stronger Claritin side effects.

• Our alcohol addiction experts at The Recovery Village at Baptist Health can help you get started on your road to a new, alcohol-free life.
• Some antihistamines work for four to six hours, while others are designed to be effective for 12 to 24 hours, says the U.S.
• For a full list see the leaflet inside your medicines packet.
• Claritin , a new nonsedating antihistamine, was evaluated for efficacy and safety in 228 patients with perennial allergic rhinitis.
• Although Claritin has less risk4of sedation and drowsiness than many other antihistamines, combining it with alcohol can still result in more sleepiness4than you may expect.
• If you are not sure if you can safely drink alcohol while taking a certain medication, read the label carefully and consult with a pharmacist or doctor.

This is especially4true if you have kidney or liver problems or are elderly, which can make the drug reach higher levels in your system than normal. The safest option is to avoid alcohol altogether when taking Claritin and similar medications. Claritin is an over-the-counter medication that’s used to treat the symptoms of seasonal allergies, also known as hay fever. Having an alcoholic drink while you are taking medications to treat prostate conditions can cause dizziness, lightheadedness, and fainting. Combining alcohol with medications used to treat hypertension can cause dizziness, fainting, drowsiness, and arrhythmia .

First-generation allergy medicines, like Benadryl, and alcohol

The American Heart Association recommends limiting your intake to no more than one or two occasional drinks if you are on anticoagulant therapy. If you take a blood thinner, even an occasional drink can increase your risk of internal bleeding. If you mix any type of anti-nausea drug with alcohol, the side effects of the medication can become more intense. It’s important that you don’t mix alcohol with any of the following medications. Mixing anti-anxiety and epilepsy medications with alcoholic beverages can cause slowed breathing, impaired motor control, abnormal behavior, and memory loss. Harmful physical effects such as seizures may occur in some cases.

In any case, an antihistamine like Benadryl clears from the body in four to six hours, so you don’t have to avoid alcohol forever. We publish material that is researched, cited, the fastest and most effective ways to curb alcohol cravings 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.

If you are not sure if it is safe to drink alcohol while you are taking medication, call a local pharmacy or talk to your doctor about the potential interactions. Drowsiness and dizziness are common side effects of medications used to treat allergies, colds, and the flu. When the substances are combined, the effect is intensified, and your judgment and focus will be further impaired. As is the case with other antihistamines, mixing Claritin and alcohol can make you very drowsy. You might also feel dizzy, and face a higher risk of medication overdose. It generally is not recommended to mix alcohol and antihistamines like Claritin due to the risk of additive sedation that may occur.

Talk to a healthcare professional about other medications you may be able to take if you have an alcohol use disorder. Our comprehensive programs and integrated services are customized and designed to treat all aspects of a person’s health and well-being. They are intended to address the root causes of each person’s addiction, as well as any mental health problems that may be plaguing them. Alcohol beverages usually contain histamine produced by bacteria and yeast during the process of fermentation. As noted, histamine is a chemical that triggers allergy symptoms.

Here’s everything you need to know about this antihistamine and how to ingest it safely. He has been featured in numerous publications including the most important things you can do to help an alcoholic the Huffington Post as well as a variety of health and pharmacy-related blogs. I am wondering if it is safe to have a glass of wine at night.