How Long After Finishing Antibiotics Can I Have A Drink

[rockyracoon]

Yesterday I started a 7 day course of Erythromicin (sp) for an ear infection. My last dose is due to be taken at midday on Christmas Day :(

When can I have a drink? I know a lot of people drink whilst on antibiotics, but I’d rather not.

Ta

[shoota]

Easter should be OK

[mallyh]

ring the chemist up they will tell you .hope you feel better soon x

[jno]

erythromycin's okay with alcohol, thought it might possibly slow the drug's action down a bit. You should be fine by the 25th.

[jno]

sorry, link

https://www.everydayhealth.com/drugs/erythromycin

[spathiphyllum]

24 - 72 hours is a standard recommendation depending on the antibiotic.

[dannyk13]

Erythromycin's half-life (the amount of time it takes for half of the drug to leave the body) is 1.5 hours. The basic rule is that a drug is totally eliminated after 5 half-lives so 7.5 hours and for all pharmacological purposes the drug is gone.

[rowanwitch]

You should be fine in moderation while you are on them but, ideally though, wait until boxing day.

[fender62]

you would be fine to have a drink on xmas eve, i was in a similar position a few times in my life..

[woofgang]

from the nHS website "There's no specific warning to stop drinking alcohol while taking erythromycin, but there's some evidence that alcohol may slow down or delay the medicine working. You might want to stop drinking alcohol or limit how much you drink while you're taking erythromycin."
https://www.nhs.uk/medicines/erythromycin/

[sunny-dave]

All the advice says "no problem - but may slow down the effect a bit".

Given that the drug should have done its job well before the end of the 7 days, I'd reckon you'd be alright for a quiet sherry on Christmas Eve and normal intake from Christmas Day onwards.

[rockyracoon]

Thanks all.

[rockyracoon]

I never drink when on antibiotics, as previously I’ve had a recurrence of infection. That’s why I wanted to know how long after they’re finished that I can have a drink. At least then, if the infection doesn’t clear, I can put my hand on my heart and know that it wasn’t my fault.

[gness]

A quiet sherry?...... Those noisy ones are a pain, aren't they....fighting and screaming to get out of the bottles.....sorry.... :-(