Bactrim and Alcohol Death, Trimethoprim and Sulfamethoxazole Side Effects with Alcohol

Bactrim and Alcohol Death. Side Effects of Mixing Alcohol and Bactrim

While some antibiotics may be taken with moderate alcohol consumption, Bactrim is not one of them. Potentially harmful side effects can occur with Bactrim and alcohol reactions. Bactrim is a commonly prescribed antibiotic used to treat bacterial infections, including those in the ear, urinary tract, and respiratory system. You may know it by its generic name, sulfamethoxazole-trimethoprim, or SMZ-TMP.

It is not entirely safe to mix Bactrim and alcohol. Alcohol can interact with many medications, including antibiotics such as Bactrim. A standard guideline is that if you are unwell enough to need antibiotics, you should not consume alcohol. However, alcohol is a frequent social element. You may want to drink while on an antibiotic if you attend a wedding, date, or birthday celebration.

This potential ‘disulfiram reaction’ between Bactrim and alcohol is controversial as there is little data to support that it occurs with normally prescribed amounts of Bactrim and reasonable alcohol consumption. In addition, the reaction is more associated with other drugs, like Flagyl (metronidazole). Nevertheless, the substance reaction has been reported and must be considered.​ [3]

In addition to the potential ‘Disulfiram reaction,’ mixing Bactrim and alcohol can increase the risk of nausea and other gastrointestinal effects. However, small amounts of alcohol, such as those in liquid medication or prepared meals, are generally safe and shouldn’t cause any issues.

Side Effects of Mixing Bactrim and Alcohol 

The side effects of both Bactrim and alcohol are similar, including stomach upsets, dizziness, and drowsiness. Mixing Bactrim and alcohol can increase these side effects, making the person extremely uncomfortable and tired instead of on their road to recovery from a bacterial infection. This is why medical practitioners tell patients not to mix antibiotics such as Bactrim and alcohol.

The body relies on specific enzymes to break down alcohol into something that can be easily eliminated. Through this complex process, several byproducts are created. One of the byproducts is a toxic substance called acetaldehyde. Bactrim may prevent the enzyme responsible for breaking down acetaldehyde from working, creating a toxic substance buildup. This interaction can lead to many side effects, including:

These side effects of combining Bactrim and alcohol may occur 5 to 15 minutes after consuming alcohol. There have even been cases of people having heart palpitations and shortness of breath (dyspnea) after drinking Bactrim and alcohol. These more severe side effects have been reported with varying amounts of consumed alcohol. This makes it important for patients using Bactrim to avoid any quantity of alcohol, including alcohol found in various cold medications and even mouthwash.

Bactrim and Alcohol Experience

Using Bactrim and alcohol simultaneously might result in reduced blood pressure and increased heart rate. This can cause significant stress on the cardiovascular system and side symptoms, including flushed looks, redness in the cheeks, or even perspiration.

Bactrim and Alcohol Death Statistics

Mixing prescription drugs, such as antibiotics with alcohol can be harmful. Alcohol, like some medicines, can make you drowsy, sleepy, or lightheaded. Drinking alcohol while taking prescription drugs can intensify these effects. You may have trouble concentrating or performing mechanical skills. Small amounts of alcohol can make it dangerous to drive, and when you combine alcohol with certain prescription drugs, you put yourself at even greater risk.

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Bactrim and Alcohol Death

When used with alcohol, Bactrim can potentially induce severe nausea and heightened heart rate. The heightened risk of heart disease, including heart attacks, are additional long-term negative effects of the raised heart rate and cardiovascular stress.

While some people could find the negative effects of combining Bactrim and alcohol unpleasant, others might find them enjoyable and continue to do so regularly. If Bactrim and alcohol are misused, this can quickly result in a substance use disorder, perhaps polysubstance abuse.

You start to desire the two drugs together, or if you are taking one, you will start to crave the other, which is one of the first indicators that you may be addicted to combining Bactrim and alcohol. If other withdrawal symptoms accompany the cravings, it may also be an early sign of physical dependency. This is a sign that an addiction is developing.

Those suffering from alcohol addiction for long periods at high use rates usually experience more severe withdrawal symptoms, making the alcohol detox process more difficult. The symptoms may seem to get worse through the detox process. They need constant care and attention to help manage the symptoms. Delirium Tremens may lead to death if they are not managed well and in time. Alcohol addiction treatment is within your reach to ensure your recovery starts on a comfortable and safe step.

How Alcohol Impacts Infections and Healing

Many people are aware that excessive drinking can harm the liver and other vital organs; however, another, less obvious body system that is vulnerable to the negative effects of alcohol: is the immune system. Because of alcohol’s effects on the immune system, people who drink excessively are at increased risk of contracting infectious diseases, may have more complications after surgery, and often take longer to recover from an illness than those who drink at lower levels. Disruptions in immune system function also contribute to organ damage associated with alcohol consumption.

Alcohol consumption can alter most immune cells’ number, survival, and function. Although these alterations alone may not be sufficient to affect one’s health adversely, if a person is exposed to a second “hit,” such as a virus, his or her immune system may be unable to respond properly, increasing the risk of infection. The specific effects of alcohol on the immune system depend largely on how often and how much a person drinks. Even a single episode of binge drinking can have measurable effects on the immune system, from within the first 20 minutes to several hours after alcohol ingestion.

How Alcohol Interacts with Antibiotics?

Even though there are warnings not to consume alcohol on most antibiotic packaging, it is a common misconception that drinking while on these medications is a relatively safe practice. One of the most frequently asked questions that doctors get regarding prescription antibiotics is, “is it safe to drink on these?” The short answer is no – alcohol directly inhibits antibiotics’ effectiveness and can cause many negative side effects.

Drinking any amount of alcohol while you’re fighting an infection may not be wise, as it can lead to dehydration, interrupt normal sleep, and may hinder your body’s natural ability to heal itself. In addition, some antibiotics can have a very dangerous interaction with alcohol, so it’s essential to check with your doctor or pharmacist.

A few antibiotics — such as metronidazole (Flagyl), tinidazole (Tindamax), and sulfamethoxazole and trimethoprim (Bactrim) — should not be mixed with alcohol because this may result in a more severe reaction. Drinking any amount of alcohol with these medications can result in side effects such as flushing, headache, nausea and vomiting, and rapid heart rate.

Also, the antibiotic linezolid (Zyvox) interacts with certain alcoholic beverages, including red wine and tap beer. Drinking these beverages with this medication can cause a dangerous increase in blood pressure.

Mixing Bactrim and Alcohol is Not Entirely Safe

Bactrim and alcohol have individual sets of side effects that impact an individual’s behavior and mental state. Because of this, the two should never be combined. Sulfonamide medications of Sulfamethoxazole and Trimethoprim (Bactrim), used to treat everything from urinary tract infections to pneumonia to ear infections, may cause physical reactions when mixed with alcohol. 

Combining Bactrim and alcohol can result in severe fatigue, a throbbing headache, dizziness, anxiety, chest pain, and heart palpitations. Alcohol can also worsen digestive side effects and turn into blood or mucus in stool, severe diarrhea, intense stomach cramping or pain, fever, and uncontrollable vomiting. Mixing Bactrim and alcohol may also damage vital organs, including the liver. 

The kidneys are responsible for removing toxins, including medications, from the blood and body through urine.  Alcohol and kidneys have direct connections. Kidney disease can lead to kidney failure. Antibiotics such as can overburden and damage kidneys, and alcohol exacerbate this. In addition to all of the debilitating side effects of mixing Bactrim and alcohol detailed above, alcohol can also hinder certain immune system processes and hurt the body’s ability to recover from an infection.

Bactrim and Alcohol Reaction

In terms of when it would be safe to drink alcohol after taking Bactrim, the drug is rapidly absorbed after taking a dose by mouth, with most of the medication being absorbed within a few hours. If you want to avoid consuming alcohol while Bactrim is absorbed from your stomach/GI tract, three to four hours seems to be that upper limit. This may help prevent any nausea or vomiting the combination might bring about.

Bactrim has a half-life of eight to twelve hours (half-life refers to the time it takes your body to reduce the concentration of the drug by 50%), meaning it would take a few days at least for the entire drug to be metabolized and out of your system. If you want to avoid alcohol and Bactrim being in your body system simultaneously, wait at least three days. Waiting for this period will greatly reduce the risk of any type of reaction.

Consuming Bactrim and alcohol does not usually result in death. However, you should remember that excessive drinking makes a person’s immune system weaken. Alcohol can be addictive and can cause death. In addition, there are side effects associated with combining Bactrim and alcohol.

Treatment for Polysubstance Addictions

Alcohol is the most abused addictive substance in America, as more than 17 million people in the United States are considered to suffer from addiction to alcohol. The Substance Abuse and Mental Health Service Administration (SAMHSA) publishes that over 1.5 million American adults are currently abusing a prescription drug. 

Mixing Bactrim and alcohol can lead to addiction and dangerous side effects, including a greater risk of overdose. People with a history of problem drinking and alcohol dependence will need to inform their doctor about these problems. In addition, these individuals must get help from a qualified addiction rehabilitation center. 

Medically-Assisted Detox

Medical detox is often considered the first stage of treatment. It will help you navigate the complicated process of alcohol withdrawal, but it doesn’t address patterns of thought and behavior that contribute to drug use. Various treatment approaches and settings can help provide the ongoing support necessary to maintain long-term sobriety after you complete detox.

Cravings are very common during detox and can be challenging to overcome. This often leads to relapse. Constant medical care provided during inpatient treatment helps prevent relapse. Clinicians can provide the necessary medication and medical expertise to lessen cravings and the effects of withdrawals.

Psychotherapy 

Regardless of the specific type of substance use disorder treatment, patients must receive services that match their treatment needs. Several different modalities of psychotherapy have been used in the treatment of mental health disorders along with alcohol addiction, including:

• Cognitive Behavioral Therapy (CBT) – An effective treatment that involves changing both the patterns of negative thoughts and the behavioral routines which are affecting the daily life of the depressed person for various forms of depression. Cognitive behavior therapy has been evaluated as particularly effective for treating alcohol addiction and co-occurring disorders of depression and anxiety.
• Dialectical Behavioral Therapy – A comprehensive mental health and substance abuse treatment program whose ultimate goal is to aid patients in their efforts to build a life worth living. The main goal of DBT is to help a person develop what is referred to as a “clear mind.” 
• Person-Centered Therapy – A strategy that allows and encourages clients to understand and resolve their concerns in a safe, supportive environment.
• Solution-Focused Therapy – An approach interested in solutions that can be quickly implemented with a simple first step leading to further positive consequences.

Dual Diagnosis Treatment

Drug abuse and mental health disorders often co-occur. In many cases, traumatic experiences can result in mental health disorders and substance abuse. Dual-diagnosis rehabilitation treats both of these issues together. The best approach for the treatment of dual diagnosis is an integrated system. This strategy treats both the substance abuse problem and the mental disorder simultaneously. Regardless of which diagnosis (mental health or substance abuse problem) came first, long-term recovery will depend largely on the treatment for both disorders done by the same team or provider.

Co-Occurring Disorders Treatment

Many adults have a mental illness and a substance use disorder (co-occurring disorder). Integrated care is recommended. People with co-occurring disorders are more likely to be hospitalized or advised to undergo inpatient treatment than people with a mental or substance use disorder alone.

Together with early detection, integrated treatment can improve outcomes and quality of life for people with co-occurring disorders, including:

• Reduced or discontinued substance use
• Improvement in psychiatric symptoms and functioning
• Increased chance for successful treatment and recovery for both disorders
• Improved quality of life
• Decreased hospitalization
• Reduced medication interactions
• Increased housing stability
• Fewer arrests

Searched for possible causes of Bactrim and alcohol death. If you or a loved one is struggling with alcoholism and substance use disorder, call today to speak with one of our treatment specialists. Your call is private and confidential, and there is never any obligation.

Top 3 Bactrim and Alcohol FAQs