What Should I Avoid Eating and Drinking With Levaquin?

Therefore, it is important to avoid drinking alcohol while taking levofloxacin to ensure that the medication is properly absorbed and to reduce the risk of side effects. The most common side effects of drinking alcohol while taking levofloxacin include nausea, vomiting, dizziness, and headaches. More serious side effects can also occur, including liver damage, increased risk of bleeding, and increased risk of developing an irregular heartbeat.

Depending on the medications and the amount of alcohol you drink, the combination can even cause liver damage. Historically, ethionamide was believed to cause hepatotoxicity with alcohol consumption. Though the literature is limited, mild liver disease and alcohol use are not an absolute contraindication, with appropriate monitoring. First-line treatment of pulmonary tuberculosis (TB) involves an initial phase of four agents (isoniazid, pyrazinamide, ethambutol, and rifampin) (98). Multidrug-resistant tuberculosis has necessitated the use of second-line agents, which can result in adverse neurological reactions, making concomitant use with alcohol undesirable (99). It should also be noted that the FDA and the NIH do not list fluconazole as having an interaction with alcohol (4, 5).

The information on this page reflects personal experiences shared by our community members. It is not reviewed for medical accuracy and should not replace professional medical advice. Despite all the warnings mentioned above, remember that having a single drink with levofloxacin does not usually cause lasting damage if it happens once. Alcohol can target the central nervous system, and using Levaquin on top of it can worsen these effects. To avoid central nervous system problems altogether, do not take the risk of using Levaquin and alcohol together.

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Alcohol intake has been reported to diminish the antimicrobial effect of doxycycline. The effects of alcohol on levofloxacin, moxifloxacin, and trovafloxacin were studied in a rat pneumonia model (24). The mean serum Cmax and AUC were higher in the ethanol-fed group for all FQs, with a statistically significant difference in the moxifloxacin group. The ethanol-fed group was found to have decreased protein binding and an increased free fraction of antibiotics. So if you eat or drink large quantities of dairy or other foods that contain added or large amounts of natural calcium, the extra calcium may cause Levaquin to work less effectively. You should also avoid taking Levaquin with milk or other dairy products.

How Long Should I Wait After Finishing My Course Of Levofloxacin Before Drinking Alcohol?

Ethionamide package labeling recommends against excessive alcohol consumption (113). Ethionamide, often used in combination with pyrazinamide, is known to cause hepatotoxicity (113). An observational study of 55 alcoholics with TB found that mild liver impairment in alcoholics is not a contraindication for treatment with ethionamide (114). Of the 55 patients in that study, 30 received ethionamide and three patients developed parenchymal liver damage. Two of these cases may have been related to the concurrent use of pyrazinamide (114).

Can you drink alcohol with antibiotics?

• Amoxicillin and amoxicillin-clavulanic acid may lead to decreased alcohol consumption.
• To avoid these unnecessary complications, it is advisable to wait for at least 3 days or 72 hours after the last dose of levofloxacin before recommencing the use of alcohol.
• While GLP-1 drugs could offer a welcome treatment option for people who struggle with alcohol addiction, the research is still in an early stage.
• The effects of alcohol on levofloxacin, moxifloxacin, and trovafloxacin were studied in a rat pneumonia model (24).

The risks of drinking alcohol are lower with some types of antibiotics. However, drinking any amount of alcohol still poses risks to a person taking antibiotics. Avoiding alcohol entirely during treatment will help a person avoid discomfort and other more serious consequences.

The package labeling recommends against the use of metronidazole and alcohol within 48 h due to the risk of a disulfiram-like reaction (46). Although it is commonly believed that metronidazole mediates disulfiram reactions, data are contradictory. In 1964, a study stated that metronidazole may be effective for alcoholism based on 53 patients who had reduced desires to drink and lower tolerances and reported disulfiram-like reactions (47). Several early studies seemed to show benefit; however, these were uncontrolled, with limited patient numbers and follow-up (47–51). The majority of controlled studies failed to find benefit of metronidazole in the treatment of alcoholism (52–64).

Multiple authors reported no disulfiram-like reactions (48, 52–54, 56, 57, 59, 61). Two authors observed higher rates of side effects in patients treated with metronidazole than with placebo (64, 65). Other authors described different degrees of reactions attributed to a disulfiram-like effect within the study populations (50, 58, 60, 62, 66).

What Should I Do If I Accidentally Drink Alcohol While Taking Levofloxacin?

No, it is not recommended to drink alcohol while taking levofloxacin. Alcohol can increase the side effects of levofloxacin and other medications you may be taking. Symptoms such as dizziness, nausea, headache, and an increased risk of seizures may occur if alcohol is consumed while taking levofloxacin. Levaquin i.e. levofloxacin is a fluoroquinolone antibiotic that is used in the treatment of bacterial infections in the skin, lung and urinary tract.

What Should I Avoid Eating and Drinking With Levaquin?

Alcohol can have numerous effects on the human body and can ultimately cause heart disease, liver disease and even be fatal if consumed in large quantities over prolonged periods of time. That being said, it is not uncommon for patients who consume alcohol on a regular basis to suffer from different kinds of infections that may warrant the use of Levaquin. The concern of course in such situations is the interaction that may occur between Levaquin and alcohol. Even when you do not consume any alcohol, Levaquin is known to have a range of potential side effects. Some people suffer from dizziness, nausea, high blood pressure, headaches or diarrhea. You should talk to your doctor immediately if you develop any of these symptoms.

Levofloxacin is an antibiotic medication used to treat bacterial infections. It belongs to the class of medications called quinolone antibiotics. When taken as directed, levofloxacin can help treat a variety of bacterial infections, ranging from ear infections to sinusitis and pneumonia.

Drinking alcohol while taking Levofloxacin can increase the risk of certain side effects such as dizziness, drowsiness, and lightheadedness. Levaquin is a member of a broader class of antibiotics called fluoroquinolones that carry the potential to trigger mental health issues. The Food and Drug Administration or the FDA, has published many warnings previously regarding the potential negative effects the use of fluoroquinolones can have on a person’s mental health. The risk of these side effects becomes higher in people who have a background of seizures and those who drink alcohol. Alcohol can impact a person’s threshold of having a seizure; hence, vulnerable people must never combine it with Levaquin, especially if they have a history of seizures. It is also important to note that drinking alcohol can reduce the effectiveness of the antibiotic and can increase the risk of developing serious side effects.

Since alcohol lowers the seizure threshold, doctors advise people with a history of seizures to avoid mixing alcohol and fluoroquinolones. Mixing alcohol with fluoroquinolone antibiotics such as ciprofloxacin may increase these mental health side effects. Although levaquin and alcohol an occasional drink is safe with sulfonamides, healthcare professionals should exercise caution when prescribing trimethoprim-sulfamethoxazole to people who drink alcohol regularly. Since alcohol can also have negative effects on the liver, people should avoid mixing alcohol with minocycline.

It is important to always follow the instructions of your doctor when taking any medication, and if you have any questions, it is best to consult your doctor. Additionally, drinking alcohol while taking Levaquin can also lead to an increased risk of certain interactions with other medications. In conclusion, it is not recommended to consume alcohol while taking Levofloxacin.

In addition, alcohol can worsen the side-effects that Levaquin causes. This can include an excessive amount of light-headedness and giddiness. Call Allure Detox now to speak with our caring professionals and begin your personalized treatment plan. Levofloxacin (Levaquin) is an effective fluoroquinolone antibiotic, but it carries serious risks, leading to FDA black box warnings. While the combination of Levaquin and alcohol might not kill you, it can cause seriously dangerous side effects. Pyrazinamide is another agent used in combination therapy for the treatment of TB (116).

Her goal is to compose helpful articles that readers can easily understand and use to improve their well-being. She is passionate about healthy living and delivering important medical information through her writing. If you’ve tried multiple other treatments with little to no success, it’s possible that your provider could prescribe a GLP-1 drug for AUD “off-label,” Schacht says.