Mixing prednisone with alcohol has been in debate for long. Prednisone is a synthetic corticosteroid. It is used to treat several ailments. Mostly this synthetic steroid helps in calming the overactive immune system and also helps in balancing hormones of the people whose adrenal glands do not properly function.
While using the medicine people often ask a question like “can I mix Prednisone and Alcohol?” Whether the course of prednisone is short or long term, its always important to know if alcohol consumption is safe with the medicine or not.
Through this article, questions like Is Prednisone safe with alcohol and what happens when you mix Prednisone and Alcohol will be answered.
Contents
What is Prednisone?
Prednisone is a synthetic corticosteroid. The medicine is available in the form of liquid oral solution and tablets. Some of the brand titles for Prednisone are Sterapred, Prednisone Intensol, and Sterapred DS, etc.
The medicine helps the person in fighting inflammation in the body. The symptomatic allergic reactions like itching, swelling, rashes, and redness are also cured by Prednisone. Doctors prescribe it for fighting some autoimmune diseases like Lupus and rheumatoid arthritis.
Besides that Prednisone is also prescribed to the people who have naturally low levels of steroids in their bodies. The medicine is used to treat a wide range of medical conditions like:
- Asthma
- Kidney problems
- Adrenal conditions
- Endocrine issues
- Bone marrow and blood disorders
- Certain cancers
- Ulcerative colitis
- Multiple sclerosis
- Lupus
There are certain risks and side effects attached to prednisone and alcohol while being prescribed to the medicine can put the body in even more stress.
Prednisone Side Effects and Risks:
Although the medicine helps a person in getting relieved from a broad range of medical conditions, it still has potential risks attached such as:
- Confusion
- Depression
- Eye bulge
- Extreme mood swings
- Tiredness
- Insomnia
- Gastric issues
- Shortness of breath
- Shaky hands
- Blurry vision
- Weight gain
- Losing consciousness
- High infection rate
- Swelling around arms, feet, face, and legs
- Difficulty in breathing
Side effects of alcohol abuse
Alcohol abuse varies from binge drinking to reoccurring episodes of heavy drinking habits. Even though alcohol abuse threatens a person’s health, the continuing level of consumption is very dangerous.
The short term side effect of alcohol usage include dizziness, trouble in speaking, blurred vision, vomiting, and poor balance.
Following are some of the side effects of extreme alcohol consumption.
- Depression
- Stroke
- High blood pressure
- Liver problems
- Weak immune system
Some research studies also suggest that cardiac problems also arise from alcohol abuse been observed for a long time.
The risks of combining Prednisone with Alcohol
Alcohol abuse and prednisone together are associated with very serious health risks. Using Prednisone and alcohol together or alone however does not guarantee that the person will experience such problems, the chances can arise.
Following are some of the conditions that a person might go through when using Prednisone and wine:
Complications to medical conditions treated by Prednisone
Drinking substance at a moderate level does not trigger health problems in a healthy human being. However, alcohol consumption can be problematic for people suffering from chronic illnesses and taking medications for it.
Alcohol consumption affects and complicates the treatment plan of prednisone. That means for some medical condition the treatment plan prolongs just because the person is consuming alcohol in lucrative patterns
Depression:
Depression has deep-set roots with alcohol and prednisone. Meaning thereby if a person develops depression form Prednisone, alcohol abuse will only worsen the symptoms.
Osteoporosis risk:
Alcohol usage drastically impacts the health of the bone. So when a person is using Prednisone, alcohol abuse only triggers the disease and weakens the bones of the person.
Compromised immune system
Prednisone and alcohol interaction is known to suppress the immune system of the person, making the body prone to infections and diseases. It’s the function of Prednisone to suppress the immune system for treating the auto-immune diseases but if the immune system gets too compromised the person is open for multiple infections
Risk of Diabetes:
Steroid use for the long term is associated with diabetes. Drinking alcohol during the treatment plan can spike up the blood sugar including the complication and risks affiliated with diabetes
Gastric issues
Alcohol and Prednisone both affect the gastrointestinal area. If the person is observing substance abuse while using Prednisone then its most likely that she will suffer from multiple gastric risks. A peptic ulcer is perhaps the most reported gastric problem by people who have accumulated Prednisone and alcohol drinking in their daily routine. Acid reflux while taking prednisone is a common side effect which troubles many.
Substance Abuse can even forbid the person to use Prednisone properly
Addiction to alcohol distances the person from self-care. A person with alcohol addiction finds it super hard to stick to a regimen. Occasional substance intake can also make a person to skip a dose or two of the medication. However abundant alcohol usage makes a person skip on Prednisone more often.
It is to be noted that if the person stops using the steroid suddenly, their body is going to react harshly towards the change. At this level, people may experience some harsh withdrawal signs like:
- Strong Fatigue
- Loss of appetite
- Aches in different body parts
- The weakness of the muscles
- Nausea
- Dizziness that merely goes away
- Shooting pain in the joints
On the other hand, Alcohol triggers mood swings in a person. When it comes to depression, the person feels like they have no self-worth and they might not take care of themselves like they are supposed to. This can also lead a person to skip on the medication either because or they have forgotten or they have stopped caring.
Final words
Prednisone is a synthetic corticosteroid that is prescribed by the doctors to fight a wide range of medical conditions. Prednisone is mostly used to treat autoimmune diseases like Lupus and Rheumatoid Arthritis. The most frequently asked question is “Can you have a drink while take Prednisone?” so the answer to the query is that it is safe until you are using alcohol in a limit. If the person starts drifting towards alcohol abuse then their health may worsen while taking the steroid.
