Throughout the 10,000 or so years that humans have been drinking fermented beverages, they’ve also been arguing about their merits and demerits. The debate still simmers today, with a lively back-and-forth over whether alcohol is good for you or bad for you.
It’s safe to say that alcohol is both a tonic and a poison. The difference lies mostly in the dose. Moderate drinking seems to be good for the heart and circulatory system and probably protects against type 2 diabetes and gallstones. Heavy drinking is a major cause of preventable death in most countries. In the U.S., alcohol is implicated in about half of fatal traffic accidents. Heavy drinking can damage the liver and heart, harm an unborn child, increase the chances of developing breast and some other cancers, contribute to depression and violence, and interfere with relationships.
Even in small amounts, alcohol may intensify medication side effects such as sleepiness, drowsiness, and light-headedness, which may interfere with your concentration and ability to operate machinery or drive a vehicle, and lead to serious or even fatal accidents.
Because alcohol can adversely interact with hundreds of commonly used medications, it’s important to observe warning labels and ask your doctor or pharmacist if it’s safe to use alcohol with any medications and herbal remedies that you take.
What is cefuroxime?
Cefuroxime oral tablet is a prescription drug that’s available as the brand-name drug Ceftin. Cefuroxime also comes as a liquid suspension. Both forms are taken by mouth. Cefuroxime is used to treat certain infections caused by bacteria. These include pharyngitis, otitis media, sinusitis, and bronchitis. They also include urinary tract infections, gonorrhea, Lyme disease, and impetigo.
How it works
Cefuroxime belongs to a class of drugs called cephalosporins. A class of drugs is a group of medications that work in a similar way. These drugs are often used to treat similar conditions.
Cefuroxime works by interfering with the forming of the bacteria’s cell walls. This causes the cell walls to rupture (break). This results in the death of the bacteria.
How should cefuroxime be used?
Cefuroxime comes as a tablet and a suspension (liquid) to take by mouth. It is usually taken every 12 hours for 5-10 days, depending on the condition being treated. To treat gonorrhea, cefuroxime is taken as a single dose, and to treat Lyme disease, cefuroxime is taken every 12 hours for 20 days. Take the suspension with food; the tablet may be taken with or without food. Take cefuroxime at around the same times every day. Follow the directions on your prescription label carefully, and ask your doctor or pharmacist to explain any part you do not understand. Take cefuroxime exactly as directed. Do not take more or less of it or take it more often than prescribed by your doctor.
Different cefuroxime products are absorbed by the body in different ways and cannot be substituted for one another. If you need to switch from one cefuroxime product to another, your doctor may need to adjust your dose.
Shake the suspension well before each use to mix the medication evenly.
The tablets should be swallowed whole. Because the crushed tablet has a strong bitter taste, the tablet should not be crushed. Children who cannot swallow the tablet whole should take the liquid instead.
You should begin to feel better during the first few days of treatment with cefuroxime. If your symptoms do not improve or get worse, call your doctor.
Take cefuroxime until you finish the prescription, even if you feel better. If you stop taking cefuroxime too soon or skip doses, your infection may not be completely treated, and the bacteria may become resistant to antibiotics.
Can you take cefuroxime and alcohol?
No, avoid alcohol and alcoholic products while taking cefuroxime because it is not safe and can increase the risk of dehydration which is also a side effect of cefuroxime due to the likely occurrence of diarrhea.
Dehydration affects antibiotics like cefuroxime, increasing their concentration in the plasma just as all dissolved substances are concentrated by loss of water, transforming the medication into a potential toxin. Studies reveal that antibiotics such as cefuroxime are best taken with water because taking them together with fruit juices, dairy products or alcohol can affect how the body absorbs some drugs.
How long after taking cefuroxime can you drink alcohol?
Generally, you may need to wait for at least 72 hours after finishing your course of antibiotics before having any alcohol. Listening to your doctor or pharmacist’s advice can help you avoid the effects of an alcohol-drug interaction.
