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 terbinafine?
Terbinafine is an allylamine medicine used to treat fungal infections. It is especially effective against dermatophytes (tinea infections). Terbinafine granules are used to treat fungal infections of the scalp. Terbinafine tablets are used to treat fungal infections of the toenails and fingernails. Terbinafine is in a class of medications called antifungals. It works by stopping the growth of fungi.
How should terbinafine be used?
Terbinafine comes as granules and as a tablet to take by mouth. Terbinafine granules are usually taken with a soft food once a day for 6 weeks. Terbinafine tablets are usually taken with or without food once a day for 6 weeks for fingernail infections and once a day for 12 weeks for toenail infections. Follow the directions on your prescription label carefully, and ask your doctor or pharmacist to explain any part you do not understand. Take terbinafine exactly as directed. Do not take more or less of it or take it more often than prescribed by your doctor.
To prepare a dose of terbinafine granules, sprinkle the entire packet of granules onto a spoonful of soft food such as pudding or mashed potatoes. Do not sprinkle the granules onto a fruit-based soft food, such as applesauce. If your doctor has told you to take 2 packets of terbinafine granules, you may sprinkle the contents of both packets onto one spoonful, or you may sprinkle each packet onto a separate spoonful of soft food.
Swallow the spoonful of granules and soft food without chewing.
Your fungus may not be completely cured until a few months after you finish taking terbinafine. This is because it takes time for a healthy nail to grow.
Can you take terbinafine and alcohol?
No, avoid consuming alcohol while taking terbinafine. Studies have shown that alcohol use can change the community of microorganisms, or microbiome, in the intestine. It encourages bacterial and fungal overgrowth which can affect the way terbinafine works.
Excessive alcohol consumption can also cause a leaky gut barrier, which allows substances to enter the bloodstream. You should not drink alcohol while fighting off a fungal infection because alcohol can have adverse effects that may make you feel worse.
Terbinafine is absorbed well when taken orally and slowly eliminated in feces and urine mostly after conversion by the liver into inactive compounds. Consuming alcohol places an additional burden on your liver which may increase the risk of developing liver damage.
Terbinafine has been reported to cause hepatic and hematologic laboratory test result abnormalities, including abnormal liver function test (LFT) results, anemia, lymphopenia, and neutropenia.
How long after taking terbinafine can you drink alcohol?
Generally, you may need to wait for at least 72 hours after finishing your course of terbinafine before having any alcohol. Listening to your doctor or pharmacist’s advice can help you avoid the effects of an alcohol-drug interaction.
What should I avoid while taking terbinafine?
Avoid caffeine (coffee, soda, chocolate) while you are using this medicine. Terbinafine may cause caffeine to stay in your body longer than usual.
