When you take a prescription medication, your doctor or pharmacist will often advise you to avoid alcohol and other recreational substances. Does this apply to corticosteroids? For example, can you drink alcohol while taking prednisone?
If you or a loved one are struggling with alcohol addiction, call us today or visit our admissions page to start your journey toward recovery.
What Is Prednisone?
Prednisone is a corticosteroid, which is a class of prescription medications that are typically used to treat inflammation-related health concerns. Other drugs in this category include cortisone, hydrocortisone, and prednisolone.
Though corticosteroids are commonly referred to simply as steroids, they are not the same as the drugs that some athletes illicitly take to improve their performance. Those substances are anabolic steroids.
Disorders Treated With Prednisone
Disorders that are frequently treated with prednisone or other corticosteroids include:
- Asthma
- Rheumatoid arthritis
- Addison’s disease
- Inflammatory bowel disease (IBD)
- Chronic obstructive pulmonary disease (COPD)
- Carpal tunnel syndrome
- Lupus
- Various skin conditions, including eczema and psoriasis
- Vasculitis (swelling of the blood vessels)
- Myositis (a chronic autoimmune disease)
How Prednisone Works
Prednisone works by suppressing the body’s immune system, which is responsible for identifying pathogens that can harm the body, then attacking and eliminating these threats.
Though the immune system is clearly essential for keeping people healthy (and alive), it can sometimes function in a detrimental manner.
One example of this is myositis, which can cause a person’s immune system to attack their own muscles. The effects of this condition include chronic inflammation of the muscles, persistent pain, and difficulty swallowing.
Prednisone slows this attack, which eases muscle inflammation and alleviates other symptoms.
Adverse Effects
Almost every prescription medication poses risk of side effects, and prednisone is no exception. In prednisone’s case, adverse effects may include:
- Dizziness or lightheadedness
- Headaches
- Swelling of face, hands, and feet
- Mood swings
- Delayed healing of cuts and bruises
- Elevated blood sugar (hyperglycemia)
- High blood pressure
- Nausea and vomiting
- Exhaustion and fatigue
- Disrupted sleep
- Weight gain
Since prednisone suppresses the immune system, people who are taking this medication are also in greater danger of infections.
Can You Drink Alcohol While Taking Prednisone?
Can you drink alcohol while taking prednisone? Most health experts would advise you to refrain from drinking while you are taking this medication. There are several reasons why having both of these substances in your system at the same time can be problematic.
Intensified Side Effects
One reason why it can be such a bad idea to drink alcohol while taking prednisone is that doing so can raise your risk of experiencing the adverse effects posed by each substance.
If you drink while you are taking prednisone, you may be more likely to have drastic mood swings, more intense gastrointestinal distress, elevated blood pressure, and the other side effects listed in the previous section.
At the same time, prednisone can heighten your likelihood of being impacted by some of alcohol’s more concerning effects, such as impaired coordination, diminished cognition, and loss of consciousness.
Diminished Beneficial Effects
In addition to intensifying the potential negative effects of prednisone, alcohol can also diminish its ability to do its job.
Prednisone doesn’t offer any recreational benefits, so if you’re taking it you likely have a serious medical condition. Drinking while taking prednisone can cause a return of the symptoms that had been eased by the medication.
Additional Health Concerns
The long-term use of both alcohol and prednisone has been associated with an increased risk of several additional health concerns, including diabetes, osteoporosis, bleeding in the stomach, and peptic ulcers.
Why Do People Drink While Taking Prednisone?
Since combining prednisone and alcohol has been linked with so many health problems, why would someone continue to drink while they’re taking this medication?
It’s impossible to identify every reason why someone might make an ill-advised decision such as this, but a few likely explanations include:
They Don’t Realize It’s Dangerous
The unfortunate truth is that some people who take prescription medications don’t pay attention to warnings about possible adverse effects, including the danger of mixing the med with alcohol or other substances.
Even if they’ve been verbally advised by their doctor or pharmacist not to drink while taking prednisone, or if they’ve receiving written instructions with similar advice, for some people the information simply doesn’t sink in.
They Think It’s Safe
Sometimes, people may listen to their doctor’s guidance, read the information that accompanies their prescription, then intentionally disregard it. Maybe they believe that the odds are in their favor, maybe they think the risk is overstated, or maybe they simply believe that the medical professionals who are caring for them have been lying to them.
Regardless of the reason, the result is the same. Though they understand the warnings they were given, they believe that their perspective outweighs their doctor’s or pharmacist’s expertise.
They Can’t Stop Drinking
According to the National Institute on Alcohol Abuse and Alcoholism (NIAAA), nearly 30 million people ages 12 and above in the U.S. have alcohol use disorder (which is the clinical term for addiction to alcohol).
The fifth edition of the Diagnostic and Statistical Manual of Mental Disorders (DSM-5) includes 11 criteria for a diagnosis of alcohol use disorder. Two criteria that are particularly relevant to this discussion of alcohol and prednisone are:
- Using alcohol in circumstances that are clearly hazardous
- Being unable to stop drinking, even after experiencing physical or psychological harm due to prior use
If you have been unable to stop drinking, even when cautioned by a medical professional that continuing to do so can endanger your health, please know that help is available and treatment works. With appropriate care and a concerted effort on your part, you can stop drinking and learn how to live a much healthier life in recovery.
Find Help for Alcohol Addiction in Atlanta
Retreat of Atlanta is a valued provider of life-affirming care for adults whose lives have been disrupted by addictions to alcohol and other drugs. We also offer dual diagnosis services to those who have also been living with anxiety, depression, or other co-occurring mental health concerns.
Treatment options at our alcohol rehab in Atlanta, GA, include medical detoxification and residential care. Our detox professionals can help you get through withdrawal safely and as comfortably as possible, and our residential program staff can help you build a solid foundation for successful, long-term recovery.
To learn more about how we can help you or a loved one, or to schedule a free initial consultation, please visit our Admissions page or call us today.