Can you drink on fluconazole? Find out if it is safe to take Fluconazole with Alcohol or not. Learn more regarding what this antifungal medicine is, its interactions with alcohol, and risks when consumed with alcoholic beverages, and explore frequently asked questions too.

Is It Safe to Take Fluconazole with Alcohol?

Fluconazole is one of the most common antifungal medicines prescribed for effective treatment of fungal infections. However, a question remains among patients – is it safe to take Fluconazole with alcohol? It often seems that drinking alcohol may not be harmful with medicines but what if it drives unexpected consequences?

In this blog, we will explore interactions between alcohol and antifungals, if it has any potential health risks, and what safety measures to attempt during the treatment.

What is Fluconazole?

It is a renowned antifungal medicine suggested for treating a wide range of fungal infections like vaginal candidiasis, thrush, numerous yeast infections, meningitis, etc. You may buy Fluconazole 150 mg, the standard dose for treating certain fungal and yeast infections upon prescription only. It effectively improves underlying symptoms of infections by inhibiting the growth of fungi, thus discarding the infecting microorganisms from the body.

Fluconazole Uses

This antifungal drug is mainly prescribed for improving several types of fungal and yeast infections including:

• Vaginal yeast infections
• Oral thrush
• Esophageal candidiasis
• Cryptococcal meningitis

Besides treatment, this medicine can also be suggested as a preventive measure among patients with weaker immune systems. For instance, patients undergoing chemotherapy treatments or diagnosed with HIV/AIDS.

How Long Does Fluconazole Stay in Your System?

The user’s age, metabolism, liver health, and dosage strength consumed are common factors affecting the effectiveness and duration of antifungal medicine. Although the exact duration of this medication varies among users, it is supposed to last for around 48 hours. It can take between 6 to 10 days for this drug to fully discard from your bloodstream. This is true for most antifungals, including Fungicip.

Can You Drink Alcohol While Taking Fluconazole?

For some patients, limiting alcohol usage may not cause potential harm. However, it is best to avoid alcoholic beverages (in all forms, including grapefruit juice) while undergoing treatment with Fluconazole. If drank anyways, side effects like nausea, headache, dizziness, upset stomach, etc can show up.

In addition, Fluconazole and Alcohol (ethanol) are metabolized by the liver. Hence, consuming them at the same time leverages extra strain on the liver, thus leading to liver impairment or potential liver damage.

Possible Side Effects

This reliable antifungal is well-tolerated among most users. However, just like other fungal infection medicines, several Fluconazole side effects exist too. They can be:

• Nausea
• Headache
• Stomach discomfort
• Dizziness

These symptoms can be considered normal until mild to moderate intensity. If they grow severe or intolerable, medical help is required. Also, immediate medical attention is desired for rare side effects such as symptoms of liver damage, serious allergic reactions, trouble breathing, etc. Inform your caregiver immediately if you sense such abnormal reactions after using the medicine.

Drug Interactions

Some drugs can collide with Fluconazole, thus causing potential harm to the user by elevating the risk of negative reactions. Generally, antifungals contradict several antibiotics, blood sugar control medicines, blood thinners or anticoagulants, etc. Since these are to be mentioned as a few, seek medical guidance before using fungal infection treatments with any of your ongoing medications. Inform your doctor even if you take any vitamins or dietary supplements.

Fluconazole and Alcohol Interactions

Fluconazole and alcohol lead to adverse interactions so they are not recommended to be used together. Drinking alcohol (in any nature, even as grapefruit juice) can cause potential liver impairment and increase the possibility of serious side effects. Therefore, avoiding alcoholic beverages during the treatment span with Fluconazole will ensure safe and effective usage.

What Should I Avoid While Taking Fluconazole?

Besides avoiding alcohol and any types of beverages with alcohol content, you should also avoid heavy or fatty meals. They can put excess load on the liver which has to perform the essential task of metabolizing Fluconazole. Fat-rich/heavy foods take longer to digest and delay the absorption and efficacy of antifungal medicines. So, it is better to keep your meals light during your treatment with this drug. Patients should also avoid using interacting medicines with this drug, unless necessary and approved by the healthcare professional.

You can count on these guidelines for all types of antifungals (including Konaqueen) and not just Fluconazole because most of them have similar action mechanisms.

How much does fluconazole typically cost?

Fluconazole cost varies according to the dosage strength, pack size, manufacturer, and vendor you choose to buy it from. Typically, the pricing starts only at $30 and you can avail the benefit of additional discounts while purchasing from authorized vendors like Medzsite.

Do you know? Alongside oral remedies, this antifungal treatment is also accessible as topical ointments which are prescribed as per the patient’s requirements.

Conclusion

Over the years, Fluconazole has benchmarked its name among antifungal medicines as a high-potential treatment. While using it according to the prescription will drive expected health benefits, you may disrupt its efficacy by drinking alcohol along with the same. Therefore, keep using the drug exactly as advised by the physician to minimize health risks and gain optimal effectiveness. In case you’ve consumed alcohol unknowingly, consult your physician for medical attention as soon as possible.

FAQs

How long after taking fluconazole can you drink alcohol?

Wait for at least 48 hours after the last Fluconazole dosage if you wish to drink alcohol. This gap is advised for reducing the risk of side effects.

Is Fluconazole available over the counter?

No, it is a prescription-only medicine and you need a personalized treatment plan from a licensed healthcare professional to extract maximum benefits of the medicine.

How often can you take fluconazole for yeast infection?

The dosage frequency of Fluconazole varies among patients as per their age, severity of symptoms, previous treatments, etc. For most types of fungi or yeast infections, only a single dosage is required for discarding the microorganisms from the body. However, if the symptoms reappear every specific intervals then dosage may be repeated several times a year (probably 3 to 4 times in 12 months).