Alcohol and over-the-counter medications

Mixing alcohol with certain medications can cause or intensify nausea and vomiting, headaches, drowsiness, fainting, and loss of coordination.

Drinking + Pain Relief Medications

For example, drinking alcohol when taking over-the-counter pain relief medication (e.g., Advil, Excedrin, Motrin, Tylenol) can cause stomach or intestinal bleeding as well as serious liver damage. Mixing alcohol with allergy and cold/flu medications will cause drowsiness, dizziness and increase the risk of an overdose.

Drinking + medications that contain alcohol

Certain over-the-counter medicines, like cough syrup and laxatives, contain up to 10% alcohol. Combining alcohol with these products will intensify the depressant effect of alcohol (including loss of coordination, memory loss, and impaired judgment) and can increase the risk of an overdose. Also, be aware that some herbal remedies can have harmful effects when combined with alcohol.