NyQuil and Alcohol: Are They Ever Safe to Mix?

NyQuil contains acetaminophen, which is hard on the liver. Alcohol is also dangerous to the liver, and combining the two can cause severe liver damage or lead to an overdose. As discussed, you should avoid mixing NyQuil and alcohol because of acetaminophen, which already contains alcohol. This can cause increased damage to the liver after some period of time. Prescription drugs, there are certain brands that contain acetaminophen as well, so it’s important to look out for these. Percocet and Vicodin are two commonly prescribed medications.

Taking DXM with alcohol can also cause respiratory depression , feelings of dissociation, brain lesions, epilepsy, or permanent psychosis. It’s best to avoid alcohol until the drug has left your body, about 24 to 48 hours after your last dose. But that’s not to say you should indulge in alcoholic drinks when sick–wait until you’re feeling better before imbibing. And despite popular myths, alcohol won’t do anything to suppress a cough. However, the alcohol is not an active ingredient, which means that its purpose is not to relieve flu and cold symptoms.

What to Do if Alcohol and Nyquil are Combined

That’s why doxylamine is an ingredient of NyQuil, which is intended for nighttime use only, but not DayQuil. Mixing DayQuil and alcohol is also dangerous, and it carries many of the same risks that one encounters when using NyQuil. NyQuil contains acetaminophen, the active ingredient in Tylenol, and mixing alcohol with acetaminophen is hard on the liver. Even though drinking is not advised while taking DayQuil, you could do so 4 to 6 hours after your last dose. However, the effects of a single drink of alcohol might continue for around three hours in your body.

They also include some ingredients that may cause adverse effects that alcohol can worsen. Numerous variables, including potential medical problems and existing drugs, can impact these consequences. Alcohol can exacerbate the symptoms of a cold or the flu. You can have headaches, fatigue, or a dry mouth when you have one of these illnesses. It’s crucial to be aware that much alcohol consumption can result in several severe symptoms, including breathing difficulties , coma, sleepiness, and even death. If you’ve had several drinks, you may feel intoxicated for several hours until the alcohol leaves your system.

Mixing NyQuil & Alcohol | Safety, Effects, & Risks

If you are unsure if a medication you use contains acetaminophen, check the ingredients list, contact your doctor, or talk to a pharmacist. The sedating effects of doxylamine are so pronounced that it’s the main ingredient in some over-the-counter sleep aids, including Unisom and ZzzQuil. Some people are at a higher risk of DXM overdose than others. Unfortunately, recreational abuse of products containing DXM by teens and adolescents has become an increasingly common problem. Drinking alcohol can also increase the side effects of dextromethorphan, or DXM, the cough suppressant component of NyQuil.

Procter & Gamble also produces DayQuil, a daytime cold medicine. Its formula is similar to NyQuil without the sedative effects. All Alcoholrehabhelp content is medically reviewed or fact checked to ensure as much factual accuracy as possible. Nyquil Cold and Flu Nighttime Relief Liquid contains 10 percent alcohol by volume . It is listed as an “inactive” ingredient and is used to help the “active” ingredients dissolve.

Kelly focuses much of her time researching and writing about health issues, especially addiction and recovery. Her goal is to grandiose and vulnerable narcissism educate and inform people with addiction and their loved ones. Mixing NyQuil with alcohol produces a variety of side effects.

DXM is often abused in its original form or mixing it with soda and candy for flavor. This is called “robo-tripping,” “skittling,” or “dexing.” It can also be snorted or injected. Combining NyQuil and one or two drinks usually won’t cause any serious issues. Alcohol also impairs the body’s immune system, making it harder for the body to recover from illness. An impaired immune system can cause NyQuil to be ineffective. Mixing NyQuil with alcohol produces a variety of side effects .

Cough suppressants and alcohol

If you’ve also taken NyQuil, the effects can be amplified to a dangerous level. If you drink daily over the course of several days, the alcohol you consume can interact with the Doxylamine in your system. Doxylamine succinate is an antihistamine don’t mix lithium & alcohol that can help with a runny nose and sneezing. It makes you drowsy, which is why it’s often an ingredient in OTC sleep medications, such as Unisom. For this reason, it’s also the component of NyQuil that makes you sleepy.

• Calls to any general helpline (non-facility specific 1-8XX numbers) for your visit will be answered by American Addiction Centers .
• You can also become addicted to NyQuil if you don’t take it as directed.
• There are several different medications that may also have acetaminophen in them.
• However, if a person takes DXM at higher doses, this can create the sensation of being drunk among other symptoms.
• In addition to avoiding alcohol when taking NyQuil, it’s also crucial to avoid other medications that contain acetaminophen.
• Combining the two can also cause slowed breathing, impaired motor control, unusual behavior and memory problems.

It is intended for general informational purposes and is not meant to be a substitute for professional medical advice, diagnosis, or treatment. Always seek the advice of your physician or other qualified health provider with any questions you may have regarding a medical condition. If you think you may have a medical emergency, immediately call your physician or dial 911. Therefore, you should wait at least that amount of time after taking a dose before drinking alcohol. Aside from the additive side effects of drinking alcohol with NyQuil, alcohol interferes will sleep quality, part of the reason most take Nyquil in the first place.

Tylenol is the most common brand name for acetaminophen in the United States. But if you take more than the recommended amount of NyQuil, or drink a lot of alcohol, you may overdose. alcohol toxicity and withdrawal cause many of the same side effects, including sedation, coordination issues, and elevated heart rate.

However, NyQuil LiquiCaps and Alcohol-Free Nyquil Cold & Flu Nighttime Relief Liquid do not contain alcohol. Like many antihistamines, doxylamine causes extreme sleepiness, dizziness and light-headedness, and alcohol can increase these effects. Combining the two can also cause slowed breathing, impaired motor control, unusual behavior and memory problems. The recovery process doesn’t end after 90 days of treatment. The transition back to life outside of rehab is fraught with the potential for relapse.

Studies have definitively shown that it decreases REM sleep, which has strongly been linked to feeling less rested in the morning. This often results in next-day impairment and a feeling of a lack of sleep. All of these NyQuil products contain acetaminophen, which is also the active ingredient in Tylenol. All unique content created by the Addiction Group team is sourced from current scientific research and fact-checked by an addiction counseling expert before publication.

Acetaminophen , dextromethorphan , and doxylamine are commonly found in NyQuil products. However, some also contain additional over-the-counter medicines, such as phenylephrine and chlorpheniramine (Chlor-Trimeton) . However, most NyQuil formulations containing chlorpheniramine are created with children in mind.

Nyquil and Alcohol: Can You Take Nyquil After Drinking?

This is because other active ingredients can cause drowsiness and impairment, which alcohol may worsen. If you did this consistently over a long period of time though, you would be more at risk of causing liver damage. There is a well-known interaction between acetaminophen and alcohol since both are metabolized in the liver. Too much of either can cause stress to your liver or even damage.

Side Effects of Mixing Nyquil and Alcohol

This can lead to increased use, regardless of flu or cold symptoms. As we all understand, alcohol consumption is dangerous for health. Are you or a loved one looking for alcohol addiction treatment?

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For example, mixing alcohol and Mucinex Fast-Max can cause nausea, stomach pain and yellow skin. With its blend of active ingredients, this medication can help alleviate some common cold and flu symptoms, such as pain, coughing, and sneezing. Contains, in addition to acetaminophen, a cough suppressant . So when you combine these OTC remedies with alcohol, your risk of side effects increases a lot, says Dr. Davis. NyQuil has been linked to the relief of symptoms from asthma and chronic bronchitis. These include sneezing, sore throat, headache, minor aches and pains, fever, runny nose, and cough.