How long do you have to wait to drink alcohol after taking Meloxicam?
By
Dr Milena Locci de Oliveira (PhD)
Author bio
Dr Milena Locci de Oliveira is a Pharmacist and Doctor of Philosophy in Sciences from the University of São Paulo (USP). She has experience in microbiology, analytical toxicology, and clinical pharmacokinetics. She writes and reviews content on these topics.
Dr Milena’s Highlights:
-PhD in Sciences, University of São Paulo, Brazil, 2019.
-University College London (UCL) – Semester of remote collaboration in the areas of Pharmacometrics and Population Pharmacokinetics, 2018.
-Bachelor in Biochemical Pharmacy, University of São Paulo, Brazil, 2013.
“Science can be translated, and it is essential that everyone has access to quality information to make informed decisions” – Dr Milena Oliveira, PhD.
Professional Experience:
With a decade-long career as a researcher, Dr Milena has amassed extensive experience in conducting research projects in microbiology, analytical toxicology, and clinical pharmacokinetics.
Her expertise also extends to the preparation of technical and scientific reports, literature reviews, data analysis, and scientific communication, both oral and written.
Dr Milena has served as a Clinical Pharmacist, providing expert supervision and guidance to teams during the challenging times of the COVID-19 pandemic, particularly in the ICUs of two reference hospitals for patient hospitalization.
In her most recent role, Dr Milena worked on the implementation of the deliberatives of the São Paulo State Government Pharmaceutical Assistance Coordination. These decisions were aimed at ensuring medication access within the Unified Health System.
A widely multidisciplinary background enabled Dr Milena to become a professional capable of integrating scientific knowledge into private initiatives, education, and healthcare, delivering consistent services in patient safety and population health.
Professional Memberships & Affiliations:
Dr Milena Oliveira is a member of the Regional Council of Pharmacy of the State of São Paulo, Brazil.
Education:
-PhD in Sciences, University of São Paulo, Brazil, 2019.
-University College London (UCL) – Semester of remote collaboration, 2018.
-Bachelor in Biochemical Pharmacy, University of São Paulo, Brazil, 2013.
Relevant Published Work & Citations:
Oliveira ML de, Rocha A, Nardotto GHB, Pippa LF, Simões BP, Lanchote VL. Analysis of daunorubicin and its metabolite daunorubicinol in plasma and urine with application in the evaluation of total, renal and metabolic formation clearances in patients with acute myeloid leukemia. Journal of Pharmaceutical and Biomedical Analysis. Nov 2020. 191:113-124.
Abstracts. CPT: Pharmacometrics & Systems Pharmacology. 2020 Nov; 9 (S1).
Pippa LF, Oliveira ML de, Rocha A, de Andrade JM, Lanchote VL. Total, renal and hepatic clearances of doxorubicin and formation clearance of doxorubicinol in patients with breast cancer: Estimation of doxorubicin hepatic extraction ratio. Journal of Pharmaceutical and Biomedical Analysis. 2020 Jun 5; 185:113-231.
Godoy ALPC, De Jesus C, De Oliveira ML, Rocha A, Pereira MPM, Larangeira DF, Lanchote VL, Barrouin-Melo SM. Determination of Allopurinol and Oxypurinol in Dogs Plasma by High-Performance Liquid Chromatography with an Ultraviolet Detector: Application for Pharmacokinetic Studies. J Chromatogr Sep Tech. 2017; 8 (4).
Clímaco EC, Oliveira ML de, Pitondo-Silva A, Oliveira MG, Medeiros M, Lincopan N, et al. Clonal complexes 104, 109 and 113 playing a major role in the dissemination of OXA-carbapenemase-producing Acinetobacter baumannii in Southeast Brazil. Infection, Genetics and Evolution. 2013 Oct;19:127–33.
Conference Papers:
Oliveira, M. L.; NARDOTTO, G. H. B.; PIPPA, L. F.; ROCHA, A.; SIMOES, B. P.; LANCHOTE, V. L. . Daunorubicin metabolism and urinary excretion in patients with acute myeloid leukemia. In: 84th Annual Meeting of the German Society for Experimental and Clinical Pharmacology and Toxicology (DGPT) and the 20th Annual Meeting of the Association of the Clinical Pharmacology Germany (VKliPha), 2018, Göttingen. Naunyn-Schmiedeberg’s Arch Pharmacol, 2018. v. 391. p. S76-S76.
Oliveira, M. L.; NARDOTTO, G. H. B. ; ROCHA, A. ; SIMOES, B. P. ; LANCHOTE, V. L. . The low contribution of urinary excretion in the elimination of daunorubicin and its metabolite daunorubicinol in patients with acute myeloid leukemia. In: 49th Brazilian Congress of Pharmacology and Experimental Therapeutics., 2017, Ribeirão Preto. Livro de Resumos, 2017. p. 64-64.
Oliveira, M. L.; PIPPA, L. F. ; ROCHA, A. ; SIMOES, B. P. ; LANCHOTE, V. L. . Quantification of daunorubicin and its metabolite daunorubicinol in human plasma by LC-MS/MS. In: I International Meeting of Environmental Health and Toxicology (IMEHTOX), 2016, Ribeirão Preto. Livro de Resumos, 2016.
Oliveira, M. L.; Clímaco, E.C. ; OLIVEIRA, M. G. ; Lincopan, N. ; Darini A.L.C. . PFGE typing of Carbapenem-Resistant Acinetobacter baumannii isolated from different University Hospitals. In: V International Postgraduate and Research Symposium, 2012.
Clímaco, E.C. ; SILVA, A. P. ; Oliveira, M. L. ; OLIVEIRA, M. G. ; Lincopan, N. ; Darini A.L.C. Relação clonal entre linhagens de Acinetobacter baumannii produtoras de carbapenemases da família OXA em quatro hospitais no Brasil. In: XXI Latin American Congress of Microbiology, 2012, Santos. XXI Latin American Congress of Microbiology, 2012.
Oliveira, M. L.; Clímaco, E.C. ; OLIVEIRA, M. G. ; Darini A.L.C. . Dissemintion of OXA carbapenemases genes in carbapenem-resistant Acinetobacter baumannii in University Hospital of Juiz de Fora, MG. In: 8th CIFARP – International Congress of Pharmaceutical Sciences, 2011, Ribeirão Preto.
Clímaco, E.C. ; Oliveira, M. L. ; OLIVEIRA, M. G. ; Darini A.L.C. . Avaliação do sequenciamento parcial do gene rpoB e de seus flanqueadores para identificação de espécies de Acinetobacter na rotina laroratorial. In: 2° International Symposium on Clinical Microbiology, 2010, Florianópolis.
You can view some of Dr Milena’s work below and links to her professional profile.
Linkedin: https://www.linkedin.com/in/dra-milena-locci-de-oliveira-28986042/?locale=en_US
ResearchGate: https://www.researchgate.net/profile/Milena-Oliveira-6
Escavador: https://www.escavador.com/sobre/5394254/milena-locci-de-oliveira
Lattes: https://buscatextual.cnpq.br/buscatextual/busca.do
Scopus: https://www.scopus.com/authid/detail.uri?authorId=57199779361
Scholar: https://scholar.google.com/citations?view_op=list_works&hl=pt-BR&user=1YUBDIQAAAAJ
How long do you have to wait to drink alcohol after taking Meloxicam?
You should wait at least 24 hours to drink after taking Meloxicam. Alcohol and Meloxicam do not pair well when they are used together and they should never be present in your body at the same time. If you’re already drinking, you should wait for 24 hours before taking Meloxicam.
This is because both Meloxicam and alcohol can stay in your system for 24-25 hours. You need to give your body this time interval before the consumption of these two.
What are the dangers of mixing Meloxicam with alcohol?
The concomitant use of Meloxicam and alcohol can be quite dangerous. Some of the common complications include (1):
- Increased risk of gastrointestinal bleeding
- Possibility of a stroke or a heart attack in cardiac patients
- Excessive vomiting that may or may not contain blood
Increased risk of gastrointestinal bleeding
One of the major complications associated with the concomitant use of Meloxicam and alcohol is the increased risk of gastrointestinal bleeding. This is because Meloxicam is well known for causing gastrointestinal side effects.
Meloxicam is a Non-steroidal anti-inflammatory drug (NSAID). It inhibits the cyclooxygenase (COX) pathway which leads to the inhibition of the synthesis of prostaglandins, which are considered common pain mediators (2).
The problem with these meds is that they also end up inhibiting the synthesis of the prostaglandins which are responsible for forming the protective mucosa surrounding your stomach.
This mucosa protects your stomach from the corrosive activity of your stomach acid, which is considered one of the strongest acids in the entire world.
When this protective layer is disrupted, as a result of taking Meloxicam, your stomach becomes more susceptible to the harmful effects of acid. This leads to the development of an ulcer that bleeds and causes unbearable pain.
Meloxicam, in general, is recommended to take with food. It is also advised not to lie down immediately after taking Meloxicam or any other NSAID because of the potential GI side effects.
Alcohol, on the other hand, is not so gentle on your stomach as well. It also breaks down the protective lining and makes your stomach more prone to injury-causing acid.
The concomitant use of Meloxicam and alcohol for a long period of time can cause gastrointestinal bleeding and unbearable stomach pain (3).
Possibility of a stroke or a heart attack in cardiac patients
The concomitant use of Meloxicam and alcohol comes with a risk of a possible stroke or a heart attack in cardiac patients. This is because both of these chemicals can affect such patients negatively.
If we look at Meloxicam, the use of this analgesic and anti-inflammatory drug is contraindicated in patients with an active cardiac disease because the drug comes with a warning of inducing a heart attack.
When alcohol is mixed with Meloxicam, this effect becomes more prominent and the chances of your cardiac condition worsening become higher. This is why you should never pair Meloxicam or other NSAIDs, including Celecoxib, Naproxen, etc and alcohol together.
Excessive vomiting that may or may not contain blood
Both Meloxicam and alcohol can cause excessive vomiting that may cause more harm than you can imagine. The increased stomach acidity caused by this combination can make the episodes of vomiting even more painful for you.
This is because the stomach acid will travel up to your mouth along with other gastric contents when you throw up. This acid can damage the entire lining of your upper gastrointestinal tract, including your oesophagus, throat, and buccal cavity (the inside area of your mouth).
This can cause extreme pain and a burning sensation in your chest, throat, and mouth. It can also cause the formation of mouth ulcers, which take extremely long to heal. If the combination is causing gastrointestinal bleeding, you may also throw up blood along with other gastric content.
What to do if you have taken Meloxicam and alcohol together?
If you have combined Meloxicam and alcohol together and you begin to exhibit signs of a possible interaction between these two, immediately call your local medical emergency helpline.
The doctors will determine the best choice of treatment to help you recover from the damage caused by the concomitant use of Meloxicam and alcohol. If you’re an alcoholic, make sure you seek help for alcohol cessation.
You should discuss with your doctor what medications are safe for you to take while you battle alcoholism. This can help set a boundary which can protect you from consuming any such medication that may interact with alcohol and cause serious health complications.
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References
1.-
The Risks of Using Meloxicam and Alcohol. Rehab 4 Addiction [Internet]. [Cited 2022 Nov 2]. Available from: https://www.rehab4addiction.co.uk/guides/meloxicam-alcohol
2.-
MedlinePlus. Meloxicam [Internet]. Bethesda (MD): National Library of Medicine (US); [updated 2022 Apr 15; cited 2022 Nov 2]. Available from: https://pubmed.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/32164967/
3.-
Weathermon R, Crabb DW. Alcohol and medication interactions. Alcohol Res Health. 1999;23(1):40-54. PMID: 10890797; PMCID: PMC6761694. Available from: https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pmc/articles/PMC6761694/
