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Alcohol and over-the-counter drugs is a topic that can go a couple of ways, so I will approach both.

First some over-the-counter drugs contain alcohol. A vast majority of these are cold medications. Even children's cold medicine can have alcohol in it, although the trend is moving away from this.

As always you should read labels carefully. If you are an alcoholic, the last thing you need is anything with alcohol in it. So, you are going to bypass certain brands and opt for something that doesn't have alcohol, I hope.

The thing is not only over-the-counter drugs contain alcohol. Other products from make-up removers, to some food products that you don't consider contain alcohol. Many perfumes contain alcohol. Reading labels is your best defense, and these will generally tell you the amount of alcohol that the product contains. At least we hope so.

The other side of this is the safety of, or rather unsafe practice of taking over-the-counter drugs or any drugs with alcohol. My suggestion is to err on the side of caution every time. Just don't do it, do not take any drug with alcohol.

I know there are people who have done so and survived, but why take the chance? I don't know how many times I've watched some television movie or other program when someone takes a pain killer, or an anxiety reducer with an alcohol chaser. They may get by with it on film where they don't actually take a real drug or drink any real alcohol, but it's a poor example to promote and even worse to actually take your life into your hands by doing it.

I've had friends who have taken a headache medicine with a beer. I set there on pins and needles watching for the ill effects. Most often, Thank God they survive, but I don't like the one or two times when they have had reactions that were likely due to the combination.

Reactions like, extreme irritability, disorientation, vomiting, extreme fatigue, violent mood swings. These indicate a variety of symptoms that can happen with medications, not particularly always pain killers. One example that may cause any of the above is antihistamine or other cold medications with alcohol. This unfortunately is becoming almost like a street drug.

The excuse that I hate most is, "I do it all the time, chill out, don't worry." To those I can only say; "You know what, you may have got by with it, you may have reacted and don't remember it, but you're darn lucky to be walking around."

Know what you are taking, be careful what you swallow, live long and healthy.

Learn more about this author, Glenda K. Fralin.
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