Viagra And Alcohol: The Basics
Although drinking excessive amounts of alcohol with Viagra isnt recommended, Its usually safe to drink a small amount of alcohol on nights you plan to use Viagra.
The precise definition of a small amount of alcohol can vary from person to person. In general, its best to stick to the CDCs Dietary Guidelines for Alcohol, which set a daily intake of up to two alcoholic drinks per day for men.
This amount of alcohol, consumed at a normal pace, is unlikely to cause any negative effects in a healthy person when taken at the same time as Viagra or other ED medication.
As always, the normal rules of drinking alcohol always apply, whether youre consuming alcohol on its own or with ED medication:
What happens when you use Viagra with alcohol? Research generally shows that if you restrict your alcohol consumption to a reasonable amount, Viagra and alcohol are unlikely to cause any significant issues.
For example, in a 2004 study, men were each given 100mg of sildenafil, the active ingredient in Viagra. This is the highest dose of Viagra thats used to treat ED.
Some of the men in the study were also given 750mL of red wine — the amount of wine found in a standard-sized wine bottle.
Over the course of three hours of monitoring, the researchers didnt see any clinically important hemodynamic interaction between the medication and the alcohol.
Its important to remember that this study took place in a clinical environment, meaning that the men were never far from medical help.
How Can Alcohol Put You At Risk For Getting Or Transmitting Hiv
Drinking alcohol, particularly binge drinking, affects your brain, making it hard to think clearly. When youre drunk, you may be more likely to make poor decisions that put you at risk for getting or transmitting HIV, such as having sex without a condom.
You also may be more likely to have a harder time using a condom the right way every time you have sex, have more sexual partners, or use other drugs. Those behaviors can increase your risk of exposure to HIV and other sexually transmitted diseases. Or, if you have HIV, they can also increase your risk of transmitting HIV to others.
Be Proactive And Get Help Today
Fighting off a substance use disorder, or combining medications with other chemicals can be dangerous. If you or a loved one cannot taper use, or seek to mix medications, this can be harmful. You may risk having a substance use disorder and may not realize it. Contact a treatment provider who can discuss treatment options with you. Facilities offer a safe space for individuals to heal with counseling, peer groups, and medications.
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Tb Treatment And Alcohol Use Disorder
Because people who struggle with AUD or problem drinking are at higher risk of contracting tuberculosis, along with other infections, recent medical literature recommends that physicians and addiction specialists make screening for TB part of the intake process when a person enters treatment to overcome AUD. Screening for AUD or problem drinking is not inherently part of routine exams or visits, but clinics that treat TB, or doctors who diagnose TB in their patient, should consider screening for excessive alcohol consumption when they get positive TB results.
Alcohol Abuse And Hiv How Does Alcohol Abuse Affect People With Hiv
People who have been diagnosed with HIV are at an increased risk of the negative effects of drinking. Alcohol abuse can also lead to worsened HIV symptoms and other health complications. Seeking treatment for alcohol addiction is the best way to prevent potentially exacerbating an HIV diagnosis and increasing overall health.
Alcohol abuse can have a negative impact on every aspect of a persons life. This is especially true when it comes to an individuals health. Abusing alcohol can increase a persons risk of developing certain diseases and make treatment for health conditions less effective. One health condition that alcohol abuse has a significant negative impact on is HIV.
Several studies have shown that alcohol use and abuse can be especially dangerous for people diagnosed with HIV. In fact, a recent study found that individuals with HIV who drink even one to two drinks a day are at an increased risk of alcohol-related health issues and death.
Alcohol abuse can also increase a persons risk of contracting HIV in the first place. Abusing alcohol can cause someone to participate in risky behavior, which can make a person more susceptible to the initial infection of HIV.
Lets look at the many ways that alcohol abuse can affect people with HIV.
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What About Viagra And Cialis
Viagra and Cialis are PDE5 inhibitors used to treat male impotence, there is no known effect if you combine either of the pills with Truvada. There are no serious problems known to be triggered when using ED and Truvada at the same time.
Sildenafil and tadalafil have moderate interactions with some foods like grapefruits and its products resulting in higher levels of sildenafil in your body as well as delaying the time it takes for the med to function.
Tadalafil may decrease blood pressure. Combining tadalafil with alcohol may seriously increase this effect. Grapefruits may also raise the blood levels leading to negative effects of tadalafil which may harm your health.
Viagra And Alcohol: What You Need To Know
Medically reviewed by Kristin Hall, FNP
Erectile dysfunction is a common problem that affects men of all ages.
In fact, research shows that more than 30 million men in the United States, or just under one third of the US adult male population, are affected by some level of erectile dysfunction, or ED.
Thankfully, ED is a highly treatable condition. These days, a range of medications are available to enhance sexual performance and make it easier for men affected by ED to get and maintain an erection.
Among ED medications, Viagra® is one of the most popular and well-known.
Its been available since the late 1990s and has a long, proven track record of treating erectile dysfunction.
While Viagra is safe and effective for most men, using it with alcohol can affect its performance as an ED treatment and increase your risk of experiencing certain side effects.
Below, weve explained what can happen when you drink alcohol and use Viagra or similar ED medications.
Weve also discussed what you can to keep yourself safe if you use Viagra or other medication to treat ED before or while consuming alcohol.
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How Does Alcohol Use Affect The Health Of People Living With Hiv
Probably the biggest issue is that when people are drinking too much, theyre not taking their meds.
Susan Buchbinder
Buchbinder emphasized that people with HIV dont necessarily need to abstain from alcohol unless they have a comorbid condition, such as hepatitis C or other liver disease, that would be worsened by alcohol use. But, she continued, HIV and alcohol act synergistically, so that theres more brain tissue disruption. Theres a new understanding of how HIV causes disease by causing these inflammatory reactions, and alcohol also increases that.
In addition to the risk of increased inflammationand the resulting higher risk for neurological and cardiovascular problemsalcohol use may interfere with HIV-positive peoples ability to adhere to their antiretroviral treatment regimen. In talking with colleagues, they say that they can get most of their patients down to an undetectable viral load, including sometimes their meth users, their crack users, their injection drug users, but not their alcoholics, related Buchbinder. Its just so destructive to the rhythm of peoples days that its really challenging to help people to use meds effectively. If you arent using them effectively, you may be developing resistance, and you may be eliminating your future options.
Potential Side Effects Of Using Viagra With Alcohol
While its generally safe to consume a small amount of alcohol at the same time as medications like Viagra, drinking to excess may increase your risk of developing side effects.
Common side effects of Viagra include headache, heartburn, facial flushing, diarrhea, insomnia , diarrhea, muscle aches, numbness in your legs, feet, arms and/or hands, changes in color vision and increased sensitivity to light.
Weve discussed these side effects in more detail in our guide to Viagra side effects.
Research shows that your risk of experiencing side effects from Viagra can increase if you drink a significant amount of alcohol.
For example, a study involving more than 300 men with erectile dysfunction found that men who consume above average amounts of alcohol are more likely to develop headaches and flushing from PDE5 inhibitors than men who dont drink.
Put simply, while its okay to drink a small amount of alcohol with Viagra, drinking large amounts of alcohol may increase your risk of developing side effects.
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Get Help For An Alcohol Addiction Today
We are here to help you through every aspect of recovery.Let us call you to learn more about our treatment options.
This virus attacks the CD4 in the body, which are an important part of the immune system. CD4 cells work by helping the immune system fight off infections. When HIV goes untreated, the virus can significantly decrease the amount of CD4 cells and reduce the bodys ability to ward off infections and diseases.
There is currently no cure for HIV. However, HIV can be managed with antiretroviral therapy . When taken properly and continuously, ART can significantly reduce the effects of HIV and drastically improve a persons longevity and overall quality of life.
Complications Of Bp And Aud
Alcohol abuse can complicate the management of bipolar disorder. Drinking impairs your judgment and makes you more impulsive and increases the risk of suicide, injury, hospitalization, and sexually transmitted infections like HIV. According to research, the risk for attempted suicide is nearly twice as high in people with BP and AUD as it is in those with BP alone.
Moreover, the effect alcohol has on a person’s moods and judgment can make adherence to drug therapies all the more difficult, undermining the very goals of treatment.
Due to these inherent risks, it is best to abstain from alcohol completely if you have bipolar disorder. Not only can drinking make your BP symptoms worse, achieving sobriety may be far more difficult when faced with the dual diagnosis.
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How Can Substance Use Affect A Person With Hiv
Substance use can harm the health of a person with HIV in several ways.
Drugs and alcohol can weaken the immune system. HIV damages the immune system, making it harder for the body to fight infections and certain cancers. Drug or alcohol use can further damage the immune system and cause HIV infection to worsen.
Drugs and alcohol can damage the liver and cause liver disease.One of the main functions of the liver is to remove harmful substances from the blood. Toxins are produced when the liver breaks down the chemicals in drugs or alcohol.
Drug and alcohol use can damage the liver, making it work harder to remove toxins from the body. The buildup of toxins can weaken the body and lead to liver disease.
Some recreational drugs can interact with HIV medicines. Drug interactions between HIV medicines and recreational drugs can increase the risk of dangerous side effects. For example, overdoses due to interactions between some HIV medicines and drugs, such as ecstasy or GHB, have been reported.
Drug and alcohol use can make it hard to take HIV medicines every day.People with HIV take a combination of HIV medicines every day to stay healthy. Drug or alcohol use can make it hard to focus and stick to a daily HIV treatment regimen. Skipping HIV medicines allows HIV to multiply and damage the immune system.
Alcoholism Treatment As Hiv Prevention
Studies show that decreasing alcohol use among HIV patients not only reduces the medical and psychiatric consequences associated with alcohol consumption but also decreases other drug use and HIV transmission . Thus, alcohol and other drug abuse treatment can be considered primary HIV prevention as well . For example, Avins and colleagues found a 58 percent reduction in injection drug use, with similar decreases in high-risk sexual behaviors, among heterosexual patients one year after treatment. Participants who remained abstinent showed substantially greater improvement in both outcomes compared with those who continued to drink .
Boscarino and colleagues suggest that for heterosexual alcoholics, the focus of screening and prevention for HIV risk factors should be on people with more severe alcohol dependence. For male alcoholics who have sex with men, the focus should be on those who socialize primarily in bars .
Alcoholism prevention among youth is of particular importance. AIDS is a leading cause of death among people ages 15 to 24 , and new injection drug users who contract HIV or viral hepatitis often become infected within 2 years after beginning to inject drugs . Researchers have found that:
Therefore, it has been suggested that HIV prevention programs for youth should target alcohol consumption in addition to injection drug use and sexual risk reduction .
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A Healthier Life Can Start With Treatment
Starting HIV treatment as soon as possible after diagnosis can help stop the virus in your body. Treatment helps lower your viral load. And that can help you:
- Protect and improve your immune system
- Fight infections and cancers
- Stop the virus before it leads to AIDS
Plus, scientific studies show benefits to starting and sticking with treatment as soon as possible. In these studies, some people started treatment right away and some waited. Those who didn’t wait had a lower chance of developing AIDS, tuberculosis, and certain cancers.
Taking Care Of Yourself When Living With Hiv
FAST FACTS
Starting antiretroviral treatment as soon as possible, and sustaining it as part of your everyday routine, is the best way of ensuring that your immune system stays strong.
Exercising regularly, eating well, getting enough rest and quality sleep are all vital to maintaining your health.
Your mental wellbeing is just as important as your physical health. Talking about your concerns with family, friends or a support group can really help.
Having HIV doesnt have to stop you living a healthy life in the way that you choose to do. With the right treatment and care, you can expect to live as long as someone who doesnt have HIV. Find out how you can look after yourself and stay healthy.
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Protect Yourselfand The People You Care About
HIV treatment can also work as prevention. It’s actually called Treatment as Prevention, or TasP. Here’s why it’s so important.
Starting and sticking with HIV treatment every day helps you get to and stay undetectable. Current research shows that when you stay undetectable, theres basically no risk of transmitting HIV through sex.
It’s true. You can prevent the spread of HIV by taking your medicine as prescribed. But remember, HIV is still in your body. So stick with treatment, keep using condoms, and practice safer sex. Want to know more? Talk to a healthcare provider.
Drugs And Alcohol: Effects On Your Immune System
Drinking too much alcohol can weaken your immune system. A weaker immune system will have a harder time fighting off common infections , as well as HIV-related infections. A weaker immune system also increases the chance that you will experience more side effects from your HIV medications.
Smoking marijuana or any other drug irritates the lungs. You may be more likely to get serious lung infections, such as pneumonia.
Other common recreational drugs, such as cocaine or crystal methamphetamine , can leave your body dehydrated and exhausted, as well as lead to skin irritation. All of these things can make it easier for you to get infections.
Alcohol and other drugs affect your liver the most. The liver rounds up waste from chemicals that you put in your body. Those chemicals include recreational drugs as well as prescription drugs, such as your HIV medications. A weaker liver means it is less efficient.
If you also have hepatitis C , your liver is already working very hard to fight the disease itself and deal with the strong drugs that you may be taking for your hepatitis treatment.
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Hiv And Injection Drug Use
Sharing a needle or any equipment when injecting drugs is dangerous for you and for your sharing partners. They could get HIV from you, and you could get another disease, such as hepatitis, from them.
The safest option is not to share. Use clean needles and syringes each time, and keep your own equipment to yourself. There are sterile syringe programs that can help provide clean needles. For more information on sterile syringe programs, please visit the HIV.gov Website
Because of the dangers of injection drug use, the best way to lower your risk is to stop injecting drugs. If you need help to stop using drugs, please talk to your VA provider or visit maketheconnection.net
If you do inject drugs, follow these reminders:
- Never reuse or “share” syringes, water, or drug preparation equipment.
- Use only syringes obtained from a reliable source .
- Use a new, sterile syringe each time to prepare and inject drugs. If this is not possible, sterilize your syringe or disinfect your syringe and other equipment with bleach.
- If possible, use sterile water to prepare drugs otherwise, use clean water from a reliable source .
- Use a new or disinfected container and a new filter to prepare drugs.
- Clean the injection site with a new alcohol swab prior to injection.
- Safely dispose of syringes after one use.