Is It Safe to Mix Phentermine and Alcohol?
Drug interactions are a common risk of almost any substance, especially when combined with certain other medications or even supplements that can cause dangerous reactions and even potentially life-threatening reactions. Such is the case with phentermine, a popular weight loss medication that can help patients lose weight when used in conjunction with a reduced calorie intake and increased physical activity. But if phentermine and alcohol are combined, the side effects can be intensified, and the person might even become more susceptible to intoxication and the effects of alcohol.
This article will help inform what people need to know about drug interactions like this, as well as how a Florida prescription drug addiction treatment center can help.
Table of contents
» What Is Phentermine?
» Can Mixing Phentermine and Alcohol Increase the Risk of Side Effects?
» What Are the Long-Term Risks of Regularly Mixing Phentermine and Alcohol?
» Do Doctors Recommend Avoiding Alcohol Completely While on Phentermine?
» Key Takeaways on Phentermine and Alcohol
» Resources
What Is Phentermine?
Phentermine is a prescription medication that is approved to help people struggling with obesity lose weight, especially when combined with exercise and a reduced-calorie diet. It’s only available by prescription, and is available under several brand names in the United States, including Adipex, Atti-Plex, Fastin, Ionamin, Lomaira, Phentercot, Phentride, and Pro-Fast.
It’s effective because it helps patients suppress their appetite, allowing them to reduce their calorie intake and start losing weight. This medication is available as a tablet or capsule. It can potentially interact with several other medications, as well as certain types of food, alcohol, and tobacco, which is why it’s so important to talk with your doctor about your current medication list and diet before starting a new medicine.
Phentermine can cause many different side effects, including:
- Decreased sexual interest
- Red skin
- Unpleasant taste
- Difficulty maintaining an erection
- Dry mouth
- Skin rash, hives, or itching
- Increased sexual drive
- Chest pain
- Dizziness or feeling faint
- Fast or racing heartbeat
- Foot swelling
- Trembling (especially in the legs and arms)
- Difficulty thinking or speaking
- Feeling weak
- Headaches
- Seeing or feeling imaginary things
- Mental changes (a rare but serious side effect)
Most adult patients will take a dose of approximately 15 to 30 milligrams once daily, taken two hours after breakfast. Depending on the brand and formulation, they may take one capsule or tablet each day (especially for extended-release formulations). Symptoms of a phentermine overdose, if too much is taken, can include:
- Dilated or enlarged pupils
- Feeling confused or restless
- Seeing or hearing things that aren’t there
- Trembling or shaking in the hands, feet, arms, or legs
- Panic
- Increased sensitivity to light
- Being compelled to injure oneself or act in a violent way
- Suffering from overactive reflexes
If you suspect someone is overdosing on phentermine, it’s important to get medical care as soon as possible. This medication can be habit-forming, but the best prescription drug rehab in Florida can help people overcome addiction and get on the path to long-lasting recovery.
Can Mixing Phentermine and Alcohol Increase the Risk of Side Effects?
Phentermine can interact in dangerous or unpredictable ways with many different substances, including certain kinds of food, alcohol, and other medications. Mixing phentermine and alcohol can increase the patient’s chances of suffering from certain side effects, including:
- Rapid heart rate
- Changes to blood pressure
- Chest pain
- Dizziness
- Feeling drowsy
- Depression
- Trouble concentrating or focusing on things
Phentermine is a central nervous system stimulant, which means it affects the levels of important neurotransmitters, such as norepinephrine, dopamine, and serotonin, in the brain. Increasing the levels of these neurotransmitters activates the brain’s “fight-or-flight” response, which suppresses the appetite, and that’s why it’s effective as a weight loss tool for patients.
Patients also tend to feel more energetic and alert while on this medication. However, the fact that it’s a stimulant means it has a potential for misuse and dependence, which is why the U.S. Drug Enforcement Administration classifies it as a Schedule IV controlled substance, and it’s only available by prescription.
Most stimulants like this can also be risky to take if a patient is already struggling with certain underlying medical conditions, such as coronary disease, heart failure, high blood pressure, and cardiac abnormalities. In cases like this, even the prescribed amount of medication can lead to strokes, heart attacks, or arrhythmias, and even sudden death.
What Are the Long-Term Risks of Regularly Mixing Phentermine and Alcohol?
There are many long-term risks of combining phentermine and alcohol, especially the fact that this can amplify possible side effects of the medication, like dizziness or confusion, sleep problems, high blood pressure, rapid heart rate, and even the potential for misuse, dependence, and addiction.
On top of that risk, phentermine can actually intensify the effects of alcohol, because they’ll tend to eat less while on the medication, and that changes how their body will tolerate and process drinks. Rather than slowly metabolizing alcohol on a full stomach, someone’s system could become flooded with a high level of alcohol all at once, hitting them much harder than normal.
The fact that this medication is a stimulant can also make someone unaware of just how drunk they are getting—the stimulant will counteract or hide many potential symptoms of being intoxicated, so they don’t even know that they’re having too much until it’s too late.
Another thing to keep in mind is that alcohol is basically nothing but so-called empty calories, meaning it’s high in calories but completely low on nutritional benefits. This fact means drinking while on phentermine can undermine the whole reason why you’re on this medication—to lose weight. Any potential weight loss you might achieve by reducing the amount of food you eat can be offset by the empty calories from drinking, preventing you from actually losing weight.
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Do Doctors Recommend Avoiding Alcohol Completely While on Phentermine?
Because phentermine is a stimulant, and it has a high potential for negative interactions with alcohol, most doctors will suggest their patients entirely avoid drinking while taking the medication for weight loss. The only completely surefire way of avoiding the risks of combining phentermine and alcohol is to not drink at all while on this medication—not even an occasional drink or two.
There are many benefits of avoiding alcohol during this time, including:
- Avoiding potential cardiovascular complications, including high heart rate, chest pain, heart failure, and heart attacks.
- Not risking becoming dizzy, drowsy, confused, or struggling to concentrate due to the combination of the stimulant and the depressant (alcohol).
- Fewer risks of gastrointestinal problems, such as heartburn, nausea, and stomach aches.
- Fewer risks of mental health problems from the combination of these two substances.
- Better weight loss results.
But it’s not as simple as just telling patients not to drink at all anymore, and many people will realize they’re struggling with trying to quit drinking to go on this medication. If you or your loved one is struggling to give up alcohol while on phentermine, it might be time to get professional help from an alcohol rehab inpatient treatment center.
Key Takeaways on Phentermine and Alcohol
- Phentermine is a weight loss medication.
- This stimulant works by suppressing appetite, helping individuals with obesity lose weight when used in conjunction with a balanced diet and regular exercise.
- Stimulants can cause many different side effects, including sleep problems, fast heartbeat, mental health changes, and more.
- Combining phentermine and alcohol can amplify these potential side effects and also intensify the person’s reaction to drinking.
- Drinking while on this drug can also prevent the weight loss that is the entire reason for taking this medication.
If you or your loved one is struggling to quit drinking so you can safely go on phentermine for weight loss, you’re not alone. The team at WhiteSands Alcohol and Drug Rehab’s network of alcohol rehab facilities in Florida knows what it takes to overcome an alcohol addiction and achieve long-lasting recovery safely. Call us at 877-855-3470 and take the first step toward your better life today.
Resources
- Mayo Clinic – Phentermine (Oral Route)
- Drugs.com – Phentermine and Alcohol/Food Interactions
- GoodRx – Can You Combine Alcohol and Phentermine? 3 Reasons Why It’s Not a Good Idea
If you or a loved one needs help with abuse and/or treatment, please call the WhiteSands Treatment at (877) 855-3470. Our addiction specialists can assess your recovery needs and help you get the addiction treatment that provides the best chance for your long-term recovery.
About the Author
Jackie has been involved in the substance abuse and addiction treatment sector for over five years and this is something that she is truly eager about. She has a passion for writing and continuously works to create informative pieces that not only educate and inform the public about the disease of addiction but also provide solutions for those who struggle with drug and alcohol abuse.
