Docs, question, Levaquin

[stomachmonkey]

Started a 10 day course this morning

500 mg

Tomorrow is Passover which is basically thanksgiving combined with a drinking game

So what's up with levaquin and vino

Side note: how DO people afford to get sick

My copay on it was $30
If I had to pay in full it would have been $153
Seriously? $15? per pill?

[idontknow]

Side note answer. My stepson does this.

He takes the Walmart $4 prescription list with him to the doctors office. He just tells the doc, "If it's not on this list, don't even bother writing it."

[Noah930]

Most antibiotics (and drugs, in general) are metabolized via the liver. Alcohol is, too. They use a common pathway (you can look up cytochrome p450, for details). So if you're taking antibiotics, and you're simultaneously medicating yourself with alcohol, the liver has less ability to metabolize the antibiotic.

Dosing schedules are created by the manufacturers with expectations of average sized humans with average liver functions. Those dosing schedules try to maintain a high enough level of antibiotic to kill the infection you're treating, but not so high a level of antibiotic that toxic levels build up in you. So if the liver is occupied trying to metabolize alcohol, it has less reserve to process the antibiotic. Antibiotic levels may build up to toxic levels. YMMV.

One or two drinks on a holiday is unlikely to make a big deal, but obviously no health care provider is going to recommend it (for legal reasons).

[Tobra]

I seem to recall some of the fluoroquinalones don't go with caffeine

some antibiotics will give disulfuram(antabuse) effect, like flagyl, some deactivate birth control pills, honestly

[AndyK!]

I just finished a 10 day treatment at 750 mg. Totally screwed up my stomach for all 10 days. I hope your experience is much better than mine. Good luck.

[Tobra]

sometimes you eat some yogurt, not necessarily the activia stuff, and it helps out your GI flora a bit.