Both nirmatrelvir and ritonavir are components of the drug Paxlovid, which is a mixture of the two. Nirmatrelvir is an antiviral medication that inhibits the growth and dissemination of viruses. The treatment is effective because it stops the virus from replicating and maintains a low level of the virus in your body. It is recommended to take it as soon as possible after your doctor has prescribed it to you, and do so within 5 days or 7 days if a doctor or other healthcare expert has encouraged you to do so.
When you’re on antiviral medication, is it okay to consume alcohol?
Although alcohol cautions aren’t particularly stated in the product labels for the antiviral medications that are most commonly used to treat shingles, it’s advisable to avoid combining medication with alcohol whenever possible.
When there is alcohol in the body at the same time that it is exposed to a pathogen, the body’s early immunological response to the pathogen is likely to be impaired, which makes it simpler for an infection to take hold. Consuming an excessive amount of alcohol over a longer period of time inhibits the functioning of immune cells in the lungs, which makes the immunological response of the body less efficient.
So, is it safe to consume alcoholic beverages while taking Paxlovid? It is not known if or whether drinking alcohol has an effect on Paxlovid. Is there anything you shouldn’t consume, such as a certain food or drink? While you are taking Paxlovid, you are able to continue your regular eating and drinking routine.
The following are some of the potential adverse effects of Paxlovid:
Notify your doctor as soon as possible if you have any of the following signs and symptoms of liver problems: yellowing of your skin and the whites of your eyes (jaundice), lack of appetite, pale-colored stools, and itchy skin, dark-colored urine, discomfort in the abdominal area.
In addition, if you have an HIV infection that is not being treated, taking Paxlovid may cause some HIV medications to stop functioning as effectively in the future. Paxlovid can cause a variety of adverse effects, including but not limited to diarrhea, changed perception of taste, muscular pains, and elevated blood pressure.
