Medications Containing Alcohol
 

Hi,

This is my first post in the forum. (I have 2 years, 4 months sober.)

So a relative of mine has been recommending these allergy drops for months now. I woke up this morning sneezing, itchy eyes, etc., so I decided to try them.

To take them you squeeze ten drops under your tongue, wait thirty seconds, then swallow. The second I swallowed, my heart sank. The taste was all too familiar.

So I checked the bottle, and the second ingredient listed was 20% grain alcohol.

That was an hour ago. I'm still pretty depressed about it.

I've been extremely careful not to even eat foods marinated in alcoholic drinks, avoided NyQuil (DXM), etc., so this is disappointing, to say the least.

Two questions:

1.) Has anyone here had a similar experience with over-the-counter meds containing alcohol? (Do any of you take them on a regular basis? Am I just being paranoid?)

2.) Would you consider this a relapse? (I'm almost positive I know the answer to this, but I won't be able to sleep until I hear it from someone else. I'm sort of crazy like that.)


Thanks,
Y

It was an accident. A relapse would be if you downed the rest of the bottle once you realized it had alcohol in it.

Not a slip/relapse.

I personally don't concern myself with the alchohol thing in meds or food, but most of the people I know who quit drinking do. It's a personal choice and I guess if I found myself having cravings from the exposure I would make a different decision. I've expereince the craving for alchohol...for some reason the small amounts contained in food or meds hasn't set them off.

Thanks, everyone.

I spoke with my sponsor earlier, and he said basically the same thing.

My opinion/observation:

10 drops of 20% alcohol, as a medication, without prior knowledge of alcoholic content?

NOT a relapse, because you didn't know, and because once you did know, you didn't take more.

(I avoid meds and foods with alcoholic content.)

I'm in agreement with everyone here that it should not be considered a slip/relapse, however.....

When it comes to OTC medication that contains alcohol....? Here I disagree slightly..... (o: For me, just as many drugs have valid uses; even though I might have misused them in the past doesn't mean I can never use them for their original intent (with a doctor's prescription and as directed) ....And this goes for alcohol too.....

When I have a cold/flu.....one that I can't seem to shake, and I'm at the point that I can't sleep because my caughing wakes me up once I start to fall asleep........well, I cover my chest with mentholatum or vicks vaporub and take a capful of nyquil (15% alcohol now since they lowered it - it used to be 25%). That small amount of alcohol in the medication does the job (along with the other ingredients) and allows me to get about 4 hours of caugh-free sleep.....

I'm also not one of those folks who doesn't do any products that may have some alcohol in them, whether they be medications or food product. I feel if I did that, then alcohol would still be ruling my life......and that's not why I got sober.....just imho, tho..... (o:


NoelleR

I don't know where it says we can't take care of ourselves and our health. If you're taking NyQuil to get drunk that's one issue. If you're taking it to unplug your sinuses it's OK in my book. If you drink mouthwash to get drunk then you have an issue that needs to be dealt with. If you're rinsing that nasty morning breath out of your mouth then Go for it.
I think there's a lot of over reacting going on in the sobriety game.
If I have to tip toe on eggshells because I can't live a normal happy life then somethings wrong.

I take yr point and I agree :) but I don't think there's a universal right or wrong here - I've never been triggered by tiramisu LOL but that doesn't mean someone else mightn't be :)

D

.....and that's why I ended with...: "...just imho, tho..... (o: " .....I always speak only for me; I don't believe there are any universal 'rights' or 'wrongs'


NoelleR

I wouldn't post if I thought it was redundant Noelle. :)
It seems lately adding 'just my opinion' means 'end of story' for some LOL

I know you, and I know that's not the case here.

I thought it was an important point to make.
I'm glad my personal opinion and yours meet :)
My apologies if you felt slighted.

D

Y

To thine own self be true...!

bottom line!

good wishes, and welcome to the family...

rz

I might add to read the label of anything you put into your body. Some brands of mouthwash and hair tonic contain alcohol too. I don't think either of those would trigger a relapse, but I want to be alcohol free.