Can I Drink or Consume Alcohol or Whisky During Treatment and after Recovering From Typhoid or Enteric Fever?

 Below are common questions I get from patients in the hospital  after treatment for Typhoid Fever

The first question most patients especially those that love to take alcohol ask is

 - Can I drink alcohol or Whisky during and after typhoid fever /Enteric Fever?

The Second question most patients commonly ask after treatment is 

How long after recovering from typhoid can I take  Alcohol or Whisky?

The time you wait after recovering from typhoid  before you can drink  alcohol or whisky depends on a number of factors below.

Before I answer this question as a doctor, I need to first discuss a little about Typhoid Fever.

An idea of the knowledge of typhoid fever and treatment will help one to know when to take alcohol

Things Patients Should Know About Typhoid Fever

1. Typhoid Fever is a Bacterial Infection.

2. The Name of the Bacterium that causes typhoid Fever is Salmonell typhi.

3. Salmonella typhi is very infectious disease.

4. Multiple organs especially the Liver are usually affected by typhoid fever.

5. Taking Alcohol or Whisky with some Antibiotics can result in side effects like nausea and vomiting.

6.  Also, Taking Alcohol or whisky with Antibiotics while treating typhoid fever can affect the performance of the drug in your body.

7. With the above concerns, it is better to avoid taking alcohol or Whisky while treating Typhoid Fever.

How Long After Recovering From Typhoid Can I Consume Alcohol?

Once you have clinically recovered from typhoid fever, you can take alcohol.

 However, if your doctors feel that you have not clinically recovered from the typhoid fever, your doctor can ask you to withhold taking alcohol.

 

If your doctor feels that the typhoid fever have caused significant damage to your liver like in case of Typhoid Hepatitis - when there is tender hepatomegaly that may last for a longer time, you doctor can ask you to continue to abstain from alcohol pending the time you recover clinically.  Tender Hepatomegaly means that you have a painful and enlarged liver.  In this case, your doctor will ask you to stop taking alcohol pending the time you get well.

  

Summary

 As a Medical Doctor, I cannot endorse a patient to take alcohol or whisky during treatment.  If you do that, you are doing so at your own risk.  Now medical doctor will encourage his or her patient to take alcohol while taking antibiotics for treatment of typhoid fever.

How long you wait before you can take alcohol or whisky after recovering from typhoid fever depends on the clinical findings of your doctors.

For instance, it is very possible that you can have tender hepatomegaly without knowing. The implication is that you might think you have recovered because you feel good while you have not.   It is only when doctor examine you clinically that he or she will find out if you have clinically recovered from the typhoid fever.

Always go for follow-up checkup so that your doctor can clinically certify you fit to take alcohol after suffering from typhoid fever