OVER THE LIMIT

Is your medication affected by your alcohol intake?

This week: Cold and flu remedies. AS TEMPTING as it is to have a hot toddy when you’re feeling under the weather, be careful if you’re taking cold and flu remedies, as these contain a variety of painkillers and decongestants which may interact with alcohol.

Those with codeine, for example, should be avoided as alcohol enhances the drug’s effects on the central nervous system, lead- ing to extreme drowsiness, light-headedness and difficulty concentrating. Sleeping pills are also problematic: combining the two can cause strong feelings of a hangover, says Dr Niall Campbell, a consultant psychiatrist of the Priory Hospital, London. Even a small amount of alcohol combined with sleeping pills can make you feel dizzy, confused or faint when you wake up. It can also be dangerous.