I have a picc line in and have to take merem (meropenum)(an antibiotic) and 3 mL of heparin?

Question

can I drink alcohol on it?

Answer 1

don't drink alcohol when you are on medication. Having the picc line usually means that you need long term antibiotics. the 3 ml of heparin are used to prevent clots from developing in your picc line. it also makes you prone to bleeding.

don't drink alcohol.

Answer 2

No.  Heparin makes you bleed (clot less) and alcohol thins out your blood.  So, if you cut yourself you are going to bleed out a lot.

Answer 3

It is true that heparin thins your blood, but the dose of heparin you are receiving is very small and intended only to prevent clots from forming inside the catheter itself.  It will have a very limited effect, if any on the ability of your blood to clot.  Also, meropenem is eliminated by the kidneys, while alcohol is eliminated by the liver, so the two probably wouldn't react much at all.  So, you probably wouldn't be doing any damage by having a drink or two.  The fact that you're sick enough to require intravenous antibiotics would be a pretty good reason to not have much to drink, though.  For that reason, it's probably best if you can wait until your treatment is done to drink alcohol.