Guides › Introduction to combination therapy

What about alcohol and recreational drugs?

Some HIV drugs interact with recreational drugs, street drugs, methadone and complementary treatments.

The interactions can be complicated and can increase or decrease levels of HIV meds or other drugs.

It is therefore important that your HIV doctor and pharmacist know about any other drugs or supplements that you use. Even if you use them rarely. Your doctor will treat this information in confidence.

Alcohol does not interact with HIV medications. However, alcohol use, as with recreational drug use, may reduce adherence.

This link to adherence has been reported in many studies with poor adherence directly linked to the ammount a person drink. It will help if your doctor knows about this.

Further information on recreational drugs and HIV meds:

Fact sheet from the Chelsea and Westminster Hospital (PDF format).
Leaflet from HIV group in Australia (PDF format).
Links page for drug interaction websites.

July 2010

Decisions relating to your treatment should always be taken in consultation with your doctor. Information in this guide is intended to support those discussions.

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