Fizzy Drinks and Painkillers

[Wispy68]

A few years ago, I was in a chemists shop where I'd just bought a packet of painkillers (paracetamol, I think) and was about to swallow a couple with my bottle of lemonade, when the person who'd just served me went a bit potty and told me never to take painkillers with fizzy drinks, but didn't explain why!

Is there any truth in this, and why?

Many thanks.

[littlemissx]

not sure why or how true it is but my mum used to always tell me not to take them with fizzy drinks either so its always stuck with me

[OBonio]

There was a rumour at school that paracetamol put in coke could get you drunk.... maybe it stems from this. Lots of teenagers trying to get drunk on fizzy pop and paracetamol...

[smudge]

I was also told that too Obonio, but I never believed it!

Hi Wispy - hope you're having a good day!

[loopyc]

weird i was always told to take tabets with a fizzy drink as the bubbles help the tablets go down!

[spaced]

the bubbles in the drink allows the chemicals in the tablets to get into your bloodstream quickly, when in fact they should be taken with water, thus allowing the the chemicals to be SLOWLY released into the body as apposed to having an accelerated release.

[alijangra]

That theory makes no sense, as many cold and flu remedies contain caffeine for the sole purpose of getting the drug (paracetamol) to act quicker.

Many, many years ago fizzy drinks contained a chemical which when taken with aspirin would make you feel 'drunk'. Fizzy drinks do not contain this anymore. This is maybe what the shop assistant was thinking of.

[Wispy68]

Thank you for all your answers. I do remember my school friends talking about Coke and aspirin getting them either high or drunk. I'd forgotten all about that!!

Cheers!