It is best not to drink alcohol while you have the flu or a bad cold, and you should not drink at all while you are taking NyQuil. The NyQuil Cold and Flu liquid label says to avoid alcoholic drinks, and the liquid itself lists alcohol as an ingredient, with "Alcohol 10%" on the package. The NHS lists drinking too much alcohol and a high temperature as things that make dehydration more likely, and says to avoid alcohol if you are dehydrated. No source we checked gives a set waiting time, so wait at least until your fever is gone, you are eating and drinking normally, and you are off NyQuil and other cold medicines.
Why is drinking a bad idea while you are sick?
The CDC lists fever or chills, aches, tiredness, and sometimes vomiting or diarrhea as common flu symptoms. The NHS says dehydration happens more easily if you have a high temperature, have been sick or had diarrhea, or have drunk too much alcohol. When you are sick, those things can stack.
The NHS advice for dehydration is plain: drink fluids, start with small sips if you feel sick, and avoid caffeinated drinks and alcohol because both will dehydrate you. So a beer is not a way to get your fluids back.
Sleep is the other issue. The NHS lists alcohol as a possible cause of insomnia and advises not drinking alcohol at least 6 hours before bed. So a nightcap is not a good way to get the rest you need while sick.
- Fever: a high temperature makes dehydration more likely
- Vomiting or diarrhea: more fluid loss, and the NHS says to avoid alcohol while you rehydrate
- Poor sleep: the NHS lists alcohol as a cause of insomnia
Can I drink alcohol with NyQuil?
No. The Vicks NyQuil Cold and Flu liquid label says to avoid alcoholic drinks, and warns that alcohol, sedatives, and tranquilizers may increase drowsiness. Each 30 mL dose contains acetaminophen 650 mg (the same drug as Tylenol), dextromethorphan 30 mg (a cough suppressant), and doxylamine succinate 12.5 mg (a sedating antihistamine). The label says marked drowsiness may occur.
The liquid also contains alcohol as an inactive ingredient, and the package states "Alcohol 10%". So with NyQuil liquid, you are already taking some alcohol with each dose.
The acetaminophen in NyQuil carries a liver warning. The label says severe liver damage may occur if you take more than 4 doses in 24 hours, take it with other drugs containing acetaminophen, or have 3 or more alcoholic drinks every day while using it. That is a warning, not a safe limit: fewer than 3 drinks does not make drinking on NyQuil OK, because of the separate avoid-alcohol and drowsiness warnings.
NyQuil comes in other versions, and their ingredients and warnings are not all the same. Read the Drug Facts on your own bottle or box.
What about DayQuil, Tylenol, Advil, or Motrin?
Vicks DayQuil Cold and Flu liquid is labeled alcohol free and non-drowsy. Each 15 mL contains acetaminophen 325 mg, dextromethorphan 10 mg, and phenylephrine 5 mg (a decongestant). The adult dose is 30 mL every 4 hours, no more than 4 doses in 24 hours. It carries the same acetaminophen liver warning: severe liver damage may occur if an adult has 3 or more alcoholic drinks every day while using it.
DayQuil and NyQuil both contain acetaminophen, and both labels say not to use them with any other drug containing acetaminophen. That means no Tylenol on top of either one, and no second cold product with acetaminophen in it. Check every box you take, because many cold products share the same ingredients. The labels also list 3 or more drinks a day as a separate liver risk.
Advil and Motrin are both ibuprofen, an NSAID. The Advil label warns of severe stomach bleeding, and lists having 3 or more alcoholic drinks every day while using it as one of the things that raise that risk. It also says to ask a doctor first if you have high blood pressure, heart disease, kidney disease, or liver cirrhosis. Taking other NSAIDs, such as aspirin or naproxen, also raises the bleeding risk, so do not stack two NSAIDs. If you take aspirin for your heart, the label says to ask a doctor or pharmacist before using ibuprofen.
- NyQuil liquid: avoid alcohol completely; contains alcohol and causes drowsiness
- DayQuil liquid: alcohol free, but has acetaminophen and the 3-drink liver warning
- Tylenol (acetaminophen): never add it to NyQuil or DayQuil
- Advil or Motrin (ibuprofen): alcohol adds to stomach bleeding risk
- DayQuil and NyQuil: do not use with an MAOI, or within 2 weeks of stopping one. DayQuil also has a decongestant (phenylephrine), so ask a doctor first if you have high blood pressure, heart disease, thyroid disease, or diabetes
Can I drink alcohol on Tamiflu?
The FDA prescribing information for Tamiflu (oseltamivir) does not list alcohol as an interaction or warning. That is not the same as saying drinking is a good idea. You are taking Tamiflu because you have the flu, and the reasons above still apply.
The most common Tamiflu side effects in studies were nausea, vomiting, and headache. The label says it can be taken with or without food, but may be easier to tolerate with food.
The label also warns that people with flu, especially children, may be at higher risk of confusion or abnormal behavior early in the illness, and that people taking Tamiflu should be watched for this. If you or someone you care for seems confused or acts strangely, get medical help right away.
For flu treatment, adults and teens 13 and older usually take Tamiflu twice a day for 5 days. If you have questions about drinking with another prescription you take, ask your pharmacist.
When should you get care?
In an emergency, call 911Get care the same day if you have signs of dehydration that are not getting better: dark yellow pee or peeing less than normal, dizziness when you stand that does not go away, a fast heartbeat or fast breathing, or unusual tiredness.
Get medical care right away if your fever or cough gets better and then comes back or gets worse, a long-term condition is getting worse, or you have severe muscle pain. The CDC lists these as emergency warning signs of flu complications.
Call 911 for trouble breathing, chest or belly pain or pressure that will not go away, dizziness that will not go away, confusion, someone who is hard to wake, a seizure, not peeing at all, severe weakness or unsteadiness, or blue, grey, or blotchy lips or skin.
If you think you or someone else took too much NyQuil, DayQuil, or another acetaminophen product such as Tylenol, or mixed them, get medical help or contact a Poison Control Center right away, even if there are no symptoms. That is what the NyQuil and DayQuil labels say to do for an overdose.
How our AI doctor decides when to send you to care ›When is it OK to drink again?
None of the sources we checked set a number of hours or days after the flu before you can drink. So we will not invent one. Instead, here is a practical checklist you can use yourself. It is common sense, not a medical rule.
If you do drink, keep it light, drink water too, and do not use alcohol to help you sleep while you are sick.
- Your fever is gone without fever medicine
- You are eating and drinking normally, with pale pee, and no vomiting or diarrhea
- You are done with NyQuil or any product that says avoid alcohol
- You are not using acetaminophen around the clock, given the liver warning
- You feel like yourself, not just a bit better on fever medicine
Common questions
Can I drink alcohol with the flu or a cold?
It is best not to. Flu often brings fever, and the NHS says a high temperature and drinking too much alcohol both make dehydration more likely, and to avoid alcohol while you rehydrate. If you are taking NyQuil, the label says to avoid alcoholic drinks.
Does NyQuil have alcohol in it?
Vicks NyQuil Cold and Flu liquid lists alcohol as an inactive ingredient, and its package says "Alcohol 10%". DayQuil Cold and Flu liquid is labeled alcohol free. Other NyQuil forms, like LiquiCaps, may differ, so check the label on yours.
Will one drink with NyQuil hurt me?
The NyQuil label says to avoid alcoholic drinks, with no safe amount given. Alcohol can add to the strong drowsiness NyQuil already causes. The liver warning about 3 or more drinks a day is a separate warning, not a limit you can drink up to.
Can I drink while taking Tamiflu?
The Tamiflu prescribing information does not list alcohol as an interaction. Its most common side effects are nausea, vomiting, and headache. You are taking it because you have the flu, so skipping alcohol until you recover is still the better choice. Ask your pharmacist if you have other medicines in the mix.
Does alcohol help kill the flu or a cold?
No source we checked says drinking alcohol treats a cold or the flu. The NHS lists alcohol as something that can dehydrate you and as a possible cause of poor sleep.
Pymander is not a replacement for a physician and does not provide medical advice, diagnosis, or treatment. Always seek the advice of a qualified health provider with questions about a medical condition. If you think you may have a medical emergency, call 911.