Can you drink alcohol while taking Amikacin Injection?
Last updated September 7, 2026.
**Alcohol has no direct chemical reaction with amikacin, but it is better to skip drinking while you are being treated.** Amikacin is an aminoglycoside antibiotic given by injection for serious bacterial infections, and its two main risks are kidney strain and inner ear injury. Alcohol works against you on both fronts because it pulls fluid out of the body when good hydration is what protects the kidneys, and it causes the same dizziness and unsteadiness that would otherwise warn you of an inner ear problem. Your dose is often adjusted from blood levels and kidney tests, so anything that shifts your fluid balance can shift those numbers. Drinking water through the day, reporting any ringing or hearing change right away, and finishing the full course are the habits that matter most. If you drink daily or have found it hard to cut back, say so before treatment starts rather than stopping on your own.
What to do
- Skip alcohol during the course: Wait until you have finished treatment and your follow-up kidney and hearing checks are done.
- Protect your kidneys: Drink water steadily through the day unless your clinician has told you to limit fluids.
- Watch your ears: Report ringing, muffled hearing, spinning, or new unsteadiness the same day you notice it.
- Keep your monitoring appointments: Blood level and kidney tests guide your dose, so do not skip a draw or a lab visit.
- Be honest about daily drinking: Tell your care team before treatment starts, because withdrawal during a serious infection needs its own plan.
- Review your other medicines: Ask about diuretics, NSAIDs, and other drugs that also stress the kidneys or hearing.
Related questions
- Are multivitamins worth taking
- Can an online doctor help while traveling
- Can i drink alcohol on metronidazole
- Can i drink alcohol on prednisone