Bilaxten is another generic name for a drug called Bilastine. Bilaxten generally functions as an antihistamine to relieve symptoms caused by allergic reactions in your body. For example, symptoms such as runny nose, itchy eyes, sneezing and nose block. These symptoms arise due to the release of a chemical composition called histamine.
Histamine is usually secreted by immune cells in our body secondary to a response from an exposure to allergens such as smoke, infections, house dust mites, and air pollutants. Bilaxten works by preventing the release of this chemical mediator. The usual dose of this medication is 20mg in tablet form to be taken only by adults or children after the age of 12 years old.
Common questions arising from patients will be, can bilaxten be taken together with alcohol consumption, and what are the other precautions before consuming this medication? Continue reading this article to know the answers.
Can Bilaxten be taken together with alcohol consumption?
Evidence shows that it is safe to take bilaxten medication together with alcohol consumption as there are no major or significant drug to drug interactions between these two. However, it is advisable that bilaxten should not be taken with binge drinking as it can worsen the side effects of the medications. Below are some of the common side effects experienced by patients. However, not all patients will experience similar side effects with the others.
- Nausea and bloating sensation
- Itchiness and common allergic reactions
- Drowsiness and dizziness
- Headache and lethargy
- Shortness of breath
- Diarrhea
- Vertigo or tinnitus
Bilaxten and alcohol can both induce drowsiness, thus avoid taking alcohol more than a moderate amount if you are considering to take bilaxten as well. Also avoid driving after taking these two together as the drowsiness can be worsened up.Some of these side effects do not require medical interventions. However, if the symptoms get serious and start affecting your daily quality of life, do consult a doctor immediately for further management.
Not to forget, do inform your treating doctor earlier if you ever had any severe allergic reactions such as rapid breathing and swelling of the airway after using any antihistamines previously. Inform your doctors if you are having any serious renal or liver conditions like hepatitis or end stage renal failure as some dosage adjustment will be made by your doctors for you specific conditions.
What are the other precautions?
1. Pregnancy
Is bilaxten safe to be taken during your pregnancy period? There were several animal studies done with this medication and to be proven safe during the pregnancy period. However, there were no studies done with humans yet, thus consult with a doctor prior to using bilaxten during any trimester of your pregnancy.
2. Breastfeeding
Similar to pregnancy studies, no human studies were done before to prove the safety of this medication during the breastfeeding duration. No traces of bilaxten were detected in breast milk after consuming it in animal studies only, which can be inconclusive at times. Therefore, it is always best to consult with your treating doctor before using them during breastfeeding.
3. Liver and renal patients
Evidence shows that it is completely safe to be taken by patients with renal and liver diseases. The correct appropriate dosage of this medication will not give any side effects to your kidneys and liver, however avoid doubling up doses especially if you missed a dose as prescribed by your doctor.
Summary
Bilaxten is an antihistamine commonly used for mild to moderate allergic reactions such as runny nose, blocked nose, itchy and watery eyes. The common dose advised by doctors is 20mg tablets to be taken daily until symptoms are relieved. Bilaxten is safe to be taken with alcohol consumption provided a moderate amount of alcohol is consumed.
