Alcohol after rabies vaccination: pros and cons

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• How does alcohol interact with rabies vaccinations?
• Rabies vaccination and alcohol
• Stages of disease development
• Why is alcohol prohibited after a rabies vaccination?
• How soon can you drink alcohol after a rabies vaccination?

Most modern vaccinations are given in preschool age. It is then that there is no question of whether you can drink alcohol or not? But there are also types of vaccines that are given to adults who prefer to drink alcohol frequently. It is for this reason that a person asks doctors whether it is possible to drink alcohol before and after vaccinations, as well as what are the most basic restrictions that will help not harm a person’s health.

How does alcohol interact with rabies vaccinations?

It is absolutely forbidden to drink alcohol before you are going to get the vaccine, and after the procedure . The fact is that during illness or infection, a pathogenic microorganism enters the human body. As a result of the fact that there are very few foreign bodies and the infection is weakened, the body easily copes with rabies. After which, antibodies to possible future infection remain in the cells and internal systems.

Rabies vaccination is contraindicated in cases where the immune system is weakened. The cause of a weak immune system may be:

• immunosuppressants – medications that forcibly reduce the body’s immune response; are prescribed in order not to cause rejection of foreign bodies during and after surgery, as well as in the treatment of diseases, the outcome of which can greatly affect the functioning of the immune system;
• severe illnesses that weaken the immune system due to the high stress load on the body;
• alcohol consumption, which has a strong effect on the immune system, reducing protective barriers; The danger is great even with a one-time intake of alcoholic beverages.

Due to decreased immunity, the rate of spread of viruses begins to instantly increase. If you drink alcohol after being vaccinated, a weak body may not be able to cope with the pathogens.

Combining the Kokav vaccine and alcohol: consequences

The combination of alcoholic beverages with rabies vaccine during the immunization period causes significant harm to health.

Ethanol can increase the side effects of the drug several times, including:

• inflammation and swelling;
• nausea and vomiting;
• headache and dizziness;
• fever;
• anemia;
• a sharp decrease in blood pressure;
• development of allergic reactions.

In addition, as a result of combining the Kokav vaccine and alcohol:

• the load on the liver and other important organs increases;
• the number of T-leukocytes in the blood, responsible for the state of the human immune system, decreases.

Rabies vaccination and alcohol

Rabies is considered a viral disease. The infection process occurs through the bite of a cat, dog or other animal (wild) that is infected with the viruses of this disease. The most critical consequences of the disease can be death. The process of the disease itself is quite difficult if you turn to medical staff in the later stages. It is for this reason that injections are given immediately after any animal bite. An exception may be pets that are regularly vaccinated.

It is important to know! In the process of carrying out preventive measures against rabies, drinking alcohol is prohibited for a long period of time. This is due to the fact that the incubation period of the disease can last up to 3 months, and treatment procedures can be even longer.

How is rabies treated?

• Have you tried many methods, but nothing helps?
• Another coding turned out to be ineffective?
• Is alcoholism destroying your family?

https://youtube.com/watch?v=O1RanNZ_ScI

The vaccine is a powder for preparing an injection, which must be injected into the deltoid muscle in adults, and into the thigh muscle in children.

To prevent infection, the drug is most often used in the following scheme:

• First, a course of primary vaccination is carried out. The injection is administered on the same day the patient was bitten by the animal, then on the 7th and 30th days. Drinking alcohol is strictly prohibited during this period.
• A year later, the patient must undergo revaccination, which includes one vaccination.
• After this, the patient should be vaccinated every 3 years.

The drug may cause the following side effects:

• Asthenic syndrome and anemia;
• Increased body temperature;
• Headache;
• Swelling, redness and itching at the injection site;
• Swelling of the lymph nodes;
• Nausea.

Like most medicines, Kokav has a number of contraindications, which include:

• Pregnancy period;
• Allergy to the active components of the drug;
• Diseases of an infectious nature;
• Bronchial asthma;
• Viral and colds;
• Exacerbation of chronic diseases;
• Alcoholism.

The drug is incompatible not only with alcoholic beverages, but also with some other substances:

• It is prohibited to simultaneously carry out vaccination against brucellosis and therapy against rabies. The optimal interval between them should be at least 30 days.
• The vaccine is not combined with immunosuppressants and glucocorticosteroids.
• During treatment with Kokav, it is not recommended to consume sweets and other sweets containing alcohol. You should also not use medicinal tinctures made with alcohol.

For more than 200 years of research into its viral nature, there is currently no effective drug treatment for this extremely dangerous disease. Therapy occurs only through the development of artificial immunity during vaccination.

At the first suspicion of a bite from a rabid animal, the person is injected with a special serum containing a virus treated with ultraviolet light. The animal is quarantined, if it does not die within 10 days, vaccination of the victim is stopped.

The only official drug against this disease in Russia is the COCAV rabies vaccine. The instructions for the drug indicate a direct ban on the victim consuming any alcoholic beverages.

It has been produced for quite a long time, and its interaction with alcohol has been established through sad experience of unreasonable combination. At a minimum, alcohol stops the formation of the immune response and the patient dies from the development of symptoms. Mainly neurological lesions were also noted:

• Ascending paralysis of Lyandri, in this condition all voluntary muscles stop working. This leads to the cessation of important vital functions - swallowing, defecation, breathing, etc.;
• Anaphylaxis with damage to the bronchi, and such changes become irreversible;
• Development of your own autoimmune diseases, with a genetic predisposition. Multiple sclerosis, parkinsonism, Alzheimer's disease, various chorea, schizoid disorders - these nervous pathologies require a special boost, including from immune cells. With a double hit of vaccine and booze, this becomes a trigger signal for the development of their active phase.

Stages of disease development

In the first stage, infection occurs. Viruses almost always enter the body through bites. Immediately after this, the incubation period begins. It has been noted that the closer the open wound is to the brain, the less incubation there will be and the disease will pass faster.

Next comes the first stage of the disease. The main symptoms are:

• weakness;
• headache;
• dry mouth.

A person does not immediately understand that this is rabies, since the signs are similar to an alcohol hangover, fatigue or a common cold. At this time, it is forbidden to treat the wound with alcohol or drink alcohol, as the drink will only speed up the spread of the virus. The stage can last up to 3 days, ending with auditory or visual hallucinations.

After which the next stage begins - excitement, which also takes 3 days. The most important symptom is considered to be a fear of water in any of its manifestations: drinking, ponds, etc. Severe spasms and pain are observed in the throat. After the period expires, foam comes out of the mouth, the patient shows aggression and begins to rush at others.

The last stage ends with paralysis and death. The person becomes indifferent to everything, and the body temperature can rise to +42ºС. The body experiences destruction of the protein mass, which causes paralysis of the limbs, and then the respiratory tract and heart.

The duration of the disease from the moment of bite to death is approximately 1 week. Therefore, it is very important to immediately undergo a course of therapy and under no circumstances drink alcohol.

Vaccination and prevention

Kokav is not a one-time vaccination. The drug is administered in accordance with the developed schedule.

The schedule is drawn up taking into account the reasons for vaccination and the individual condition of the patient. For prophylaxis, the drug is administered on days 0, 7, 14 and 90 and again a year later.

The period of vaccine administration, namely the first 90 days, is the most difficult for the body. The immune system uses all its reserves.

Increased attention to nutrition and health is required. Even a minor cold can change the course of rabies immunization

As a rule, the period of vaccination and rehabilitation is accompanied by a course of vitamins and immunomodulators. In this case, a large load falls on the liver.

Alcohol contains the substance ethanol. This substance is toxic and negatively affects almost all vital human organs.

Therefore, drinking alcohol during a period when immunostimulation is important directly contradicts therapy.

Like any medicine, Kokav has a number of contraindications, and one of the key ones is alcoholism. The drug is also not recommended for inflammatory processes in the body: viral and bacterial colds, exacerbations of chronic diseases and immunodeficiency.

But these contraindications apply only to the preventive course of injections. During the period of probable infection, injection is mandatory, according to the principle “when the practical benefit outweighs the potential harm.”

The drug also has side effects that are enhanced by ethanol:

• swelling;
• inflammation at the injection site;
• nausea;
• fever;
• headache;
• hypotension;
• anemia.

Rabies is a disease that requires a serious approach to prevention. The price of violating the vaccination rules is death.

One of the basic rules is the exclusion of alcoholic beverages. The most optimal rehabilitation period is considered to be 6 months.

After this period, drinking alcohol in small quantities is allowed. But alcohol abuse can become a recurrent factor.

For many years, experts have argued that Kokav is strictly prohibited from being used with alcohol. You should not drink for another six months after a person is vaccinated. This opinion of treating specialists also has its own scientific explanation.

Firstly, both Kokav and alcoholic drinks can have a negative effect on the patient’s liver. It may simply not withstand this type of load, which will come from two harmful compounds at once.

Why is alcohol prohibited after a rabies vaccination?

If a person is intoxicated when bitten by an animal, they should immediately consult a doctor, as the risk of death increases. If the patient has taken alcohol before getting the vaccine, he is given IV drips to remove the alcohol from the body as quickly as possible Drinking primarily affects the speed at which the vaccine affects the body.

Alcohol can destroy all the active substances in the drug, so the injection will not work. Alcohol also weakens the immune system.

You should know! Before you drink a glass of alcohol before going to the hospital, you should remember that the rabies vaccine is anti-rabies. This means that preventing death is possible only with timely and correct treatment.

How and for what purpose is Kokav used?

The drug can be used both for the treatment and prevention of the rabies virus.

It is very important to know that pathogens can enter the body not only through a deep bite from a stray animal. For the development of the disease, a few drops of saliva falling on human skin or through small abrasions left by the teeth of an infected animal are enough.

If any of these injuries are present, you should immediately go to a hospital where they can immediately give you a rabies injection.

In addition, you need to take into account the fact that the latest strain of the virus has mutated and it is now much more difficult to recognize whether an animal is a carrier of the infection or not. If previously infected animals suffered from photophobia, avoided water, and saliva flowed from their mouths, now the animal may not experience such symptoms, but at the same time it may be a carrier of a terrible virus

People who work with animals, hunters and virologists need regular preventive vaccinations. And this causes certain difficulties with drinking alcohol. The Kokav vaccine and alcohol are incompatible, so the patient should refrain from taking any alcohol-containing substances, including medicinal tinctures made from ethyl alcohol, for a long time.

The period of abstinence from alcohol can only be determined by the attending physician.

How soon can you drink alcohol after a rabies vaccination?

Many patients are interested in the question: how long after rabies vaccination can you drink alcohol and what should you do if you drink alcohol after rabies vaccination? If the vaccine is preventive, then the restrictions should be observed for two weeks, if it is therapeutic, for a couple of months.

The first version of vaccinations is optional. Most often, people who are going on a trip to wild regions and countries where a huge number of animals live are vaccinated. The vaccine contains a killed virus so that the body begins to independently produce antibodies to rabies. The body’s reaction begins after ten days, which is why it is not recommended to take alcohol for 12 days after a rabies vaccination, so as not to weaken the immune system to other diseases. If this rule is not followed, vomiting, emotional distress and headaches begin. But the injection will never work. For this reason, rabies vaccination and alcohol are simply incompatible.

The introduction of antibacterial serums to treat the disease is a more serious and effective method. The specialist gives 6 injections: on day 1, on days 3, 7 and 14. The last 2 after 30 and 90 calendar days. Vaccination is carried out strictly according to schedule.

It is worth knowing that a course of treatment cannot provide a 100% guarantee that there will be no death. Therefore, many people ask why alcohol should not be consumed after a rabies vaccination if the risk of death is always present? The fact is that the immune system may not cope with a lethal infectious brain virus, which will lead to the death of the patient. In addition, the composition of many vaccines is not safe in certain cases where there is incompatibility with the body. Nausea, vomiting, and migraine appear. These signs are very similar to the symptoms of alcohol intoxication, so many will not understand whether professional help is required or whether these are the consequences of alcohol.

Video on the topic

A practicing allergist-immunologist on whether it is possible to drink alcohol after rabies vaccination:

The Kokav vaccine is currently one of the most effective drugs against deadly rabies. It is important to keep in mind that its effectiveness is significantly reduced under the influence of alcohol.

Therefore, it is recommended to refrain from drinking alcohol during the entire immunization period. Light alcohol can be consumed in minimal quantities only six months after the third vaccination.

What is Kokav and why vaccinate?

The only remedy that can protect a person from a terrible neuroinfection is vaccination. There is no other way to defeat her.

Kokav is a drug developed by domestic specialists to prevent rabies infection. Production is carried out. Kokav has a decoding - the letters hide a complex name: cultural purified concentrated rabies vaccine. This means that the viral cells have been artificially purified and deactivated.

Release form and composition

The drug is a lyophilisate intended for the preparation of a solution. Essentially, it is a whitish, porous mass placed in an ampoule. The package contains five ampoules, each of which comes with a liquid for dissolution.

One dose includes:

• neutralized rabies virus (strain “Vnukovo 32”) in an amount of at least 2.5 international units, which is the active substance;
• sucrose – 75 mg;
• human albumin – 5 mg;
• gelatin – 10 mg.

Ordinary water for injection is used as a solvent.

Pharmacological properties

Under the influence of the drug introduced into the human body, antibodies are produced that are necessary for the formation of immunity against rabies. On the 45th day after injection, the amount of antibodies reaches its maximum.

The neutralized virus is grown in the kidney cells of Syrian hamsters, then it is purified and treated using ultraviolet rays.

Mechanism of operation of the drug

Kokav is introduced into the body to develop immunity. This means that inactive virus cells are recognized by the immune system, which prepares a response - destroys them. If even an active virus enters the blood again, the body will already know how to behave in order to protect itself.

Interaction with other drugs

Kokav does not combine well with other vaccines. Therefore, the Kokav injection is carried out no earlier than 30 days after vaccinations against other infectious diseases.

Other vaccines can be given only 2 months after using Kokava, and doctors recommend taking immunosuppressants and hormonal drugs only based on vital signs.

Is it possible to drink alcohol?

This medicine is incompatible with alcoholic beverages. The instructions for use of Kokav say that after vaccination the patient should not drink alcohol for six months, because this negatively affects the synthesis of antibodies by the body and worsens the effect of the drug.

If a virus is already developing in the patient’s body, and immune defense is not produced under the influence of alcohol, this will lead to the death of the patient. Drinking ethyl alcohol increases the risk of allergies after vaccination for 6 months after the injection. Such allergic reactions often manifest as anaphylactic shock, which can be fatal.