POTS Medications Increase BAC?

[d4g7]

Just a quick question.

As many of you know, I was recently charged with drink driving, even though I wasn't driving at the time.

On the breathaliser I blew a lot higher than I thought I would have done, considering the amount I had to drink - I think it should have been lower.

Does anyone know if any of the medications used to treat POTS can give a false reading on the breathaliser (i.e. Increased ethanol in the breath). I know that not eating for a couple of days can increase the reading - was wondering if medications may do the same thing?

Just a thought....

[JaneEyre9]

I don't know the answer to your question, but you may want to look up the drugs you are taking on

www.rxlist.com

I use that site to see if my drugs have specific side effects. Also you might want to check the patient advisory leaflets that come with your prescriptions.

Good luck,

Kristen

[katie_b]

I'm not sure I can answer that question, but isn't it bad to drink alcohol if you have POTS?? I'm from a town where all the high school kids go out and drink on the weekends. I usually feel wierd when I'm around a lot of poeple that are drinking, but I won't give in because alcohol affects the way meds work and the way your nervous system works.

[lthomas521]

If your blood volume is low, then you will have less blood in which to dilute the alcohol, so that could put you over the limit.

[Guest Finrussak]

The best person to ask is a defense LAWYER...believe it or not they have the info as to what is accurate ( speed traps and DUI etc) and what may prove innocence...thats their job....the second best may be the pharmacist....many Drs know little about the mechanisms of the drugs they prescribe or if theyll skew other tests like BAC...BTW did they pull a BAC to confirm the breath alyzer??? at the samwe time IF they also did a CBC theyll be abkle to tell if volume depleted/dehydrated and therefore how accurate the BAC is. Maybe you didnt "feel" as drunk but really were anyway??? just a thought

[Lukkychrm42]

Hi,

As far as medications and alcohol, I know there are some that you shouldn't take with alcohol, but I'm not sure if they're POTS specific. Other than that, I can think of a very good reason your BAC might have been higher than you were expecting: low blood volume. Obviously we all have differences in the amount of blood we have, but if you've got POTS, it's also likely that you've got some degree of low blood volume.

I drink alcohol.. not nearly as much as my friends.. I'll have 1-2 drinks during the week (more if I've got a date and we're going to a club or pub where I usually have 1 and then fanta or something), and then I might go out one night during the weekend and have a few. It's still more than I should, but I'm definitely safe about it. (Like drinking loads of water.) And I'm in the NW of England, what else is there to do? especially in winter!

Anyway, I hope it works out for you!

[d4g7]

Thanks everyone for your posts.

Firstly, let me say, that I don't normally drink alcohol - it just happened to be a celebration, and I followed the guidelines of 1 standard drink per hour, along with food and lots of water. I was feeling a little happy, but definately not drunk - anyhow the breathlyser showed I was 3 times over the limit!!! When for a normal person, I should have been under the legal limit.

I also realise that you shouldn't drink on medication - but hey, you've got to live as well...

Maybe I didn't feel the effects of alcohol as it was over a long period (about 6 hours).

Low blood volume may account for it, as I stopped all of the blood volumising meds the week prior, as I was having too many side effects. On the advice of my neurologist I have been adjusting the levels of the medications, but as it was a busy weekend for me, I couldn't risk the side effects of the Mestinon, Florinef or Sodium Chloride, so stopped it completely, and was feeling quite lightheaded even before having a couple of drinks.

My defence lawyer doesn't know about POTS, however the neurologist and other doctors are talking to her about it, as they think it is highly likely my blood volume was low, and therefore, although ignorance is not an excuse, I was unaware that stopping my meds could have such a huge effect, on top of that I am guessing the alcohol would have dehydrated me, making it worse. Of course I still kept taking the beta blockers - I can't spend 4 hours without taking one of those!

Anyway, it was a stupid mistake on my part - but I know now how much alcohol effects me.

Luckily I didn't drive, but was caught getting stuff out of my car, which to the police is as good as DUI - anyway, the lawyer is doing her best to comprehend what is going on with my body, and using that as part of the defence cause, with statements from the neurologist and others.

The case keeps getting adjourned, so I don't know yet what the outcome will be - anyway, wish me luck.

And the silver lining for me is - don't be a fool, and think you can act like everyone else! Don't drink, and especially, if you have stay well away from your car.

Sorry, also, there was only a breathilyser test, no blood test - I should have requested one at the time, but as I have never had a run in with the police, I didn't, and still don't know the procedure...