3 Side Effects of Mixing Benzonatate and Alcohol

Benzonatate, aka Tessalon Perles, is prescribed to get relief from cough episodes by suppressing the cough reflex.1 It works by numbing the airways and lungs. Due to its powerful effects, it is not advised to take Benzonatate and alcohol or any other sedation-causing prescribed drug. Alcohol, being a CNS depressant, increases the chances of risky outcomes with Benzonatate. Scroll down to learn about benzonatate side effects with alcohol in detail.

Combining alcohol with various medications reflects an ongoing overuse of alcohol. ChoicePoint’s 24/7 emergency support for drug detox in NJ offers rapid detox to flush alcohol out of your system safely. Call us 844.445.2565 now for a customized recovery plan.

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Remember, the addiction assessment is an initial screening; it may not give you the answer to questions like in which stage of alcoholism does the drinker face serious health problems, etc. For a thorough medical assessment and diagnosis, reach out to New Jersey alcohol rehab centers near you.

Can You Drink on Benzonatate?

Absolutely not, there is indeed no interaction in terms of pharmacology. Yet, overlapping use worsens benzonatate side effects, such as drowsiness, dizziness, feeling excessively sleepy, nausea, and gut issues. Now that you know the straight answer to “can I drink while taking benzonatate”, let’s dig deeper into why the benzonatate alcohol mix can cost your life.

Why Benzonatate and Alcohol Interaction is Dangerous 

Tessalon perles and alcohol interaction can be fatal due to these reasons:

1. Severe CNS Depression

Speaking of alcohol, it is known to slow down brain activity, affecting logical reasoning and coordination.2 In addition, it lowers the immunity, due to which your body fails to fight the cough-causing infection at its full potential, making you even more sick.

2. Enhanced Respiratory Issues

Benzonatate directly works on the airways and lungs to suppress the urge to cough. Taking benzonatate with alcohol may cause shallow breathing or respiratory depression after a few minutes of ingestion.

3. Risk of Benzonatate Overdose

It is common for people to lose track of the medication they take under the influence of alcohol. According to research, around 38% of the regular drinkers in the US take medications that interact with alcohol.3 Overconsumption of benzonatate may lead to an overdose, causing cardiac arrest in adults.4

3 Side-Effects of Benzonatate Interactions with Alcohol

Here are the negative outcomes of using benzonatate and alcohol:

1. Acute Sedation Spell

Benzonatate interactions with alcohol may cause enhanced sedation, making it difficult to partake in any task that needs undivided attention. In rare instances, taking alcohol and bezonatate may lead to extreme confusion, and as a result, the user may act strangely for a couple of hours.

2. Impaired Coordination 

The user experiences profound drowsiness from benzonatate and alcohol, resulting in slowed reaction times, lower attentiveness, and poor motor coordination. This means they will have problems walking or doing any activity that requires strict attention. There is a change in the ability to make decisions, slurred speech, and disorientation. That’s why people have reported “acting bizarre” after taking alcohol and benzonatate.

3. Intensified Gastrointestinal Problems

Taking benzonatate and alcohol, the risk of stomach distress, which is a benzonatate side effect, goes up. These effects may include acute stomach pain, nausea, and possible internal bleeding. Above all, due to the intensified sedation caused by mixing benzonatate and alcohol, the signs of stomach issues may go unnoticed, turning into serious ailments later on.

Adverse Effects of Mixing Benzonatate and Alcohol

How Long After Taking Benzonatate Can You Drink Alcohol?

Benzonatate starts showing effects within 20 minutes, and you may notice them for almost 8 hours. If you intend to drink alcohol, wait for a minimum of 24 hours for the duration of the effect of Benzonate to end.

How Many Hours Does Benzonatate Last?

How Long Does Benzonatate Stay in Your System? Benzonatate’s half-life is approximately 3.8 hours. It takes around 19 hours for it to be removed from your body.

Note that: Metabolism, liver and kidney functioning, and age are all factors that contribute to the length of time the effects of the concerned drug last. For this reason, alcohol detox is recommended for the safety of heavy drinkers.

How To Use Benzonatate If You Have Alcohol Dependence 

Take these steps to prevent any dangerous outcome when taking benzonatate:

Minimizing your drinking is possible through personalized online alcohol counseling and an alcohol MAT program. Don’t wait for another day for this problem to cause any harm. Click here to schedule an appointment.

Eliminating Benzonatate-Alcohol Interaction Risks with Alcohol Rehab in NJ

If you are concerned that the benzonatate and alcohol use may overlap, the FDA-approved MAT program by ChoicePoint eliminates the possible risks associated with the interactions. Besides that, our comprehensive addiction treatment program helps you with: 

• Online alcohol assessment 
• Patient-centered medical diagnosis
• Safe and rapid detox to flush alcohol out of your body while you’re on benzonatate
• Individualized counseling from licensed Alcohol counselors and alcohol therapists
• Teaching relapse prevention strategies 

A single step towards recovery from alcohol addiction can save your life. Find the best alcohol counseling near you in Montana to control your cravings for alcohol, especially while taking other medications. Call 844.445.2565 today for a confidential online consultation.

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FAQs on Benzonatate Interactions With Alcohol

Here are some related questions on taking benzonatate and alcohol together:

1. Does benzonatate have alcohol in it?

No. In the ingredient list of the 100 mg or 200 mg benzonatate, you may find isopropyl alcohol. The agent is for manufacturing purposes, i.e., to keep the capsules from drying and maintain the size of the encapsulated particles. It won’t have the same interactions as benzonatate and drinking.

2. If I eat 10 benzonatate pills and drink some weak alcohol, will I die?

Bezonatate is not an over-the-counter drug; the doses are prescribed for a reason. Taking in excess may lead to coma, seizures, and a heart attack.5

3. How many hours should I wait to consume alcohol after taking 200 mg of benzonatate?

First things first, you should follow your benzonatate prescription. You are usually advised to consume Benzonatate 100 mg or 200 mg per day. Or, benzonatate 200 mg thrice a day. When the dosage is divided, the interaction of Benzonatate 200 mg and alcohol is likely in frequent drinkers. Technically, you should wait for at least a day before drinking, or consider rapid medical detox to get alcohol out of your system.

4. What to avoid when taking Benzonatate?

Some anxiety medications like diazepam, lorazepam, buspirone, sleeping pills, codeine, opioids, alcohol, and antipsychotics. In short, anything that has a sedating effect should be avoided with benzonatate.

5. Can you drink alcohol on Benzonatate (I am also on amoxicillin)?

No. It can be dangerous to drink alcohol while taking antibiotics. These three drugs combined can intensify sedation, nausea, and more. Hence, talk to your doctor to address this problem.

References 

1. https://www.accessdata.fda.gov/drugsatfda_docs/label/2011/011210s053lbl.pdf
2. COSTARDI JVV, NAMPO RAT, SILVA GL, RIBEIRO MAF, STELLA HJ, STELLA MB, et al. A review on alcohol: from the central action mechanism to chemical dependency. Revista da Associação Médica Brasileira [Internet]. 2015 Aug;61(4):381–7. Available from:
   https://pubmed.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/26466222/
3. Are You at Risk for Alcohol-Medication Interactions? [Internet]. NIH News in Health. 2024 [cited 2025 Sep 11]. Available from: https://newsinhealth.nih.gov/2015/03/are-you-risk-alcohol-medication-interactions
4. Jin C, Zahid E, Andleed Sherazi, Majumder M, Bedi P. Cardiac Arrest Due to Benzonatate Overdose. 2019 May 3;20:640–2.
5. Thimann DA, Huang CJ, Goto CS, Feng SY. Benzonatate Toxicity in a Teenager Resulting in Coma, Seizures, and Severe Metabolic Acidosis. The Journal of Pediatric Pharmacology and Therapeutics : JPPT [Internet]. 2012;17(3):270–3. Available from:
   https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pmc/articles/PMC3526931/