Yes, it is safe to have one glass of wine on Sunday night before taking lorazepam on Tuesday at noon.
The alcohol from one glass of wine consumed on Sunday night will be completely eliminated from your system well before your Tuesday noon MRI appointment, with no risk of interaction with the lorazepam.
Alcohol Elimination Timeline
Alcohol is metabolized rapidly by the body at a predictable rate:
- One standard drink (5 oz wine containing ~14g alcohol) is eliminated in approximately 1-2 hours 1
- From Sunday night to Tuesday noon represents 36-40+ hours
- This provides more than adequate clearance time—roughly 18-40 times longer than needed for complete alcohol elimination
Why There's No Interaction Risk
The concern about combining alcohol with lorazepam (Ativan) is valid, but only applies to concurrent or near-concurrent use:
- The FDA label explicitly warns against consuming alcohol within 24-48 hours AFTER receiving lorazepam 2
- The warning is directional: it addresses alcohol consumption following benzodiazepine administration, not the reverse scenario
- Alcohol and lorazepam cause additive CNS depression when present simultaneously in the system 2
- Research confirms impairment occurs when both substances are active together 3, 4
Critical distinction: You're asking about alcohol consumption 36-40 hours before lorazepam, not after. By Tuesday noon, no alcohol will remain in your system.
The Actual Risk Window
The problematic interaction occurs when:
- Lorazepam is taken while alcohol is still present (within hours of drinking)
- Alcohol is consumed within 24-48 hours after taking lorazepam 2
Your timeline avoids both scenarios entirely.
Common Pitfall to Avoid
Do NOT consume alcohol after your MRI on Tuesday. The lorazepam you take at noon will remain active for 24-48 hours, and drinking during this period would create the dangerous interaction the warnings describe 2. The sedative effects of lorazepam last approximately 8 hours, but CNS depression effects persist longer 2.