[Razorback_713]

I have found that alcohol triggers alot of my manic episodes, which can lasts for days, and also brings about huge depressive episodes in the right situations. Both the depression and mania can take on a physical and mental state that I can not control.

My question for any of you that find Alcohol to trigger your mania, is how do you personally overcome this? Some of the best feelings and times I have ever experienced have been around alcohol. Yet when the mania takes over I can't stop and will do just about anything.

[PufNStuf]

I'll just answer for me...I know everyone is going to have a different POV (But everyone here is awesome...they are a lifeline for me!!!)

Alcohol triggers depression for me....never mania. If taken with other substances, such as MDMA or amphetamines, yes, mania will occur.

I can only throw in my two cents....and I can't advocate anything your own personal doctor wouldn't recommend to you, but for me...taking Lexapro in combination with Lamictal really takes that edge off when drinking (basically, I go to sleep...stops me from doing the things I want to do!)

Mania is like...a super-drug. Nothing comes close.

[sugahorse1]

I also tend to get tired on Alcohol. When I am in hypomanic phase, the alcohol will make me feel slightly better and give me a little more energy.
But on the whole, it supresses my moods and I need to go sleep

[cybermember]

When off my meds and manic I tend to drink. Since I'm back on meds I have no desire to drink.

[Moreta]

If you take any medication for bipolar, you pretty much should not drink at all. Besides the mania/depression effect, it also kills your liver/kidneys. Alcohol is frequently used for self-medication when people don't have anything else.

I'm not saying that you're a horrible person for drinking, b/c I get the urge to drink every once in a while too. I have really bad skills at limiting the amount I drink, so I choose to not drink at all. (Alcoholism runs in my family, on both sides) I've had numerous times, where I've blacked out from drinking and can't remember what the hell I did. When I was younger 20-22, I would drink and do other dangerous substances, until one day when I realized that mixing all of that with my BP meds never worked out the way I had planned.

Have you thought about not drinking?

[thinker22]

I used to drink when hypomanic before I got on meds in '08. I gradually stopped drinking as the effects when mixed with my meds were not pleasant, such as fainting. I used to drink so much I would blackout for a few years there (not every night, just maybe once every month or two). Drinking and meds don't mix. I feel sick now if I even try to drink half a glass of wine. It is still always a temptation to drink if I'm feeling particularly good, but it's just not worth it. I figure that my meds are ruining my liver enough to not need any alcohol. Actually, they probably hurt it less, but alcohol would certainly make it worse.

[Razorback_713]

Originally Posted by QueenAccountant

If you take any medication for bipolar, you pretty much should not drink at all. Besides the mania/depression effect, it also kills your liver/kidneys. Alcohol is frequently used for self-medication when people don't have anything else.

I'm not saying that you're a horrible person for drinking, b/c I get the urge to drink every once in a while too. I have really bad skills at limiting the amount I drink, so I choose to not drink at all. (Alcoholism runs in my family, on both sides) I've had numerous times, where I've blacked out from drinking and can't remember what the hell I did. When I was younger 20-22, I would drink and do other dangerous substances, until one day when I realized that mixing all of that with my BP meds never worked out the way I had planned.

Have you thought about not drinking?

I have thought about not drinking, but coming from a life where I was always drinking in college and now around my work environment it is just a huge adjustment. Not that it is not one that I am not willing to make, its just completely changing my life around.

I don't usually feel the need to drink, but when I do drink I feel the need to keep drinking and don't stop.

I am pretty to new to this, as I just started taking meds a few weeks ago, but I didn't even think to correlate the affects that the meds and alcohol will have on my liver overall. Does anyone have any experience with the combination of Lamictal and alcohol?

Tks everyone for the answers and support, it helps to be able to talk to people about this.

[Skully]

I will often have the same problem. Some of my manic episodes would last for days! So, I simply stopped drinking and haven't have a problem since. I don't know what to tell you if quitting is not an option, I really thought that was the only answer for me.

[Shakti]

Because I take meds for bipolar (and just because a bipolar brain is sensitive) I do not drink. I have a glass of wine or scotch on both Christmas and Thanksgiving. Other than that, no way. It triggers depression for me every time. It is, after all, a depressant.

[sugahorse1]

Well, let me give you a really strange personal experience from yesterday!

I thought I was experiencing mixed episodes. During the day I started to feel myself lose touch with everything, anxiety build up and finally smack me solidly from behind. I was suddenly nearly in tears.

That night we were supposed to my parents and some friends at a live music show - I had a beer, a quick shower and off we went. When I got to the show, I had about 3 sips of my red wine and suddenly got VERY nauseous. I ran to the bathroom, but was fine. I then waited a few minutes before throwing myself head over heels into my glass of wine. After that first one, another one followed. Then a beer, then 2 Mojito's. Next thing it was 1AM, and I was having a blast. Not sure how I fell asleep, but I finally did at 1:30; unfortunately my alarm went off 5 hours later! This is Jackie- the same person that usually requires 10hrs of sleep! And I'm doing ok today. Not sure if that alchohol triggered a bit of a hypomania in me.

I usually cannot drink too much - I am VERY quick to throw up, even before I was oin meds.
I think with me being on the meds, I tend to feel bloated a lot quicker and then just have enough of drinking very quickly

[kadesgirl09]

well i have been depressed for months to the point of suicidal thoughts. then I finally got honest with my doctor about my drinking. I was drinking to take the edge off but I was doing it to excess every night. now that I havent drank since sunday I feel so much better. crazy.

[maryjain lockhart]

I have noticed that when I used to drink it was during the manic stages of my life. I drank cuz it helped calm me down to a "normal" person partying instead of crazy, super talkative, super hyper, almost obnoxiously energetic me. I don't drink anymore cuz it makes me sick but when I was manic it made me feel how I thought normal ppl felt but it didn't trigger depression in me.

[Amazonmom]

I enjoy wine tasting or a beer now and then. I mean maybe 5 servings of alcohol a year max. It doesn't seem to do much to me but make me a bit more social (not my hypomanic social ).

When I was in college I did drink more often, but decided to stop when I got myself sick on a binge. I hate being out of control so I decided alcohol wasn't my bag. What's funny is that I refused all offers of alcohol and cocaine when I was hypomanic because I couldn't imagine feeling any better than I already did. I also thought "the men in white coats will come get me if I snort coke!". I wasn't up for being drug out of the most exclusive party on campus by the EMT service....

I guess I am a boring bipolar...very little booze, never took street drugs, don't even smoke. I am a caffeine addict. I LOVE how it makes me feel. I thought coffee shops were popular because EVERYONE got the same thing out of caffeine that I do. My hubby says uh...no dear.

[onlymedid]

I agree, makes me depressed.

[BlackPup]

Alcohol doesn't trigger a mood for me, but it does make an existing mood WAY worse, I'm a bit of a violent drunk - inwardly focused when depressed (nice and dangerous) and when manic it just makes me really agro and edgy - I don't actually hit people but have been known to attack the odd bit of furniture/ walls etc... Now I rarely drink - have tried it to settle a mania coz i didn't have any sleepy drugs handy, but it was a bad idea!!!
Alcohol on Lamatal can increase the side effects of Lamactal and is discouraged. If you are going to drink, wait until the side effects have settled before you drink and don't drive!!! I think it also decreases the desire to drink...

[sugahorse1]

I had 2 beers yesterday and my cheeks flared up so red. I was so over alcohol after just 2 beers. I didn't feel drunk, but it made me tired

[Trippin2.0]

Definitely skyrockets whatever mood I'm in, for as long as I can remember... Since I became a mother I only drink on occasion and even then, in moderation... For laughs, I usually get excessively drunk once a year, to "commemorate" my new good habit, although now I don't think I should touch the stuff seeing as though I'm starting my meds...

I don't mind this, but the fact that it isn't really my choice bugs me a bit... ( I've always been inclined to swim upstream like a fricken salmon, I've been retraining my brain for years ) LOL

Wish me Luck XOXO