[fergus]

I know I'm not supposed to drink while taking my medication but I find a glass of wine a night calms me down and makes me feel better. Does anyone else still drink?

[Moose72]

I did but I'm on too many scrips now that say not to.

[Seaswept]

I drink once in a while and I take my Lithium and Lamictal and then just skip my Seroquil that night.

[kindachaotic]

Would enjoy a glass of wine or mixed drink but don't cause of meds.

[BipolaRNurse]

Had to quit drinking 20 years ago (I'm dual diagnosis---alcoholic/BP NOS), and now couldn't drink even if I wanted to because of the meds. I swear, a girl just CAN'T get a break sometimes!

[BlackPup]

I still drink (1 drink usually) very occasionally even though my meds say not to. I don't drive if I've had anything to drink because it affects me more now.

[Confusedinomicon]

I have a drink every other week.

This is an evolving answer. For the last couple of months, I can say only very occasionally a little. Which, as you may garner, is a new answer. It was a joint effort with BF, deciding that between meds, money, calories (for him) and everything else, we really shouldn't. I've made a handful of exceptions, and we're talking small quantity. The endeavor got a real boost after making an exception one night but forgetting that an additional med (non psych thing) was in my system. O.M.G. it was bad. Next day, sick as a dog, received horrible news (death of my favorite friend) while feeling so. Memorable reinforcement.

The less I do, the less I want to, which has come as a bit of a surprise. Then there was the single beverage followed by a day of feeling pretty kaka (wth?!). I dunno. Kind of makes it seem not worth it. Never thought I'd say that. Not that I won't still occasionally have one, it's just been a pretty big attitude shift, and it's recent, so still settling in to this new paradigm.

Was that meant to be a "raise your hand" question? Lol, sorry! Simple answers are hard!

[cocoabeans]

About 4 or 5 times a year I'll get out of my mind drunk. I used to do that 4 or 5 times a week but, lost interest. Luckily, I seem to be lacking the addiction genes.

[LadyShadow]

Originally Posted by Innerzone

The less I do, the less I want to, which has come as a bit of a surprise. Then there was the single beverage followed by a day of feeling pretty kaka (wth?!). I dunno. Kind of makes it seem not worth it. Never thought I'd say that. Not that I won't still occasionally have one, it's just been a pretty big attitude shift, and it's recent, so still settling in to this new paradigm.

Very true on the kaka part! I still drink even though I'm not supposed to. Not heavily but if I do overdo it I feel like such crap the next day or a couple of hours later and wonder to myself why the heck am I doing this? Why do I continue to do this? Then I vow never to do it again, and then the next week, I am stressed out and I'm like dam I need a drink! But you know what's funny, this may seem weird but if I'm texting or chatting online with friends I usually say "sipping my drink". So even though I'm having a virtual drink. it feels good without the hangover and pain. Almost like doing the act without doing it. Weird, right? I told my T about the virtual drinks and the occasional slips, and even though he gives me the look of disapproval he is happy that I am honest and I tell him.

All things are good in moderation, so that glass of wine to relieve the day's stress isn't so bad.

[bipolarmedstudent]

Originally Posted by cocoabeans

About 4 or 5 times a year I'll get out of my mind drunk.

LOL. I'm exactly the same. I haaaaaaate the taste of alcohol, so if I'm going to drink, I'm gonna go for broke and get completly ****-faced. Otherwise it's not worth the trouble.

I'm such a responsible little med student...

[cocoabeans]

Haha, you're a student. A handful of times a year is being exceptionally responsible!

[xraydiva09]

I still drink occassionally....I checked with my PDoc and he said it was ok, just not to take any of my sleepy time meds when I do, and as long as I'm not going out and tying one on every night. I find though that if I really let loose and have more drinks than I should (lol probably 2 drinks...I cant hold much) then I really feel like crap the next day and it doesnt help my moods too well....

[lostmyway21]

Maybe once every other month I stop my meds for the day and go for broke. Pdoc just told me to make sure I'm off the Latuda, and T tells me to make sure I don't use it to numb. Which is kind of my MO with things.

[SunReach]

I can't drink at all....Gives me a migraine and makes my moods go crazy for a week (Even if I have only 1-2 drinks..)

I drink very, very rarely, and then only one drink. I've never been much of a drinker so it isn't something I miss at all.

[bowhunt72]

I still drink, but very much in moderation. Never more than one drink a day, and rarely more than one or two a week. Frequently not even that much. My rule is I never have a drink if I'm feeling bad - depressed, anxious, suicidal, whatever, no drink. If I'm feeling ok and I just want to enjoy one, then I can have one. If I want one to change the way I'm feeling, I won't touch it. Seems like drinking to feel better is a fast route to being an alcoholic, and I have enough other problems without adding alcohol dependency on top of the rest.

BTW, my poison of choice is hard cider - not one of your more common beverages.

[venusss]

I do drink. Some people claim I could outdrink the Red Army. I take that as compliment.

[Nixi]

I'm dual diagnosis also, alcholism/bipolar/BPD so I'm currently trying to stop, obviously to make my meds work better. I've got it down to 3 cans of Stella lager a night. I'm aiming towards none .

Sometimes drinking can give me energy or make me hypomanic...does anyone else find this?

[Fresia]

A glass or two a week (and never more than one at a time) and never with the sleep meds is what I can tolerate now.

[SmokeyPoole2012]

I still allow myself a draft or two once in awhile, but I refuse to drink as a way of coping with my problems.

I used to drink alot, for the last 7 years maybe a handful of times. I can't even have one drink with out feeling quite suicidal for a week after. So that really isn't worth it to me, I can't believe it took me so long to realize that tho. I think I have a severe reaction to alcohol, I know it's a depressant, but I haven't met anyone in real life who has the same reaction.

[SunAngel]

I drink about twice a week. Whenever I go out, I drink Margaritas and have about 3 or 4 of them. I also drink beer during the week and on weekends.

My pdoc told me it was okay as long as I don't take my klonopin.

Now, whenever I drink, I just forego the Klonopin.

[fergus]

Thanks for all the responses. I try to justify that one drink a day is okay...but I do take it to feel better which isn't good....and I guess taking my seroquel and lithium and washing it back with wine is probably not so good an idea.

...but heck I enjoy wine and cheese and the occasional cider and drinking makes me feel "normal".

[hanners]

I stopped drinking about 6 months ago. I'd always been a responsible drinker until my last major episode of depression last year, when I started drinking to try and numb myself. Was sneaking drinks behind my then-partner's back, too. I don't seem to react well to alcohol, though - everytime I drink anymore, my depression just gets worse.

My current partner is an alcoholic in recovery, so when we first met, I decided to quit drinking at all, in part to support her and in part to improve my health. It's worked very well for me. Probably a smart move, I figure I was probably heading down the path of alcoholism anyway. Better to quit now, than wait until I'm there and it becomes even harder to.