[taybaby]

I haven't had a drink since being medicated again but tonight I had one glass of wine with dinner.

My pdoc acts like drinking on medication is a federal offense.

I'm currently just on lexapro and lamictal and Klonopin as needed.

Is it okay to have a couple drinks now and then or no?

[Pookyl]

I would have to say no.
I used to drink up until Feb this year despite my psychiatrist saying "bad idea". I had no issues prior to that, although apparently you can't predict how alcohol will impact your bipolar or how it will interact with your meds any given time. According to my psych drinking with bipolar is playing Russian roulette.
Long story short: I drank. Ended up in hospital. It was all very messy. It was scary. I no longer drink.

[scatterbrained04]

I used to drink a small amount on occasion, but now I find even a small amount makes me feel really sick when mixed with my meds. Probably not a great idea to drink anyways since it's a depressant.

I did drink until my last hospitalization. Since being on zoloft I can barely make it through a drink without feeling sick, so I don't bother. I am of the frame of mind that an occasional drink is probably fine BUT my doctor may say otherwise, so what do I know.

[Sunflower123]

Just as a counter point, I drink once every blue moon (I might have a pina colada when I go to Red Lobster or champagne for NYE). My pdoc knows this and is ok with it. He said if I drink too much, it could deepen my depression.

[FallDuskTrain]

Only once a year, usually around my birthday. Other than that, nope.
I am too old for that stuff.
My anxiety and depression usually leaves me exhausted. Besides, lexapro does not mix well with alcohol.
And, on a vanity perspective, if I am going to consume empty calories, I would rather go for desert; or better do not consume empty calories. One glass of beer equals to eight slices of bread, so.....
And, as we all know, alcohol makes MI worse. My father had deep depression and he was a major alcoholic.

[ComfortablyNumb5]

Originally Posted by taybaby

I haven't had a drink since being medicated again but tonight I had one glass of wine with dinner.


My pdoc acts like drinking on medication is a federal offense.


I'm currently just on lexapro and lamictal and Klonopin as needed.



Is it okay to have a couple drinks now and then or no?

Drinking causes more depression. I can preach all day but I’m not one to lecture as I’ve been at it every night. I always wake up feeling very depressed the next day. I’m on a high dose of Wellbutrin and the drinking makes it have no effect at all. Yea my dr and T hate it but I lie when asked. I say “oh I had a glass of wine with dinner last week”. When really, I polished off a 12 pack the night before. The only way to quit once you’re addicted, is to never start in the first place

[Guiness187055]

I used to use alcohol to self medicate. I don't drink anymore.

[HALLIEBETH87]

I dont really drink but a glass of wine once or twice a year. i grew up with a nasty abusive aloholic so i dont like alcohol and its effects much

[~Christina]

I’m not really into drinking but if I do have a glass of wine I skip my psych meds that night

[Wild Coyote]

I drink on occasion, if the meds I am on are agreeable to doing so. I probably drink 6 times a year. 2 drinks max for me. I am often a designated driver and do not drink at all.

Although I enjoy a drink now and then, I never forget:
The trauma of growing up with an abusive alcoholic and the fact that I have lost my dad and two brothers to alcoholism. Gone. My dad was in his 30's. One brother was 16 y.o. and one was 42 y.o. at the times of their deaths.


WC

[*Laurie*]

No, I don't like alcohol. Yuck. The only exception is when I drank a few sips of a Guinness in Dublin. It was tolerable, but I couldn't drink more than the few sips.

[Brophy]

I am on Klonopin as well, the reason your p-doc treats drinking like a federal offense is that drinking on benzos can kill you.

https://newlifehouse.com/benzodiazepines-and-alcohol/

I used to have a drink every night but my habit has slackened to the point where I have maybe one drink a month. When I first started taking my medication seriously I set a two-drink limit of liquor for myself that I loosely followed. Within the last six months, I cut liquor completely and moved to diluted beer/wine (I have them over ice). Within the past month, I have found that the more seriously I take following my medication schedule, the less my body/brain tolerate any alcohol at all. Currently, I'm 12 days sober. I'm a career bartender and for a long time, I considered drinking to be part of my job. I've switched to tasting drinks/beer/wine.

I'm very torn about drinking until I remember how it made me feel the last time I imbibed. The less I drink, the more stable I feel. The more stable I feel the more I realize just how unstable I used to be. It's a feedback cycle that has kept me off alcohol in increasing magnitude.

If you have any questions about the specific effects of alcohol with regards to myself I can answer with pretty good detail concerning wine/beer/spirits.

[annielovesbacon]

I am a recovering alcoholic so I no longer drink. With the medications you're taking I don't think (but I'm not a doctor) drinking would be an issue, except with the klonopin -- just make sure you skip klonopin that night if you decide to drink.

[winter loneliness]

Yes i drink. Socially. I watch myself closely and talk to my psychiatrist about it. My meds make me get tipsy easily.

I don't take benzos.

not much.

I do on new year's eve (just before the chimes of big ben), and I do sometimes on my birthday too (which is weird, seeing as I don't really celebrate it)

rest of the year.... nothing

Possible trigger:

I remember as a kid getting drunk (yes, as a kid), and it really scared me.

I think that's why in later life I was more careful with drink

that, and the fact I can't really drink on meds.

[hexacoda]

I think it increases the risk of seizures? So I avoid drinking. Even wine, which seems weird to my in laws since they drink it at special dinners. TBH I don't like wine anyway!

[bizi]

Originally Posted by Wild Coyote

I drink on occasion, if the meds I am on are agreeable to doing so. I probably drink 6 times a year. 2 drinks max for me. I am often a designated driver and do not drink at all.

Although I enjoy a drink now and then, I never forget:
The trauma of growing up with an abusive alcoholic and the fact that I have lost my dad and two brothers to alcoholism. Gone. My dad was in his 30's. One brother was 16 y.o. and one was 42 y.o. at the times of their deaths.


WC

I am so sorry you grew up with abuse..
and am sorry that you lost 2 brothers so young...
((((((HUGS)))))
bizi

[bizi]

I was drinking every night while taking lots of psych meds, including klonipin and my pdoc knew that. I would lie to her. I think I am finally on the right medication regime and have control of my drinking, right now.
We leave on wednesday for our 2 week vacation that is normally a drink fest.
How will I make it?
bizi

[hopeless2015]

I drink and I know I shouldn't. My pdoc asks about it every time and I just say not like I used to. I drink every weekend. Just beer...miller lite, but it's several each night. It's not smart I know, just being honest here though. I'm not suggesting that's it's ok to do. Like I said I'm not being very smart about it!!

[BadShrimp]

I had to stop drinking. It got out of control ... it started with beer. Then wine. Then hard liquor. Then I was drinking a gallon of vodka a day.

Drinking is bad altogether. If you can limit your drinks to two a day (on days you drink) you are ok. But if you're passing out into oblivion, then this is a problem.

Good luck and hopefully you won't end up like I did.

Originally Posted by Wild Coyote

I drink on occasion, if the meds I am on are agreeable to doing so. I probably drink 6 times a year. 2 drinks max for me. I am often a designated driver and do not drink at all.

Although I enjoy a drink now and then, I never forget:
The trauma of growing up with an abusive alcoholic and the fact that I have lost my dad and two brothers to alcoholism. Gone. My dad was in his 30's. One brother was 16 y.o. and one was 42 y.o. at the times of their deaths.


WC

I am sorry for your losses. My father was also an abusive alcoholic. Alcohol is directly responsible for his death. My brother picked up the same habit. I think when you watch people you love go through this, you view alcohol a little differently. In fact I've always been terrified I would fall into the same trap.

[benzenering]

I drink. Don't take benzos ( my pdoc wouldn't prescribe them to me anyway).

[99fairies]

I drink about 3 times a week. usually about 3 drinks. Then I take my night meds and get totally drunk. Last month I had 3 drinks, took my night meds and tried going to the bathroom. I fell over when I stood up and fell into the bathtub cracking my head on the back of the tub. My husband had to come help me up and pull my pants up for me. So embarrassing.