[rebecc5506]

My friend recently just got arrested for a DUI and she told me that she only had one glass of red wine, but took two of her anti-anxiety meds (celexa) that night on an empty stomach. She is only supposed to take one a day, but missed the day before, so she took two that day (which she now knows she is not supposed to do). Anyways, she said that she failed the breathalyzer when she got pulled over and said it was because her meds increase her blood alcohol level. I find this hard to believe, but wanted to find out for sure. I think she has a drinking problem. I want to get her help, but I want to make sure I have the facts straight first.

Does anyone know if meds can alter a breathalyzer?

[splitimage]

No meds cannot alter a breathalyzer. Breathalyzer's measure the amount of alcohol in the blood stream, and a med will not increase that. Some meds, increase the effect of alcohol so you feel drunker, but that's the effect of the two drugs on your CNS, it doesn't change the absolute amount of alcohol you've consumed. So if your friend blew over the limit, then she definitely had more than one glass of wine, and she's feeding you a line.

--splitimage

[mgran]

I'm pretty sure that she's lying. I'm sorry. Psychotropic meds that I know of can't affect a breathelyser... If her liver was failing it might effect her results, but that's a separate problem for which she would really need to see her doctor.

[Lexi232]

From knowledge of being in a state hospital where they did breathalizers on each trip back from home visits, meds as far as i know cant do that. It may make her fail the field test (walking ten steps ahead heel to toe), because it can intesify the dizzy, and sleepy effects just because the two combine both have that possiblity.
I know when i was on cymbalta and drank 2 cherry vodkas it was so bad that i didn't even experience that when i drank loads and had a few shots in one night.
Things like mouth wash can affect it and give the breathalizer a false posistive. but once they take them in they have to take blood and look at the alchol level in her blood, and that as far as i know doesn't give false positives.

[Elysium]

SSRIs (the class of meds that Celexa is in) DO NOT in any way alter blood alcohol levels, nor do they alter breathilizer tests.

Sounds to me like your friend's one drink was a bit more than that and they are just trying to save face by selling you a story in hopes that you would be ignorant enough to believe it. Also sounds like your friend has a bit of a problem.

I'm sorry she lied to you.

[disguise123]

I think everyone above said it all.
Interesting post though.

[madisgram]

she has a problem with alcohol.

[Perna]

It doesn't matter; driving under the influence, whether from alcohol or her prescription meds she is not taking correctly and thus which register impairment. . . I don't want her on the road driving when I'm there!

[Martina]

Perna has a good point. I believe you can get something similar to a DUI (maybe with a different name) if you're driving on medications - even those prescribed to you - and you are driving erratically or not in the shape you should be to be driving. So regardless of the fact that your friend is LYING - if she really was on that much medication plus the alcohol (which should not be combined with medication ANYWAYS) then she shouldn't have been driving, period.

I don't drive at night after I've taken my meds. It's too dangerous.

[rebecc5506]

Thank you all for your posts. I was 98% sure that her meds didnt cause the failed breathalyzer, but I wanted to be 100% before I talked to her again. I am really scared that she has a problem. What is worse is that she has a two year old daughter and she is almost 4 months pregnant. That is why she is saying she only had one glass of red wine, because she knows I am going to flip out that she is drinking while pregnant. I know she needs help, but she is so far in denial, I am not sure what to do. I am going to talk to my other friends and hope we can all take turns going to AA with her. I am really concerned for her 2yr old and the one on the way. I am looking online at how taking Celexa while pregnant can be dangerous, and I am not sure why her doctor is still having her take it. Also, does anyone know what can happen if you are taking Celexa, drinking, and pregnant? I obviously know she shouldn't be, but does anyone know of any good resources that has info on taking the med while pregnant and mixing with alcohol? Thanks everyone!!

[sabby]

OH dear......drinking while pregnant???? I'm not real up to date on the Celexa thing but drinking while pregnant I DO know a lot about.

I am a home provider for an individual with developmental and physical disabilities. This individual has been horribly damaged because his mother drank through her pregnancy. It's called Fetal Alcohol Syndrome and it can range from mild disabilities to terrible disabilities. I also have a friend who adopted two daughters who were affected by Fetal Alcohol Syndrome and I can assure you that none of these children have had a "normal" life or opportunities to be who they truly were supposed to be.

This is one disease that is soooooooooo preventable!!!! The mother can and must stop drinking immediately. It is critical that she stop right now!

Here are some links for you:

http://www.cdc.gov/ncbddd/fasd/index.html

http://www.mayoclinic.com/health/fet...ndrome/DS00184

I thank you for being such a good friend to this woman and wanting to help her through this. It will not be easy. I pray that there has been no damage to the child yet and that she will be able to stop her drinking immediately. Of course, she shouldn't be drinking and taking an antidepressant at the same time.

I wish you well and pray everything works out.