[LonelyTree]

I've been taking fluoxetine HCL 20 MG capsules (aka Prozac) daily for a little over two weeks. I was really liking the effects it was having on my mood. Other then a few annoying side effects like constant yawning and a little trouble falling asleep all has been good. I've been happier then I have in years.

The last couple nights however I drank alcohol with my sisters and found myself feeling very similar to the way I was feeling before I started taking the pills. I was quite sad and really just wanted to die to get away from it. My doctor had not warned me to stay away from alcohol and the only thing I knew about mixing the two was that it could cause drowsiness.

I've decided not to drink again. I was never really a big fan of it anyway and only did it because my sisters kept pressuring me to. But I'm afraid I may have messed up something. I feel the same crushing sadness and I'm afraid it wont go away.

Has anyone experienced this before? How long will it take for the meds to kick in again? Am I going to have to wait another two weeks for the meds to build up in my system? Please let me know. I was just getting used to the increased happiness I don't want to lose it again.

[Trippin2.0]

I don't have the answers about how long it lasts, sorry, but just wanted you to know that not only is mixing alcohol and meds dangerous, but it is a DEPRESSANT, so that explains your current state of mind atleast. Good for you for deciding against it, as it obviously isn't helping you, but rather causing setbacks. Hope your mood lifts soon

[Atlantis]

Hi LonelyTree, and sorry to hear. I fully believe you've been happier in years after taking fluoxetine, but 20 mg is a small amount and two weeks is a small period of time, I would question whether it's really having such a big effect on your mood so suddenly - is this your first antidepressant? Give it some more time I'd say, but if you think things are better, then having had drinks on one occasion isn't going to jeopardise the fluoxetine treatment. Alcohol will make you drowsy more easily and basically the effects of it will hit you faster. Small amounts of alcohol can cause euphoria, but the aftereffect results in a certain reduction in mood and does cause anxiety which may be what leads to the crushing sadness. As soon as the alcohol is out of your system (fairly quickly, unless you're intolerant to it), the meds won't need to kick in again like they did to begin with. Just continue as normal and note the effects over a longer period of time.

And yes, I totally know about the yawning - I get that a lot too as a side-effect (I'm not taking fluoxetine), but I'm not sure what causes it!

[Atlantis]

Originally Posted by Trippin2.0

I don't have the answers about how long it lasts, sorry, but just wanted you to know that not only is mixing alcohol and meds dangerous, but it is a DEPRESSANT, so that explains your current state of mind atleast. Good for you for deciding against it, as it obviously isn't helping you, but rather causing setbacks. Hope your mood lifts soon

The fact that alcohol is a "depressant" only refers to the fact that it is a central nervous system "depressant", decreasing function and acting as an inhibitor to neurotransmitter activity, giving the opposite effect of a "stimulant", basically. The fact that it is a "depressant" doesn't mean taking it makes you "depressed", in much the same way "antidepressants" work also. They are only names describing their effects on the CNS.