[nicole84]

Does anyone else seem to have a weird reaction when mixing the two?? Lately i've been getting really drunk and just being completely not myself and then later having the weirdest dreams and waking up feeling more depressed and stupid for the way i've acted. I'm on 150mg Efexor

[blueeyedboy]

Hi ! Let me start by saying I am NOT preaching ! I have an alcohol dependency myself and have been known to mix alcohol and a/d's ! It is however not wise as it could exacerbate the effects of the alcohol, you get drunk quicker and if you drink a lot, pass out ! (I've done it). I took Effexor a few years ago when my drinking was worse than now. (I do still drink). Also, drinking alcohol can cause a condition known as 'post-alcohol depression' the downer experienced after a few heavy sessions. It may stop the full benefit of the anti-depressant. If you want to drink try not to mix the two, leave a gap and have some food before you drink. I'm being a hypocrite here as I've done all the things I'm telling you not to ! Take care ! <font color="blue"> </font>

[nicole84]

Yeah I have noticed I am more depressed after the alcohol thats for sure. And I do get drunk very quickly. Drinking has been my way to be outgoing and happy lately which isn't good as I don't want to become dependant on it!! Especially the way I feel afterwards. And the odd dreams I have after are even worse than normal

[Juliana]

I'm not on Effexor (I tried it briefly but couldn't handle the side effects), but I was on Celexa for over a year and now I'm on Lexapro. I also take Clonazepam sometimes, so I tend to stay away from alcohol most of the time. Lately, I just have one or two drinks maybe once a month, because alcohol just makes me sleepy. I usually just stick with soda when I'm out socializing. I have more fun that way and I don't have to deal with rebound depression the next morning... I find that the rebound depression after a night of drinks is much worse than it was before I started taking an SSRI.

Before I started taking ADs, red wine always had unpredictable effects on me -- sometimes I was fine and other times I would just get loopy and get a major body-stoned feeling. I have only had one glass of red wine since I started taking an AD, and it made me completely out of it, so I have put the kybosh on red wine completely. No more red wine for me.

i was expressly told to not drink with effexorxr.......or wellbutrin........i'm on prozac now and i don't drink on it..........i think the brain can only take so much and we're already nuts, so i'm very cautious. i'd rather give up alcohol and try to get rid of my depression.......... good luck, pat

[Juliana]

</font><blockquote><div id="quote"><font class="small">Quote:</font>
fayerody said:the brain can only take so much and we're already nuts

</div></font></blockquote><font class="post">

LMAO!!!

[Soidhonia]

Hello Nicole.
I donot take Effexor, but Drinking can hve adverse effects on the brian chemistry or depression since alcohol is a depressant in itself. perhape you could discuss your drinking with your therapist, so you can get the help you need for your problems that cause you to drink. AA is also available. There is also chat here at Psych Central and Rayna is very informative about alcoholism, and is more than willing to help anyone with a drinking problem in chat.
You amy PM me as well if you wish. Please try to stay safe. Take care and good day. Soidhonia

[nicole84]

Yeah I have noticed that I feel much more depressed and VERY restless I wasn't going to drink much but again last night ended up having quite a bit and now feeling pretty crappy. I seem to have stopped one drug and started up another...

[Juliana]

It's good that you have come to this realization. I hope you seek some help. It's so common for people with mental health issues like depression and anxiety to self-medicate with alcohol. I think we're more susceptible to alcholism because we're just looking for something to shut off our minds and take the pain away. It takes away the pain for a little while, but as you know, it makes things much worse overall.

I just found out a few years ago that there is a very long history of depression in my family. I was used to seeing all my great-uncles drunk all the time, dealing with alcoholism-related health issues, etc. My grandfather died when my dad was 14. He got sent home from work because he was drunk and ended up stumbling in front of a logging truck and got killed. So, I knew alcholism was rampant in my family and it made we want to be vigilant about never drinking heavily. It wasn't until I talked to my dad about it that I found out that the underlying problem -- the problem that all my relatives are trying to drown in alcohol -- was depression.

[lauren_helene]

I've certainly drank while taking what I'm taking now. So, I'm not judging at all. I could barely tolerate Effexor XR and didn't mix alcohol with that one because as it was the side effects were awful.

I don't know what time of day you take your A/D's and if that even matters much but I wouldn't mix much alcohol with what we take. I'm trying to taper off myself.

[zapot7]

Personal note, and kind of off topic: I'm on Effexor too. I used to have a drink before dinner a couple of times a week. After starting the drugs, whenever I grabbed a beer out of the fridge, I'd end up not drinking more than a sip or two. In the end I just stopped drinking altogether.

It didn't have any side effects, but it just didn't taste good any more. Must have been trying to tell me something!

So I can't tell you any experiences of being drunk on Effexor, but I'd recommend you limit your drinking a bit for now. Hangovers are not good for someone who's depressed.

[nicole84]

I have mine in the morning and yeah the next morning after alcohol when I have it it makes me feel rather odd.

Also with the alcoholism, my mum and her mum are both alcoholics, well my grandma not so much now but my mum is. She is also Schizophrenic which was apparently brought on by smoking dope and doing mushrooms back in the 70's.

I've always thought i'd never drink lots, and just recently I have and i'm thinking... why ? I don't want to turn out the way my mum is, she really doesn't care about herself anymore and is sad

[zapot7]

Oh, so you're predisposed - it runs in your family. My mum was an alcoholic too. It sounds like you've got a pretty good handle on it. You're questioning why you are drinking and you're being honest about it.

good luck! I don't pray but i'll think good thoughts for you!

[Destroy0sense]

far as i know you shouldn't mix any drug with alcohol... o.0

[Hopefull]

I tried to look up Effexor in my nursing book that I bought at school and found that it only says to stay away from alcohol. On my drug, Lexapro, the book said that it would increase the side-effects of the drug. I suspect that your drug would be similar. However, alcohol also tends to let you down after it leaves your system which will make you feel more depressed. I have also seen a friend of mine who eats poorly which is a concern with alcoholism. It sounds to me like you have a clear understanding of your situation. I hope you will talk with your counselor about it. If you can't quit at this point, then see if you can cut back. I hope you can get the help and support that you need and make a good decision on what to do about the situation.

[psisci]

2 things happen; etoh in any form is a broad hepatic inducer, so drinking while on meds will make your body metabolize the med much quicker and sometimes with poor outcomes. Also, etoh acts via increased dopamine on the pleasure centers. If you are on something that even mi nimally inhibits reuptake of dopamine you can get agitated, shaky etc...

Dr.S.

[Pughead]

To be honest, I've never had any negative effects from it. I pace myself though. I don't know, nor do I want to find out, what would happen if I tried to drink like I was in college again.

But I regularly have a couple beers once or twice a week. I'm on 300mg effex. and 300 wellbutrin.

[SandyWeb]

You also have to remember that alcohol is a depressant, and if you're taking an antidepressant......you're rather defeating the purpose. Even before I went on meds, the day after drinking I would find myself depressed and very, very anxious. But the two chemicals mixed together are at cross purposes with each other. Although some people can have a glass of wine or a beer. I'm talking about getting drunk.

Good luck and God bless,
Sandy

[nicole84]

Yeah I haven't got drunk in awhile now but I did have a few champagnes and I was ok the next day. Getting drunk is what does it I think. And I don't want that restless anxiety feeling. It gets unbearable

[Juliana]

I agree. Alcohol affects me a lot more now than before I started taking an AD. If I have more than 1 or 2 drinks, I hate how I feel. I feel wobbly and queasy and that makes me anxious and I just want to be sober again. It's not my idea of fun. I also had an inner ear problem for 3 years that made me feel spinny and sick all the time -- like being really drunk ALL the time. I never want to feel that way again. And, I figure I have enough of a problem with depression. I don't need to add something to my system that's going to make me MORE depressed the next day. I have a drink or two once in a while, but I'm never tempted to have more than that.