[sweepy62]

see i binge drink on weekends like just sat and sunday but not night and day anyway i been skipping my meds on weekends do u think that can throw me into a depression or manic phase

[Kacey2]

Probably not. I think the half life on abilify is longer than 48 hours and I know it is for zoloft. Synthroid and lithium take a long period of time (over weeks) to build a therapuetic level in your system.

However, if you are not consistent on the weekends it may lead to missing even more days by getting out of your routine which could lead to dosing problems. Just give your liver a break take your meds and slow down on the booze.

Infact, it is more likely to be the alcohol that is making your moods more unstable. It is a known fact that alcohol is a no no for people with bipolar. My pdoc doesn't even want me to use mouth wash to rinse my mouth unless it is free of alcohol. That is how sensitive she thinks it is. Also it only takes 4 oz of liquor to reach that relaxed, intoxicated state but people do not understand that and drink way beyond what is required for social relaxation. Hard to do, I know......

I say stop the booze too and take your meds like ya should... Hate to be the stick in the mud, but I've learned and admittingly am still learning, that in order to get better I have to get the meds right.

Not taking these meds consistently is going to mess with your mood. You really do need to give up the drinking while on these meds because you are either going to end up skipping doses which will cause issues, or you are going to discover that alcohol and these particular meds are not very good friends. I take lithium myself and have taken abilify in the past, so I do speak from some experience.

If you are committed to allowing these meds to really work, you have to be consistent with them and not mix them with alcohol except perhaps as a very small amount on the very rarest of occasions. This is part of your responsibility and dedication to doing all you can to maintain some stability. Sorry to sound so firm about this, but messing with your meds is just not going to help yourself at all.

I take 3mg of Xanax xr , 20mg of lexapro, and currently 75 mg of Effexor every other day to wean off it for 7 more days, 1mg ativan for situational anxiety too. Hydrocodone 10 mg for back pain, Not to mention 800mg Motrin if out of hydrocodone and then drops numbing and antibiotics for ear infection. Point to this madness to see where I need to be and for what, booze would throw all this crap off and I just wanna get better, I'm to young to be taking all this crap... Just my 2 cents.

[bluemountains]

In my case, bp II, even a little bit of alcohol messes with my meds and moods big time. I tried to figure out a way to drink just a little bit, but it didn't work. My t has said that I wouldn't make any more progress with healing from csa and other childhood problems until I completely gave up any alcohol. Even though it really sucks not to be like my "normal" friends and enjoy a glass of wine occasionally, I would prefer to heal because I am so tired of not being stable.
Bluemountains

[WikidPissah]

I am on the side of not drinking so much.

[critterlady]

Those medications are designed to reach a certain level in your blood and stay right around there all the time in order to work effectively. Taking them only 5 days out of 7 and skipping two days in a row makes your blood levels fluctuate and they simply won't work as well.

Plus, alcohol is a depressant, especially in binge amounts. You are adding to your depression at the very same time you're not taking your anti-depressant medication.

If you keep doing this, don't be surprised if your mood disorder doesn't improve at all. You're actively sabotaging your treatment.