Posted by oldhand on January 23, 2003, at 19:06:12
In reply to Re: meds alcohol » EGR, posted by proud mary on January 23, 2003, at 16:43:12
> Hey guys (or gals) I'm going to jump in here (AGAIN)...hope you all don't mind, but the thing about alcohol and ADs has me intrigued.
>
> I have not admitted to anyone (therapist/pdoc) that I have been drinking on my ADs for a couple of years now. I worry about my drinking, but I've been reading these postings and now I'm wondering if the zoloft was wearing out long before I knew it and I was self-medicating, or if I ruined my zoloft affect by drinking alcohol ... plus, my husband insists I am not remiss for drinking some beers every night at the typical "witching hour" with the kids. I made the same aurgument with him that alcohol was a depressant and that I was undoing the good that the zoloft was doing..but then I read in this posting that the difference is in NEEDING it rather than wanting it. I've never felt I needed alcohol, but I sure enjoyed it and would want it (a more behavior-induced type wanting). I need some advice about this. I've been switched to lexapro and it's not really settling with me so well (I've made an extended posting on 1/23 about that) so I tend to drink a beer or two in the evenings to try to make myself feel better (it isn't working like it did with the zoloft). However, I can say, I have cut my alcohol consumption in half with the lexapro just because I don't feel very well overall (mentally, not really physically). HELP...need advice (as usual).....MaryMary,
I did the same thing, not telling the doc about drinking while on the ADs. I lied and said I had quit drinking all together while I was getting hammered three or four nights a week. This may be only in my mind but I believe I foiled the ADs by drinking and perhaps even contributed to their "pooping out" with this behavior. When Celexa pooped out on me I went to Effexor but never made it past 175mg cause it made me so sick (still drinking). Tried to quit it cold turkey until I had a crises and called the doc. He eased me off the Effexor and put me on Lexapro, 10mg. Since I had been so sick after the Effexor I did not drink for a while. When I did drink on the Lexapro I felt so awful the next day (worse that the average hangover) that I did not drink again til mid December. Two and a half beers made me feel like hell the next day and they didn't even taste good going down.
Haven't had anything since, not saying I will never drink again, only that I don't feel the NEED on the Lexapro. Hope my experience can help someone else. Good luck and health.
poster:oldhand
thread:109458
URL: http://www.dr-bob.org/babble/20030119/msgs/137235.html