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Dr. Bob is Robert Hsiung, MD,
bob@dr-bob.orgShown: posts 1 to 14 of 14. This is the beginning of the thread.
Posted by house on September 20, 2002, at 12:23:50
I take paxil for anxiety and depression. I think it's starting to work a little bit. Would one night of drinking interfere with it's AD effects.
(Probably between 8-10 drinks)
Posted by Pink Papillon on September 20, 2002, at 16:03:10
In reply to Will a night of drinking interfere with my AD, posted by house on September 20, 2002, at 12:23:50
I don't know if you will die from it - but it certainly isn't going to do you any good - and it can do you harm. When you realize that all of your good physical and mental health is up to YOU, you will be less inclined to even think of drinking. There are so many reasons: alcohol is a downer (you must not have been too down or you wouldn't think of going there again), it may interfere with your meds - why spend the money and take them if you are going to negate the effect - and mostly - no one needs 8-10 drinks. NO ONE!
Posted by anxiousgrrrl on September 20, 2002, at 17:05:41
In reply to Will a night of drinking interfere with my AD, posted by house on September 20, 2002, at 12:23:50
> I take paxil for anxiety and depression. I think it's starting to work a little bit. Would one night of drinking interfere with it's AD effects.
> (Probably between 8-10 drinks)Don't listen to the pink butterfly. You'll be fine. I do it all the time.
SSRIs and alcohol don't interact. The warnings on the package insert are just thanks to lawyers. You won't "negate" the effects: alcohol is only a depressant or 'downer' in terms of your central nervous system, not your mood.
Posted by jane d on September 20, 2002, at 21:18:44
In reply to Will a night of drinking interfere with my AD, posted by house on September 20, 2002, at 12:23:50
> I take paxil for anxiety and depression. I think it's starting to work a little bit. Would one night of drinking interfere with it's AD effects.
> (Probably between 8-10 drinks)
Different people react differently. I've gone out drinking on SSRI's but didn't have quite that many. One thing I noticed was that I got drunk faster. Other people have posted that the same thing happened to them so, if you do decide to drink, you may want to be a little careful about that.I didn't drink often but when I went out with friends I would sometimes decide to get drunk. For years I didn't really believe the claim that alcohol could make you more depressed but recently I've decided that, at least for me, it's true. I've noticed that for a few days afterwards I feel a bit worse. If you want to be safe you probably should skip the drinks. Otherwise you will just have to find out for yourself how it affects you.
Jane
Posted by anxiousgrrrl on September 21, 2002, at 10:47:30
In reply to Re: Will a night of drinking interfere with my AD, posted by jane d on September 20, 2002, at 21:18:44
> Different people react differently. I've gone out drinking on SSRI's but didn't have quite that many. One thing I noticed was that I got drunk faster.Jane,
If you were limiting your drinking generally, then go out and have a few drinks, getting drunk faster would be better explained by your reduced tolerance, not any potential SSRI interaction.
If, for any reason, you stop drinking for a few months (or drink very little), and then go out and have a few drinks, you're going to feel it a lot sooner, just because of the tolerance issue.
Afterwards, too, you'll be more hungover, the effects of which can last several days.
Be sensible, don't get plastered your first time out, and drink LOTS of water before going to bed and the next day.
Posted by jane d on September 21, 2002, at 22:25:26
In reply to Re: Will a night of drinking interfere with my AD, posted by anxiousgrrrl on September 21, 2002, at 10:47:30
>
> > Different people react differently. I've gone out drinking on SSRI's but didn't have quite that many. One thing I noticed was that I got drunk faster.
>
> Jane,
>
> If you were limiting your drinking generally, then go out and have a few drinks, getting drunk faster would be better explained by your reduced tolerance, not any potential SSRI interaction.
>
> If, for any reason, you stop drinking for a few months (or drink very little), and then go out and have a few drinks, you're going to feel it a lot sooner, just because of the tolerance issue.Anxiousgrrl,
I'm aware of that and took it into account when I said that I thought the AD's had an effect on my tolerance. Obviously, since tolerance can change for many reasons, I'm not absolutely sure it was the medication, but I think that's the most likely cause. Since getting much drunker than you planned on is dangerous and it's easy to prevent if you know it MIGHT happen I think it's worth mentioning.
Jane
Posted by sebastian on September 21, 2002, at 23:48:45
In reply to Do AD's make you more susceptible to alcohol » anxiousgrrrl, posted by jane d on September 21, 2002, at 22:25:26
Well I'm having a beer now, becouse the anti-depressants work so well. I've been feeling a little too undepressed, lately.
Beer is good.
Posted by utopizen on September 22, 2002, at 0:52:46
In reply to Re: Do AD's make you more susceptible to alcohol, posted by sebastian on September 21, 2002, at 23:48:45
> Beer is good.I use to think beer is good. Until I realized I don't enjoy life on the stuff and people other people's "entertainment." Now I enthusiastically laugh at the party entertainer (the one who's drunk and doing disco moves) along with everyone else... just to pat myself on the back for not being the one laughed at this time.
I knew I was on the right AD when I looked at a beer can with an elitist frown, without thought as to why...
Posted by sebastian on September 22, 2002, at 4:34:27
In reply to Re: Do AD's make you more susceptible to alcohol, posted by utopizen on September 22, 2002, at 0:52:46
utopizen
Do you never drink a beer??
I tried that for a while. Something always drew me into haveing at least one beer.
Sebastian
Posted by utopizen on September 22, 2002, at 10:24:05
In reply to Re: Do AD's make you more susceptible to alcohol, posted by sebastian on September 22, 2002, at 4:34:27
> utopizen
>
> Do you never drink a beer??
>
> I tried that for a while. Something always drew me into haveing at least one beer.
>
> SebastianI'll admit, I sometimes drink one beer, but by one I mean a quarter of one or so... and I nurse it almost all night long.
I take just enough sips to get to the slightly talkative stage, then I say, "Okay, I've reached my therapeutic dosing, anything more will just make me a goofball" and throw the can away.
Then I relax and pat myself on the back. I'm trying to dose my Neurontin so I don't even have to do this...
Posted by Tabßitha on September 22, 2002, at 15:44:20
In reply to Re: Will a night of drinking interfere with my AD, posted by anxiousgrrrl on September 21, 2002, at 10:47:30
I think there really is something about ADs that makes you less tolerant to alcohol. I was drinking pretty regularly when I started them, and there was a marked change. On ADs, the first drink makes me feel loopy and queasy right away, the second drink makes me decidedly sick. It's just a whole different feeling. And the hangover is more dreadful, despite drinking water, taking aspirin, etc. I'm incapacitated for a whole day. Of course everyone is different, and different ADs are different. The worst for me was Serzone.
Posted by sebastian on September 23, 2002, at 0:24:56
In reply to Re: Will a night of drinking interfere with my AD, posted by Tabßitha on September 22, 2002, at 15:44:20
I noticed that every time I drank a beer when I started the Celexa that my face would turn red, and my eyes would get real sore.
Posted by JackD on September 23, 2002, at 13:44:54
In reply to Will a night of drinking interfere with my AD, posted by house on September 20, 2002, at 12:23:50
I'm an expert in the field of non compliance with drug interaction safety. Now you seem to be on the threshold of the drug working ("I think it's starting to work a little"), in which case I wouldn't have more than 3 drinks (if you're a mid-high tolerant male). You see, Paxil and other antidepressants cause all sorts of effects on serotonin receptors and then indirectly on a variety of other systems. Ethanol causes the release of lots of serotonin, hence the feeling good and social and such, which will deplete the very chemical Paxil tries to raise up. Ultimately, this will slow down how long Paxil will take to start working.
Ok, with that said, and with the disclaimer of "I do not condone this", and nor is it necessarily safe just cause it is with me, I have found drinking on Paxil absolutely fine. BUT, the effects of the alcohol AND the Paxil were magnified. Hard to explain, I guess you'll find out yourself; it's not the most pleasant inebriation. Oh, and the next day, prepare for one behemoth hangover. Your anxiety will come back x3, you will feel sick etc etc (for a day mostly). And you're probably wondering this too: I have had well over 12 beers/drinks on it (but I am a 200lb male college student).
Gasp! With all that said, I wouldn't start screwing around with this stuff now, I would wait until it's definitely working and you've been on it at least a good month.
Posted by oona on September 25, 2002, at 21:10:21
In reply to Re: Do AD's make you more susceptible to alcohol, posted by sebastian on September 22, 2002, at 4:34:27
AD = AntiDepressant
ALCOHOL = DepresesantThe answere is Yes, it does intefer, if it does not make you feel sick right away then the Depressant effect of the alcohol will catch up to you sooner or later and negate the AD's you are taking.
I tried to drink socially after not drinking for 7 years and the physical part was not worth the short term buzz.
oona
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