Posted by Caz on June 23, 1999, at 7:26:20
In reply to Re: BEWARE/COMMENT S-EFFECTS-DRINK,PROZAC,XANAX,ZOLOFT, posted by Franca on June 23, 1999, at 1:43:50
The reason xanax and alcohol are not a good mix is that they potentiate each other - that is they will increase the effects of each other on your physical and mental behaviour. Alcohol is well known for its disinhibiting effect and I know from personal experience that using xanax in conjunction with alcohol can cause unpredictable behaviour. Usually when I drink I know when I've had enough, I know how many drinks to keep tab of and when to stop. Adding Xanax to the mix I drank my usual amount and felt fine...then my usual self regulation failed and I kept on going until I ended up in a very dangerous situation with a stranger that offered me a ride.
Usually warnings about use of benzodiazepams and alcohol are about the risk in combining two CNS (central nervous system) depressants which can lead to drowsiness and even coma or death.
Not about the type of behaviour changes you describe, however, the warnings are there on the bottle - specific or not, avoid alcohol :)As for the effect of anti-depressants and alcohol (remember Xanax and Prozac are completely different drugs) my understanding from my GP is that alcohol should be avoided due to the counter-active depressant effect of alcohol which could make your treatment less effective. I haven't read anything about alcohol increasing effects of anti-depressants but would be interested to read anything available.
As for the reports of people commiting suicide or other acts of violence while on Prozac, there is a well known campaign by a certain religious group against this and other drugs, I can dig up a URL to their page if you like. Maybe you have already been there and found this information. My purely personal opinion is that the drug is probably less likely to blame than a failure to monitor and provide an appropriate treatment if that particular drug was not providing relief from the original symptoms.
You are right to ask questions. You are a consumer and your doctor should always be willing to discuss side effects and options with you. My own doc rolls his eyes and laughs when I walk in his office with my latest research and printouts of stuff I found on the web but he knows better than to hustle me out the door before we get through my agenda for the appointment :)
Caz
> saintjames, why common predictable effects ? This does not help me or others at all. The things done are out of pattern with our normal behaviour, even previous when drunk beh. Del Shannon's wife things he would not have killed himself, there are people who attribute murders to Prozac. I want more substance, not "common sense" retorts.
>
> My GP has also stated that although anti-depressants are getting better at narrowing down the range of brain chemicals that anti-depressants effect, they still effect more brain chemicals than necessary ?? What does this mean, or does anyone really know ?
poster:Caz
thread:7682
URL: http://www.dr-bob.org/babble/19990601/msgs/7704.html