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Dr. Bob is Robert Hsiung, MD,
bob@dr-bob.orgShown: posts 1 to 5 of 5. This is the beginning of the thread.
Posted by fluffy on October 17, 2002, at 13:35:25
I have been taking Lexapro for a little over 3 weeks now...
I started feeling a little bit better. THEN I went out to a friend's birthday party and had a few beers. I felt awful the next day (and after having those few beers...all tingly and shaky)Is there a solid rule about drinking while on AD's? My doctor asked if I was drinking when he prescribed them, but I hadn't been (I hadn't even been out of the house!)
Should I quit altogether while on AD's or have a one drink limit?
What are your experiences?
Posted by MarkCSF on October 18, 2002, at 0:24:21
In reply to Alchohol and Lexapro or any other AD's, posted by fluffy on October 17, 2002, at 13:35:25
All I know is that when I drink excessively, I end up feeling worse for a couple days afterwards. It just becomes this bad cycle, and I was in it for a long time. I just wouldn't learn. I was taking Paxil for a couple months and would drink until I passed out about 3-4 times a week, I'm talking like 3-4 shots and 8-12 beers each time (I was in college at the time).. It was fun at the time because it seemed like the Paxil made me even more uninhibited and drunk, and this pattern continued for the better part of a year, on different medications. And then I started noticing I'd feel worse and worse each time I drank too much, and, not surprisingly, my depression had not gotten better one bit but worse. It took me quite awhile to ween myself off of drinking like that. I would drink less and less each time I did, until finally I got to a point where it literally kind of frightened me to think about drinking like I used to. I haven't given up drinking all together. I've found a good limit for myself that I have been sticking to, which is 4 beers or 2 mixed drinks. I get a nice buzz and never feel like crap in the morning, and, it doesn't feel like it ruins the effect of my medicine. When I used to drink so much, psychologically I would feel like I had washed all of the medicine out of my system, which may or may not be the case (I hear it does to a degree). But I figured, whats the point of taking the medicine if Im just going to keep ruining its chances at helping? So, my advice would be to not drink at all, or, set a limit for yourself and stick to it. It's kind of tough at first, me being one that used to never be able to drink just a few beers, but I got used to it. And I started to feel like me exercising some self-discipline was a sign that I was getting better.. So, thats my opinion on the whole drinking-AD dilemma which I have struggled with a lot up until recently. Hope this helps..!
Posted by fluffy on October 18, 2002, at 11:03:05
In reply to Re: Alchohol and Lexapro or any other AD's, posted by MarkCSF on October 18, 2002, at 0:24:21
Thanks Mark.
Common sense should tell me otherwise, but I have been living a "college" lifestyle for probably 5 years now. (Just graduated from grad school where I partied my ass off) Then I moved to Houston where all my artist buddies like to do the same. I also did the Paxil and ended up drinking too much at parties and feeling like shite the next few days. I suppose I'm testing the boundaries with this new med..
Maybe it's time for a lifestyle change with me, too. I have a good friend who has been on AD's for a good while now, and he sticks to one or two beers. Seems to work ok for him..and he's quite the veteran with depression. I guess it's time to grow up.
Posted by MarkCSF on October 18, 2002, at 12:57:12
In reply to Re: Alchohol and Lexapro or any other AD's, posted by fluffy on October 18, 2002, at 11:03:05
Yeah, I live in Houston as well. I guess thats what it amounted to, growing up a little. I was also in grad school for a bit where I partied all the time, but had to leave after a year. It was a creative/artistic centered program and I could not keep up with the projects when I would go into a depressive phase and lose all interest in everything and the apathy would set in. And my hypomanic periods that had gotten me through and made me so successful in my undergrad program in art just couldnt cut it anymore because they were so few and far between as time went on. Hopefully I can go back one of these days when I get more stabilized and my interest returns. I play in a band in Houston too which makes it extra hard cause I'm around bars and clubs every weekend and my bandmates who usually get trashed at each show or when we hang out. One of the keys for me was finally finding a girlfriend that I can just chill out with, who's not a heavy drinker herself, and understands my problems and, amazingly, puts up with my moods. I know I wouldn't if I was her which is the most admirable thing to me and proof she loves me. That was one thing that had been missing from my treatment for a long time. Before that, I was going to bars every weekend, getting drunk, trying to hook up with girls for the night. That whole concept started to depress me more, and then I grew up when I just decided to look for one girl, and not at a bar. I still have another addiction, smoking, which gives me problems cause I have had a continuous sinus infection for over a year which Im sure has made my body weak from trying to fight it. In the next month, Im going to have sinus surgery to clear it all out, and hopefully, and I know I can, just stop cause I dont want to get these infections again. So, I think Im on the right track here, Im working out regularly, eating pretty good. I just need the right medicine I believe to pull me out long enough and get me over this hump cause that damn chemesitry is one thing I dont think I can change on my own..
Anyway, good luck making a lifestyle change if you choose to do so, I know itll make a big difference..later
Posted by Simcha on October 19, 2002, at 11:30:27
In reply to Re: Alchohol and Lexapro or any other AD's, posted by MarkCSF on October 18, 2002, at 12:57:12
My current pdoc has me convinced that I should avoid alcohol altogether. This works for me since I'm not a real big drinker. I can live quite well without it. He just helped me to realize that my liver, kidneys and other organs were working hard enough on the Celexa, Wellbutrin and Klonopin that perhaps they could use a break. He also mentioned the fact that alcohol is a depressant so it may interfere with the effectiveness of the medications I'm on.
This is the end of the thread.
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