SSRI and Alcohol

[Solomon]

Dunno if this right section....Anyway,i have already asked doctor many times interaction between SSRI and alcohol and she tells me there is none that are that big...I Disagree! I am by no means someone who can drink like a fish and stay sober...but the months and months ive been taking these,one thing always happens...and that is blackouts/Amnesia.For example i will be medium drunk,very chatty you know what *Most* peolple are like...then sometime or other...varies...BAM...now i cant say BAM because im not aware it happens.But i practically become unconscious...but conscious...sometimes even having say 5 or 6 beers results in this...i cant remember a THING! it really is like i had been knocked out for the duration of the time...but i wasnt...Do any of you people that know chemicals have any theories on why this is...is it actually the SSRI...or maybe another chemical thats in it? And i should say to my knowledge before i starting taking medication..the only time i would have the amnesia effect is if i really went out my way to try...not simply chilling with 5 or 6 beers.

[invocation]

Originally Posted by Solomon

Dunno if this right section....Anyway,i have already asked doctor many times interaction between SSRI and alcohol and she tells me there is none that are that big...I Disagree! I am by no means someone who can drink like a fish and stay sober...but the months and months ive been taking these,one thing always happens...and that is blackouts/Amnesia.For example i will be medium drunk,very chatty you know what *Most* peolple are like...then sometime or other...varies...BAM...now i cant say BAM because im not aware it happens.But i practically become unconscious...but conscious...sometimes even having say 5 or 6 beers results in this...i cant remember a THING! it really is like i had been knocked out for the duration of the time...but i wasnt...Do any of you people that know chemicals have any theories on why this is...is it actually the SSRI...or maybe another chemical thats in it? And i should say to my knowledge before i starting taking medication..the only time i would have the amnesia effect is if i really went out my way to try...not simply chilling with 5 or 6 beers.

My girlfriend was on a SSRI (Celexa) and when she drank she used to black all all the time. It made her crazy to the point where I asked her to quit drinking or get off those meds. You should think about trying Bupropion, my girlfriend switch to that and has not blacked out since.

[Solomon]

Do you know if its because its a serotnonin inhibitor or is it another silly chemical they put in them fluxotine prozac what have you that causes this? I was thinking of maybe substituting my meds with kanna or the like if that helps...

[kedabra]

Get off them crappy drugs and booze go for a nice walk and find some mushrooms! get a bit of fresh air you hermit!

[invocation]

Alcohol and SSRI's

Drinking alcohol when taking an SSRI is not a good idea for several reasons. Alcohol is a central nervous system depressant, and since the SSRI's can cause sedation, the combination can be dangerous if driving or operating heavy equipment. Many people report that when taking an SSRI, even if they do not feel sedated, alcohol effects them more strongly than usual, and one drink may feel like two to four. In addition, alcohol can depress mood. I would argue that it makes little sense to be taking both a depressant and an antidepressant, particularly if you are having problems being depressed.

Given all this, alcohol is not absolutely contraindicated when taking an SSRI, and some people are able to continue social use of alcohol cautiously and responsibly without ill effect. Moderation, meaning no more than one or two drinks once or twice a week, is certainly recommended.

source:
http://www.psymed.com/ssri.html

I believe that all SSRIs pretty much work the same. I think a more natural approach would be A LOT better. It may take longer to feel better, but in the long run it will be better for you.

I really like small doses of Kanna or even Kava would help. I think Kava is very underestimated.

[Solomon]

i reject that statement kedabara...in no hermit! Yah invocation,it makes little sense but neither do alot of things...im going to try kanna....kava already tried kava...too hit and miss...sometimes it doesnt work at all.

Cheers

[invocation]

Let me know how it works out.

[Entheogenetics]

I was on Paxil when I was 18 or 19. The doc told me not to have more than 3 drinks at a time while on it. Of course I often had far more than that with little problems other than I got drunker faster and had more amnesia. I got off of it after a month or so when I realized nothing was wrong with me, I was just a moron who smoked WAAAAAYYY too much herb.

[morphydox]

Generally, the rule of thumb is to limit booze while on antidepressants. Not only because of interactions, but because booze is a fucking DEPRESSANT! How old are you and how long have you been drinking? Because, if you drink often, as you age, you will start noticing more of that stuff, particularly if you have more than two drinks. More hangovers, etc. Booze will also cause depression itself. I know because I've drank on a regular basis and it fucked me up. And not even raging alkie style, just 3 a night. But, no lectures, I like drinking, too. But just wanted to point out that it could be booze and sitting in front of the computer which is making you depressed and you wouldn't notice it, could quit drinking for a month or two, then say it's not the booze, but it takes time for the depression to lift after you quit drinking. I know that you drink quite often as you talk about it in most posts! LOL! But once it gets bad enough to bug you out, you'll stop. If I were you I would stick with plants until you hash things out with the SSRI. And "substituting" kanna for an SSRI is a really bad idea, you should taper it off unless you want to find out what it's like to kick an SSRI. And the sole chemical in Prozac is fluoxetine, there are no other chemicals, unless they toss some rice powder or something else in the capsules to fill them all the way. I don't know of any compounded antidepressants, at least in the united states. But anyways, to answer your question, I don't think it's your imagination, the interaction, but I do think aging as a regular drinker has a bit to do with it. Every alcoholic I know gets worse and worse blackouts and hangovers every time drinking the same amount. To taper Prozac you will want to increase the time between doses to taper rather than making huge cuts in the dose as it stays in your body for so long. But if you feel that the Prozac helps, then stick with it, would be irresponsible to tell a guy to stop taking his antidepressants and then have him do it and then get so depressed that he jumps off a cliff. Or does it, eats some mushrooms a few weeks later, and wigs, then gets PTSD as a result, then looks forward to winning a lifetime benzo "award." (dependency punishment) hehe Solomon, you need to fire your fucking peice of shit doctor. A good doc listens to their patients, it's their JOB, we PAY THEM FOR THAT. And a good doc wouldn't say it's perfectly fine to drink more than 2 beverages while on prozac, or another SSRI. edit: yeah 5-6 beers gives me a blackout, and I DON'T take SSRI's. So that's why I stick to 2-3 max, or spread out another one three hours hours later.

[Relaxing]

WARNING; soap box... lots of things could be avoided if the unmentionable was not prohibited... but anyway, Im just on my pissed bandwagon about that lately...

I take Zoloft, not a lot, 50mg to 100mg daily, have been for about 13 years now. At first I did notice it seemed to intensify alcohol, probably still does, I just am used to it. I'm rambling, but I always thought maybe there was some kind of old-style benzo chain in the mix, it seemed that way because you can feel some relaxation not long after taking it initially.

I would like to find something that would help serotonin concentration without pharmaceuticals, as I really dislike those big drug companies, but I have not so far. ALOT of exercise helps but not quite enough, I wish it was that simple. I have been clinically depressed my whole life... Like Ozzy said, "thank God for Prozac" in my case Zoloft. It is a blessing.

Good luck Solomon;
Scott