Posted by aaaaalex on July 8, 2008, at 2:08:15
In reply to Alcohol and Anti-depressants., posted by MattSanz on July 5, 2008, at 8:38:41
"I'm currently taking Zoloft and Abilify for my depression and I was wondering, does anyone know what the consequences are of using illegal drugs (cocaine, MDMA, etc.) or alcohol while taking anti-depressants? I was wondering in terms of whether taking illegal drugs or drinking alcohol will have an actual effect on how well the Zoloft will work. Thanks!"
Zoloft slows alcohol metabolism, and not only increases intoxication, it makes you prone to blackouts and can result in the worst hangovers of your life. It's very easy for extreme drunkenness to sneak up on you, because it's not being processed nearly as quickly as it used to be. Keep it minimal; you'll regret binge drinking. I just switch to non-alcoholic beer or something after a few drinks (when I'm being smart).
Now, let me give a caveat, which is that you *really* shouldn't mess with drugs or alcohol while you're adjusting to dosage changes. On two occasions just a couple of drinks have caused a full day of vomiting (starting lexapro), and passing out onto the floor while standing, resulting in some nasty bruises for weeks afterwards (remeron). Those were both 12+ hours after drinking! Please learn from me, both of those incidents could have been far worse.
MDMA - don't even bother, it won't do anything except potentially make you ill. Cocaine will probably do what it normally does, though obviously it is very unwise to do with any regularity.
poster:aaaaalex
thread:838143
URL: http://www.dr-bob.org/babble/20080706/msgs/838780.html