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Dr. Bob is Robert Hsiung, MD,
bob@dr-bob.orgShown: posts 1 to 12 of 12. This is the beginning of the thread.
Posted by Cait on August 30, 2003, at 9:45:03
I have been taking Lexapro for three months and have to say they are just briliant unlike Seroxat, Cipromil or Lustrall which I have taken in the past I have no side effects at all. I dont have any aniexty or depression and feel really calm and balanced. However I just cannot stop drinking or craving alcahol. I drink about one bottle of wine each evening and find it a reall struggle to say no. The scary thing is since I have started taking Lexapro I don't get hangovers the next morning just a tiredness and a huge appetite due to the alchol consumtion which in turn has led to weight gain. Has anyone else experienced this problem with Lexapro ? I would be really interested from hearing from them.
Posted by Francesco on August 30, 2003, at 10:19:20
In reply to Lexapro and drinking, posted by Cait on August 30, 2003, at 9:45:03
I've experienced craving for alcohol with every AD I took. And this problem really bothers me even now. If you look for "alcohol" and "SSRIs" on Google you will be able to find an article on this issue. Others on this board have reported a similar problem which is mentioned also in the controversial book "Panacea or Pandora". I don't have any suggestion, maybe there is a physiological explaination for it, what I can say is that I took Anafranil (TCA) for years and drank a lot without any particular problem (so far). The main problem is that when I'm not on meds and I drink I get more depressed (and therefore I don't crave for alcohol) while when I'm non meds and I drink I get better (positive reinforce). The quantity I drink when I'm on meds is bigger and I like super-alcoholics more than beer or wine. It's years I say to myself I have to quit but I never managed to do it. I have to stress that when I'm not on meds I drink occasionally but I don't feel the feeling that I HAVE to drink. So, I don't know how this can help you, anyway let me know, because it isn't a very discussed issue ... I tried Celexa (not Lexapro) for a couple of months but had to stop cause it made me very lethargic.
Posted by Cait on August 30, 2003, at 12:40:25
In reply to Re: Lexapro and drinking » Cait, posted by Francesco on August 30, 2003, at 10:19:20
> I've experienced craving for alcohol with every AD I took. And this problem really bothers me even now. If you look for "alcohol" and "SSRIs" on Google you will be able to find an article on this issue. Others on this board have reported a similar problem which is mentioned also in the controversial book "Panacea or Pandora". I don't have any suggestion, maybe there is a physiological explaination for it, what I can say is that I took Anafranil (TCA) for years and drank a lot without any particular problem (so far). The main problem is that when I'm not on meds and I drink I get more depressed (and therefore I don't crave for alcohol) while when I'm non meds and I drink I get better (positive reinforce). The quantity I drink when I'm on meds is bigger and I like super-alcoholics more than beer or wine. It's years I say to myself I have to quit but I never managed to do it. I have to stress that when I'm not on meds I drink occasionally but I don't feel the feeling that I HAVE to drink. So, I don't know how this can help you, anyway let me know, because it isn't a very discussed issue ... I tried Celexa (not Lexapro) for a couple of months but had to stop cause it made me very lethargic.
Francesco
Thank you for your kind and considerate reply. I checked out the book you recommended on the net and it seems really interesting so will get it soon. You say that you were taking Celexa (Cipromil) and it made you very lethargic I had the same problem ,very tired and uninterested and lacking enthusiam on Celexa thats when I changed to Lexapro and what a difference. My doctor said they are made by the same makers as Celexa but with some of the "ingredients" left out. I think it is the "lethargic" ingredients as I find Lexapro wonderfull and don't feel tired or lacking in enthusiam, just the desire to drink whatever the occasion ! I wonder if one feels so laid back on Lexapro that it is in some way associated with the laid back relaxed feeling that alcohol can give which confuses the brain.!
Cait
Posted by Panic_attack on August 30, 2003, at 14:13:34
In reply to Lexapro and drinking, posted by Cait on August 30, 2003, at 9:46:58
Yesssss... I just started taking Lexapro about a month ago and I crave Alcohol everyday or every other day. I read other posts where people say that they crave sugar when taking Lexapro. Since Alcohol turns to sugar afterwards, that may be why we crave the alcohol. I have always been a drinker and I am drinking now more than ever. I dont get hangovers either. When I wake up in the morning, I have severe anxiety!!! And I feel really weird.. like depersonalization. I dont know if you know anything about that but its horrible. Anyways, I might have to change medications if I continue drinking on Lexapro. What good will the Lexapro do us if were drinking on it? Will it still work? I don't know...
Posted by Cait on August 30, 2003, at 14:44:25
In reply to Re: Lexapro and drinking, posted by Panic_attack on August 30, 2003, at 14:13:34
> Yesssss... I just started taking Lexapro about a month ago and I crave Alcohol everyday or every other day. I read other posts where people say that they crave sugar when taking Lexapro. Since Alcohol turns to sugar afterwards, that may be why we crave the alcohol. I have always been a drinker and I am drinking now more than ever. I dont get hangovers either. When I wake up in the morning, I have severe anxiety!!! And I feel really weird.. like depersonalization. I dont know if you know anything about that but its horrible. Anyways, I might have to change medications if I continue drinking on Lexapro. What good will the Lexapro do us if were drinking on it? Will it still work? I don't know...
Me too I get that depersonalization feeling aswell and it is not pleasent its like you are floating around observing yourself but not wanting to intefere. Your comment about the sugar ,I feel is very valid and probably the cause of the need to consume alcohol. I have to say at this point it would not cause me to stop taking Lexapro. To go back to feeling so depressed and anxious is not an option I would consider and I suppose I should try and deal with the alcohol dependecy as a seperate issue, even though I know without lexepro I wouldn't have such a need.
Posted by Francesco on August 30, 2003, at 19:31:33
In reply to Re: Lexapro and drinking, posted by Cait on August 30, 2003, at 14:44:25
Hi Cait. Your post seems reasonable. did you have similar problems with the other SSRIs you tried ? did you drink only socially ?
i don't really know if alcohol can interfere with the antidepressant effect of the med (I guess it can but my pdoc says the main problem is the liver).
anyway, I was really surprised when I discovered that in the "booklet" (i don't know the term) of the generic prozac I'm taking alcohol is not mentioned at all !
Posted by Panic_attack on August 31, 2003, at 13:58:21
In reply to Re: Lexapro and drinking » Cait, posted by Francesco on August 30, 2003, at 19:31:33
I always had the impression that if you are drinking with your medication that it would completely wipe out the positive effects. I hope not. I have taken SSRI's that did not make me want to drink but they made me feel so ill and lifeless. Lexapro is great, doesnt give me any side effects but now I have to worry about my Liver :(
Posted by theo on August 31, 2003, at 16:39:50
In reply to Re: Lexapro and drinking, posted by Panic_attack on August 31, 2003, at 13:58:21
I'm an alcholic and I can definitely say you are spinning your wheels drinking on SSRI's. Alcohol is a depressant and you'll never feel the full benefits drinking with them. I been 100% sober for about 5 months now and started taking 20mg Prozac with 150mg of Wellbutrin SR about one month ago. I tried both of these when I was drinking and whenever I felt anxious, I would blame the antidepressants and drink more!! Now I feel better than ever and no anxiety, which was brought on mainly by the alcohol.
Posted by joebob on September 1, 2003, at 12:40:20
In reply to Re: Lexapro and drinking, posted by theo on August 31, 2003, at 16:39:50
after about a month on lex i find now that my desire to drink is subsiding, but not too long ago i felt like i had to drink to curb the anxiety se
i now use valium for the anxiety but not always
and am using homeopathy and fish oils, along with depakote, and trazadone for sleep
Posted by Cait on September 1, 2003, at 12:56:04
In reply to Re: Lexapro and drinking, posted by theo on August 31, 2003, at 16:39:50
> I'm an alcholic and I can definitely say you are spinning your wheels drinking on SSRI's. Alcohol is a depressant and you'll never feel the full benefits drinking with them. I been 100% sober for about 5 months now and started taking 20mg Prozac with 150mg of Wellbutrin SR about one month ago. I tried both of these when I was drinking and whenever I felt anxious, I would blame the antidepressants and drink more!! Now I feel better than ever and no anxiety, which was brought on mainly by the alcohol.
Theo thanks for reply and I can see what you are saying about blaming the antidepressants for the anxious feeling, but I don't have any aniexty on Lexapro and that is why I can't understand this craving for alcohol. I don't want to drink every evining but I just feel drawn to it. I don't miss work, never get hangovers which I certainly did when I was not taking Lexapro, I just feel tired and hungry the next day as anyone would after a few drinks. Anyway I'll battle on and the best of luck with your sobriety, you sure must be saving a fortune !! because the more I drink the more I smoke what a vicious circle.
Posted by Quixote on September 2, 2003, at 5:34:22
In reply to Re: Lexapro and drinking, posted by Cait on August 30, 2003, at 14:44:25
I found Zoloft leaving me with that antsy-jagged-need-to-calm sort of discomfort that always sent me to have a couple glasses of red wine or heavy microbrew before i felt centered or grounded. Lexapro did the same to me as it did to you, Cait. Since taking Adderall (it totally calms and focuses me) i completely lost any cravings for alcohol, which suprised me- i've been drinking a couple glasses or pints for years and years on a daily basis to get to that relaxed 'comfort zone'. i stopped desiring alcohol altogether & no withdrawals when i tried Wellbutrin once, too.
Yet Zoloft alone, or Lexapro alone, definately left me with that need/crave for alcohol.Is it true that alcohol stimulates seratonin(?) or dopamine(?) or ONE of the things that depressed people lack? i could be totally wrong about what chemically happens, and i'd welcome an explanation...
i look forward to more insight :)
Quixote
Posted by OgO on March 4, 2006, at 14:21:24
In reply to Lexapro and drinking, posted by Cait on August 30, 2003, at 9:45:03
Check out this article about your aformentioned problem. http://www.rense.com/general/pro.htm
This is the end of the thread.
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