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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 AMD on March 4, 2005, at 13:27:53
Folks,
I had some alcohol last night and, now that I'm back in the city, I suspect my social life will bring me into drinking situations more often.
I take Lamictal and a high dose of Celexa. I've combined alcohol and Celexa for years -- and I'm aware that probably wasn't a great idea.
But what about that, and particularly, Lamictal? Are there are negative interactions between Lamictal and alcohol that I should be cautious for? Does combining them damage more brain cells that taking alcohol alone might? Memory loss, etc.?
I'm 28 -- I don't want to wake up in a few years completely unable to function.
Insights appreciated.
amd
Posted by qbsbrown on March 4, 2005, at 15:49:12
In reply to Lamictal and alcohol, posted by AMD on March 4, 2005, at 13:27:53
for me, alcohol and lamictal was a terrible idea. I started passing out. I was able to do it on SSRI's (not a good idea), but not on this, i wouldn't recommend it.
Posted by bipo on October 26, 2007, at 15:15:20
In reply to Lamictal and alcohol, posted by AMD on March 4, 2005, at 13:27:53
I am in a fraternity and I used to go to UNLV. I am Bipolar and I was taking 100mg of Lamictal on Cinco De Mayo. But before I was taking 25 and then later 50 mg then the night before Cinco De Mayo. I was bumped up to 100mg. But I HIGHLY ADVISE not to drink with Lamictal especially when your taking high doses. That night I blacked out and nearly died I had no control of my body whatsoever. The next day everybody told me what had happened that night which remembered none of it. I had and appointment with psychologist and she told me how stupid I was for drinking with my meds. Turnss out drinking alcohol with Lamictal can make you mentally retarded, and slower in the brain. Just don't drink and take your meds its not worth it. If you feel that you are going to drink then just keep all meds out of your system for 24 hours. That way you won't risk making a grave mistake.
Posted by Bonnie_CA on October 27, 2007, at 14:31:20
In reply to Re: Lamictal and alcohol, posted by qbsbrown on March 4, 2005, at 15:49:12
I didn't drink to get drunk on Lamictal... just a glass of wine with dinner, and it made my body ache all over. My pdoc says that it's alright to have a drink or two, but I physically can't take it.
-Bonnie
Posted by Astounder on October 31, 2007, at 6:22:32
In reply to Re: Lamictal and alcohol, posted by bipo on October 26, 2007, at 15:15:20
> I am in a fraternity and I used to go to UNLV. I am Bipolar and I was taking 100mg of Lamictal on Cinco De Mayo. But before I was taking 25 and then later 50 mg then the night before Cinco De Mayo. I was bumped up to 100mg. But I HIGHLY ADVISE not to drink with Lamictal especially when your taking high doses. That night I blacked out and nearly died I had no control of my body whatsoever. The next day everybody told me what had happened that night which remembered none of it. I had and appointment with psychologist and she told me how stupid I was for drinking with my meds. Turnss out drinking alcohol with Lamictal can make you mentally retarded, and slower in the brain. Just don't drink and take your meds its not worth it. If you feel that you are going to drink then just keep all meds out of your system for 24 hours. That way you won't risk making a grave mistake.
I've been taking Lamictal 100 mg/d for about three weeks, with Namenda 10 mg/d for a few months. Not bipolar, but as neuroprotection and as adjunctive antidepressants. I noticed that my tolerance for alcohol dropped profoundly, with a single rum & coke making me almost fall asleep during a political banquet the other night.
One of the proposed actions of Lamictal is that it inhibits the release of the excitatory neurotransmitter glutamate. One of alcohol's effects is binding to allosteric site on the NMDA receptor, which glutamate activates. Alcohol inhibits this receptor, and that is responsible for its dissociative, anesthetic, and partially its amnestic effects (same mechanism as PCP, DXM, or Ketamine). I figure that the combination of too little glutamate & simultaneously blockade of NMDA receptors is what f*ck*d you up. The Namenda I take is also an NMDA antagonist, which would probably compound this effect.
On the bright side, you'll probably develop tolerance to it if you take it more slowly. You're a fratboy during Cinco De Mayo, so you were likely binge drinking. Just try one drink a day, and go from there.
This is the end of the thread.
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