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Dr. Bob is Robert Hsiung, MD,
bob@dr-bob.orgShown: posts 1 to 10 of 10. This is the beginning of the thread.
Posted by sfred44 on May 7, 2006, at 20:44:29
I am 19 years old and in college. I have been on Effexor for almost 2 years and it has mostly been successful for me. It definetly took away some of the most severe part of my depression and anxiety. The withdrawl, even just missing a dose, has been tough, but after searching through loads of message boards such as this, I have found that that is a common problem.
The problem I am having trouble finding information about is Effexor and alcohol. Most websites just say to avoid alcohol while taking Effexor, but they do not state WHY or what may happen if you DON'T avoid it. As I stated before, I am in college. College is notorious for being party central for young adults- and I have fallen into that lifestyle. However, I am regarded by many as being the strangest drunk they have ever encountered. When I drink too much (which isn't all that much! I'm 5'0 and 120 pounds...), I frequently black out. While in these "black outs", I have almost psychotic episodes. I've been known to scream and yell at people at the top of my lungs, hit, kick, and threaten people. I also go what some refer to as "bipolar", which isn't the correct term to use, but it sort of explains it. One moment I will be drunk and happy and laughing and the sort, and the next I will be biting your head off and/or crying. I have been known to be incredibly emotional as well as irritable, moody, and UNCONTROLLABLE.
I understand that drinking in general is something that makes people go crazy, but no one I know can safely say that they've seen someone have the reactions to alcohol that I do. I realize that my best bet is to AVOID ALCOHOL or use in MODERATION, so advice isn't really what I'm looking for. I really just want to know if anyone has had a similar reaction to alcohol and effexor or just alcohol and antidepressants in general. I want to know if this is a personality issue, or if the medication is really effecting my mood this severely while under the influence.
Thanks.
Posted by lynn971 on May 7, 2006, at 21:18:59
In reply to Effexor with alcohol, posted by sfred44 on May 7, 2006, at 20:44:29
Hello,
I am also on effexor. I do not know the effects of alcohol and drinking either. I do know that when I have drank alcohol in the past, I had anxiety for up to a week. I also get too carried away if I have been drinking. That could be my personality though. I know that I have decided that drinking was not for me.
I hope it helps,
Lynn
Posted by Phillipa on May 7, 2006, at 23:13:52
In reply to Re: Effexor with alcohol, posted by lynn971 on May 7, 2006, at 21:18:59
Has it only since you started on effexor that you have reacted to alchohol that way? I would definitely tell your doc as it almost sounds like bipolar to me. But an AD can cause a new subtype bipolar. Call your doc. Love Phillipa
Posted by Phillipa on May 7, 2006, at 23:14:55
In reply to Re: Effexor with alcohol, posted by lynn971 on May 7, 2006, at 21:18:59
A little bird told me you had a grand time a couple of weeks ago!!!!!!Love Phillipa
Posted by crystee on May 8, 2006, at 1:33:13
In reply to Effexor with alcohol, posted by sfred44 on May 7, 2006, at 20:44:29
I had the same experience when drinking with effexor...I was 22 at the time and still partying a lot back then. But yeah I'd black out and if I didn't black out I just HATED people and wanted to choke everyone around me! Liquor made it worse than beer did I noticed.
Posted by honeybee on May 10, 2006, at 12:49:38
In reply to Re: Effexor with alcohol, posted by crystee on May 8, 2006, at 1:33:13
I would say hold off on the alcohol. Effexor is a pretty powerful drug, metabolized by the liver the same way that alcohol is. Drinking in addition to taking Effexor creates a logjam, there, and your system can't clear the "toxins" out of your system quickly enough.
I myself drank pretty strenuously the entire time I was on Effexor. It was a bad idea. Though I don't know of (knock wood) any liver damage that I might have done, it probably did. I wouldn't want you to do the same to yourself.
Posted by Dunder on May 12, 2006, at 9:37:11
In reply to Effexor with alcohol, posted by sfred44 on May 7, 2006, at 20:44:29
Hi,
I am in the process of coming off effexor after having taken it for about 6 years. For that time I have been a student and now work in a university in London. The drinking culture here is pretty intense so I have found avoiding alcohol an impossibility. When I drink on effexor, I find I get quite hyper and over excited. I experience non of the sedation effects you usually get after consuming many drinks. I just get more and more energised. When I was on 75mg this was manageable but on 150 mg I found that I felt very anxious and irritable and thus I had to avoid drinking very much. Also I found that the next day after a big night out I felt pretty good. But by the following evening and the day after I felt anxious, irritable and very depressed. Another thing I noticed is that if I drink within only a few hours of an effexor dose then the anxiety/irritability from alcohol was much worse. I hope this is of some help to you
Posted by ambermarie on May 17, 2006, at 18:20:25
In reply to Re: Effexor with alcohol, posted by Dunder on May 12, 2006, at 9:37:11
Hi friends,
I too have done very strange and stupid things that I am embarassed of the next day and was so bothered I started researching. Read the first few paragraphs of this article and you will understand. I get it now and it makes sense to me!
http://www.drunkdrivingdefense.com/publications-articles/alcohol-and-other-prescribed-drugs.htm
Posted by sfred44 on May 17, 2006, at 23:37:36
In reply to Re: Effexor with alcohol, posted by ambermarie on May 17, 2006, at 18:20:25
Oh GOSH that explains so much...
> Hi friends,
> I too have done very strange and stupid things that I am embarassed of the next day and was so bothered I started researching. Read the first few paragraphs of this article and you will understand. I get it now and it makes sense to me!
> http://www.drunkdrivingdefense.com/publications-articles/alcohol-and-other-prescribed-drugs.htm
Posted by BrianBoru on May 22, 2006, at 17:21:11
In reply to Re: Effexor with alcohol, posted by sfred44 on May 17, 2006, at 23:37:36
I have suffered major blackouts (I mean DAYS at a time) when combining alcohol with Paxil or Prozac. Three hospitalizations because of it.
This is the end of the thread.
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