Aa
Aa
A
A
A
Close
Avatar universal

Antidepression meds and alcohol

Hello,

I ve been on 20mg fluoxetine since a year now, and a week now my doc increased my meds from 20mg to 40 mg, so basically it's been 5 days Im on 40 mgs fluoxetine. Now the holidays are here and it is a period of drinking, I really dont know what to do because I like to drink when Im out with Friends, so what should I do? I forgot to ask my Doctor and now he is on holiday, I need to know what to do. I used to drink with 20mg fluoxetine without any problems, now I want to know why do they tell us to not drink with antidepression meds is it because we may get ourselves to develop worse mental illnesses and have hallucination? or is it because we may only not be able to focus, to drive etc... Or is it because the med wont function in our system anymore? ANd if I could drink is it ok Im on a new dosage of 20 mg since 5 days?
Thanks for your help very appreciated and Merry Christmas
Best Answer
480448 tn?1426948538
Yes, it's normal to feel a little worse before you feel better after a dosage increase.  You have to give the new dose time, just like you had to give the medication time when you first started it.  

It doesn't take quite as long to notice improvements after an increase as it does after the initial induction of the med, but it still could take a few weeks.  Just try to be patient and give it some time.  If you've seen progress with the Prozac in general, the higher dose will likely help you.  Keep in touch with your doctor along the way.

Hang in there!
4 Responses
Sort by: Helpful Oldest Newest
Avatar universal
My own view is, if moderate drinking doesn't bother you, then fine.  If it does, then don't do it.  When I first started getting panic attacks I had to stop drinking altogether, and I was a very light drinker, because it made me disoriented, which felt like I felt when I was anxious.  But when I was on antidepressants I could have a drink or two again and feel okay as long as I wasn't trying to do anything too difficult. So if I was staying in one place, I could have a drink or two.  If I had to drive or do something difficult, I couldn't.  So I think it depends on the person.  But Nursegirl is right as far as the official line is, which is that alcohol intensifies the medication and causes the same kind of disorientation that anxiety does.  On the other hand, if the medication actually worked as well as pharmaceutical companies claim, then you wouldn't be thinking these anxious thoughts at all and drinking would be no problem, but drugs only mitigate the symptoms of anxiety, they don't get rid of it altogether.  Your concern over this issue, and I've been through this and still go through it, is just a sign that you haven't changed the way you think, which is the cure but very hard to do.
Helpful - 0
Avatar universal
Thank you Nurse girl, I will try my best, I wish you happy holidays and a great year to come... Do you think my fluoxetine will kick in in days and I will be motivated again? And is it normal sometimes to increase the dosage? I feel very bad because of the increase! I accepted 20mg but I feel like 40 is too much :(
Helpful - 0
480448 tn?1426948538
MOST docs will tell you that an OCCASIONAL single drink is okay, but the general consensus is that alcohol should be avoided when on these kinds of medications, for a few reasons.  One, it can decrease the effectiveness of the medication and it can exacerbate any side effects one might experience.  It's just not a good mix.  

Also, alcohol is something that exacerbates anxiety something terrible, especially drinking to the point of intoxication.  It can also cause feelings of depression.  The best thing to do if you want to stay focused on addressing your anxiety is to avoid it (and any other mind altering substances) all together.

Happy holidays!
Helpful - 0
Have an Answer?

You are reading content posted in the Anxiety Community

Top Anxiety Answerers
Avatar universal
Arlington, VA
370181 tn?1595629445
Arlington, WA
Learn About Top Answerers
Didn't find the answer you were looking for?
Ask a question
Popular Resources
Find out what can trigger a panic attack – and what to do if you have one.
A guide to 10 common phobias.
Take control of tension today.
These simple pick-me-ups squash stress.
Don’t let the winter chill send your smile into deep hibernation. Try these 10 mood-boosting tips to get your happy back
Want to wake up rested and refreshed?