Medications and Alcohol

[kayla4brains]

Hey Everyone - Not quite sure where to post this one...but since most of my problems are pit problems, it seems to fit OK here.  So I'm not a very big drinker but socially, I'll have a drink a two, and it's been that way for a few years or so.  I've always been  a little bit of a lightweight, I get a buzz pretty easily and I figured it was because I was on a lot of medications but I was always careful.  Up until about a week ago I was on Hydrocortizone, Levoxyl, Humatrope, Enpresse (a Birth Control), and Topamax.  Now last week I saw a new neuro for some seizure medicine complications and he is going to wean me off the Topamax and slowly put me on Lamictal, which I have begun,  I am only on 25mg right now.  Today I had a very small amount of alcohol, a mixed rum beverage, which I mixed myself, and I felt absolutley awful.  My face turned bright red, I felt very flushed, and I felt out of sorts after drinking it. I never got that "joyous" buzz, lol, just skipped right to feeling tired and really irritable, I was very spacey.  I have yet to find any information that Lamictal and alcohol should not be mixed.  I was wondering if anyone had a similar experience or any thoughts.  It seems probable that the fact that I'm on so many medications...I should just stay away from alcohol, but I guess I'm just looking for the answer behind it and why it started this time and not before, or if this occurance was possibly just a fluke.  Thanks for any thoughts!

[kayla4brains]

Thank you! Perhaps it is 17. - an increasing of the side-effects (feeling a little drowsy...) I hardly notice it when not, well, drinking.  Maybe a mix of alcohol effects and medicinal side effects all creating one not-good feeling day.  Well, I think the simple solution is not to drink when you're on 6+ medications!!
Again, thanks for the time and info rumpled.

[rumpled]

I found this: (Lamotrigine is the generic name)

"16. How does lamotrigine interact with prescription and over-the-counter medications?

Only a few interactions between lamotrigine and other drugs have been identified. Lamotrigine increases the plasma level of carbamazepine and its metabolites. Carbamazepine lowers the concentration of lamotrigine in the blood.

Valproate doubles the plasma level of lamotrigine, and the level of valproate is decreased by about 25% in people taking lamotrigine.

Phenobarbital and primidone lower the plasma level of lamotrigine by about 40%.

Oral contraceptives can lower the plasma level of lamotrigine by as much as 50%.

Interactions with other prescription and over-the-counter drugs are not known at this time.

17. Is there an interaction between lamotrigine and alcohol?

Alcohol may increase the severity of the side-effects of lamotrigine. "

( I added the part about the BCP since you may be interested).

If you are already sensitive to alcohol, then adding any, well, just may increase it.