Anti-depressant Meds. and Diet Cola

[flycastingnut]

This seemed a little bizarre when I heard it and I thought id see what some others think. Okay I have had Bad Depression and a Severe Anxiety disorder since I was 14, but I wasnt Diagnosed or Treated until I was 25!! I have been on nearly every medication out there for 11+ years (im 36 now) For the past 2 years I have been on Cymbalta-60Mg a day, Lexapro-40Mg. a day, and Diazepam (Valium)-10Mg.X 4 times a day. This "cocktail" has helped me more than anything else has, but I am still having Depression symptoms, and Anxiety so bad that I won't/CAN'T even leave the house for days on end sometimes!! I also have type 2 Diabetes, and High Blood Pressure that I am being treated for.
    Okay now to the point, I have an Uncle on my Mothers side who has Paranoid Schizophrenia, he has been in and out of the "State Mental Hospital" his entire life, and is in there now going on 3 years. His brother, my other uncle who has no "pscych". issues goes to see him every week and goes to "classes/workshops" with him in the hope that he can get out someday. There was a discussion in one of these classes concerning Soda Pop/Diet Cola. They where told that Drinking excessive amounts of Diet Coke or any Soft Drink had negative effects on Pscychotropic medication, apperantley the Carbonation (according to them) "washes" the medication out of youre body and doesnt allow it to work fully!?!?!! Well because my medications give me really bad "cotton" mouth I do drink a LOT of Diet Pepsi everyday. I have a 52oz. "refill mug", the kind you can fill at a conveniance store. And in a typical day I will drink 4 or more of these mugs!!
     Have any of you heard anything about this Diet Cola/Soda Pop theory?? I know it is hard on my kidneys and not really very healthy to drink as much Diet Pepsi as I do, but I drink the Caffiene free version because the Caffiene makes my Anxiety worse. And for some reason Water just doesnt help my cotton mouth!!
     Anyway I will quit rambling, I would just like to know if anyone else who is on Antidepressants has heard of this "Theory"??? Or has quit drinking Soft Drinks because of this "Theory"?? It sounds a little far fetched to me!! But maybe some of you have heard of there "theory"? If so I'd REALLY like to hear about it!!!! My Pschiatrist that I see Monthly knows I drink a LOT of Diet Pepsi, and he has never said anything about it being "negative" on my Meds! Have any of you??? Thanks ALL!!!  

[umya]

when i was on zoloft i was drinking a ton of diet coke and it still worked like a charm.  but who knows?  perhaps it would have worked even better.  ive never heard of this theory but i guess anything is possible.

[flycastingnut]

Thanks for the post "umya"!!  I used to drink regular diet pepsi, but I switched over to the caffiene Free several months ago and that did help with my Anxiety, if i drink ANY caffiene now I can feel my anxiety getting worse! But I am just having a hard time believing Soda Pop affects youre meds!!! Maybe they where talking about the medication my uncle with Paranoid Shizophrenia has?? I'll have to talk to my Dr. next time I see him I guess. I just wanted some input from you guys!! Thanks!!!