Bupropion + Alcohol = FAST and INTENSIVE Alcoholism

[craving]

Bupropion + Alcohol = FAST and INTENSIVE Alcoholism

oops I just figured that Baclofen also has a Halocarbon.
Not sure what this Halocarbon is up to, I just saw that someone stopped Bupropion because of it. Maybe just some paranoia!

[craving]

Bupropion + Alcohol = FAST and INTENSIVE Alcoholism

anyone else had problems on Bupropion with drinking?

[D dog]

Bupropion + Alcohol = FAST and INTENSIVE Alcoholism

Hi guys...for me, it was mixing alcohol with Effexor. Hoo, baby! What a buzz! That continued for a year (300 mgs.), so now I am tapering off to 150 mgs Effexor and adding in 150 Wellbutrin (I want to stop smoking, too). I had not heard that Wellbutrin could cause increased alcohol cravings _ I KNOW that Effexor does - but, I have been warned that if you drink on Wellbutrin you are putting yourself at a highly increased risk of seizures. I think that's gonna scare me enough to get off the wine. Today will be my first AF day (I have NAL to help - it always works) - 10 days till I start the Wellie, so I wanna be clean.

[D dog]

Bupropion + Alcohol = FAST and INTENSIVE Alcoholism

Besides, I am so "sick and tired of being sick and tired" - I'm 45 now and single (no kids) - I should be having a fun life and not a depressed sucky one!!!

[tiptronic_ct]

Bupropion + Alcohol = FAST and INTENSIVE Alcoholism

I am discontinuing bupropion as of today. A week after going onto Wellbutrin 300XL, my mind when haywire (anxiety, impatience, insomnia etc - almost felt like AL WD). I have been tapering down on 150SR for the past week.

Will be starting Zoloft tomorrow.

[craving]

Bupropion + Alcohol = FAST and INTENSIVE Alcoholism

tiptronic_ct;814412 wrote: I am discontinuing bupropion as of today. A week after going onto Wellbutrin 300XL, my mind when haywire (anxiety, impatience, insomnia etc - almost felt like AL WD). I have been tapering down on 150SR for the past week.

Will be starting Zoloft tomorrow.

damn. I thought Bupropion is doing so well for you?
I had these symptoms on withdrawal from Bupropion :upset:
Thats why I am back to full dose again!

[craving]

Bupropion + Alcohol = FAST and INTENSIVE Alcoholism

Was at the psychiatrist today. I am quitting Bupropion cold turkey now. I was given 2 other AD medication (Venlafaxin, Mianserin) and Dekakine for obsessions - I also saw on the web they refer to bipolar disorder.

Bupropion has put me in a nightmare. After I tried to quite it I first had panic/anxiety attacks - and i never had that. then I upped the dose back, and was able to deal with it, until the aggressions, selfhurting, suicidial thoughts started. My guess is that the withdrawal failed and has put my brain in unbalance. In any way I am happy to be off it. I never want to take Bupropion again!!!

Psychiatrist told me that Bupropion has done a lot of damage to me. And it is true. Panic/Anxiety attacks - bad thoughts - aggression - alcoholism. :upset::upset:

[friendofafriend]

Bupropion + Alcohol = FAST and INTENSIVE Alcoholism

You can add one more to the list. I have seen serious rages from an otherwise docile soul while drunk on Wellbutrin. It's a tricky situation since this person is 6 months into Sinclair and doing well otherwise. I have also seen some VERY ugly effects of quitting WB cold turkey.

[Accountable for Me]

Bupropion + Alcohol = FAST and INTENSIVE Alcoholism

I have been on Wellbutrin XL 300mgs for almost two years. It has been a wonderful, miracle drug for me..... UNTIL I started drinking on it recently.

My tolerance for alcohol has gone way up in a very short period of time. The 'high' with the first few drinks is addictive. A very slippery slope.

However my worse drinking days started when I was on Paxil. I turned into a Vodka junky and that led to 6 years of heavy drinking.

I know for myself I need to get back to the sober life and let the Wellbutrin do what it was intended for. I seriously enjoy my life on it; just need to rid of the alcohol.

[staaaaaahp]

Bupropion + Alcohol = FAST and INTENSIVE Alcoholism

Man that's so weird. I have heard and read a lot of conflicting information about bubpropion and alcohol, I think it varies from person to person, and I am guessing what you are using it for might have an effect. I currently drink while on the medication in social settings, but I have not experienced any euphoric feelings, just the regular drunk. I have been having more fun with my friends when I drink with them, which has increased my desire to go out with them, but I think that is because I have more fun when I am not constantly depressed and anxious. Though I see why some people shouldn't drink on it. A friend of mine is on wellbutrin and he drinks as well and he says he actually has a much easier time controlling his drinking habits now.

[Fred_The_Cat]

Bupropion + Alcohol = FAST and INTENSIVE Alcoholism

Wow- don't know how this got dredged up from the ether but I'm glad I read it.

I was on Wellbutrin for about 8 months after being hospitalized from a nervous breakdown. They started me on wellbutrin because it was relatively fast acting.

Being in a frail state, I knew alcohol would be an all consuming nightmare if I touched it- and I think I managed a week of sobriety. Then I started drinking HARD.

I was also on abilify between then (May 2009) and the beginning of this year. They say not to mix abilify and alcohol, but being that it affects dopamine as well, could it also have accerarative addiction properties?

[spiritwolf333]

Bupropion + Alcohol = FAST and INTENSIVE Alcoholism

Fred_The_Cat;1638243 wrote: Wow- don't know how this got dredged up from the ether but I'm glad I read it.

I was on Wellbutrin for about 8 months after being hospitalized from a nervous breakdown. They started me on wellbutrin because it was relatively fast acting.

Being in a frail state, I knew alcohol would be an all consuming nightmare if I touched it- and I think I managed a week of sobriety. Then I started drinking HARD.

I was also on abilify between then (May 2009) and the beginning of this year. They say not to mix abilify and alcohol, but being that it affects dopamine as well, could it also have accerarative addiction properties?

Fred -Glad you brought attention to this post. I had been taking Effexor for a few weeks and could not help but notice that I was not getting the buzz that I used to get when drinking 3/4 beers. So, I intelligently made the decision to double my intake of alcohol and keeping taking the meds. I believe this had to be the official time that my drinking went from somewhat abusive to full force alcoholism. Not long after that, I stopped taking the Effexor but my drinking continued at the new levels.

I think they may have been serious when they told me not to consume alcohol while taking this medication.

My few experiences with Baclofen and drinking quickly brought memories of the Effexor. Although I was easily able to decide to drink more or less with the baclofen, I was never receiving that same "high" that I did previous to Baclofen. My first thoughts were always to drink more and override the baclofen. Same ole pattern.

My new policy for myself: Don't do meds and drink -Period

[neophyte]

Bupropion + Alcohol = FAST and INTENSIVE Alcoholism

Spirit, when i started baclofen i initially increased my alcohol consumption, it was quite disheartening. reading the prescribing guide, i found out this is actually normal. initially like you say, baclofne users try to push past the baclofen by drinking more.

[skullbabyland]

Bupropion + Alcohol = FAST and INTENSIVE Alcoholism

Wow- my sincere thanks to everyone on this thread, particularly Craving for starting the conversation. My GF has been considering replacing her Lexapro with Wellbutrin due to LP's side effects, but she wants to keep an eye on her drinking so it doens't progress to full blown alcoholism. I've told her about people's concerns here and now she knows to pay special attention to this issue when talking to her doctor about this. She may ask about a different AD because of these issues.

As a side note, Effexor (Venlaxafine) works very well for me- I was a mess before it with anxiety/depression, much of it I'm sure due to drinking alcoholically. My doc put me on Effexor and it helped a lot, though i was already a full blown alcoholic and only recently got a handle on it via bac/AB. But through all that the Effexor has been a help to me.

But it's good to consider all this. I definitely know that different meds affect different people different ways... Thanks all for your posts and good luck.

[Samandkatharine]

Bupropion + Alcohol = FAST and INTENSIVE Alcoholism

Hi Skull,

How are the side effects of Effexor? I'm wondering if the dullness I'm feeling might be a low level depression. I've had it before, but never under baclofen's help. I have tried Prozac and Celexa. Both numbed me, gave me horrible insomnia(which is the last thing I need) ect.

Sam