Antidepressants

[GratefulEm]

I was just reading an article about people having overwhleming urges to drink after being on antidepressants. Something about the increase in serotonin seems to cause this. It said these meds won't cause you to become an alcoholic, but for those prone to drink, it has effected people very negatively causing loss of sobriety in numerous cases. Recently, I'd begun to wonder about this because I never had this awful compulsion to drink before, even when I was really depressed in my 30's. I've been on effexor for 6 years and I started wondering if there was a connection, then I saw this article. Anyone else ever hear of such a thing? Em

[Breez]

Antidepressants

Never heard of the connection.
I was actually put on anti-depressants when I was first diagnosed with a drinking problem & was on Zoloft for about a year & was taken off of it b/c my depression seemed to have gone away. At the time I was also taking Campral. He said my depression was due to drinking(drinking makes you depressed) & since my drinking subsided the depression did too.

[lushy]

Antidepressants

HI em, good to see you again.

There has been much discussion around here on this subject so I do not know if perhaps you could do a search and find those threads, but yes most people on antidepressants find the urge to drink become even greater. I, for one, watched my drinking go out of control when I was on Paxil. I hope you can find the threads to which I am referring on here, but I believe the majority of people had the same reaction.

[Tahlula]

Antidepressants

It's made me wonder too... I have been on lexapro for 18 months & I do believe there is a link!

[SKendall]

Antidepressants

I can't say that has been the case with me, but I am s l o w l y coming off mine. Warning withdrawl from anti-depressant absolutely mimics symptoms of depression, and that's why so many people go back. I am withdrawing at the rate of 10% per month, and plan to do it over six months.

[julie001]

Antidepressants

Hi,

I've been on wellbutrin and that didn't seem to impact my drinking more or less. Now I am on Lexapro, and I've actually been drinking less. Most noticable is not having the desire to drink at all on some nights. I atttibute that to the anti-anxiety component of the med. Of course, I have been logging on here just about daily, and that could very well be the best medicine ever to teach me how to either moderate or eventually abstain.

Julie

[Bella]

Antidepressants

i'm on a v high dose of citalopram, my depression is alcohol related. Now i'm not drinking the depression has sub-sided so i should cut down i suppose, bit scared though! I don't know whether the two are related but it sounds like they might be. i started drinking heavily a while back when i came off the ADs,so then had to start taking them again. that is a very interesting point you have made GrateEm and needs some thought. Thanks. B

[betty boop]

Antidepressants

Interesting! Bella i'm on citalopram too, what do you call a very high dose? I've been on them for 3 years, and am really wary about coming off them , my doctor just keeps giving me new prescriptions without talking about it.

[Bella]

Antidepressants

Hi Betty, I'm on 40mg a day. Too high I think and doc now thinks im ready to go down to 30 but as i said i'm a bit too chicken-shit!!

[weemelonhead]

Antidepressants

Me too Bella...this is the first anti depressant I have tried though that HASN'T made me feel worse in a lot of other ways...It really seems to click with my body.
I spoke to my doc about it all when I went to him initially, and he is just the most understanding GP I have ever seen regarding depression...he even gave me a book to read calles Black dog, which describes the symptoms in a sort of cartoony form, but really hits home...
I agree with you Em that some A.Ds have caused my drinking to spiral...it was just a case though of finding the one (eventually) that works the best with my body...I've never felt so normal...wotever that is.... And LOVELY to see you too my little 3 scoop....do you know, it's so weird that you're here...I was just thinking about you and your family this morning when I woke up....visions of your dear boy with the candy in his pocket...that picture has stayed with me since your post......Much love to you and yours dear xxxxx

[Bella]

Antidepressants

My doc told me that citalopram is the newest AD on the market, so its side-affects are minimal. One thing i did read though was that pro-longed use of it interferes with chemical process of B2 absorption as well as with the absorption of the minerals zinc and magnesium, so loads of foods containing these is a good idea. B

[GratefulEm]

Antidepressants

Wow, thanks Weemelonhead! That's so nice of you to think of him. He is a sweet boy and is holding himself together well. I felt so bad for him a couple weeks ago though. He had to go out on missions blowing up dead dogs. The insurgents stuffed them full of IEDs. He loves animals and wants his own English Bulldog one day. When his army division was in New Orleans after the hurricane he just wanted to rescue every dog. But, on to other things.....
I asked my psychiatrist to put me on a low does of Paxil along with the effexor. Paxil seems to touch my anxiety like none of the others do. (tried Prozac and Celexa too). I'll see how that goes. Effexor is effective for lots of people, but my craving to drink was really mystifying me. It's funny how different ADs work differently for people. One is a dream for one person and a nightmare for another. I just want to get myself together and reduce this damn fascination with wine. It's certainly to be enjoyed but not guzzled on a nightly basis.
I think my brain went on depressive mode very early on in life - but the anxiety was the worst because of my mother's illness. I got wired poorly. I walked on eggshells from the age of 4 to 5 on. This may sound like it's just placebo effect but I already feel better just after two days of adding Paxil. Sooo.....antidepressants are another factor in our journey.
And WOW - hasn't HBO been doing an awesome job with their series on addiction.
Em - I LOVE icecream

[southernbelle47]

Antidepressants

I've taken Paxil and Zoloft over the past 10-12 years. I had a real hard time coming off both. If I had known then what I know now, I wouldn't have ever started taking them.
I think some of the older or newer drugs may be a better answer.
The SSRI'S seem to be the problem.
I like many people are very sensitive to them. The Paxil "helped" me very quickly. That means to me now that I am very sensitive to it...
Please be very careful...


:h Nancy
The site below will be MORE than enough information for you.
The Aftermath Of Prozac, Zoloft, Luvox, Fen-Phen, And Many Other Serotonergic Drugs

[goingsobermum]

Antidepressants

Hi Em,
It seems that you are not alone, here is a link to another forum
MyTherapy Discussion Forums - anti-depressants causing alcohol cravings?

[Guest]

Antidepressants

I take Lexapro....never heard of the connection...kinda scarey!