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Dr. Bob is Robert Hsiung, MD,
bob@dr-bob.orgShown: posts 1 to 5 of 5. This is the beginning of the thread.
Posted by Mr. B on February 24, 2004, at 20:04:15
Anyone notice while taking effexor a desire to drink. My father has been on effexor (300 mgs)for over 5 years and has become a serious alcoholic. It is weird the doctors kept telling the family it is not any of the medications that are causing him to love vodka!! After about 3 years of AA, rehabs, etc etc. We have decided to take him off Effexor. Ofcourse we are doing this slowly. Yes he is still sneaking his vodka but now only once in the last week?? His actions are also much better. He is tired but that is OK we rather him on the couch then bouncing off the walls. I found this article and gave it to the 5 doctors we as a family have been going to. They ofcourse were speechless.
Let me know what you think? My father seems helpless and addicted to vodka. Not beer, wine, etc etc. He wants it straight from the little bottle. Also read this article..
http://www.drugawareness.org/Archives/Miscellaneous/MRalcohol.html
Posted by anxiety66me on February 27, 2004, at 16:03:33
In reply to Effexor and Alcohol, posted by Mr. B on February 24, 2004, at 20:04:15
I made a post about this a few weeks ago. I am tapering off b/c I went from not drinking much to every day. Also, I went from smoking 5 cigarettes a day to over 10.
Do a search (at the bottom of this page) for "Effexor Alcohol" and you will find many other posts. It is very interesting.
My doc told me he had never heard of this side effect. I actually told him yesterday. It is probably underreported. I sent him some info I got on here and the email I got back from the National Institutes of Mental Health.
NIMH's response to my email to them:
Thank you for your e-mail to the National Institute of Mental Health (NIMH), part of the National Institutes of Health (NIH). The NIMH conducts and supports research and distributes information on mental health and mental disorders.
Information on medications can be found in our Medications booklet at: http://www.nimh.nih.gov/publicat/medmenu.cfm. Included are descriptions of mental illnesses and the medications prescribed for them.
For information on your specific topic of antidepressant and increased craving of nicotine or alcohol, you may wish to try contacting the National Institute on Drug Abuse (NIDA), a part of the NIH at:
National Institute on Drug Abuse
National Institutes of Health
6001 Executive Boulevard, Room 5213
Bethesda, MD 20892-9561
Phone: (301)-443-1124
Email: Information@lists.nida.nih.gov
Website:http://www.drugabuse.gov/NIDAHome.htmlWe also suggest you search on MedLine Plus and PubMed, services of the National Library of Medicine. MedLine Plus provides information on numerous health topics. You may access MedLine Plus at: http://medlineplus.gov. PubMed is a searchable database of over 11 million scientific research abstracts and citations. You may access PubMed online at: http://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pubmed.
We hope this information is helpful to you.
Information Center
National Institute of Mental Health
E-mail: nimhinfo@nih.gov
Web site: http://www.nimh.nih.gov
______________________________________________________________
Additional Sources of Information from the National Library of Medicine (NLM):
· MedLine Plus http://medlineplus.gov
Provides information on consumer health topics, dictionaries, directories, organizations, and drugs
· PUBMed http://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pubmed
A free searchable database of scientific research citations and abstracts
· Clinical Trials Information http://clinicaltrials.gov
Provides information on federally funded and other clinical trials
Department of Health and Human Services National Institutes of Health
Posted by sjb on February 28, 2004, at 7:40:41
In reply to Re: Effexor and Alcohol, posted by anxiety66me on February 27, 2004, at 16:03:33
I commend you for your proactive approach on this problem. I can attest it is VERY real. As I posted previously, I started drinking heavily on Effexor/Topomax combo. I told my PDoc my booze intake was increasing, but he didn't offer any connection between the two.
We're the guinea pigs here and, heck, the mental health community may as well benefit from our experiences that have not readily ackowledged. Maybe we can help prevent potential problems for others. For instance, a patient coming in with a history of a drinking problem and/or just helping a patient not to feel so all alone, weak, and/or beating themselves up because they start craving alcohol while on Effexor.
Posted by Mr. B on March 1, 2004, at 10:01:11
In reply to Re: Effexor and Alcohol, posted by sjb on February 28, 2004, at 7:40:41
SJB, Several years ago I did some research online and gave it to the doctors. I was told to stop looking for excuses and that there is no link. I agree my father is Irish and likes to drink and then again so do I and the rest of the family. It is hard since everything is revolved around drinking with any European family. My family has suffered the last ten years and I can honestly say it is our fault for putting our faith in with all these doctors. My father is a great person and we have made it ten times harder for him to stop the craving. In the past he needed Effexor to get out of bed and work (construction). Now that he is semi retired we do not care if he stays in bed 15 hours a day as long as he is not bombed on vodka. After sending him away for 3 weeks and still seeing him sneak vodka my mother and I decided to cut his effexor in 1/2. The doctors did not agree. Well so far so good.
Yes he still is sneaking his drink but he is 100 times better since we have cut his Effexor to 150mgs. His legs are tired and he is a little grouchy but that is the father we know and love. Now if we can keep him away from the Steak and Potatoes he may live to be 100. I blame effexor for his eating habits as well. Never has enough.
We plan to cut it to 75 mgs in a few weeks. My goal is to get him off all mediacation except his heart medicine. Then I would like to call all his doctors and ask for a 100% refund!! AA, Inpatient, outpatient, etc etc.. He has done it all and really tries but basically I feel it was and still is the effexor that has ruined my father and family's life. No more!!
Thanks, Mr. B
Posted by sjb on March 1, 2004, at 13:45:03
In reply to Re: Effexor and Alcohol, posted by Mr. B on March 1, 2004, at 10:01:11
Mr. B,
First of all, I think your father is very fortunate to have you for a son. Your care and concern come through and you should be very proud of this, although you may want to take care that this care does not tip the scales to co-dependency. I do not know your situation, your fathers age, etc. and am in no position to judge, but in the final analysis, he is responsible for himself, just as we are for ourselves. You may not be able to take care of him if he is not ready to care for himself.
I am sorry to hear about the troubles with Effexor and the role that alcohol has played in your family. I'm not a huge fan of Charlie Sheen, but I believe he was correct when he called booze the "devil's urine." I, too, am from Irish decent and accept that there maybe some ethnic predisposition to alcohol abuse.
I do not know if your father is under any official medical care at this point, but urge you not to throw out the baby with the bath water, so to speak. I know it is frustrating. I know there are so many, so called "experts" who just don't have a clue. But keep trying. Regardless of what path is chosen, meds, no meds, AA, whatever, I do think professional help is still in order.
I don't think we'll know about Effexor, and other ADs for that matter, until more time passes and more stories come out. I would like to know why Effexor has more horrible side effects when tapering off of it than other meds. What is it doing to us when we are on it? The half life, yes, but I think there is more to it.
Best wishes to you, your father and your family. May you find peace and health.
This is the end of the thread.
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