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Dr. Bob is Robert Hsiung, MD,
bob@dr-bob.orgShown: posts 1 to 11 of 11. This is the beginning of the thread.
Posted by AMD on December 19, 2004, at 22:03:07
For months I have been doing well on my cocktail of Celexa and Lamictal in dealing with BPII and OCD. Last week I decided to go out and have a few drinks, and in doing so got a little bit more tipsy than I had originally planned. OK... I was drunk. The next night I went out and had a single drink. I smoked both nights as well.
A few days later I fell into a deep depression.
Now I sit here in bed, in a room illuminated only by the glow of my laptop's screen. I've slept a good part of the last week.
How is it possible a night or two of drinking can send one back into this type of state? I don't get it. I would expect perhaps to be a bit down the next day, but this prolonged misery is troublesome.
To top it off, I'm concerned too that I may have done some damage to my cognitive functioning by mixing my antidepressants with some hard shots of vodka. Is there any chance I did so? I read these articles online about damage to executive functioning and memory, and I sit here second guessing every thought, wondering if I have just taken away my mental abilities by drinking, or by mixing my antidepressants and alcohol. Will I recover?
Another thing I'd like clarification on. For about a year I've been forgoing alcohol. I have felt a definite improvement in mental clarity, memory, and concentration over those days.
By drinking, did I simply reverse all of that progress? Does one or two nights drinking set you back to square one in that regard? Or worse? I would really like some insight on this.
Thank you,
amd
Posted by AMD on December 20, 2004, at 22:49:00
In reply to Alcohol and antidepressants, posted by AMD on December 19, 2004, at 22:03:07
Anyone?
Posted by Larry Hoover on December 20, 2004, at 23:01:28
In reply to Re: Alcohol and antidepressants ANYONE??, posted by AMD on December 20, 2004, at 22:49:00
> Anyone?
I really don't think you have done any damage. More like added an acute stressor. It's a little recognized fact that antidepressants also depend on adequate nutrition to work. They increase nutrient stress. Detoxifying a body full of ethanol produces acute nutrient stress. You might just have depleted some of your most important nutrients.
The water soluble vitamins, all the B's and C, are probably what's depleted, if my idea has any merit. If you're got a multi around, take three times the normal daily dose for three days (spread out over the day). Get lots of water, and take vitamin C. Carrot juice can also do wonders, but not many people juice their own veggies.
Lar
Posted by AMD on December 20, 2004, at 23:19:43
In reply to Re: Alcohol and antidepressants ANYONE?? » AMD, posted by Larry Hoover on December 20, 2004, at 23:01:28
It's been a week, and I still find myself thinking "Am I concentrating OK?," "Is my memory working?," etc. Of course now I'm printing out research articles on cognitive dysfunction among alcoholics and heavy social drinkers. Would these apply to me after potentially one night at a high BAL (~1.5 or more I would suspect, depending on whether my alcohol content continued to go up after I went to bed ~15 minutes after my last drink). Or is any cognitive decline a result of being depressed currently, and recoverable over time?
Ugh! Obsession!
amd
Posted by King Vultan on December 20, 2004, at 23:53:08
In reply to Re: Alcohol and antidepressants ANYONE??, posted by AMD on December 20, 2004, at 23:19:43
> It's been a week, and I still find myself thinking "Am I concentrating OK?," "Is my memory working?," etc. Of course now I'm printing out research articles on cognitive dysfunction among alcoholics and heavy social drinkers. Would these apply to me after potentially one night at a high BAL (~1.5 or more I would suspect, depending on whether my alcohol content continued to go up after I went to bed ~15 minutes after my last drink). Or is any cognitive decline a result of being depressed currently, and recoverable over time?
>
> Ugh! Obsession!
>
> amd
I think you've got it right--you are probably more obsessed/anxious over this issue than anything. I've drank alchohol on most of the antidepressants I've been on and have not observed any long term negative effects, and this includes being frequently hammered and crossing over the line into actual alcoholism while on Prozac ten years ago. Many people drink alcohol while on antidepressants and don't really experience much of a problem, but for those who do, of course, it makes sense to avoid the use of alcohol.Todd
Posted by AMD on December 21, 2004, at 0:30:22
In reply to Re: Alcohol and antidepressants ANYONE?? » AMD, posted by King Vultan on December 20, 2004, at 23:53:08
What I find interesting are the studies that show little or no cognitive impairment in verbal or linguistic functioning in heavy alcohol abusers, but definite executive functioning and memory impairment from long-term alcohol abuse. Whether these effects are reversible is unclear, but there are measurable deficits. Thus, often, one may seem as intelligent as ever in conversation and/or writing, but may actually be suffering in areas requiring executive function, such as planning and execution of tasks. (Though in writing this, I'm starting to question the validity of these statements! Jibba jabba!)
I guess my primary question is whether such deficits can be seen after short-term alcohol consumption, particular binge drinking episodes, and whether these are also long-term and, if present, reversible.
I notice many studies define 'binge drinking' based on the number of consecutive drinks, with little regard to the time between drinks or number of hours spent drinking. I would think five shots over three-four hours is not bingeing (although "five or more drinks" is frequently included in the definition in the literature), whereas five or more drinks in, say, an hour or less would be considered so. (It might be more accurate, in fact, to measure BAL average over a time-period, rate of increase/decrease, and other BAL-related factors rather than simply the number of drinks. But, I have not seen a definition using such in the studies I've reviewed.)
amd
Posted by mattsit on December 21, 2004, at 7:41:34
In reply to Alcohol and antidepressants, posted by AMD on December 19, 2004, at 22:03:07
Hey buddy,
I am on Lexapro and I drank just about every weekend for a long time...before I was on medicine I might have drank every night of the week...that was the culture at my job, I know it isnt a good thing, but it is what it is.
Anyway, I definitely feel that drinking, even a day or two heavily will result in an increased depression/anxiety for a day, two or even three.
I've often times felt that I've permanantely damaged my brain, and I've obsessed over it during these three day depressive periods....Only to realize I was fine, and it was again, all in my head by day 4. If I've learned anything, it kind of goes along with what you're saying....drinking alcohol isnt really worth it for me.That's my expierence anyway.
Posted by Joslynn on December 21, 2004, at 10:47:27
In reply to Re: Alcohol and antidepressants, posted by mattsit on December 21, 2004, at 7:41:34
I am on Lexapro. I usually stay away from alcohol because alcoholism runs on my father's side of the family in a big way. The few times I have had a drink or two of wine or beer on Lexapro, I notice I feel almost drunk after just one or two drinks. I was always a lightweight, but not like that.
Alcohol is a depressant so I stay away from it. My pdoc said it won't kill me to have a drink at a wedding or whatever occasionally but I should stay away from it in general because it will defeat the purpose of the antideps.
I do know that if someone is an actual alcoholic, just having that one drink, after years of sobriety, sends them back to square one with the addiction. That is what the AA people say anyway and they would know.
One thing to ask yourself: Are you just worried about drinking while on meds or is part of you also worried about your drinking with or without the meds? That is just something to ask yourself.
Posted by Joslynn on December 21, 2004, at 10:50:46
In reply to Re: Alcohol and antidepressants, posted by Joslynn on December 21, 2004, at 10:47:27
oh...I just read your post a second time and you said you didn't drink for a year. If you did that easily and didn't have any withdrawal or anything then you probably don't have any overall drinking problem.
Sorry to overreact, I am an adult child of an alcoholic and I saw years and years of denial growing up so now I tend to skew the other way and act a bit like a prohibitionist at times, sorry.
Posted by mattsit on December 22, 2004, at 7:35:35
In reply to P.S., posted by Joslynn on December 21, 2004, at 10:50:46
No problem! You're just looking out for others...thats a good thing.
Posted by theo on December 22, 2004, at 10:30:25
In reply to Alcohol and antidepressants, posted by AMD on December 19, 2004, at 22:03:07
Alcohol is a depressant and can throw you into a tailspin, especially when you are taking meds and the neurotransmitters are calibrated in your brain. I know it's easier said than done, but to benefit from your meds, you shouldn't drink at all.
I'm a 40 year old single male and I used to drink socially and take meds for years, which was a waste of time and extremely hard on my liver which is something else to be thinking about when taking meds with alcohol.
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