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alcohol and Lexapro?

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Anxiety & Panic Disorders
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Posted 11/20/2010 1:12 PM (GMT 0)
Hey everybody,

Tonight is my boyfriend's friend's birthday party and there will obviously be a lot of drinking going on.. I was wondering if drinking while on Lexapro (or any other SSRI) has any serious medical side effects? OBVIOUSLY I know that doctors don't recommend you drink while taking them, but the way I've heard people talk about it it's more of a "you'll feel sicker in the morning, or you'll get loser-drunk and fall on your ass all night" than a "don't do it or you'll die"... I don't plan on getting plastered, but I get so nervous around his friends that I honestly feel like unless I get a couple drinks in me I'll have a darn panic attack! lol

Any thoughts? Horror stories welcome - In fact, if there are any they're what I'd like to hear the most so I don't end up dead! lol
Posted 11/20/2010 2:16 PM (GMT 0)

Here's a link about mixing alcohol with Lexapro.  It seems moderation is the key and not to take them together...or to not take your daily dosage on the day you plan to drink.  Personally, I wouldn't risk it but that's just me.

http://www.ehow.com/about_5157494_side-effects-lexapro-used-alcohol.html

Donna


Posted 11/20/2010 2:38 PM (GMT 0)
Alcohol is a depressant. If you're going to drink while taking SSRIs, you'll be cancelling out some or all of their positive effects. Hence, the warning on the bottle.
Posted 11/20/2010 4:05 PM (GMT 0)
Hi

I have drank a lot of alcohol whilst on lexapro and all the things you said in your post are true. From my experience I would say stay away from alcohol if you can as they don't mix well together and as Kitt mentioned you will be cancelling out some or all of their positive effects. The times were I have drunk alcohol my anxiety and depression have been really bad the next few days sometimes weeks. I know how you feel as I used to drink to deal with social situations as I found that alcohol reduced my anxiety but this lead to a dependence on alcohol which was very hard to quit. I do very occasionally have a drink but it is only ever one or two max.

Ben
Posted 11/20/2010 7:04 PM (GMT 0)
In the past when I have mixed I ended up paying for it for days. Alcohol works against my drugs and abstaining is not a problem for me. If asked I just state the "I donm't drink".
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