alcohol and fluoxetine

[Habeebi]

Hi guys just wondering if anyone has any negative effects or no effects for that matter or combining alcohol and fluoxetine. I'm not a big drinker but just wondered if it would be safe just to have a couple of drinks with these meds. I've just taken my first tablet today and the pharmacist did say best not to drink but guessing they have to say that will all meds if you ask to cover themselves

thanks
Jo

[Princess2206]

Hi Jo,
I do have a wine time to time. Once I drank whole bottle of champagne and I felt really bad. Like a hangover on steroids! But after couple glasses I feel perfectly fine next day.
I think the best is just keep alcohol to minimum but time to time it shouldn't do much harm :) but it is just my opinion and my experience. Everyone are different.
Big Hugs xxx

[Habeebi]

Cheers - I know everyone is different and I probably should give it a few weeks before I have a drink to let it settle into my system....but I'm lonely being in the house (just split from long-term partner a few weeks ago) and need to get out and be around people and that basically involves going to the pub! My sis invited me out tonight, the bars we'd be going to are pretty cheesy and awful and normally need a drink to tolerate them haha! So not sure whether just to take the car .... read some horror stories about F and alcohol but like you saw everyone's different and I'm sure all meds are the same in the sense that people have different reactions with alcohol x

[Princess2206]

Oh sorry to hear you split up, but sometimes is better to it now then later.
Why are you on fluoxetine and how long if you don't mine asking? Xxx

[Habeebi]

well I was hating taking the beta blockers for anxiety so mentioned to GP if there is anything else - just started on a month's supply today ....also been referred for CBT but I'm really skeptical about stuff like that..

[Princess2206]

Fluoxetine in my opinion is very good medication for anxiety but quiet slow, so you need to be very patient. You may feel a bit more anxious in first weeks but some people don't suffer side effects. Keep posting how you feel this really helps.
I was very skeptical about CBT as well, but one day I felt so bad that I bought online CBT sessions and books and also book called Essential Help for your Nerves Dr. Claire Weeks and it made massive difference. It can really help you.
Big hugs xxx

[Habeebi]

Thanks Princess will keep updating....just to feel normal would be fine for me and to do normal things without freaking out! Never thought this could happen to me always been so laid back x

[Princess2206]

Oh I know :( when it happened to me I was asking myself same question and thought I never be normal again. But I really feel better. Still ups and downs but definitely better. And you will as well just takes time.
Are you off work now ?

[OncewasSupergirl]

Hi Habeebi,
Interesting name!!! Personally i wouldnt drink on the fluox, not at the start anyway cos it might affect the way the fluox is absorbed into your system, it takes several weeks for it to build up in your system and alcohol may well disrupt this. The other arguement for against is that alcohol is a depressant so it wont help your anxiety or how you cope with it either. However this is just my opinion. My first episode of anxiety/depression was following the break-up of a relationship so i really feel for you x x

[Habeebi]

Princess I've taken a couple of days hol but was off the odd day with the anxiety previously - don't want to end up with being off for weeks though as I'm doing a degree and looking for a career change eventually so don't want anything to affect my chances.

Habeebi means sweetheart in arabic! (I grew up in the middle east!) Well me and the sis have decided to go to the pics instead coz yeh you're right would rather just lay off the booze will I sort myself out - I'm skint anyway at the mo so it makes more sense! Yeh my anxiety apparently stems from suppressing feelings of wanting to get out of my relationship for so long but not doing anything about it, them the anxiety and panic was a manifestation of this....we've been split four weeks now but I guess I didn't expect it to miraculously disappear....the subconscious is a strange beast!

[jca]

I'm so glad to have read this thread. My hangovers are a million times worse since being on fluoxetine. They last for days! I am not alone. =)

[Habeebi]

Urggh so glad I didn't drink least night nice to be up and fresh on a sat morning!!

[Princess2206]

So true :) I didn't drink for first weeks at all. Now after my champagne mistake I have no more than 2 small glasses of wine time to time. It dosn't affect how I feel in the morning.
I know some people can't drink on fluoxetine at all so you need to be very carefully. If you take any benzo you can't drink alcohol at all.
Big hugs xxx

[Habeebi]

I think I'll give it a few weeks then slowly introduce little amounts of alcohol. I would be nice to socially drink with friends and let my hair down a bit at the weekend so fingers cross it won't affect me too much but at the end of the day I'd rather my health take priority than a p*** up at the weekend! x

[AngelicSwallow]

I just get drunk faster on Prozac which means I drink a whole lot less than I used to, no other side effects that I have noticed really :)

[ChristopherT]

On my first week of Fluo and I drank on the weekend. I had a great night, and yesterday the day after wasn't too bad. But today I felt the effects of the Prozac.

I can't say for sure if it's related, but I do know I was getting drunk quicker, but my appetite was lower which didn't help. I read somewhere that alcohol affects you for a few days after, when on Prozac. http://www.ozzard.org/prozac.html

I like social drinking from time to time though.

---------- Post added at 10:18 ---------- Previous post was at 07:48 ----------

I guess if I have to drink a lot, next time I will try this method.
"Well 20 years down the track and im a bit further forward,i honestly think this is a unique problem that people confuse with other things though i have somthing that helps BIG time .Nytol the following morning the following night and repeat for the next two days.\its not addictive and you buy it from the chemist.Also the folowing morning take two co codimol pain killers and a lucozade sports dring to replace lost minerals.\i swear to you this is the only thing that helped me and it took me years.
Also im really careful what i say and do when im drunk now as that is where the exagerated confusion comes from"

www.steadyhealth.com/Anxiety_and_depression_for_days_after_binge_drinki ng_t124769.html?page=2