View Full Version : Alcohol & Citalopram... Thinking of coming off..
Helloo all
This is the first time i've written so really sorry if i sound a bit clueless or have wandered into the wrong forum topic?!...
I'm writing because I've been on citalopram for 4months now.
I followed the guidance and cut out alcohol completely - although i have never ever had an alcohol dependancy problem. After a month i started to feel brilliant, my anxiety calmed down almost completely and i felt genuinely happy. then i went away on holiday and drank a bit . I felt rubbish and quite hopeless for the next two or three weeks after so i stopped drinking. Then christmas came and again it was difficult to say no all the time to a drink so i decided it was ok. Again i felt quite down and paranoid for the next couple of weeks including new year so i didn't drink.
I was feeling a bit better and didn't drink for a fortnight then had HALF A G&T and HALF A GLASS OF WINE!!! at the weekend and i'm still feeling bad!?
I'm thinking of coming off citalopram because I'm down more often than not. I may aswell feel like that and NOT take 20mg of this drug every day.
Having as i said never had a drinking problem, i don't want to feel like i can't ever drink again with friends.
I'm going to the doctors soon to ask her advice but they are never really able to impart a huge amount of knowledge... does anyone have any thoughts??
ps - i've been reading people's thoughts and experiences on this site and think you are all amazing! X
XXX
Hi Ell and welcome to the forum!
It sounds as though you started making real progress which was interrupted by the alcohol. It might be an idea to cut out the drink, just to give yourself a clear break in which to get stronger. It may take a few more months but it doesn't have to be forever. Be patient - you will get better!
Explain what's been happening to the doc when you see her and see what she recommends.
Eeb x
Hi Ell,
A big warm welcome to you. Everyone here is lovely and will help all they can. xxx
"When There Was Only One It Was Then That I Carried You."
bubblygirl
22-01-07, 23:41
Hi Ell
I've been on 20mg of citalopram for two months and have not drank since being on them. The reason for this is im a binge drinker i hardly drink but when i do i drink loads usually when i go clubbing so i dont want to affect the meds. It can be boring sometimes but i just think to myself it wont be forever and because the meds ahve made me feel so much better i just enjoy going out with my friends like i used too for me the meds are more important than the booze. if they have helped you i really think you should stick with them and cut the drink as the meds sound like theyr doing there job but sometimes people cant cope with drink and meds. Good luck to you though take care Sarah x
Hi Ell,
I'm on 40mg of Citalopram a day and enjoy a bottle of white wine every lunchtime and maybe another bottle in the evening. I haven't had a beer or spirits in, oh, 3 years or more as I found they did make me feel worse, but wine seems to be ok, more than ok!:D
I never have a hangover and sleep well (I reckon I'm one of the lucky ones on Citalopram who do?).
If you find the bevvy interferes with the medication, ditch the booze!
Happiness and light to you all,
'Chopper'
I saw her once, one little while, and then no more:
’Twas Eden’s light on Earth a while, and then no more.
Amid the throng she passed along the meadow-floor:
Spring seemed to smile on Earth awhile, and then no more;
But whence she came, which way she went, what garb she wore
I noted not; I gazed a while, and then no more!
James Clarence Mangan 1803 - 1849
Wow Chopper, that's a lot of booze in one day isnt it? Not criticising at all - it's just that I do the best part of a bottle of white wine a night and I thought this was way too much - and probably helping my anxiety along too! Is is because you are young and can handle it?
ladybird
Oh, Ladybird, were I as young as you believe!
I'm a 41 year old Dad, 5'7" and just under 13.5 stone (no idea what that is in kilos!) and have a Scotsman's capacity for the bevvy.
No beer belly now (I was once 18.5 stone! At 5'7"!!) and look better than I have since I was 30.
A funny little aside: When my wife (of Irish descent) go out together I'll order a glass of wine and a pint of Extra Cold Guinness and guess what .... yes, they give me the Guinness and 'er indoors the white wine! Every time! Social stereotyping, eh?
I guess we're all different and our capacity to handle both medication and alcohol will differ. One might be on 10mg and feel terrible after half a beer, or on 10mg and suffer no, immediate, ill effects from 6 pints. I'm on 40mg of Citalopram and have no problems but I'm not advocating anyone mirror me, just don't be afraid to find your comfort level and DON'T exceed it.
Happiness and light to all,
'Chopper'
I saw her once, one little while, and then no more:
’Twas Eden’s light on Earth a while, and then no more.
Amid the throng she passed along the meadow-floor:
Spring seemed to smile on Earth awhile, and then no more;
But whence she came, which way she went, what garb she wore
I noted not; I gazed a while, and then no more!
James Clarence Mangan 1803 - 1849
Good for you Chopper!
Wish you the best!
ladybird
i have been taking citalopram for two months now and i have noticed that when i drink i feel aweful the next day, really truely aweful, i used to be able to drink lots and the hangovers were bearable but nowdays i feel like im going to die! i think that i will have to not drink at all in the future because of it. but it doesnt say anything about alcohol in the instructions that come with the pills & my doctor didnt metion it either. iam really glad i googled it & found this site & i felt i had to join just to reply to this,
i feel like the booze stops the meds from working and its really hard to try to normalise again after drinking as the adverse effects seem to last for ages! its not fair i wish i had been warned about this from the start! well im off to have a cup of tea! as i think that is about as hardcore as i can be at the moment!
I have always liked a drink but packed in, in the New Year when I was put on 20mg of Citalopram. Been on it 6 weeks now and have had a real up & down time but getting better. I have a mate at work who has been on 40mg for about 6 months - he feels much better but when he goes out on the beer, all the benefits start to go into reverse! I have given it a wide berth to be honest. Give yourself a chance - you don't *have* to have a drink until you're in a good place, do you?
Ello people! I feel a bit stupid, dunno y like! I'm a young lad from Liverpool :D I used 2 hit the ale a lot - i mean heavy! Not the bottle, jus Stella an 1664 (strong lager) bu aba 8-12 cans a day. At the weekends id do tha & GO OUT!!!
I dont drink now, stopped 4 months ago (ad 2 go in a clinic detox 5 days). It feels as if its gettin worse withthe nerves n tha. They sed it wud ge worse b4 better, ok then ---> WEN??? lol!
I shud av bin on these tabs (while i was boozin) bu never took them cos 4got probably :weep: ! I have been given them now bu i am a bit scared, any1 tell me wa they r like?
Its jus tha i ge nervous an feel very anxious a lot an if these help then i will take them - I AM NOT BOOZIN (too scared)!
Sum1 pls gis sum help & advice, go ed iv sed quite a bit...
:bighug1: :bighug1: :bighug1:
Hey ive not read all the posts just your first one,
You say that your down more often than up. But you say the only time is when you drink?
I dont drink anyway so its not a problem for me, but it seems like your making a choice of drink or medication and that will only take you one place, down! I know you might not have a drinking problem so then what is the problem with not drinking? If you dont mind the downs afterwards then drink for special occasions
bellabessnjet
29-09-09, 23:12
Hi,
I started on 20mg of citalopram 4 weeks no effect, dr now upped them to 40mg and just 2 days I feel a little better. re alcohol, I've cut down (or tried to) I will only have a max 3 glasses of wine at weekend. However I read on the web somewhere that although you can drink with citalopram it is better to wait a few weeks to see how the tablets effect you. It also stated that drinking a lot can effect the effectiveness of the tablets but it did not say that you should not drink. If your feeling worse it may just be other factors as well, maybe try to cut down and see if that helps or you may need your meds altering. hope this helps and good luck.
The effects of alchohol are enhanced when on Citalopram..So it is better to be stable on your dose before you start to have the odd drink ..Too much will make you more drunk than normal ...The anxiety the next day is increased ,so best to just stick with 2-3 ,if that agrees with you ..Alchohol is a depressant and also contributes to anxiety and Panic attacks ,it really isnt a good thing to do ,But I do have the odd one myself now and again :noangel: .. Sue x
I have to say I agree. I was only on citalopram a week as it increased my anxiety to an unbearable extent, but I went out at the end of that week, had 3 glasses of wine and ended up in such as bad way I had an ambulance called :scared15:. The next 2 days were absolutely unbearable because of the anxiety. I would definately avoid alcohol if at all possible. I am on trazodone now and haven't had so much as a sip but I have a few events coming up where I know there will be drink, but I am in no rush to have any- the trazodone has made such a difference to my life, it really does allow me to deal with things so much better than I was before, and I don't want to mess with that. After feelign awful for so long, I am enjoying feeling normal again :yesyes:
I think its a good thing though, not being able to have a drink. Im biased as i know for sure you can have fun without alcohol (i dont drink) i just wouldnt want to see anyone giving up on a medication because they want to drink alcohol! Theres plenty of time for alcohol and drinking but i think that its important to take care of our bodies (and minds) NOW and alcohol isnt great for our bodies and in the case of anxiety and depression its not good for our minds either. You could always just wait untill you feel better anxiety/panic/depression wise and then drink once youve successfully come off whatever meds your taking.
Hi,
I'm pretty new to these forums but saw the threads on Citalopram and had to reply. I was prescibed them about 2 months ago and for the first 3 or so weeks the side affects were hurrendous, my panic attacks were tenfold and I had horrible cold sweats felt shakey and paranoid, it was awfull, I went back to the Doc who just advised I stick with it and I did. I soon turned a corner and can say that all is well.
Last night I went round to a friends as she was holding a children's book party "Usbourne Books", I haven't drank anything since being on the 20mg a day Citalopram as to be honest I have been scared to as I had heard they can have quite a detrimental affect. I rarey drink as it just doesn't float my boat anymore, can't stand feeling rough the next day etc so like I say I barely drink now. Anyway last night I had 3 large glasses of white wine and lemonade, I felt quite tipsy by the end of my third. Today has been a bad day, I have felt very panickey and tight chested and have even taken earlier, a Proprananol to calm me down, after reading everyones posts I am assuming it was down to this wine that I had last night, I just hope I feel better tomorrow, its amazing, when you feel well you forget to a certain degree how it feels to have a panic attack and then when you get one its hurrendous. But surely 3 glasses of wine can't make me still feel bad after nearly 24 hours?? Any thoughts?
Hi Ive been on Citalopram 40mg for 2 months now, I find I feel anxious and low in mood next day with beer, but a couple of glasses of wine is fine, I am also one of the lucky ones that is able to sleep well on ctp
ian-kendal
10-06-10, 21:44
Hi, I have been using citalopram for 6 months. Alcohol in its self a depressant and whilst does not directly interact with this drug. The reason citalopram is used instead of other seratonin uptake inhibitors is because of this linear interactivity with other chemical substances. However alcohol as a depressant will lower the effects by balancing out the "up" feeling of the citalopram.
Alcohol can also increase the side effects, some of which are not noticeable until a drink is taken, the key ones nausia, trembling, headaches, fatigue, drowsiness, dry mouth, increased sweating ( standard hangover symptoms ).
It is likely the ill feeling that you describe is due to side effects that you don't really notice normally because they are minor interacting with hangover effects and multiplying.
I do drink with this drug, however I tend to miss a dosage on the morning I intend to drink. Citalopram has a reasonably long half life in the body and remains in the system for days, missing one dosage will not have a drastic affect on how up or down you feel. This way you won't feel quite so bad the day after alcohol and only have minor impact on your medication. Do not miss more than one day. I of course can not tell you to do this, it works for me, it's your choice.
As an aside to this due to Citaloprams half life in the body, withdrawal symptoms can be quite bad when you try an stop completely, the following is guide lines given to U.S. doctors (but not British). (Celexa is U.S. name for Citalopram).
"Tapering off citalopram therapy, as opposed to abrupt discontinuation, is recommended in order to diminish the occurrence and severity of discontinuation symptoms. Some doctors may choose to switch a patient to Prozac (Fluoxetine) when discontinuing Celexa as Prozac has a much longer half-life (i.e. stays in the body longer compared to Celexa). This may avoid many of the severe withdrawal symptoms associated with Celexa discontinuation. This can be done either by administering a single 20 mg dose of Prozac or by beginning on a low dosage of Prozac and slowly tapering down. Either of these prescriptions may be written in liquid form to allow a very slow and gradual tapering down in dosage. Alternatively, a patient wishing to stop taking Celexa may visit a compounding pharmacy where his or her prescription may be re-arranged into progressively smaller dosages. The lowest dose of celexa that can normally be prescribed is 20 mg capsules; a compounding pharmacist may divide this into doses of 20, 15, 10, 5 and 2.5 mg so that a proper tapered reduction may take place."
Hope this helps!
Ian:)
Hi,
I'm sixteen and my doctor just perscribed be 20mg of citalopram. I've got an alcohol problem and I don't have a clue how I'm going to stop drinking. I was wondering if anyone knew if there were any drugs similar to citalopram which you could take with alcohol?
Hey 'Just' my friend, did you tell your doc about your levels of drinking?
It is difficult sometimes to say but you have to be honest with your doc so that this can be taken into consideration when issuing meds.
As you will read above, taking these meds and drinking will have differeing effects on each person. I for example don't seem to want to drink as much as I did but still have a few and feel ok. Although, when I do drink heavy I have blacked out and this is new and not like me....so be careful.
I can lay claim to being around long enough to be pissed off enough to have learned (wrongly) to lean on booze....you're 16 Just. I am not preaching at you Just, but I am worried for you. I am wondering what is going on in your life to mean that you drink so much and need this medication so young? I hope you have someone there to talk to about this huh?
spritzercat81
07-01-11, 22:13
Hi, I'm new to this site but everyone seems so friendly, so I hope you all don't mind if add my experience of citalopram and alcohol?
When I was first put on citalopram I stayed away from alcohol for a long time. There were two reasons; I had awful side effects in the first few months as my doctor continued to increase my dose as I didn't seem to be getting any better(that was less to do with tablets and more to do with my personal situation). The other reason was, I didn't want to risk anything making me worse/counteracting the powerful little pills. I knew I was ill and didn't want to chance it.
When I stabilised, both personally and when the pills started working, I would have a cheeky little brandy on an evening. I have to say the only effect was that I was mildly sozzled on less than a shot! :blink: Luckily I never had any problems the next day. Oh, Apart from the one time at the works do where I got very drunk.:whistles:
The above were my personal choices based on my circumstances at the time.The only advice I would give is that when someone is getting started on the tablets then *maybe* consider leaving it alone until you start to feel better/side effects wear off.
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