does anyone no if u can drink on citalopram got a party commn up and it would be nice to have a few beers
gareth
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does anyone no if u can drink on citalopram got a party commn up and it would be nice to have a few beers
gareth
Yes you can have 'a few' , but if you overdo it, you'll know about it the next day.
Not just a headache. You may feel shaky and more anxious than previously
Meg
I take efexor (venfalfaxine) and I drink alcohol. Though you are not supposed to. I think i am beginning to realise why! I get drunk much quiecker than i used to and i get tired too. I was out drinking on friday and I got the comment "god, you're eyes" - i think they maty possibly have been rolling a small bit! i probably looked like I'd taken some illicit drugs! I also find i reach a limit and just cannot drink anymore. My party days are over I think !!!!
My boyfriend was on citalopram and he got drunk extremly quickly and it made him more unpredictable and anxious. It is my advice not to drink while taking these tablets.
I am on Cipralex and drink like a fish!
Cipralex is very similar to citalopram (newer version) and the leaflet actually states 'has no known interaction with alcohol'.
However, some people find that alcohol makes them more anxious the next day and this would probably occur with or without the tablets. If I were you I'd have a few but go easy and see how you feel for the future.
Emily
Knowledge is knowing a tomato is a fruit
Understanding is knowing not to put it in a fruit salad
when i was on citalopram i could drink one night and feel fine and another time feel absolutely terrible so be very very careful :-)
H
i went out for my friends birthday, didnt drink more than normal and was in a comedy club, spun out big time and had to make a dash for the toilet was sick and had to leave the show. mixing anti depressants with booze seems to enhance the effcect and i felt terrible next morning. dont recommend it
Hi all,
I've wondered about Citalopram and alcohol myself - I've been on 20mg for about 3 years and feel that I'm unwise in drinking my 'normal' amount which is low-ish during the week and binge-ish at the weekend.
I find that for a couple days after an amount of alcohol I'll be very edgy and anxious. I find also that I feel rather shaky and will break a sweat very easily.
I think that the wisest thing to do would be not to drink or failing that limit oneself to a couple of glasses of wine at most, but living in the UK's booze culture makes this difficult. It seems like I just want to have my cake and eat it...
I'm sure that booze upsets a chemical system in my brain and it takes a couple of days to right itself during which time I find my nerves are quite bad. Does this match other peoples' experience.
Take Care,
Simon
Well ive just been out and had loads of alcohol,frist time in weeks so far so good!I have been a little scared about drinking with the drugs but i went out for the frist time in ages tonight and i thought i wont no how i feel entil i try.Will let you no in the morning.x
Some can, some cant.
SSRI's and alcohol make me very unpredictable and land me in jail often. (I dont drink anymore)
Not an uncommon story if you drink a lot with these pills but everyone is different.
Chop
Learning to under react
when or if I feel better I am gonna drink on escitalopram and will subscribe to this post and see how everyone else gets on with drink and the med.
but only way i will find out is by doing it and will post when i do it
Hi. Wish I'd met you in '98 when I started with the ISSR's. I was citalopram for as few years, then shifted to this cleaner escitalopram, and like it proposes, seems to have less side-effects.
I was put on them partially to help me with alcoholism, to get clean. I'm amazed at your ability to tell the difference between before and after ISSR drinking and hangovers. I can't tell, except perhaps as someone wrote, I feel more ready to go home already, and also, not the same paralyzing depression, guilt, etc. after a night out as before. I had attributed it to the Gift of Aging (now 50), but maybe the meds are helping in this regard?
Good luck to you all,
Shalom
p.s. typo: "I was citalopram for as few years" waas supposed to read "I was ON citalopram for A few years". Perhaps the meds cause typing problems....
In any case, I think someone said escitalopram says explicitly no alcohol probalem. The page in my Cipralex reads, "Do not drink wines or alcoholic beverages while under treatment with this medicine." Gee, too bad I didn't happen tp read that for the past few years...
Shalom,
Shalom
I have been on citalopram for four months!
I drink a few glasses of weak wine[9%]in the week.And if i go out i drink barcardi and lemonade as i do find wine can go to ones head a bit.
I think its ok to drink a few but check out your new limits slowly.The drink does go to your head quicker!xxx
Pat McCrea BSc-IACPQuote:
<b id="quote">quote:</b id="quote"><table border="0" id="quote"><tr id="quote"><td class="quote" id="quote">
Hi all,
I've wondered about Citalopram and alcohol myself - I've been on 20mg for about 3 years and feel that I'm unwise in drinking my 'normal' amount which is low-ish during the week and binge-ish at the weekend.
I find that for a couple days after an amount of alcohol I'll be very edgy and anxious. I find also that I feel rather shaky and will break a sweat very easily.
I think that the wisest thing to do would be not to drink or failing that limit oneself to a couple of glasses of wine at most, but living in the UK's booze culture makes this difficult. It seems like I just want to have my cake and eat it...
I'm sure that booze upsets a chemical system in my brain and it takes a couple of days to right itself during which time I find my nerves are quite bad. Does this match other peoples' experience.
Take Care,
Simon
<div align="right">Originally posted by Badger66 - 27 March 2006 : 19:43:21</div id="right">
</td id="quote"></tr id="quote"></table id="quote">
Hi Simon
Your right the alcohol upsets the balance of the seratonin re-uptake chemical system in the brain (especially binge drinking) it can take a few days to re-balance, old symptoms may appear incl the ones you mentioned and even re-accurance of panic attacks. However I have noticed with some clients that the odd glass of wine (with food) has little adverse effects if any.
It's hard not having a few drinks when your out with friends at the weekends, I can empathise completely.
Take Care P.
Hi all,
I've wondered about Citalopram and alcohol myself - I've been on 20mg for about 3 years and feel that I'm unwise in drinking my 'normal' amount which is low-ish during the week and binge-ish at the weekend.
I find that for a couple days after an amount of alcohol I'll be very edgy and anxious. I find also that I feel rather shaky and will break a sweat very easily.
I think that the wisest thing to do would be not to drink or failing that limit oneself to a couple of glasses of wine at most, but living in the UK's booze culture makes this difficult. It seems like I just want to have my cake and eat it...
I'm sure that booze upsets a chemical system in my brain and it takes a couple of days to right itself during which time I find my nerves are quite bad. Does this match other peoples' experience.
Take Care,
Simon
<div align="right">Originally posted by Badger66 - 27 March 2006 : 20:43:21</div id="right">
[/quote]
Pat McCrea BSc-IACP
I used to bash people when I drank and was on an SSRI med.
People can be unpredicatable sometimes.
Definately better off not to drink (pills will work better) if you can but if you do, then make sure its just a few.
Paul
before one can discover new oceans, one must first have the courage to leave the shore
I have now been on citalopram for 7months nearly!I have ben upping my wine slowly to see how my mind and body cope.So far ive found i tend to stick still with the weaker wines 9%,11%.I have reach the limit of 3 large glasses so far,so far so good!
I think if your going to drink with meds just up it slowly entil you have found your limit as when you are young and drinking for the frist time again.Everybody is different and thats what we have to remember.xxx
I have just changed brands of citalopram which i have been taking since march,but the new brand say no alcohol!
But the brand i have been taking since march say disscuss alcohol with your doctor.My doctor said it was fine to have a few glases of vino.
They have the same active ingredent so why say different?
Any replys gratefulxxxxxx
Hi my med info in the pack says do not drink alcohol while taking this medicine. Bit contradictory !!!
Take care
Daisybun
'This too will pass'
Thanks for the reply daisybun!
I known they need to make up there minds dont they!xxxxxx
Shalom are you in the UK? Because my Cipralex definitely says 'no known interaction with alcohol.' I have been on these pills for a couple of years and drink as normal (i.e quite a lot in my job!) and have noticed no difference to previously.
Emily
Knowledge is knowing a tomato is a fruit
Understanding is knowing not to put it in a fruit salad
Hi everyone, i'm new to this group, thought i'd add my experience with alcohol
I've been on citalopram for some time and find a few drinks is ok, however i drank 5 pints of stella on the sunday just gone. I woke up in the morning and it was like someone had switched my medication off. I sat there the whole morning thinking of all the ways i could kill myself. I had a real struggle to keep a lid on it. Ended up going out for a walk all afternoon. Still felt crap early evening but not as suicidal.
Day two and things got much better, and after three days i feel normal again. I'm not going to do that again in a hurry as it was torture. Plan a period of abstanation from alcohol for a month or two.
Hope this helps
Aleks
Well it is interesting how we all seem to react with meds and alcohol!
I have had a drink with the new brand and i felt no different.
All the brands just seem to say different,owe well heres to happy drinking!!!
Hi all,
I found out eventually that 30mg Citalopram and heavy drinking don't mix... I was in a bar drinking away and generally having a good time and then passed out - the next thing I knew I was in the A&E talking to a doctor. I then spent the next 3 days feeling amazingly anxious and depressed (so I can completely identify with what Aleks said) until my system righted itself again afterwards.
Suffice it to say that this was a wake up call for me and having consulted with the doctor I've rigorously stuck to his advice of a 2 drink max. I don't set this out as the right way for everybody, but I've felt miles better since I really laid off the booze. Everyone has got to find what works for them, but I'd advise caution when throwing booze into the mix with Citalopram.
Take Care,
Simon
Hi all, I drink a few small glasses of wine a day and find it ok. The advice on the packet says 'no alcohol', but my GP and articles i've read on the internet says it's OK to drink alcohol, but not too much.
Five pints of Stella (strong stuff) is nearly 20 units of alcohol (1 unit being a small glass of wine or half a pint of beer). This is nearly the amount recommended for a whole week! Even without taking Citalopram, I'd be under the table.
Take care, Stefan.
Yep i would agree with you there stefan i would be well under the table drinking stella!!
I stick with up two all three glasses of white wine everyother day and its no more that 9,10% really.I have found this to be ok.
I must admit it would be lovely to have a binge drink again once in a while,lol.xxxx
I have just been put on citalopram and I was hoping I still could have 2 pints in the evening with my wife to help wind the day down.
Red
i ended up finding this thread purely as I typed alcohol and citalopram into google!...
It DOESN'T mix...I feel shocking for 1/2 maybe even 3 days after it now!
Hey all - so glad I found this thread - I too found this by typing Alcohol and Citalopram into Google!
I've been on 30mg of Citalopram for 3 years now, and have recently dropped down to 20mg and have noticed some pretty bad effects the day after drinking heavily, but this weekend was shockingly bad. I went out for a work party, with free bar all night, and I took pretty good advantage of that! Then the following night I went out for a Xmas meal and drinks with friends and stayed up all night drinking Rum and Red Bull - which definitely wasn't a good idea as the next day (yesterday) I woke up and felt awful - as bad as I ever had at the start of my problems - which were really bad anxiety and depression.
I've been feeling ridiculously anxious for the last 2 days now, though the 2nd day (today) is slightly better. I have noticed that you do feel back to normal after a few days, but it's that period in between that is almost unbearable - especially when you've been feeling better than ever for a long long time!
I can't help but feel I've set myself back. I had been feeling perfect for months, and then this episode really reminded me that I'm on these drugs...
I have a question for people here though - will I ever be able to drink heavily/party again once i'm off the Citalopram, or will I always have to watch myself? Do people who have been on Citalopram find that when they are off it they can drink without having to worry about the next day?
Also this Cipralex sounds good - can you make the switch directly from Citalopram to Cipralex without any adverse reactions?
Many thanks,
Andy
Morning all,
I'm on 40mg of Citalopram a day and enjoy a couple of glasses of white wine every lunchtime and maybe another couple in the evening.
I never have a hangover and sleep well (I reckon I'm one of the lucky ones on Citalopram who do?)
An added benefit I've found is that going to the pub at lunchtime for an hour gets me away from my desk and into social situations. I chat to a group of pensioners about their wartime experiences, grandkids, football, photography, politics - generally we put the world to rights!
I don't think I'd have managed to get this far into the Autumn without a combination of Citalopram, Chardonnay and Cameraderie!
Anyone else manage OK on this combination or do you find the bevvy interferes with the medication?
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
I take 30 mg Citalopram and I can't manage more than one glass of wine or one bottle of beer. At the time of drinkng say two or three I feel ok, no different to pre citalopram. However, through the night, I waken and feel REALLY drunk. Head swimming, nausea and a feeling like I have a migraine coming on. The following day I feel really edgy and anxious. Yet a few years ago when I was on Prozac, I could drink no bother, even more so than I could normally.
Everyone is different. I would say proceed with caution.
Incidentally, I found this site too by Googling alcohol and citalopram!
Happyone
x
I've been back on citalopram (20mg) for 4 weeks now for post natal depression.
Whilst I was depressed, I went right off alcohol and for the first couple of weeks of taking citalopram whilst my system got used to the medication.
I'm now drinking moderately again, i.e. not at all in the week but a few of a saturday evening and when I go out with friends (not often).
I find my tolerance is much lower and I get tipsy after the 1st drink; and the other day I drank 3 vodka and cokes without food and threw up! [xx(]
I also find that even after a couple of drinks, I get an exaggerated hangover in the night (headache, deydration) and next morning which affects my sleep.
My advice is be sensible - know your (new) limits and the consequences of drinking and how it affects you mentally and physically. All things considered, enjoy a drink if it makes you happy, but lay off it makes you feel crappy the next day.
[:P]
Add another person to the list of people who typed "Citalopram and Alcohol" into Google.
It's so nice to here about everyone else's experiences with the post binge drinking anxiety and awful hangovers. I've just begun taking Citalopram and I am in college so it's quite difficult to find anyone who doesn't want to drink every night of winter break. I had developed alcoholism somewhat and this drug is really making me step away from it, but I've become antisocial because I never want to go hang out with my friends and be the only one not getting drunk.
Would everyone say it's generally agreed that casual, light drinking doesnt have the same effects as bingeing? I've been afraid to drink or anything recently. It would be nice to just hang out with my friends and have just a beer again.
I found when I first began on the tablets I couldn't drink without feeling horrible and scared the following day.
Now 6 months in I can manage 2-3 glasses of wine but I only do it every few weeks and I was told if going out in the evening for a drink have your tablet(s) in the morning so they get to work.
Stupid me, I know the day after I drink is hell but i still do it. It seems like my grandparents always end up in town on those days too.
I have to talk to them and it's horrible because I can't make eye contact, I can't sit still, and I have tremors genetically anyway but they get so bad that I can barely function. When I'm around people who talk directly to me I panic and start physically shaking extremely badly. I've found the only thing I want to do after a night of drinking is sit in my garage and smoke cigarrettes. Luckily I have one person that i can actually talk to comfortably on these days, and he's usually down for just sitting around and hanging out. Thank God for understanding friends. :-)
Dandy',
Can I ask what you drink?
I've not had a beer in, oh, 3 years or more but get through white wine like you wouldn't believe ... easily a bottle, bottle and a half, a day, without any negative effects.
Beer and spirits made me feel terrible, bloated and 'sicky', but wine doesn't and I find it doesn't negate the Citalopram.
I'm not advocating drinking copious amounts of chardonnay, just suggesting that as Russel Crowe said in Master and Commander "always choose the lesser of two weevils"!:D
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
Hi all,
I too googled Alcohol and Citalopram!
Im new to this. My doctor prescribed this medication to me today and I wanted to check out what peoples experiences were with alcohol. My partner and I like to wind down with a bottle of wine occasionally and I havnt told him about my depression or medication yet. Im sure thats another post[:I]
Im having a glass of wine now and think I'll start the tablets tmw. Dont think I should become a guinee pig on my first day!
Am glad I have found this site...
Kx
"Why do lovers, choose others, we circle entwine one another, in that mask that we wear with each other. Oh my God how I looked in the mirror, I looked at a hollow picture, it was something I could frame"
Actually, I just thought of a question. As I say Im new to this but what if you miss a dose if you know you are drinking that night? What effects then?
"Why do lovers, choose others,
we circle entwine one another,
in that mask that we wear with each other.
Oh my God how I looked in the mirror,
I looked at a hollow picture,
it was something I could frame"
Hello,
I was on citalopram 20mg for about a year and didn’t drink once in that time period in fact haven’t drunk since I came off them. My doctor made it clear if you want to get better quicker avoid alcohol as this sets you back and it is totally un advisable. He explained that the NHS last year which would have been 2005 received a number of calls from people who had drunk on meds and were feeling the panic set back in the next day so you have got to ask yourself why you do it.
I have a personal opinion that is do you need alcohol to enjoy a night out most would say yes but it is what you make it. The trouble is that in the UK we don’t enjoy alcohol sociably but on a binge basis. When people on meds binge they feel it is okay to do so and what the hell the doctor will fix me anyway. If a leaflet says avoid alcohol why do it as it doesn’t say it for no reason my advice is if you want to get better try drinking sociably not binging.
Although this is a strong opinion I realise lots of peoples thoughts may vary from my own but what the hell it’s good to talk.
Have fun
Robert