Fluoxetine (Prozac) and Alcohol
I have just recently started taking fluoxetine and basically what I had is that although some days I am perfectly fine others I am just wayy too depressed and I can't get myself to do anything at all. I didn't even care about missing class or anybody. All I wanted is to stay in bed, cry for certain stuff that has happened to me, and watch tv or similar stuff. It messed up my academic life and had all my teachers/parents complain that I was such a bright student messing and ruining my life etc
The thing is when I was sad it felt like 'it was the end of the world' and nothing mattered and it was all pointless but when I was fine it's as if all those things that I was so sad about just didn't really seem all that important.
Anyhow.
Since starting Prozac I feel much better and it's as if that negative side of me doesn't come anymore .
I do drink recreationally on certain weekends and I never ever ever get drunk, just tipsy and very joyful but always in perfect control of everything. I also get up the next day perfectly fine since by the time I go to sleep I have had the time to sober up.
TL;DR can skip to here:
However the very first time I drank since taking Prozac it was odd since I was drinking but wasn't really feeling it, however suddenly it's like out of the blue BOOM I was super drunk and I could not even get up from my seat.
One minute I was fine and lucid and the next although my mind seemed all right I couldn't control my body. I proper freaked out and had my friends bring me asap home.
What was all that about? That was such a freaky experience and does it mean that I cannot drink at all while on the meds?
I only had like 3 singles and was starting sipping a 4th one which usually hardly affects me much.
I found this which really helps understand what happens :
Does it mean I cannot drink AT ALL ?
The thing is when I was sad it felt like 'it was the end of the world' and nothing mattered and it was all pointless but when I was fine it's as if all those things that I was so sad about just didn't really seem all that important.
Anyhow.
Since starting Prozac I feel much better and it's as if that negative side of me doesn't come anymore .
I do drink recreationally on certain weekends and I never ever ever get drunk, just tipsy and very joyful but always in perfect control of everything. I also get up the next day perfectly fine since by the time I go to sleep I have had the time to sober up.
TL;DR can skip to here:
However the very first time I drank since taking Prozac it was odd since I was drinking but wasn't really feeling it, however suddenly it's like out of the blue BOOM I was super drunk and I could not even get up from my seat.
One minute I was fine and lucid and the next although my mind seemed all right I couldn't control my body. I proper freaked out and had my friends bring me asap home.
What was all that about? That was such a freaky experience and does it mean that I cannot drink at all while on the meds?
I only had like 3 singles and was starting sipping a 4th one which usually hardly affects me much.
I found this which really helps understand what happens :
Physiologically, the liver must break down substances (food, medicines, horomones, chemicals, etc.) in two stages, and there are several (7) different "pathways" of enzymes that remove specific substances from the body, with some of the pathways being able to to the job of other ones (this is the reason why parts of the human liver can be removed without significantly decreasing the liver function in healthy persons.)
When you drink on an empty stomach, not only is the alcohol quickly absorbed into the bloodstream, but the liver almost immediately begins metabolizing it because it is not busy breaking down food products. When you add any medication to the body, the effects of drinking can be drastically different.
imp bit: If the liver is still at work metabolizing a medication (Prozac, for example) and alcohol is taken, the alcohol will only be circulated throughout the bloodstream until the liver has completed breaking down the med. This is why you can drink so much and only get a "little buzzed," because your brain doesn't get the effects of alcohol until it is first broken down in the liver. The more you drink in this time period is only adding more alcohol to your bloodstream which is not getting "digested."
Maybe you've had four mixed drinks and taken a few shots over several hours time, and you're still not feeling it. Suddenly, your liver has finished breaking down the Prozac you took earlier in the day and it is ready to take on the job of metabolizing all that alcohol. It may have taken you a few hours to put all of that alcohol into your body, but it will only take the liver about 10 minutes to start breaking it all down. You can probably guess what happens next: WHAM!! That is an awful lot of alcohol for your brain/central nervous system to be dosed with all at once.
When you drink on an empty stomach, not only is the alcohol quickly absorbed into the bloodstream, but the liver almost immediately begins metabolizing it because it is not busy breaking down food products. When you add any medication to the body, the effects of drinking can be drastically different.
imp bit: If the liver is still at work metabolizing a medication (Prozac, for example) and alcohol is taken, the alcohol will only be circulated throughout the bloodstream until the liver has completed breaking down the med. This is why you can drink so much and only get a "little buzzed," because your brain doesn't get the effects of alcohol until it is first broken down in the liver. The more you drink in this time period is only adding more alcohol to your bloodstream which is not getting "digested."
Maybe you've had four mixed drinks and taken a few shots over several hours time, and you're still not feeling it. Suddenly, your liver has finished breaking down the Prozac you took earlier in the day and it is ready to take on the job of metabolizing all that alcohol. It may have taken you a few hours to put all of that alcohol into your body, but it will only take the liver about 10 minutes to start breaking it all down. You can probably guess what happens next: WHAM!! That is an awful lot of alcohol for your brain/central nervous system to be dosed with all at once.
Does it mean I cannot drink AT ALL ?
If I calculate my alcohol blood level for 4 regular singles (25ml) in 3h = 0.030% or 4 strong singles (35ml) in 3 hours = 0.059% which are both perfectly fine since the alcohol limit for drivers in the UK is 0.08% .
However if I calculate it as being 4 within 5 mins based on the fact that the liver has finally finished breaking down prozac and is ready to metabolise the alcohol it comes to 0.11% which is high but not all that high either so what am I missing out?!
Or maybe I'm not calculating it well, but I'm tall and quite heavy which plays strongly (12st)
This is the chart for those who don't know what the numbers mean : http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Blood_alcohol_content#Blood_Alco hol_Level_Chart
However if I calculate it as being 4 within 5 mins based on the fact that the liver has finally finished breaking down prozac and is ready to metabolise the alcohol it comes to 0.11% which is high but not all that high either so what am I missing out?!
Or maybe I'm not calculating it well, but I'm tall and quite heavy which plays strongly (12st)
This is the chart for those who don't know what the numbers mean : http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Blood_alcohol_content#Blood_Alco hol_Level_Chart
Generally, drinking is discouraged when on medication like Prozac but I am aware some of my colleagues would argue that as long as you have a regular diet and no history of alcohol abuse, then one/two drinks are fine. But I'm a medical purist so I always advise against this.
With Prozac, when mixed with alcohol, it can sometimes add to the effects of the drug and cause a loss of judgment and motor skills and reflexes, dizziness and nausea may also show up in heavy amounts, as these are the two biggest side effects of Prozac on its own.
But it influences people differently so I would strongly suggest talking to your GP before drinking again.
With Prozac, when mixed with alcohol, it can sometimes add to the effects of the drug and cause a loss of judgment and motor skills and reflexes, dizziness and nausea may also show up in heavy amounts, as these are the two biggest side effects of Prozac on its own.
But it influences people differently so I would strongly suggest talking to your GP before drinking again.
