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skye
Starting Member
4 Posts
Gratitude: 1
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 Posted - 05/14/2006 : 14:21:41
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Hi everyone,
I have been on Effexor 75mgs for about 4 months. I am 30 years old and have been a social drinker all my adult life. However, since I have been on this drug, I have begun craving alcohol every day. Not only that, I have absolutely no self control once I begin drinking. After three drinks I'm fine, but sometimes that fourth one turns me into  "that girl who couldn't talk or walk". I'm completely embarassed and my husband is very supportive, but worried. I stopped taking Effexor 5 days ago; I told my doctor everything and he had never heard of such a case, so he put me on Prozac for two weeks to ease the withdrawal symptoms from the Effexor.
I'm hoping that once all these chemicals are out of my body I can enjoy a *****tail again without feeling like a complete junkie, and without my husband looking at me like "here we go again..."
If anyone has any input, please reply.
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| fiona™©
Full Member (100+ posts)
105 Posts |
Posted - 05/15/2006 : 14:11:37
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Hello Skye,
I'm sorry you are having that trouble with effexor, but you have made me stop to think about what I consume and I have to admit that since being on effexor at varying strengths over the last 2 years my intake has increased a little. More than this though, when I am on the high doses, one drink seems to turn me into a life analyst and I have to analyse every last thing my husband does or says, not always for the good. I become a philospher, although my philosophies lack coherent content. I do know that it says that alcohol should not be taken with these meds, but we always know best don't we? In fact I can remember a pdoc asking me if I was going to watch some football match and have a couple of drinks.............I said I can't because of my meds and she told me that one or two wouldn't hurt. I hope things go well for you now that you have stopped effexor and that things quickly get back to normal.
TC
Fiona |
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| skye
Starting Member
4 Posts
Gratitude: 1
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Posted - 05/15/2006 : 18:26:57
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Thanks Fiona,
It's comforting to know that I am not the only one who this has happened to. It seems that I have alienated all of my friends; they now think they have to take care of me rather than being my friends. My husband is now the primary friend in the relationships; I'm just the girl that needs taking care of (NOT A GOOD FEELING!!)
iT'S DAY 5 NOW, AND FEELING PRETTY GOOD , SO THANKS AND TALK TO YOU LATER |
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| Heatherzed
Full Member (100+ posts)
241 Posts
Gratitude: 5
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Posted - 06/29/2006 : 11:24:50
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I've had complete blackouts where I don't know hwat I've done/who I've seen/how I got home, etc. This is whilst drinking and on citalopram. Granted, I do drink too much, and used to get into a state quite regularly even when I wasn't on any other drugs, but I think particularly the memory loss has become worse for me since being on an anti-depressant as well.
I know we are not meant to drink whilst taking these drugs, but it is so hard not to do that when nearly all your social activities are based around going out for a drink. How sad is that? But it seems to be the way in the UK.
It is scary not knowing what you have done the night before. I am always "that girl who can't talk or walk", what an embarassment I am. I think if someone filmed me and then made me watch the video, I would never drink again...and mean it this time! |
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| iamready2006
Starting Member
1 Posts |
Posted - 12/12/2006 : 10:26:35
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| I just came across this thread and am so relieved. My drinking troubles and every day cravings started when I went on antidepressants a few years ago. And, I too have turned in to "that girl who can't walk or talk" when I drink - I HATE it! I am going off my anti-depressant as soon as I can taper off of it! |
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| Johnywillow
Starting Member
3 Posts
Gratitude: 1
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Posted - 01/23/2009 : 22:27:14
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Hi Skye ,
Sharing and identifying with others who experience the same struggles and painful daily choices of not returning to old behaviours is the hallmark and essence of fellowship. Come to share with us, be part of our community http://apps.facebook.com/chat_fb_app
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| VincentChurch
Starting Member
1 Posts |
Posted - 01/31/2009 : 00:31:26
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| Please help the society by eradicating addition. Join the chat room http://apps.facebook.com/chat_fb_app and encourage addicted people to join the facebook chat room application. |
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| area24
Super Member (250+ posts)
253 Posts
Gratitude: 47
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Posted - 05/12/2009 : 19:54:57
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Me & a girl I was seeing both went on Prozac around the same
time. We both started drinking a lot of wine at just
about the same time. There is a link between antidepressants
& increased alcohol consumption as well as antidepressants & suicide.
The upside? Neurogenesis, which occurred in 10% of patients who
became dramatically smarter. I, needless to say, was
not one of the fortunate few.))
I had to laugh when I looked at the label which said that Prozac affected sexual function in 3% of patients. They then revised
that to 30% which is still a joke. Then there is
Dr Peter Kramer who stuck it rich with the best seller
"Listening To Prozac". The drug companies LOVED the
good doctor for his generous propaganda. The guy looks
the picture of uprightness and integrity. He complains
that his book "was misinterpreted" and that he was not
overstating his case in the least. HA! |
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| Jeannemarie39
Starting Member
1 Posts
Gratitude: 1
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Posted - 06/09/2009 : 09:28:24
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Hi,
I am writing to confirm that I have had a similar experience with effexor and prozac. I have had alcohol cravings and decided to go off the prozac, and am now free of the cravings. This started 6 years ago, and believe me I thought I was an alcoholic and was told by my counselor to go to AA, then I lost my boyfriends due to my totally asinine behavior. I stopped the prozac and now have zero cravings. Thank God for this miracle. Good luck!
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| wanderlust
New Member
91 Posts
Gratitude: 26
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Posted - 06/17/2009 : 18:20:18
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weird.. i did start taking effexor about 2 years ago.. and that is when i started drinking heavily.. Only problem is it also made me feel much better! (the effexor) but i don't want to be an alcoholic.. I also don't want to become as depressed as I was before the effexor! what to do? what to do?
~Wanderlust
Life is for the breathing |
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| sinner
Starting Member
1 Posts
Gratitude: 1
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Posted - 09/15/2009 : 20:27:39
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| thank you all for your comments. i am on effexor as well and have bewen for awhile. i don't crave alcohol all the time but when i do drink, i have a hard time stopping. last weekend i guess i was falling down and still trying to open more beers. my boyfriend told me i'd had enough and i became enraged. apparently i even took a swing at him. all of this is very uncharacteristic of me. he's really understanding but i've never felt worse about my actions. the horrible part is that can't even remember it. its not my first blackout but it scares me. i don't think i'm an alcoholic but i don't want to ruin my relationships. i also feel like i can't tell my family because my father was an alcoholic and i know they would worry. i don't want to quit drinking altogether but i dont know my limits. anyway, thanks for listening. glad i'm not alone. i am open to advice |
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| josephajain
Starting Member
2 Posts |
Posted - 06/26/2010 : 02:59:56
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Stop drinking dude...That can be the only solution!!!
Thanks,
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| ka411
Starting Member
1 Posts |
Posted - 01/02/2011 : 19:46:03
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i quit drinking for five years without a single craving. when i started taking effexor, i was not drinking but then i started again and am finding it impossible to quit. but what i've noticed over the past year with the effexor is that when i forget to take it for a day or two, i have zero desire to drink. i started noticing the correlation but thought it was just a coincidence, so I tested it -- i didn't take my effexor for two days and then, once my head started spinning a little from not taking it, i would take it and that night just have an overwhelming desire to drink.
in addition, i have total blackouts even after relatively moderate amounts of alcohol. there is no doubt in my mind that it is related to taking effexor -- and the blackouts are worse if i take it late in the day. drunk or depressed. great choice, huh?? |
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| Nophony
Starting Member
1 Posts |
Posted - 02/28/2011 : 09:44:20
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| I recently started up with Nortriptyline again for relief of migraines and chronic pain. Works great on both...but I am craving alcohol. I have been taking Prozac for years. An unfortunate combination of the two causing me to crave alcohol? |
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| strawberry_cats
Starting Member
1 Posts |
Posted - 04/18/2011 : 19:01:13
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I was thrilled to find other people experiencing the same problem I have been having with alcohol. When I started Effexor I was depressed and drinking to help with the depression.... but over time the alcohol cravings just got worse. Although, I couldn't figure out why. I told my doctor and he attributed the drinking to depression and raised my dose from 75mg to 150mg.
I just figured I had a problem with drinking like so many of my relatives ... I blamed my genes for my craving.
I looked up and down the web trying to find a "cure" for my self diagnosed alcoholism. Speed ahead - somehow after MANY drunken nights crawling the internet... I came across Effexor and alcohol cravings...it started to all make sense.
I switched doctors and asked her to google Effexor and alcohol cravings ...and she saw ALL the posts on a few different sites and was just as surprized as me!
I am currently weaning off from 150mg and I am now at 75mg and already having less cravings ...I can't wait to be done with this! I have gained over 20 lbs from drinking ...and of course when you drink you eat everything you shouldn't. So I am looking forward to being able to live without alcohol and to fit into my old jeans again!!!
I'll keep you all posted!!! All the best! - L |
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| jerlin09
Starting Member
4 Posts |
Posted - 04/21/2011 : 03:04:51
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I know we are not meant to drink whilst taking these drugs, but it is so hard not to do that when nearly all your social activities are based around going out for a drink. How sad is that? But it seems to be the way in the UK.
Drug Rehab |
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anti-depressants causing alcohol cravings?
