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A night of drinking and derailing

Posted , 3 users are following.

Numbanddumb
Numbanddumb

Hello all. So I've restarted Zoloft (from 12.5mg) for about 9 weeks now. I am on 50mg, used to be on 100mg for almost ten years, but attempted to taper off. So my anxiety was under control around 6 weeks.

Old friends invited to a party. Mind you, I have not touched any substances in almost three months. I said f it, and decided to drink. Old habits returned, and instead of a couple drinks, I binged.

Needless to say I got inhiliated and the next day was horrendous. So was the day after. And the day after that. And now I'm going on 6 days, tomorrow will be a week, of feeling off since I drank.

I've been anxious again. Had a panic attack. The jaw clenching from starting Zoloft has returned. I experience some nausea. I have migraines. I feel like I did when I first started Zoloft. Not AS intense, but still like I'm dealing with all the side effects. I'm freaking out. Worried I really messed myself up. I've never had this happen in the years before when I was on 100mg. In fact, I was a bit of n alcoholic.

Is this normal? Has anyone experienced this? I have theories as to why it's happening, but I'm still scared. My obsessive thinking is fueling my anxiety. I was finally calm, and I messed it up by stupidly drinking. Will it return to being normal? Please give me insight. Thank you.

0 likes, 5 replies

5 Replies

  • Dav39
    Dav39 Numbanddumb

    Posted

    I feel your pain. I had a Lucozade (caffeine a bad mix with ADs) a couple of weeks back and a Lilt (contains grapefruit juice) and I think in hindsight that really knocked the stuffing out of me. I'm fairly sure I'm still feeling the repercussions.

    • Numbanddumb
      Numbanddumb Dav39

      Posted

      I'm sorry to hear that! I hope you feel better to. It took me a bit over a week to finally start feeling normalish. I'm sure you'll feel better soon. It's crazy how much different substances and chemicals effect everyone differently. I'm started to become super picky about what I put into my body.

  • GodsServant
    GodsServant Numbanddumb

    Posted

    Hi Numb, the reason you’re feeling this way is because the alcohol nullify the med and now you’re feeling all the “new” side effects as your body tries to build up the med level. You’ll be fine. It’ll take a few days for the level to build up.

    A few times I drank a glass of cocktail or wine and I would have the most insane headache the following day. Now I quit all alcohol except wine in cooking burns off.

    Take care. At a certain point, you have to decide if you like to suffer going thru this for a moment of the euphoria that alcohol makes you feel.

    • Numbanddumb
      Numbanddumb GodsServant

      Posted

      Thank you for your reply. That is exactly what I thought was happening.

      I'm okay with giving up alcohol completely. I just never experienced this in all the years of drinking while on 100mg.

      I'm finding out more and more each day just how much different subtances and chemicals in our body effect one another. Now comes the part of adjusting to sobreity after using alcohol and marjuana to help curb the depression all these years. One day at a time right?

    • GodsServant
      GodsServant Numbanddumb

      Posted

      Wow. You’ve been very lucky to have been able to drink while on this med for years. I was able to drink, too, when I was doing well but then I’d get these insane migraines or severe headaches the next day for like half a day. This was like 8 years ago. Yeah, I hate this illness lots of times – it’s not the alcohol but I had to give up my chai latte (now I’m on herbal non-caffeine chamomile tea daily) and grapefruit – I LOVE grapefruit but had to give it up, too. Yep, one day at a time. Sometimes, even hours at a time.  
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