Alcohol and Fluoxetine

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What is your normal drinking pattern like without the tablets?

Hi, in answer to your question (I wasn't online much yesterday):

Normally I drink something like between 5-9 units per night x 4-5 times a week, sometimes more sometimes less. I often feel hungover or tired. I very occasionally binge drink til I'm sick all the next day, but not that often. That was before fluox and I'm reducing it now, but keeping slipping back into old habits. Like a week last Sat, I didn't eat all day because of vomiting x 2. I still felt rough Sun. I probably had a bottle and a half of wine???! Can't remember. Anyway, I seem to have an addictive personality. I don't think I'm addicted to alcohol as such, but have trouble cutting down in a habit sort of way. Does that make sense? The tablets definitely make my hangovers worse I think.

Jemima

Hi Jemima

LOL you sound so much like me re: alcohol :oops:

I always seem to have to try NOT to have a drink. I drink most weekends - quite a few lagers between Friday night and Sunday night :shock:

I rarely touch the stuff during the week but I have to admit it I have had a stressful day at work I will have a couple of lagers that evening. Daft thing is, I am arguing with myself all afternoon of that day telling myself I don't need a drink to relax, yet at the same time I'm telling myself it is a waste of time arguing because I know full well as soon as I get home I will open a can (if it is in the cupboard) If not, no matter the weather, I will have a walk to the shop and buy some.

Am I addicted to alcohol? Well ermm no lol but I am 'addicted' to the strong need to feel totally chilled out and as of yet I haven't found a better way than a few cans. Well okay, I did try the cannabis - wow! Loved it and no after effects the morning after - but - and I know this will sound crazy - I got scared - just in case I became additced to the spliff.

Crazy - it probably does less harm than alcohol and a damn sight cheaper too lol.

Anywasy, all of it defeats the object! :twisted: :twisted: :twisted:

What we really need to be doing is looking for a natural way to relax - to feel that same chilled out feeling without the need for drugs or alcohol.

The question is - will we ever find it?

So in a way - I am addicted to just about anything that gives me that chilled out feeling, be it alcohol, cannabis or over the counter drugs (usually codiene) :evil: :evil: :evil:

At the moment I am living the life of sheer 'can have what I want' from my GP due to having a displaced radial fracture 4 months ago that is refusing to heal correctly. The doc at the hospital wrote to my GP. This means I can have the sleeping pills, strong painkillers etc.

I'm being very good though and haven't ordered anymore strong painkillers for a few weeks now and I only take the sleeping pills a couple of nights a week.

Yes Jemima, we are addicted, we are addicted to wanting (needing) to feel that relaxed, chilled out feeling, that most people can achieve without alcohol or drugs. Good on them! Sadly, we need a little help to achieve those feelings. :oops:

I think as long as you aware of your alcohol intake and any signs that you may be needing more to achieve the same effect - then you should be (might be) okay. I recently started mixing my drink with lemonade. Drink lasts longer and same effect. End result, I'm drinking less alcohol when the need strikes.

Hope all the above makes sense.

Melbi x

[color=indigo:0b9aa845cc]Hey Melbi, thanks for your reply.

Ya know, I just don’t know if I drink too much or whether I just dislike how much I drink?! I’m having quite a few hangovers lately, which is affecting my self esteem :-( I too drink lots at the weekend, and while I drink a little less during the week, it’s probably a little too much. I can’t say no :cry: . Like, I wrote on my white board I’m on detox from 23 Sept 23 Oct. Urm, well I failed that little goal easy. In fact I binged and made myself ill for 2 days :shock: :shock: (over a weekend thank goodness).

I agree with you :D . I think I use it because I’m addicted to THAT feeling rather than the alcohol itself. I usually crave it when I’ve had a stressful day, or I’m a bit tetchy and then it’s thoughts of going to the shop for some stuff. Me too, I will go come rain or shine lol. I guess we’re addicted to the substance then even if it is for the chilled out feeling, which it is for me and you!!!!

What is the way forward? :?: How can we get that feeling with drugs? :idea: I’m not sure we can. :-( I haven’t had cannibis (well I had a couple of drags once but was too scared to actually inhale lol). Maybe that’s an option?! Beats having those stinking hangovers, hey.

I’ve tried some techniques such as lower alcohol content drinks, drinking more water, drinking only at weekends, not drinking at all and I cannot stick to my guns at all.

It all does makes sense. I drink, I like drinking, I love the feeling it gives me, I detest myself and the morning after feeling once the alcohol wears off.

Melbi, thank you for your insight.

Jemima x x x x x [/color:0b9aa845cc]

Damn it where is the edit button????? That is meant to say how can we get that feeling [b:d8e130f7e4]WITHOUT [/b:d8e130f7e4]drugs (or alcohol). LOL..........

Hey Jemima,

Just read this post, and felt my prev experiences may be of some use to you.

I went through alcohol detox last Feb, having been alcohol dependant for around the last 4 years, (actually, longer than that, but I went dry for 9months 4 years ago --- before that I had had about another 4 years of alcohol problems).

My problems with drinking started in my late teens -- I had a far from ideal childhood, it was pretty abusive - not so much physically (although there was some violence), more emotional and psychological. This actually culminated in my parents throwing me out of the house - I have no contact with them to this day, (which may sound terrible, but breaking all contact with them is the best thing that could have happened really - I dont believe I would be alive today if that hadnt happened) Drinking was a very easy way to chill out a bit, and forget all the crap that was going on around me. I very rarely started an evenings drinking with the intention of getting drunk, but thats how it mostly ended up. It was one of the only coping mechanisms I had (at that time, the other main one being cutting). I very quickly started to need, ie crave, that feeling -- when you can feel the alcohol working, and a curtain being drawn in front of your problems --- and \"so what if I feel like s%*! in the morning\". I never really craved the actual drink -- lets face it, most alcohol isnt the best-tasting stuff in the world, but I needed that crutch, to numb myself to the situation around me, (and also the situation inside my head!) I would smoke weed too, if it was around, although mixing the two is never a great idea, so I tended to stick to drinking mostly. Looking back at things now, its as clear as day that I was starting to become dependant on drink, but at the time, I just reasoned to myself that I was fine, in control, and this was helping me cope with things.

After a couple of years, I tried ecstasy, when I was about 20 --- and again, here was another thing that could totally take me away from the crap swirling around in my head, well for a night at least. It wasnt exactly the chilling out I got from alcohol, but it was another state of being \"away from myself\". However there was the matter of comedowns with ecstasy --- which I dealt with by drinking through them.

I went on for a few years like that, constantly drinking and doing other drugs, anything to get that feeling of disconnecting with myself, and forgetting whatever crisis was going on at the time. And I did have the little arguments with myself, all the time, like \"I'm not gonna drink tonight, I dont need it\" and yet I'd find myself walking on autopilot to the off licence on the way home from work. If I managed to make it home without buying anything, I couldnt relax - would be on edge - couldnt settle, so inevitably it would be down to the corner shop......

Anyways, to cut this already long story short (I do waffle a bit on posts, so apologies!) my depressive symptoms got worse, and then around my 23rd birthday the panic attacks started. I stopped doing pills, smoking weed etc, but contined to drink, more than ever really, figuring I just needed a bit more chilling out. By this time, I was up to around 200 units a week. Obv this didnt work, but I continued like this until last Feb (I'm 27 now). By then things were so bad, I was having severe panic attacks every day, and was pretty much suicidal. Finally, after collapsing in the street one day, I realised I needed help. I went to the local hospital, and got signed up with an alcohol rehab service, and finally managed to kick the drink. I've been dry ever since.

Anyways, thats just a little condensed history - and please dont think I'm trying to say that if you like a drink to relax, you'll end up an alcoholic, I'm not, I'm just sharing my personal experience/feelings with you. Now to kinda my main point (finally!) While I do know that it's far bett

Oh, and just to add a little to my prev post ---- The first time I was prescribed antidepressants -- I was given fluoxetine when I was 21, and continued to drink heavily while on them. Now I dont know how much was down to the drink, depression, or mixing the fluoxetine with alcohol, but I had quite a rough time with them --- I was nauseous all the time, stopped eating, had long bouts of insomnia, etc etc. I lost a crazy amount of weight - was under 9 stone at one point, and I'm 6'3\"!

They do say not to drink while on AD's (I'm dry now, and take Mirtazapine, which does help me quite a lot) I think it's mainly cause it can stop them doing their job, but as I say, I'm not sure if the above were side effects of mixing fluoxetine with a LOT of drink, or just the effects of a lot of drink and depression in general... But I would say its prob best to stay off the alcohol completely if you can.

Hi Richard

I can’t imagine what it must be like to go through detox!! I too suffered some verbal abuse/mild neglect. I guess you, Melbi and me have in common that need to chill out!!! Gosh I am drinking now and already the feeling sh*t in the morning does not figure yet. It occurred to me that in some ways I partake in self harm....alcohol, not eating properly, being a slob. Cutting, I haven’t done that ‘cept a couple of times when I was a child and I longed for attention......yeah the actual alcohol is naff, the temporary feeling it gives tho is what we’re really after, never thought of it like that before. Daft thing is I still don’t really believe i’m dependent on alcohol I just know I drink too much. Are they the same thing?

Honestly, you give a lot of insight in your waffly posts, so it’s fine. I probably only drink 40-50 units per week if that.

I totally relate to the guiltiness and needing to keep busy. I drink because I don’t like me. From as early as I remember I longed to be someone else. I hated me. I can’t get rid of that now. I don’t believe I ever will. I’m 34 now. It’s funny you say that about the band. At work, I didn’t realise, but I did lots of shift which involve being called out and I found that gave me that adrenalin feeling and kick, trouble is it exhausted me. I managed to maintain drinking too. No wonder I’ve fallen apart recently, tho feeling much better now.

I think you are right about finding something to absorb self in. Tho, at the moment I’m having trouble committing to anything that requires commitment. As soon as someone gives me a hard time, I walk away. I’m sure there’s something out there for me tho.

I believe drink and meds aren’t effective. Drink has a lot to do with affecting depression anyway, I think. I can’t help but drink tho even if it’s not masses – this is what led me to wonder if I do have a problem.

Your post was very helpful, thank you for making the effort and taking the time, very grateful.

Jemima x

I'm outta control, smokin' now too. I hate me, I hate me

Wish I could delete own, pointless messages........srry 'bout that, okay now.

Hi guys

Just thought I would add a bit to this - I know I prob drink too much as well but can't seem to be as strong willed as I should be. I work in a pub in the evenings which makes it harder still.

I don't really drink at home (the occasional brandy coffee) but as I feel worse when I am on my own I tend to go to the pub rather than home. I know if I went straight home I would prob curl up in bed and do nothing for the rest of the day so I rationalise going to the pub as at least I am speaking to people and making an effort to be sociable. If I didn't I would prob end up feeling worse anyway. I usually have between £27 and £40 a week to live on and work weekend evenings so end up drinking during the week. I know that isn't good cause I have to be in in the morning and working but sometimes I forget I am on meds (as they are finally working) and start enjoying myself.

Trouble is as soon as I start walking home I begin to feel terrible - it is as if I relax cause I am drunk and the feelings that are suppressed by the ad's are able to come out. This means I end up harming myself when I get home and the really depressed feeling lasts through til the end of the following day.

Will prob go to the pub on the way home cause not very good today and think will be worse if I go home to an empty bedroom. Feel safe in the pub, some of the locals know I haven't been well and I know I won't do anything there but it always leaves me with the problem of being in control when I get home.

Anyway, I can't even remember what point I was going to make any longer. I guess it is just to say I sort of know what you mean - it is the feeling rather than the method of achieving it, the knowledge that for a while your head isn't buzzing with the usual depressive thoughts.

Cheers for now :guinness: (sorry couldn't help it)

Hans

hi all, i just want to say one quick thing: some of you are wondering about trying cannabis instead of alcohol. the alcohol is probably really very bad for you, what with depression, interaction with meds etc.. i don't really know if cannabis would be better though. I use it a lot, much more than alcohol (i do drink on weekends, but i'm perfectly fine without it), and i assure you it's a double sided sword! it does make you feel great, and it helps you sleep (perfectly!), but you end up relying on it so much... probably doesn't do as much harm to your body as alcohol, but can one really get better by living in a daze ALL the time? when life catches up with you (i.e. you're out of weed), the blow (i mean hit/punch, not coke :wink: ) is so much harder... ok, who cares about getting better, let's just make every day slightly more bearable, right? i don't know... it's a slippery road... just be careful guys - artificial happiness is a tricky thing.

hey peeps,

Any1 tried spice before? It's a legal herb wich has a similar effect as weed. You feel really relaxed when smoking it, makes an uncomfy seat comfortable if you know what I mean. It doesn't really send your thoghts in all directions either. Was quite surprised when I first tried it. You should be able to buy it in shops where you can buy bongs and pipes for smoking weed.

And the best of all, it's LEGAL!

Cheers