Citalopram mixed with alcohol

Stacecole... I understand where your coming from, bu please try to bear in mind that people experience depression in different severities and in different ways. There are people who's lives break down completely, but equally, there are highly successful people in the world who suffer from the disease. The first time I experienced it I was much the same as you, I reached the point of locking myself away for a month, didnt eat, wash or do a thing. This time round, I went back on the meds because I just know my mood was starting to suffer again, I was struggling with my daily routine but still keeping up with it. . Not all people reach the point of breaking down and shutting themselves off from the world. Depression essentially is a disease where we are deficient in the neurotransmitter serotonin. As with all diseases there are variations in severity, and it manifests itself in people very differently. I believe the reason (some) people don't take it seriously is because there is a general lack of understanding that it is low mood caused by neurotransmitter deficiencies and physical brain malfunctioning. They think people are jut lazy or miserable and feel sorry for themselves, rather than realising that depression is a physical disease, in the same way that heart disease or cancer are.

Hi Guys, heres a link to an article I recently wrote about mental health awareness. I'd be grateful for your thoughts or comments.

http://www.infobarrel.com/Mental_Health_Awareness_Week_Are_you_Crazy

Stacecole ... Citalopram is also prescribed for anxiety. No problems planning activities and outings with friends. Still a serious issue.

Thanks for everyone's info on this topic. I'm drinking for the first tonight after being on citalopram, so I think I will stick to 1 drink and see how it goes.

I drink daily while taking this med, but only in moderation (well below the gov recommended max limit guidelines). I find it doesn't really affect me from one day to the next, as long as I don't overdo it.

However, last week I did over do it and went out and had a double vodka ontop of my usual drinks. That was enough to have a negative effect. The first effect was as the original poster described, I basically crashed unusually early, and slept 7 hours straight then woke at some weird time like 4am.

I think drinking heavy will make you more likely to sleep and crash out on this med so be careful guys.

Moderation is the word.

As to the question about peer pressure and drinking... probably best to come clean if you're in a social environment where you're used to drinking regularly. Just say you can't drink as much as you're on some med. You don't need to go into specifics, just say its for some condition other than depression, if you don't want everyone to know. Drink slower and make your pints last, or else just switch to drink vodka's and coke, have a couple then switch to just cokes.

@dendo blacked out in the street..incredible! I remember blacking out once in the toilets in my local and the landlord having to carry my ass back home and lay me out on my bed lol. That was not due to this med though, just drinking too much and mixing with tranquilizers (very dangerous and stupid I know). I had to go back to the pub the next night and apologise as apparently I vomited all over the place.

I think it's wise to be cautious on this med as like yourself, when I had that double vodka ontop of my usual liqueur drinks, it was enough to just make me completely crash almost like a blackout. I just got home, 7pm, hit my bed and that was that..slept instantly fully clothed for 7 hours straight. Very unusual for me to sleep before midnight so I put this down to the alcohol interacting with this med.

I had to start taking Citalopram for anxiety when my mum died 5 months ago. Stupidly the first thing I did was researched the drug on the internet, scared the poo out of my self due to certain side effects people had had on them and then went on to suffer med free for a further month. Finally it all got to much and I had no choice as things were so difficult. 5months down the line and all is ok. My anxiety on 30mg has vastly improved and I seem to be a lot happier. The only side effects I had in the first couple of weeks were headaches, feeling hot & increased anxiety but it wasn't all unbearable.

Alcohol wise I was worried as I had read some horror stories on the net, and didn't want to not be able to drink ever. I allowed 6 weeks for the tablet to get into my system & all seems to be ok in moderation & the one time I got completely hammered on my birthday its all a little hazy and I'd say 2-3 days I didn't feel quite right but that was it! I'm lucky as my uncle is a GP so I go to him with questions. These modern day drugs don't interact with alcohol like they used to, that doesn't mean to say you have to be a little bit cautious mind. All I'd say is if your suffering talk to ur GP and take them. Don't do what I did and scare yourself with OTHER peoples opinions & stories!

Oh my goodness! Just thought I'd share! Been on citalopram now for over a month so decided to get myself a bottle of wine as I haven't had a drink for a while, it was around 9 last night ! I remember going to the shop and opening the wine, but the next thing is me waking up with a headache that I can only describe as a HOLIDAY hangover! I completely blacked out! I can't remember a thing, but I looked at the floor and there's still a third of a bottle left! I usually have 2 bottles and NEVER have this kind of hang over . There's also washing in the machine, empty lasagne and crisp packets and chocolate packets on the floor, the toilet seat is broken off and I can't remember ANYTHING about it ! It scares me as I think it's quite dangerous! I was obviously still doing stuff whilst in this state! What if I had decided to go out for a walk or something? Anything could have happened to me and I WOULDNT know about it! I'll DEFINATELY be extremely wary around alcohol now! A don't want to feel like this ever again!

Be extremely careful, especially with wine! I'm usually a regular drinker , on weekends, so if this can floor me, it could definately floor you! Good luck!

I would definitely tell your friends that you are on antibiotics, just to be on the safe side!

I have found that with Citalopram my legs are very active and twitchy in my sleep, and it does feel like a growing pain. It is good to hear that others feel the same. I have been on it for around 6 months and I am still learning the best way to manage it. Exercise does not seem to help, but I agree, it is worse when I have had alcohol.

New Year's Eve I really overdid it and had way too much to drink, maybe 6 beers or more and a glass or two of Irish creme liqueur.

I found that Citalopram seemed to slow the effects or absorption of alcohol (maybe I could be wrong) but I didn't seem to get drunk hardly (normally 2-3 beers has me drunk im a lightweight!). I take 10-15mg Citalopram.

Apart from a pretty bad hangover New Year's Day, I had no other ill-effects and didn't even feel sick which normally I would after drinking so much.

I can conclude it's completely safe to drink (even to moderate excess) while on Citalopram (at least at 10-15mg), but I wouldn't take that as a green light to go out drinking night after night to excess on it, as it surely can't be healthy for your liver!

I agree Morphix,I have found alcohol not to really affect me as quickly, its strange. People forget that you have to allow 4-6 weeks for the drug to enter your system properly. I didn't drink for 8 weeks just so I could give myself a head start whilst first taking citalopram. I think it should be fine as long as you don't drink every day.

Hi, I've been on 10mg for almost a month, for OCD, anxiety and panic attacks - it took up all my mindspace.

I found it began to work after only 2 weeks. I feel brighter and, more importantly, able to see the positives. During the last week I have had small panics but have been able to deal with them better.

I find, that when taken with alchol, it doubles the effects.

Thanks to everyone for sharing your experiences.

I've been on Citalopram for 4 months now and just had my dose increased from 20mg to 30mg. I had a really bad episode after Christmas and I really feel that alcohol doesn't mix with them. I've had blackouts and suffer from terrible anxiety the next day and that's only after a few. I feel like my depression is getting worse so I've completely bit down on alcohol. Alcohol is a cause for depression so my advice is to steer clear altogether. My friends love a drink as well so it's really difficult for me but my mental health is more important.

hi all

Drinking with citalopram has been a mixed bag for me. My first course a few years ago was absolutely fine could drink the same as always. This time though I have found it has had some pretty strange effects.

On the drinking side I get drunk a lot quicker but its not my mind that gets drunk it seems to be just my coordination and balance that are affected. The other week I had about three pints and I was staggering and falling all over the place, the best part was I was watching myself do it as well but i couldn't control it. These effects in themselves would not be a problem just be a funny, stumbly, cheap night out.

Its the following week that's pretty worrying. I'm fine for the day after, possibly a little bit of a hangover but otherwise fine, during the next week however I find myself becoming more depressed again peaking normally about 3 days after I've had a drink and then getting back to normal by the end of the week.

Some times its just a little out of sorts and feeling a bit down other times, such as now I begin to question the whole point of my own existence.

I've now come to the conclusion that I just shouldn't drink but peer pressures a bitch.

Does anyone else have this sort of experience?

Just had one of worst weeks of my life. I have been on citalopram for over a year don't ever trust this with alcohol anymore. I'm a hard drinker and the amount that made me black out did not make sense. I embarrassed myself, family and friends. The blackouts were close to Dyan's story with the broken toilet seat. I have anxiety, so I cant stop citalopram, so I must quit drinking.

I have been on citalopram for 8 years. I have found that I should never drink more than 4 or 5 pints of alcohol in one sitting being on this drug - if I drink more than that, even if I am not feeling very drunk at all, I will definitely have a blackout. I may wake up the next day feeling fine but unable to recall much of anything past the 4th pint. The drug has helped me tremendously for ordinary daily life, but I really need to be careful to cutoff the alcohol when out having fun before it creates a big problem when clashing with the drug.

I am not an alcoholic and I did not have blackouts before I started taking the drug.

My legs also are weakened due to the drug and get very susceptible to cramps when in a confined state for too long (like on a long flight over 5 hours).