Sertraline & Alcohol

I've been taking Sertraline for 12 months. I have paid no special attention to my alcohol consumption - drinking per usual. I have noticed no difference or problem. Try it and see...just make sure you can stay on the couch if you have to. 

hem,I drunk as normal,and a couple of times went to Tenerife,and drunk a lot..as you do!! Only thing I noticed were a few head zaps the next day..no other affects

I have been on a 50mg dose for 6 weeks. I stupidly forgot about my medication and went out and drank 5 pints and I can hardly remember the end of the evening. Woke up the next day couldn't stop throwing up for about 27 hours then was laid up in bed with a marine for a further 24 hours. It's now about 70 something hours and I still have a headache and feel terrible. I would usually be fine with that much beer so I know it's the combination. I would not advise mixing the 2 based on my experience over the last couple of days. I certainly won't be drinking until I have finished my treatment.

Hope this helps

I had the same scare like you and I have been taking the medicine for about 2 months and I dont normally drink but yesterday I had a lot. So I panicked and I called my psychiatrist and she said that is fine just to take a lot of water or pedialyte but water will do the trick. No major side effects would happen but when in doubt just call our psychiatrist or ask if you should be drinking and yes it would be common sense that the doctors would have to tell you if its dangerous to take a certain medicine with alcohol.

I tend to find you can drink while on sertraline, 50mg for me. But in lower doses , and not daily. I find if I drink , say 4 alcoholic drinks on a friday, 2 pints the following, and maybe 3-4 on the sunday, the anxiety symptoms get more stronger for a few days following. very frustrating, as i enjoy a drink. but i think its about finding the right levels for each person.

Just thought I'd add my experience.

When taking a previous antidrepressant I continued drinking and it didn't have any adverse effects apart from I but find that it reduced the effectiveness of the drug.  I think this is logical as alcohol is proven to be a depressant so makes sense, doesn't it?  However, as a heavy drinker I found it hard to kick the habit.  Anyway, that bout of depression reduced enough that I have been managing without medication for the last 2 years.

The 'big black cloud' came back with a vengeance last week and I have been prescribed sertraline.  These first few days it has made me feel jittery and slightly nauseous and I have completely gone off alcohol.  However, last night I was so stressed from work I hit the bottle, despite my body telling me I didn't want it.  And I was so smashed on just one bottle of wine (which normally I wouldn't be.)  And this morning I have the worst hangover I have ever had.

So in my opinion, sertraline and alcohol do not mix.  And I know that this is going to be the push I need to kick the alcohol into touch - because I need the sertraline right now, so the alcohol will have to go!

I've recently started taking Sertraline 50mg for the second time, first was roughly 7 years ago.  Last time I could drink my normal amount (4-5 pints) without any side effects at all.  However, this time it's a completely different story.  Last night I had roughly 3 pints of lager and 1 fruit cider, this was a very silly thing to do as right now I feel just as anxious, panicky and in pain as I did before starting to take the Sertraline.

That being said, last week I had a little over 2 pints of lager, say, 2.5 and was fine apart from being a bit groggy the next day.

As other people have said, the whole antidepressant vs. depressant arguement is very much true, and trying to overdo it on the drink will likely result in some unpleasant side effects the following day.

In the future i'm not going to deprive myself of a drink, but on the other hand, I don't want to feel horrible the next day so i'll limit it to 1, 2 at a push and then go Alcohol Free drinks for the remainder. Definately staying away from spirits, i'm not even going to tempt fate with that one.

Hiya, I've been on sertraline for around 2+ months. I don't normally drink, but I have found that I sleep better after a few cans of lager.

Hangovers not good, but like I said I don't drink much. But it does take my mind off any depressive thoughts.

This is the first time I've taken anything like sertraline.

I wake up and go straight to the fridge for some juice.

Like all meds, they need to settle in and you'll find if alcohol or sausages, etc are bad for you.

Russ.

Hi,

I was wondering if anyone could give me some advice. Ive just been prescribed sertaline after developing anxiety and feeling quite down after an assault. Im not sure if I want to go down the meds route as I'm not sure what sort of an effect it'll have. Im a student studying an intensive course with a high workload and worry that the meds could have a negative effect plus I'm not sure about the effect they'll have with alcohol on me as i have quite a busy social life and enjoy going out as well. Does anyone have any advice?