sertraline and alcohol

I started mine on the Friday, and went camping with friends for the weekend, and had about 5 cans of Guinness or so Friday night. Was no more drunk than usual, but the side effects were hilarious in the morning. Twitchy, anxious and fizzing like I'd had 12 espressos. I'm normally very laid back, but by 9 in the morning I was scrubbing and cleaning the inside of my camper, couldn't sit still, and was gibbering happily, lol. Everyone just laughed at me. Now if I drink, very weirdly it has increased my tolerance for alcohol, doesn't make any difference to hangovers, and never get maudling or sad if I'm having a glass or 2 of red at home. For me it's ok. I would wait till you are settled with the Sertraline before you drink on it, and take it easy.

Hiya, im on sertraline and have continued to drink. The first week the mix of meds and alcohol made me feel terrible - just increased my depression massively. After that first week though things seemed to be less problematic. However, i had to go to a and e yesterday and was told the alcohol was basically counteracting the sertraline. Dont how representative my experience is - whilst not alcohol dependent i do drink excessively - and yesterday was actually referred for alcohol counselling. Plus, ive been told to come off sertraline - due to side effects (sleep has halved and im hardly eating) - been referred for a pysch assessment with, afterwards, something like lithium likely ive been told.

I have had no side effects from drinking whilst on Sertraline. I didn't drink for a few weeks while I got used to it, but didn't notice anything once I did have a drink. I don't usually drink heavily, just a couple of drinks in the evening. I do feel very down the day after a night of heavy drinking, but I used to do that before the Sertraline too. I agree with campergirl, wait until settled and then give it a go x

Hi, I've been on Sertraline for around 6 months, 50mg per day. I am a frequent/heavy drinker and continued to drink whilst on the meds. I have noticed that I can now consume huge amounts of alcohol and find it hard to stop drinking, some nights I'll consume 12 pints. I used to hate Stella but now that's all I drink. I stop drinking for a few days before work presentations and I notice that the Sertraline really kicks in and I feel great. The alcohol certainly cancels out the Sertraline to an extent but I feel spaced out the next day if I don't drink to cancel out some of the Sertraline.

When I first started taking Sertraline I noticed some sexual side effects, these balanced out over the first few weeks and I was almost normal. When I stop drinking the proof that the Sertraline kicks in is that the sexual side effects return the next day!

I'm performing a strange balance of toning down the Sertraline with alcohol and then easing off drinkwhen I need to perform at work, kind of an interesting scenario. I have started drinking less and will be coming off alcohol shortly and will probably drop to 25mg Sertraline to even it out.

Thanks for your replies they were really helpful, ill stay aware and see how it goes when im settled on the new meds.

Cheers guys, stay happy

Okay... so, I gave up drinking and smoking a year ago. I started on Zoloft again at that time to treat anxiety and depression. The other day, I finally decided that I could have a glass of red every now and again without drinking heavily or having it worsen my depression/anxiety. Oh, how wrong I was. 

One and a half glassess gave me a massive headache, made me feel awful and this morning I felt nauseus, light headed and really lousy mentally. I had to leave work because I was afraid I'd throw up. As a teacher, throwing up is hard to do discreetly. Now, I feel like I've stuffed up and I need to fix myself up again. 

Short story - don't miz Z and booze if you, like me, have depression/anxiety and a history of alcohol addiction. 

 

I can certainly say i have consumed alcohol while taking Sertraline. I have a drink problem that i will need detox and help with soon. My dose is 100mg Sertraline and i drink approx 30 units per day.

Needless to say i am trying to cut down. I find the Sertraline doubles the effects, every drink feeling like two.

Good Luck to all and boy do i need it too

I took a 25mg pill I was prescribed for anxiety not while drinking but for the first time and it made me feel high, like a good high at first like if I took a lot of sleeping pills maybe 4ish.. But after awhile I just felt outta it like I couldn't focus.. I had work so while driving to work hours later.. Maybe 3 hours later I was thinking "man I shouldn't be driving lol" i know it's not funny but at the time it was! At work I was complaining because the whole time I felt so tired and outta it and kept doing kinda odd things and tried to drink a energy drink to counter act the effects of the pills but that only made me feel worse.. When I drank the energy drink I felt like light headed and like I was going to collapse I drank water and soon felt better but still it was a horrible experience to have at work, so avoid energy drinks it you want to stay conscious... If you suffer from anxiety I'd recommend trying hydrOYYzine, I take 50mg and it helps me just fine but when it's too strong I'd recommend in a critical situation taking something stronger! Why I'm replying to this is because I've been drinking and took my second pill in my monthly Zoloft proscription today two days after the mentioned incident and I feel okay for now but like I said early the effects of the pill last at least 12hours or more and the effects start to take place right away and only become stronger for the first few hours so it's not something to be mess around with unless you want to have a bad time! If you French fry when you shoulda pizza YOURE GONNA HAVE A BAD TIME!

Everyone is different.

I had 1 coffee with baileys in at 5 ish last night. But 6.30 I got terrible stomach ache by 9.30 I'd been sick! I then had a terrible nights sleep and clenched jaw and this morning I have a banging head ache and feel awful. Oh I'm on 50 mg of sertraline and have been for about 3 weeks.

So yes some people may be fine- but I'm not one of them!

I’ve been on sertrine for almost 2 years now... I started at 25mg but it was to weak then I went on the 50mg still too weak and now I’m on the 100mg and it works better and I’m suppose to take one every night before bed with food but I only take them every 2 days. Before I was taking sertraline I used to drink but now that I’m on it I’m drinking more but I always wait 4 to 6 hours after I take the pill before i consume alcohol. 

Yes I am on 150 mg of sertraline and often have 3 pints or more of lager several times a week.  I have no side effects.  Be aware though that alcohol is a depressant so can make you feel more depressed.  x

I have been on sertraline for almost 2 years now, 100mg and for the first 6-7 months 50mg. I am a social drinker, and do not drink excessive amounts, and have found that when I do drink, since starting my meds, I become intoxicated much quicker and on a few occasions since my mg was raised have found myself with intense suicidal thoughts and my depression at its worst. This didn't occur when I was on 50mg but I did still feel drowsy and that I became drunk quicker then before I started my medicine.

Well. I'm on 20mg (probably need a bit more tbh) having swapped from Citalopram about 3 weeks ago, and barely drink anything these days. My usual is on a Saturday night, less than a small glass of white wine, topped up with nearly a pint of water in a big beaker, x2.

Yesterday, invited to a family gathering, I, had 4 of these weak but nice drinks over the course of an afternoon. Very, very slightly 'relaxed' as it were. Half an hour walk home, all good, then all of a sudden, the headache from hell, poisoning fever and threw up everything possible, violently. It was extreme and confusing.

So this discussion has been very interesting to read. Thanks everyone, looks like my 'hardly drinking anything' is going to reduce to '... and definitely not drinking when out'. Bleg.