drinking on occasion and taking welbutrin?

Question

I understand the "possible" side effects- but has anyone ever witnessed/ experienced them.- seizure, stroke, liver damage etc...

I enjoy drinking socially on occasion.

what meds wouldnt have this effect?

Answer 1

I'm not really sure why you would even want to drink if you're being treated for depression. It's like smoking while being treated for pneumonia.

Wellbutrin (bupropion hydrochloride) is really tough on your liver. With the triple metabolism your liver is going to be very busy with Wellbutrin (bupropion hydrochloride). The ever-popular CYP450 enzymes are used for some of the metabolism, other enzymes, as yet unidentified, are used for the other metabolisms. The only warning about alcohol and Wellbutrin (bupropion hydrochloride) concerns seizures. In the real world you don't know what the combination is going to get you, you may be able to hold your liquor better or you may become a total lightweight. In either case expect your hangovers to be much worse than they were before Wellbutrin (bupropion hydrochloride) . I recommend greatly reducing your alcohol intake when taking Wellbutrin (bupropion hydrochloride) , just because of the amount of work your liver does already.

Wellbutrin is an MRI (multiple reuptake inhibitor); two other meds that work similarly are Cymbalta and Effexor, but come with similar workloads on your liver.

I'm on a different kind of medication that does a lot of work on my liver and I won't drink at all, not even on occassion, mainly, because I'm afraid of possible long term damage, it's just not worth it to me.

If you're insistent on drinking, ask your Dr. if you can switch to an antidepressant that doesn't matabolize in your liver, that is, if you care about your liver.

Answer 2

Yes. I have seen patients brought into the emergency room due to seizures induced from mixing alcohol and Welbutrin. Most claimed to have only had 'a couple' and definitely were not 'drunk'. As it says on the package insert, "Do not drink alcohol while taking this medication."

Answer 3

Those meds intensify the effects of alcohol. Alcohol is a depressant to the nervous system, which is counterproductive to dealing with depression. Ask the doc who prescribed the Wellbutrin.

Answer 4

Just stop drinking !! You may drink a lot & be okay, or your next drink may be your last....and you just won't wake up!

Is your "social" drinking worth the possibilty of dying ? The answer is up to you. Think it can't happen to you -- think again -- I know of several cases where that did happen.