does drinking alcohol about 4 days a week change Lexapro's effectiveness?

Question

I drink alot. Probably about 4 out of 7 days. I drink probably 2 Tilt energy drinks after work. They are malt beverages with ginseng and ect. I also drink heavy on the weekend. I noticed that the first week on lexapro when I didnt drink so much, I was feeling so much better. Now that I started drinking more again during the week again I feel like I felt before I started taking lexapro. I am on it for stress and anger issues. When I cut back my alcohol intake I didnt get stressed nor did i really ever get angry. But now that I started back....I get upset and stressed just as I did before taking lexapro. But I havnt had a drink in about 3 days and I kinda feel like I might be feeling better. Plz let me know

yes I read it....but all meds say do not take with alcohol. So I did it anyways. But I did notice that I stopped feeling good. I was in more bad moods then good

Answer 1

Look, my doctor was pretty honest about how much I could drink on Lexapro. She said that a glass of wine was 'ok' but any more would start to counteract the antidepressant. I drank 2 bottles of wine and she yelled at me about it. I felt suicidal for 3 days after. I had to admit to her that I was a heavy drinker and an alcoholic. I actually had to quit drinking because my mental health is more important than getting drunk. I'm also on additional meds that can cause a seizure if I drink on them so I really CANNOT drink at all (I had a seizure after New Years Eve because of heavy drinking on Ativan).

I'm actually in AA now and I feel better in general not drinking. Alcohol is a depressant (duh) and it's crazy how I crave it when I'm depressed. Now that the meds are working, I'm not as depressed/anxious and I don't feel the need to drink as often. Honestly, AA helps me a lot with that too...

I drank heavily on a daily basis a few years ago when I was on 200mg Zoloft and the medication did NOT work at all for me. It really may have been because of my drinking.

Answer 2

Probably is alcohol withdrawal. If you had slowly stopped, such as day one, drink only 9 beers and no more, by day four be down to 5 beers, and so forth, you might have avoided them. The shaking will occur from it, but I wouldn't worry. Withdrawals happen, and you probably won't die. You're probably right about the medication but it is probably not causing withdrawals, and it depends on what you were taking and if you have stopped taking it too. If you need the medication and are still on it, then it's not that. I say it might take a week or two, to pass. Maybe longer. I do recommend trying to cut back on your drinking more slowly, instead of cold turkey, since you're having this problem?

Answer 3

Yes, alcohol has a huge effect on Lexapro. It can actually make your problem worse than it was before you were ever put on the medication. If you are drinking heavily, you need to tell your doctor that prescribed that medication. Alcohol is a depressant and added with medication like that, makes everything twice as bad as it should be. Talk to your doctor about your lifestyle, or maybe make a change.

Answer 4

It sounds to me like the drinking is the issue. If you don't want to completely stop drinking cut back significantly. Drinking that much is horrible for you, and the fact you are taking medication makes it so much worse. And yes, drinking heavily on any medication is going to affect it's effectiveness.

Answer 5

Stop drinking!!! I also use lexapro and alcohol is not allowed. It will definetly screw up what the drugs suppose to do!! If you want to feel better then no more alcohol.

Answer 6

Please do not drink alcohol with Lexapro or any other antidepressant or anxiety/stress relieving drugs. You could end up in the hospital or worse. Please be careful. The information given to you in the prescription says not to mix with alcohol. Did you read this?