can i mix paxil w/ alcohol

I am diagnosed with major depressive disorder. I know this sounds bad enough, but there is one more problem with me. I like to drink alcohol; no matter I know I should not do this. My last doctor prescribed me Paxil to treat this disorder. Now I would like to know more about this drug, and what happens if I mix Paxil with alcohol?

Paxil, or paroxetine hydrochloride is indicated for the treatment of major depressive disorder, so I would recommend you to use it as your doctor prescribed. Efficacy of this medicine was established in 6 week controlled trials of outpatients whose diagnoses were in category of major depressive disorder. Their episodes imply a prominent and relatively persistent depressed mood that interferes with daily functioning. In these studies Paxil was appear as very good for their symptoms. I am sure this drug will help you with change in appetite, sleep and loss of interests, which I believe you have. Important information you want to hear is that Paxil does not increase the impairment of mental and motor skills caused by alcohol. Although, I have to tell you all patients should be advised to avoid alcohol while taking Paxil. This is case with almost every medicine, so you should control yourself a little bit at least while you are on medicines. I also believe you should take therapy to treat your disorder although you have to quit alcohol, because this medicine could make your life better.

sama wrote:

I am diagnosed with major depressive disorder. I know this sounds bad enough, but there is one more problem with me. I like to drink alcohol; no matter I know I should not do this. My last doctor prescribed me Paxil to treat this disorder. Now I would like to know more about this drug, and what happens if I mix Paxil with alcohol?

Isn't alcohol a depressant? I can only speak for myself of course but I believe that for years I tried to self medicate my depression with alcohol. I quit drinking and life got a lot better but after 10 years I decided to get professional help for my depression. I was prescribed Lexapro and it has helped significantly. Best of luck to you. My personal experience is that alcoho and antidepressants should not be mixed.

I've been on 12.5mg CR for a little over a month and aside from it working, I've found that it doesn't give me a problem when drinking. I didn't know what would happen, the doctor said it shouldn't be a problem and I certainly wasn't going to quit drinking for a drug.

Anyway, what I've noticed is that it makes alcohol take longer to affect me. This has once caused a problem, in that I drank and before it hit me and I stopped drinking, I drank more and got sick from drinking too much. I think it'll just take time before I get used to how alcohol will affect me from now on, but from my point of view, it isn't a problem. I can still enjoy alcohol and now I feel a lot better about being with other people

Talk to your doctor if you're worried about its interaction, but in my case, Paxil has improved my life and alcohol hasn't caused any major problems with it.

I found some information that Paxil and alcohol together, is not good. They both mess with the same chemicals in your body, and can increase the effect of the alcohol, so be careful on how much you drink

I drank before taking paxil, but never to extreme and I never used any other drugs. I never experienced problems with alcohol until taking paxil. the drug affects everybody different, but for me it caused me to crave alcohol immensly, I would drink and black out almost every weekend, and when I blacked out I would do crazy terrible things that lost me friends and has marred my reputation for who knows how long. my grades plummeted and i even dropped out of college for a term. I ended up having my family intervene on my account to send me to an rehab center as well. now i am proud to say i have been off antidepressants for over 3 months and I no longer crave or have problems with alcohol. I enjoy drinking on occasions like a normal person as I did before I took the drug. Its crazy to believe that this drug was the only variable that seperated me from being an crazed alcoholic who lost friends and was forced to go to rehab to someone who does not have problems with alcohol. If you feel cravings for alcohol while on paxil and have people tell you that you acted out of control when you blacked out switch to another antidepressent and hope it doesnt have this side effect. Looking back I realize that I never should of drank on the drug but at the time I just kept drinking regardless. In short, be careful, these drugs are helpful but I feel that the companies that sell them are criminal for their reluctance to disclose the number of side affects taht can accompany them.

ive been prescribed paxil cr for the past year and it has helped me greatly. Alcohol is the worst thing to mix because it relieves you of your anxiety which doesnt sound so bad, but when the alcohol is out of your system your anxiety will be back and stronger than ever. i truely suggest anyone of paxil to limit their drinking because i have had some really bad cases mixing paxil and alcohol. i have about two or three drinks per week and i find it extremely normal but anymore than that and my anxiety haunts me which i really don't like which is why i avoid drinking to much. hope this advice was helpful.