If I have to go on an MAOI for combined ADHD/OCD/depression/PTSD/TBI (all of which I have been officially diagnosed with), I will. That may be the next drug my doctor puts me on! There are MAJOR, major food and drug restrictions, as y'all may know. But I don't care if I have to stand on my head and eat one rice cake per day-- I'll do it. MAOI's fell out of favor, but it was NOT because they did not work. Most people were not willing to make the sacrifices with what they were eating and drinking. How can we expect to get better if we aren't willing to make some tough choices? We need to take a hard look at ourselves and start taking personal responsibility for our actions. None of us chose to have depression, OCD, or whatever, but we CAN choose if we are willing to give up some things in order to get better. If anyone is NOT willing to 100% QUIT drinking in order to safely take medication, do you really want to get better at all? I'm sorry, but I don't have a lot of patience with this one.
Loading...
I'm 34 female - drink 2-3 glasses of wine (almost) daily - more on weekends - been on Celexa for 2 yrs and switching to Cymbalta - here's a good thought...check out a good supplement containing Milk Thistle, Curcumin, Artichoke & other liver protecting herbs - That's what I do to protect myself...one brand name which may be on the web is Healthy Liver by New Roots. Cheers!
Loading...
so i drink every weekend, and a drink a lot... i mean probably upwards of fifteen shots or something like that in a night, and i have a lot of fun. but recently i have been feeling horribly depressed afterwards.. i have been on the medicine for a while (like 9 months) and have not changed my drinking amount at all over the time-- if anything i drink less frequently. I have been getting dangerously sad the next day.. is this happening to anything else??
Loading...
I've benn on Cymbalta for about 3 month and have noticed issues with drinking alcohol. First my consumption of alcohol has increased to about 2-3 glasses (1 bottle) of red wine 4-5 nights a week. The following morning I really feel like c**p which didn;t happen before. I also believe the potentcy of the Cymbalta (60mg) is effected because I have started having some aniexty lately and I have noticed some irratibility.
Loading...
Um, hello? I'm not a doctor but has anyone here looked at the labeling? Lilly has sent a "Dear Doctor" letter telling prescribers not to prescribe this drug to people with liver problems. There are also post-approval reports of individuals with severe liver damage as a consequence of alcohol intake while on Cymbalta.
My prescriber told me not to drink and I don't. That means NO ALCOHOL. Not some. NONE. Period.
My prescriber told me not to drink and I don't. That means NO ALCOHOL. Not some. NONE. Period.
Loading...
Guest wrote:
Well said! Until you have been there you will never understand these peoples concerns !!!!Firefighter Dan wrote:
Does it really make sense to anyone to take a medication for depression and drink alcohol (which is a depressant)?
One thing to think about is what causes or helps cause the depression. If you were to remove the alcohol, could that also remove the depression? Then there would be no need for cymbalta.
You obviously don't know one *** thing about depression, and people who drink to feel better with it. Give us your input when you've been there yourself, then maybe we'll talk. Until then, go *** yourself.
**edited by moderator**
Loading...
Guest wrote:
um...yeah it's a depressant however, this medication is used to help other things..like sever cases of OCD or ADHD ...they can still drink on it I have ADHD and Angziety, sure if I drink to much I get pissy but most people do when the drink ...learn ur facts!!
Guest wrote:
Well said! Until you have been there you will never understand these peoples concerns !!!!Firefighter Dan wrote:
Does it really make sense to anyone to take a medication for depression and drink alcohol (which is a depressant)?
One thing to think about is what causes or helps cause the depression. If you were to remove the alcohol, could that also remove the depression? Then there would be no need for cymbalta.
You obviously don't know one *** thing about depression, and people who drink to feel better with it. Give us your input when you've been there yourself, then maybe we'll talk. Until then, go *** yourself.
**edited by moderator**
um...yeah it's a depressant however, this medication is used to help other things..like sever cases of OCD or ADHD ...they can still drink on it I have ADHD and Angziety, sure if I drink to much I get pissy but most people do when the drink ...learn ur facts!!
Loading...
I feel I need to share this - I've been on Cymbalta for almost 4 months. I began craving wine and on a regular basis would find my self totally intoxicated. I would start with one glass then found I couldn't quit.
I'm a mom and run my own business. This is not my normal behavior. I'm lucky that nothing bad has happened. I didn't link the two until recently. I got really busy one week and didn't refill my scrip for several days. I experienced horrible withdrawl symptoms - I thought I was having a heart attack. I started researching Cymbalta and discovered the link between alcohol.
My doctor never said anything about the withdrawl or alcohol cravings.
I'm in the process of weaning off Cymbalta. It helped me, but the bad outweighed the good in my book. I'd like to be around when my child goes to high school and college.
This was a scary experience and this drug, in my opinion, should have warnings all over it.
Good luck to those still using it....be careful!!!!
I'm a mom and run my own business. This is not my normal behavior. I'm lucky that nothing bad has happened. I didn't link the two until recently. I got really busy one week and didn't refill my scrip for several days. I experienced horrible withdrawl symptoms - I thought I was having a heart attack. I started researching Cymbalta and discovered the link between alcohol.
My doctor never said anything about the withdrawl or alcohol cravings.
I'm in the process of weaning off Cymbalta. It helped me, but the bad outweighed the good in my book. I'd like to be around when my child goes to high school and college.
This was a scary experience and this drug, in my opinion, should have warnings all over it.
Good luck to those still using it....be careful!!!!
Loading...
I have been wondering myself if there is not a connection between the Cymbalta and my increased alcohol consumption. I have never craved alcohol before now and it's really scary. Plus, alcohol the night before seems to lower my mood the next day. The Cymbalta was a miracle drug for me for a few months. I think I am going to make a supreme effort to stop drinking rather than ditching the drug. If that doesn't work, I guess it will be back to major depression for me. Yay.
Loading...
:-| Of course it depends on the person, but I totally believe that Cymbalta frequently does these things:
1) Makes you suddenly crave alcohol WAY more than you normally would
--Before Cymbalta, I was always the completely in control drinker. Now with Cymbalta if I have a drop of alcohol I suddenly crave MORE.
2) Suddenly increases the effects of alcohol
--Alcohol makes me feel sick now like it NEVER did before Cymbalta, alcohol makes me feel way tipsier now than before Cymbalta, etc.
3) Makes you suddenly manic, impuslive, & bold on alcohol
--I act way different under the influence of alcohol since Cymbalta... It's suddenly like, "YES, GO for it, I'm superwoman now!!!"
Therefore I avoid alcohol now that I'm on Cymbalta, even though my friends want me to socially drink. And I happen to be weaning myself off of Cymbalta now for a different reason - sudden significant stomach fat gain. It's no use for me to take something that makes me feel gross. I will have to fight the depression some other way, although at least I've gotten about a year & a half use out of it. :-)
1) Makes you suddenly crave alcohol WAY more than you normally would
--Before Cymbalta, I was always the completely in control drinker. Now with Cymbalta if I have a drop of alcohol I suddenly crave MORE.
2) Suddenly increases the effects of alcohol
--Alcohol makes me feel sick now like it NEVER did before Cymbalta, alcohol makes me feel way tipsier now than before Cymbalta, etc.
3) Makes you suddenly manic, impuslive, & bold on alcohol
--I act way different under the influence of alcohol since Cymbalta... It's suddenly like, "YES, GO for it, I'm superwoman now!!!"
Therefore I avoid alcohol now that I'm on Cymbalta, even though my friends want me to socially drink. And I happen to be weaning myself off of Cymbalta now for a different reason - sudden significant stomach fat gain. It's no use for me to take something that makes me feel gross. I will have to fight the depression some other way, although at least I've gotten about a year & a half use out of it. :-)
Loading...
I've been told that there is actually a class action suit agains tthe makers of cymbalta due to reasons cited in this thread. Has anyone else heard of this? I'd like to know only because I know the same thing is true for lexapro. Does anyone have any information?
Loading...
As a warning. My boyfriend took Cymbalta under this same assumption. He had 4 glasses of wine over 5 hours and on a full stomach. That night he woke up on the floor with his head bleeding and no idea what had happened. This landed him in the ER with several issues and unable to sit without severe head pain.
Please. Do not drink with Cymbalta. It can be very dangerous
Please. Do not drink with Cymbalta. It can be very dangerous
Loading...
As a psychiatric nurse you should realize that Cymbalta is *NOT* an SSRI, but a SNRI, a separate class of drug altogether, with slight similarities, but generally tolerated better under certain circumstances. So in your 20 years, you CLEARLY didn't learn anything about pharmacology.
I won't state that mixing it with alcohol is ok or not, I would suggest you consult your doctor. It is officially stated that one should learn the effects of Cymbalta on their body prior to drinking alcohol with the medication. Even if you choose to drink while taking Cymbalta, it should be in moderation. Honestly though drinking should always be done in moderation. (We all have our nights though, diagnosed with something or not).
If you are concerned about your liver, drinking in general can cause damage to your liver if not done in moderation, taking any prescribed medication can cause damage to your liver, Tylenol or Asprin can cause damage to your liver, the processed food you eat can cause damage to your liver.
Cymbalta is prescribed as more than just an antidepressant, it is also prescribed for General Anxiety Disorder, Fibromyalgia, Diabetic Nerve Pain, etc.
The key is, understand your body, understand how you are being affected by your medication and the other things you put in your body (medications, drugs, etc.), and understand the reason you are taking Cymbalta.
If you are a heavy drinker, I would personally suggest cutting back anyway, your doing major damage to your liver with out the Cymbalta.
If you truly have questions or concerns, I would say this is the wrong place to turn, you have a doctor who prescribed the Cymbalta to you, and there is a reason he or she did, that person is probably the best person to discuss your alcohol intake, or any other concerns with.
I am not a nurse, am not a doctor, I just have a little common sense. A nurse of 20 years might understand that an answer such as this puts them at risk for loosing their licensing.
I won't state that mixing it with alcohol is ok or not, I would suggest you consult your doctor. It is officially stated that one should learn the effects of Cymbalta on their body prior to drinking alcohol with the medication. Even if you choose to drink while taking Cymbalta, it should be in moderation. Honestly though drinking should always be done in moderation. (We all have our nights though, diagnosed with something or not).
If you are concerned about your liver, drinking in general can cause damage to your liver if not done in moderation, taking any prescribed medication can cause damage to your liver, Tylenol or Asprin can cause damage to your liver, the processed food you eat can cause damage to your liver.
Cymbalta is prescribed as more than just an antidepressant, it is also prescribed for General Anxiety Disorder, Fibromyalgia, Diabetic Nerve Pain, etc.
The key is, understand your body, understand how you are being affected by your medication and the other things you put in your body (medications, drugs, etc.), and understand the reason you are taking Cymbalta.
If you are a heavy drinker, I would personally suggest cutting back anyway, your doing major damage to your liver with out the Cymbalta.
If you truly have questions or concerns, I would say this is the wrong place to turn, you have a doctor who prescribed the Cymbalta to you, and there is a reason he or she did, that person is probably the best person to discuss your alcohol intake, or any other concerns with.
I am not a nurse, am not a doctor, I just have a little common sense. A nurse of 20 years might understand that an answer such as this puts them at risk for loosing their licensing.
Loading...
Hi - I stumbled upon this site by accident and after reading about Cymbalta and Alcohol - I am feeling better than I did an hour ago. I take 60 mg of Cymbalta daily. I have been on this medication since November 2009. I have found that I absolutely CANNOT drink while on this medication. I turn into a complete id**t. I have hurt many people with my outrageous behavior. I went out last weekend and totally blacked out after three hours. And according to friends, I did a number of stupid things. I can't stress enough - even a little bit for some people (ME) is harmful in ways that are unspeakable. I'm very glad that I found this site. I'm not glad that there are other people in my predicament but it does help to understand it a little better!
Loading...
I've had problems with cymbalta and alcohol since the beginning of my treatment. In the end, I gave up alcohol.
***edited by moderator*** web addresses not allowed
***edited by moderator*** web addresses not allowed
Loading...