TexasMan

I found out something recently that I'd never considered and that is a possible connection between antidepressants and cravings for alcohol and/or sugar.

I've been taking antidepressants for several years, starting with Cymbalta and shortly thereafter moving to Celexa as the Cymbalta gave me pretty bad insomnia.

About the time I started on the Celexa I also began to drink more. I'd lost my job at the time and thought that was the reason but the drinking continued although I did get another, although crappy, job.

I experienced cravings for alcohol that I'd never experienced before although being a social drinker for most of my life. Went to meetings which never helped as the 12 step programs always seemed like an unlikely answer to the problem.

Recently my wife suggested that I look into changing to a different antidepressant so I began researching Celexa only to find that it, and it's little brother Lexapro are considered to be the most effective of all the meds.

However, in doing the research, I came across more than a few forum posts from people who said that they went from light or moderate drinkers to heavy drinkers after starting on the medication.

I then Googled ssri+alcohol cravings and was astonished at the number of posts, articles, etc. which seemed to support the idea. The working hypothesis is that, over time, the medication can cause a drop in blood sugar levels. For those of us who drink, this can cause an overwhelming compulsion to drink and for those with a sweet tooth, an overwhelming compulsion for sugar. This could go a long ways towards explaining the weight gains that many people experience while on these medications.

I decided to go cold turkey off my Celexa and, although I haven't stopped drinking completely, the overwhelming urge and compulsion that I felt to do so have disappeared.

Not suggesting this is the answer for everyone but it might be worth looking into further.

TM

Bethany57

Wow...that is really interesting and worth looking into. Thank you for sharing!

zjw

Yep my brother packed it on as a result of them and developed diabetes.

DoinThis

My alc intake definately increased when I started taking low dose zoloft for post partum depression. I could all of a sudden drink like I was on speed! I only looked into it months later and found the same info. I guess it does say on the pack 'don't mix with alcohol'

Anyway I stopped zoloft easily and my drinking kept out of control for another year. We'll never know if it helped my alcoholism progress but I can still drink like a fish! Haven't tho now for 23 days! ))

sugarbear1

There are many studies and testimonies on sites like this one and others that are available on the internet that suggests that this is real.

bitmap

I found the same thing when I was on Effexor. I definitely started drinking more. It actually is probably is why things are this way today!

Justfor1

I have heard this as well. Perhaps I can sue Effexor XR for my last alcohol bender??

bitmap

Class action maybe LOL

CarolD

Warning...
Please....before jumping into or out of any medicines ..contact your doctor
rather than Dr. Google.

It's dangerous to rely on inner net information. We are not clones.

CarolD

TM.....
Why not quit now that you have no cravings?
Alcohol has not been a good influence on your life.

According to this thread.....it should now be easy.
I sure hope you will finally quit...

winslynn

You don't drink alcohol when taking those medicines.There is no magic pill that's going to cure your alcoholism,hasn't been invented yet.
Many people don't want to go to AA,they want a pill of some sort that will give them the ease and comfort alcohol gives them.I was one of those people who cried to the doctor for tranquilizers...they don't work for alcoholism as I found out the hard way.
You will eventually hit a bottom trying to control and enjoy your drinking.Good Luck to you.

lizatola

My AH started binge drinking shortly after he started Paxil. The manufacturer, Glaxo Smith Kline, actually has alcohol abuse listed as a possible neurological side effect. There are documented cases but it's not something that's a one size fits all when it comes to anti-depressants. Many people don't have this problem, so it's really important to read the patient packets that come with those drugs and be aware of any and all side effects.

My AH is still taking the Paxil. He got a DUI back in February and I found out recently that he's drinking again. I asked him to get re-evaluated by his psychiatrist again but the doc just said go to AA and never offered a different prescription. It's too bad that my AH won't try a different doctor to maybe get on a different medication but I can truly say that we found that Paxil contributed to his alcohol abuse. He also gained a bunch of weight. He wasn't a tiny guy to begin with but the weight gain is making his knees hurt, etc from carrying the extra 20 pounds. Throw in the s*xual side effects and those meds are not what they're cracked up to be. After taking Paxil for 1 week he was on a seratonin high and decided that therapy and counseling weren't needed anymore and that Paxil was his answer to his depression. UGH!

RunnerMD2be

I was taking Lexapro right as my drinking got really bad. I attribute it in two ways: 1. It prevented really bad hangovers, and 2. It helped with my anxiety and took away my defense/consequence mechanisms that were able to somewhat control my drinking.

SSRI or No SSRI I am an alcoholic...no drug is going to change that

Jitterbugg

I started drinking like a fish on Paxil! I also gained about 50 lbs and lost my sex drive. Not a good drug for an alcoholic to say the least!

Zencat

Interesting topic that I have not fully investigated.

I take a SSRI but haven't noticed any increase in cravings because of the SSRI. Something I can talk to Dr. about.

CarolD

Yes....checking with your doctor is always wise...

All sorts of research is on going...that's a good thing but...
Note the word "possible" is not a proven fact.

tzivia

I have been on paxil for about six months. I have not found that it increases my cravings for booze or sugar. I do have cravings, but no worse than before I was on paxil. I think my cravings are simply due to the fact that I'm an alcoholic. I'm going to have the cravings anyway, whether I'm on paxil or not. But I will stay on paxil because it helps tremendously with my anxiety issues, and without it I know I'd be drinking. It helps me.

If you are on an SSRI and find that your cravings are worse, and lead you to drinking more, I'd definitely talk to your doctor about switching meds. Maybe you can find a non-SSRI that will help. It's definitely not worth drinking, and I'd try anything to get me to stop. I know if paxil were causing me to drink, I'd try another med. Fortunately it works for me. Good luck in finding what works for you.

mfsteve1

SSRIs are terrific pain relievers and FDA approved to treat fibromyalgia. I never got a real hangover while on and SSRI. I was just tired the next day.

I came off Paxil cold turkey and I consider that the hardest thing I have ever done. Ever stick a 9-volt battery on your tongue? Yah, it was like that but on my brain every few minutes for two weeks. With lexapro I stepped down over a 8 week period and was OK.

Definitely, get your doctor on-board with the effort.

babycat

This is a very odd coincidence for me. Just a couple days ago, I went to my doc for an unrelated problem from drinking. She did, however, notice that my blood pressure was a little high. She could not figure out why so I offered that I drink too much. She asked if I wanted to stop, to which I said yes. She then said there are things out there to treat that, so she wrote a script for me. Turns out it was celexa. After doing some internet research, I cannot figure out why she prescribed this to me. I am not depressed, I have mild anxiety but that is fine when I don't drink. She normally is a very good doc, so I am just confused as to why she would think this is something to help me stop drinking.

Gottalife

I don't know what they do overseas but here the extent of training GPs get on treatment for alcoholism consists of attending 1 or 2 AA meetings, and having a 1 talk hour given by collectively by a member each from AA, NA, GA and OA and that's it. This occurs in their third year. It is not surprising that scripts are their first line of attack for our problem. From what I have seen I think many of our GPs are just trying to be kind to the sick alcoholic by easing their pain a bit.

It seems odd that an antidepressant would increase the desire for a depressent (alcohol) as has been mentioned earlier. How does that work? I have heard a non-alcoholic say that SSRIs made him careless, even in connection with his finacial affairs, and someone earlier mentioned their fear of consequence defence was less effective which sounds like a similar thing.

I don't know what the alternative to SSRIs would be. Would it be older style drugs like valium or ativan? We had a doctor back in the days when these drugs were the common options who used to say talking these kind of drugs was "chewing your p*ss". He helped a heap of alcoholics, me included. Of course a doctor is qualified to make this judgement, while the rest of us mere mortals are expected to have an absolute faith that they know what they are doing. Oops , there's that F word again.