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Withdrawing from alcohol can not only be incredibly uncomfortable but can lead to severe symptoms that can be dangerous or even life-threatening. When Lexapro is coupled with alcohol, mental and emotional instability might be seen, leading to more severe depression or anxiety, as well as suicidal thoughts. Alcohol decreases the effects of the neurological system, including brain function, because it is a central nervous system depressant. Despite the fact that Lexapro is prescribed to treat anxiety and depression, combining it with alcohol can aggravate your symptoms. If you wish to drink alcohol while taking Lexapro, talk to your doctor first to find out how much is safe. Some people may be unable to drink alcohol at all while taking Lexapro.
If you’ve had an allergic reaction to Lexapro or any of its ingredients, your doctor will likely not prescribe it for you. Ask them about other medications that might be better options. During Lexapro treatment, your doctor will monitor you for changes in behavior or mood. They’ll watch most closely for these changes whenever they adjust your dosage and in your first few months of treatment. They may also have you, close friends, or family members watch for these changes. With MDD, you have long lasting or intense feelings of sadness, which may affect your daily life.
Here’s a list of some of the mild side effects that Lexapro can cause. To learn about other mild side effects, talk with your doctor or pharmacist, or read the drug’s prescribing information. Talk to your doctor, who can evaluate you for other symptoms of an alcohol use disorder and discuss treatments that may help.
The remaining portion is absorbed into the bloodstream and the gastrointestinal tract, particularly the stomach and upper small intestine. Pompili Maurizio, Serafini Gianluca, et al. “Suicidal Behavior and Alcohol Abuse.” International Journal of Environmental Research and Public Health, April 2010. “Alcohol consumption and the use of antidepressants.” Canadian Medical Association Journal, February 27, 2007. Have one or two, drink lots of water, and pay attention to your body. Alcohol can negatively impact the treatment of depression even when someone consumes it in moderation.
EP. 10 — Talking Nootropics w/ Hussam Hamoush, PharmD, Co-Owner at Stonebriar Pharmacy
Always check with your doctor before you have even one drink. If you have been prescribed Lexapro for the treatment of a mental health condition and you regularly drink alcohol, this could make symptoms more challenging to treat. If you subsequently develop a co-occurring alcohol use disorder, you will require coordinated dual diagnosis treatment. Drinking can potentially damage your liver, the organ responsible for breaking down substances, medications, and toxins, further impacting how your body handles these. Even when on antidepressants like Lexapro, mental health disorders can be challenging to overcome. Most people suffering from a mental health disorder like depression have to fight back their symptoms daily with their own willpower.
This dose can be changed by the supervising physician as needed. Anyone who is experiencing these symptoms should seek immediate medical attention. Help is available if you struggle with drinking to self-treat your depression. Alcohol is a central nervous system depressant that can counteract the effects of antidepressants like Lexapro.
Additionally, some research shows an increase in alcohol dependence for those who drink while taking SSRI antidepressants. This can help people regulate their emotions and improve overall sober houses in boston symptoms of depression and anxiety. These databases help you access information about your drug’s interaction with other substances and how severe the effects will and can be.
To avoid an adverse reaction, patients should consult their doctor and pharmacist first. Mixing alcohol and Lexapro will affect each person differently. Those who take the maximum dosage for depression may be at an even higher risk of experiencing side effects or complications from drinking alcohol. Alcohol is a depressant, meaning it slows down the communication between neurons in the brain — that’s why drinking can impair your judgement. This means that alcohol can worsen the symptoms of depression, which might then counteract how effective Lexapro can be.
A common way depression is treated is with antidepressant medication. But if alcohol intake isn’t addressed, medications like Lexapro might not be effective. Well, most researchers and clinicians currently suggest that alcohol use disorder and depression should be treated at the same time.
Can you OD on Lexapro and Alcohol?
Due to the lack of research on the link between alcohol and antidepressants, negative interactions and side effects are not known conclusively. If you’re at low risk of addiction to alcohol, it may be OK to have an occasional drink, depending on your particular situation, but talk with your doctor. The combination of antidepressants and alcohol will affect your judgment, coordination, motor skills and reaction time more than alcohol alone. This can impair your ability to drive or do other tasks that require focus and attention. Therefore, prescribing antidepressants may not reduce depressive symptoms in individuals who continue to drink.
Your doctor will let you know whether Lexapro is the right treatment for you. Taking a medication with certain vaccines, foods, and other things can affect how the medication works. If you have anxiety, your doctor may prescribe Lexapro for you. Mild side effects of many drugs may go away within a few days to a couple of weeks. But if they become bothersome, talk with your doctor or pharmacist.
Depression is one of the biggest risk factors for alcohol use disorder , so people at risk for AUD may be taking Lexapro. Drinking alcohol may also worsen some of the side effects of Lexapro or other antidepressants, including drowsiness https://sober-home.org/ and dizziness. People who drink alcohol while taking Lexapro may feel more depressed or anxious, and these symptoms may then become more challenging to treat. Serotonin is a chemical messenger or neurotransmitter that affects mood.
What should I know about Lexapro vs. Prozac?
It is very important that your doctor check your progress at regular visits to allow for changes in your dose and to help reduce any side effects. Blood tests may be needed to check for any unwanted effects. Making small lifestyle changes may help manage your depression-related memory loss.
- In such cases, their body may become dependent on it, which can result in an unwanted physical reaction if they suddenly stop taking it.
- They can tell you whether Lexapro is a safe treatment option.
- Additionally, some research shows an increase in alcohol dependence for those who drink while taking SSRI antidepressants.
- Serotonin is a chemical messenger or neurotransmitter that affects mood.
The team will exchange daily information and adjust the schedule as we go. Our therapists will work with you treating the root causes and not just the symptoms. Some doctors believe that if you take an SSRI like Lexapro, you can drink moderately, which is two drinks per day for men and one drink per day for women.
Side Effects of Alcohol and Lexapro (Escitalopram)
There’s currently no cure for depression, but plenty of treatment options can help keep symptoms at bay. Costs of prescription drugs can vary depending on many factors, including what your insurance plan covers and which pharmacy you use. It’s not known if Lexapro is safe for people with a severe kidney problem, such as kidney failure. Before starting Lexapro, tell your doctor about any kidney problems you have. If you have a seizure condition, such as epilepsy, your risk of seizures may be higher.
Medication-Assisted Treatment (MAT)
This, in turn, can cause individuals to drink more to cope. Take the first step toward addiction treatment by contacting us today. Our chef and nutrition specialist will design your personalized diet plan supporting your body & mind recovery as well as helping with weight management. Use of eco sober house ma the gym, a personal trainer, yoga, other fitness workshops, and nutrition workshops will help you to maintain a healthy lifestyle. However, you should consult your physician before drinking alcohol after taking Lexapro, as different individuals’ bodies react differently in such scenarios.
Alcohol may also keep Lexapro from working as well as it should. Monitor your symptoms for 24 hours, and if you experience severe side effects like seizures or tremors, seek emergency assistance. Like many antidepressants, you should not take Lexapro alongside MAOIs, or monoamine oxidase inhibitors. This can increase levels of serotonin in your body to a point of toxicity.
The easiest way to lookup drug information, identify pills, check interactions and set up your own personal medication records. Our program consists of treating only one client at a time individually designed to help you with all the problematic aspects of your life. All individual treatment sessions will be held at your private residence. Lexapro’s half-life varies between 27 and 32 hours, depending on the individual.
