Ive read that seratonin levels increase when you have a drink then drop and that it can take 4-5 days to get back to pre drink levels which in my mind means the anti depressants will have no effect for 4-5 days, has anyone else heard of this and whether it is true.
I like to have a drink once or twice a week and am concerned that my anti depressants won't work and I'll stay depressed and anxious.
I have to say I rarely get a hangover and drink normal strength bitter but can get through 8 beers in a night (again not every night).
Does anyone if it takes 4-5 days for seratonin to return?
Neil
Aspinan
I take a large tranche of medications, however I have negotiated my drink levels each week. In my case I drink 1 ltr of Pear Cyder twice a week, I also take 0.5ltr of strong Ale and a triple gil of Malt Whiskey once a week, the whiskey works out at 3/4 units confirmed and Cyder @4/5 units confirmed, the beer is stronger at 3 units. I do not drink every day.
Drinking at 8 pints a night is dangerous and will be affected by the AD.
The attitude of my old Practice was as long as you drink in moderation and the level of drink is not showing adverse effects, fair enough.
i take Opiate type medication and I have also discussed this with the Pain Clinic, they would prefer me not to drink although understand something like moderate drink can be beneficial if you are being sensible. In Pain Clinic we used to negotiate our choices, this was a sign of trust between GP/CLINIC and ME. They need to be able to trust you and the choices you make.
Your drink level is far to high, you need to drink responsable and understand you may be destroying your health. I find a reduced amount of drink can be moreenjoyable I know I am best being sensable and I am trusted not to go over the top.
Sorry if I sound hard, you have resonsabilities that are set against excessive activities
BOB
Hi Bob, I don't drink 8 pints every night, I only drink on average twice per week and 8 beers is the max.
Sorry Aspinan
You still need to be very careful, if you drink upwards of above on two days that can be just as dangerous as drinking more frequently. The problem is the gross amount of drink you take.
Generally a moderate amount of drink spread over extra days will not do as much damage as drinking your max over two nights. So say you drink whatever six pints x2 a week it would be safer to drink your beer two pints a day than six pints over two nights.
It is the level of fluid/alchohol you drink in a day.
The general safe ? limit a week may be sixteen pints, you drink eight pints two adjoining night that can cause problems
Less damage will be done if the sixteen pints is drunk over a seven day period ie two pints a night.
This limit when on medication may be problematic, although more sensible.
Tonight I am sitting with my can of Export and triple malt so I am a questionable person to follow although I do as I am told, I say this as I get a good poking lol
BOB
I have been on medication for my anxiety for half a year now.
Last week I was at a party and drank lots of alcohol. Everything went well then, but 2 days after I got trouble with my anxiety. But this stabilized again after a few days.
I have heard others who have had the same experience as well. So I personally would not recommend combining the medicine and alcohol.
It works the other way around - antidepressants cancel the effects of depressants, including alcohol. Therefore, many people on SSRIs find out that they can drink more than usually and still feel more less sober. The main problem with mixing antidepressants and alcohol is that ethanol changes the kinetics of drugs absorption and metabolism, which may lead to the rapid accumulation of toxic metabolites in the liver and - in rare cases - result in the requirement for liver transplant. Liver damage doesn’t hurt, it also doesn’t produce any other visible symptoms (unless your skin turns yellow – but at that stage it is already too late), no level of alcohol is considered to be safe while you’re on antidepressants.
Saying that, the risk is not very high and one pint would probably be OK for most people. 8 pints… would not be recommended even to healthy persons. So, I would encourage you to rethink your lifestyle and priorities – you do not have to drink. No one can make you to drink. Your life is your choice.