Would you start taking a friend's prescription, because the pills were a nice color, and not tell your doctor? Alcohol is a drug; a legal, self-prescribed, highly addictive, socailly acceptable one; but a drug still. Mixing it with prescription drugs is a dangerous recipe. Not only because of 'drug interaction', but also for over doing it; too many depressants for example. I'd mention it to my doctor; and find out what's an acceptable amount for an occasional drink.

I'd be honest with your doc about this. I take prozac and had drank with it before then one night I don't know if I was drinking too soon after taking them or what, but had a really bad reaction. Totally went from being like happy buzzed to completly out of it. My boyfriend at the time thought he was going to have to take me to the er. Won't go into the gory details but it wasn't pretty. If I would have been alone it could have been worse. *Hugs*

You can have a very bad reaction, and wreck your liver in the process. I also had a bad reaction taking prozac and drinking one night, I thought I was going to die, I felt awful and will never do that again. Don't drink so much, if you are drinking to self medicate, you need to change your meds. They are not working probably.

I do the same thing so don't beat yourself up - just try to have 1-2 glasses per night if you HAVE to - that is what my doctor told me. I have to get back to that too and not half the bottle.

WOA.
ok, FIRST my friend, you need to stop drinking in general as it's REALLY not good for your health.
Second, yes please tell your doctor what you're doing to your body.

Why?

Well, even if you weren't taking meds with alcohol, which can make your body break down faster and have a horrible reaction,
if you suffer from any kind of anxiety alcohol actually ruins the nervous system and makes you MORE susceptible to anxiety and panic attacks because your nervous system cannot handle any stress(ors).

PLEASE RE THINK YOUR ACTIONS

Peachlemon, i think yr being a little harsh on alcohol.

I agree that drinking with meds can be dangerous and should be avoided. But recent research on alcohol has shown overwhelmingly that moderate drinking is beneficial to health and contributes to longevity!

Alcohol is like any drug, used sensibly it is helpful. Used to excess its dangerous.

I've always found a couple of beers or glasses of red help with anxiety, as long as i keep it moderate.

Im just jealous, i wish i could drink like that but it always seems to make me either pass out or have a panic attack.!!!..lol

But seriously, i think you should cut down a little, especially if you havnt told the doc just incase it is hindering your meds slightly. But then again, who am i to say, because at the end of the day everything you do is up to you, and if it helps you let off some steam then so be it.....just dont increase it or we will be shipping you off to the priory...lol xx

My husband and I do not drink. I am an alcoholic and my husband and I were heavy drinkers when we met. We both quit and have only had a very occasional drink in 16 years. I have to be very careful and not to drink when I am craving it but really it has gotten easier over the years. Anyway, my husband's doctor, who happens to be my doctor, thought that my husband would benefit from a drink a day to calm his nerves. I believe however that drinking to excess is not good. If you feel the need to have a drink I would limit myself to a glass or 2.

Half a bottle of wine 3-4 nights a week with an occasional whole bottle(each night) is pretty heavy drinking even if you aren't taking any other drugs.

Your alcohol intake seems excessive to me. I don't see the harm in one glass of wine a day but you're drinking a half on most nights and on occasion a whole bottle! You need to be honest with your doctor about your alcohol intake. I personally believe that mixing alcohol and meds such as antidepressants and tranquilizers should be avoided.

Im going to be brutially honest.

Yes. Drinking as much as you do anyway is enough to damage your liver and cause harm in the long run.
There is also the small possibility that mixing pills like this with booze will cause worse anxiety in the long run and other mental problems. The two together act like a drug so when you do decide to stop, doing so will be very hard.

I suggest you cut down if you can and tell your doc asap, he wont be angry just concerned about your health.

xxx

Also i BEG you not to start on spirits. I witnesed one of my close friends having fits, seeing things and falling in and out of contiousness becuase he had ONE prozac and a glass of vodka.

ITs not the best of ideas, i think it streghnths your meds and could be dangerous as far as over doesing.
I was drinking beer a couple of months ago on a nightly basis for sleep aid and to calm the anxiety, i was very ancie and quite upset and angry i was giving it up to be honest.
My doctor gave me sleep aid instead and i started working out at the gym instead.
It had become like a comfortable pair of slippers for me, 4 beers a night.
I would try not to and talk to your doctor about it.
Good luck to you!
Hugs xxxx

i have mixed alcohol and meds...it either makes me feel better for a while...or it backfires and everything is exacerbated. be very careful! the alcohol intensifies the effects of the meds, so we all probably should not mix the two. however, when it temporarily takes away or alleviates some of the fears and worries it feels so good to be care free. i can relate. i bet a lot of us can!

I just drank for the first time the other night. The klenopin had pretty much quit working and I was stressed so i guess I set out to "self-medicate". i'll never do it again. I drank one drink and my friends almost had to peel me off my seat. One little drink plus the klenopin felt like I had a whole gallon of grain alcohol or something.

You're self-medicating and that is why any paperwork you fill out when starting to see a doctor they ask if you are a substance abuser. They have to treat those that drink differently. I would imagine the reason would be the interaction and the danger.