Zoloft and Alcohol. Can you mix? - Drug Interactions / Side Effects Message Board

elflike · 08-25-2003, 01:11 PM

I have been taking Zoloft for about 4-5mo. now, and i have been drinking on it. My psych says it's ok to do as long as I don't drink everyday. I am a college student(just turned 21) and i'll casually drink 3-5 nights a week. I don't get trashed that often, but i will on occasion. It's also important to mention that i'm taking zoloft for anxiety not depression, and i don't drink to self medicate. I do know the difference b/c i used to do that before i got help w/ my anxiety.
It's also important to say that when i first started taking this medication i could hardly drink at all. If i would have more that four beers i would be left horribly hung over the next day, literally unabel to get out of bed. This suprised me because i have or should i say had a very high tolerance. On a few occasions in the begining, i was left VIOLENTLY vomiting for hours the next day. I almost went to the hospital on two of these occasions.
Here's my real question. I am begining to be able to drink more and more w/o puking for hours the next day. Gradually i am consuming more in one night (working back up to my old tolerance) if i want to, w/o the adverse side effefts the Zoloft used to cause. Is this bad. Am i just getting used to the drug, or is mixing these two substances harming me. Can i become dependent on the alcohol to make the Zoloft work. Is it normal for Zoloft to make you violently ill when you drink, but then after time can you get used to it. That is what appears to have happened to me.
Any advice on this would be appreciated.
Thanks,
Courtney

ZFREEIN2003 · 09-03-2003, 04:17 PM

Courtney,

I never had an adverse affect with drinking while on Z. I do drink about 3-4 drinks every day. I'm on 25 mgs. and slowly tapering. However, I find that I get drunk pretty quick. I think that's one of the reasons that I do continue to drink. It's ironic that my doc put me back on Z to stop the drinking. It definitely didn't help me in that regards.

ZFree

elflike · 09-10-2003, 01:43 PM

ZFREE,
Thanks for your reply. I don't have a drinking problem or anything, i just didn't know if i was causing any long term problems. I talked to my doc, and he said aside from the next day effects, i am doing no damage to my body.
good luck with your situation
Court

Gryffin · 09-16-2003, 09:10 PM

I have read in two different books that AD's, Zoloft in particular, can affect your "desire" for alcohol. And with increased consumption may come increased tolerance.

I am a case in point. Before Zoloft I had wine on weekends with dinner. Throughout the 11 years on Zoloft (many years at 200mg dose) I steadily increased the amount and frequency. Craved my "cocktail hour", and proceeded to sip wine till bedtime.

I managed to quit drinking a few months before beginning to taper off Z. It was VERY hard to stop.
Actually as my dose diminished, so did my craving for alcohol. It got easier and easier to stay sober.

Maybe it's a correlation, maybe not --- but be careful! Since both alcohol and Z are hard on the liver, might pay to keep the volume down : ))

YMMV

Gryffin

2001Flushes · 09-30-2003, 03:53 PM

I don't really have an answer except that I think mixing alcohol with any medication is a bad thing.