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General Anxiety, Lexapro And Rum

BoydBT

By BoydBT
in Related Issues & Disorders

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BoydBT Apprentice
BoydBT
Posted

I have a very bad reaction with this combination. Before I new I had celiac disease I really started to mentally lose it. Big time. I felt emotionless, suicidal and at time very

mean with those I loved. It was not me, people said my whole personality could change. I would become insane at times if I took my lexapro and had too much to drink and also had Rum. I just would snap out and tell my friends the worse things I think of, I just would not stop either. This did not happen often and I never understood, and still don't LOL.

Since I have been gluten-free I have no anxiety compared to when I was really sickened with G. This week I had a few rum and cokes, I thought rum was ok. That night I got a reaction. I call a good friend up and went off on her. She hung up in disbelief.

It is more than just getting drunk, it is way beyond that. It hits fast and hard.

I hardly remember in the morning. I do know that lexapro increases the effect of alcohol. And I can control that, but when G is mixed in the loop I get insane like.

Any one else have a similar story.

Boyd

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ravenwoodglass Mentor
ravenwoodglass
Posted

Until you stop the lexapro do not drink, at all. You should also mention this to your doctor. With the effect that you are having you run the risk of losing it and hurting someone else or yourself.

BoydBT Apprentice
BoydBT
Posted
  • Author

Until you stop the lexapro do not drink, at all. You should also mention this to your doctor. With the effect that you are having you run the risk of losing it and hurting someone else or yourself.

Thanks

I don't get violent. I just am extremely rude. You are right and I am watching myself if I do have a drink.

The lexapro and the drinking do not make me that way.

But if gluten is in the mix there is a big mental change.

Good advice to just stop. I will be on lexapro forever.

up late Newbie
up late
Posted

I would definitely talk to your doctor about this and I'd be extremely careful if they increase your dose. Alcohol increases the effect of medications, it can also increase the effects of food intolerances. Rum has a reputation for making people aggressive but I think that's a bit of an urban myth. I can't take Lexapro. I tried it once, took just one tablet and within about 15 minutes had a horrific reaction, my heart rate/BP went through the roof, sweating, nausea, diarrhea, and anxiety so bad I was literally screaming, I had to call an ambulance. There are other SSRI's, SNRI's, TCA's etc they can try you on if it turns out to be the Lexapro causing the trouble.

ravenwoodglass Mentor
ravenwoodglass
Posted

Thanks

I don't get violent. I just am extremely rude. You are right and I am watching myself if I do have a drink.

The lexapro and the drinking do not make me that way.

But if gluten is in the mix there is a big mental change.

Good advice to just stop. I will be on lexapro forever.

Celiac can be a strong contributor to mental illness. You may be surprised and be able to stop the lexapro eventually. I figured I would be on my antianxiety med forever and am now finding I need less and less and hope to be able to stop it altogether pretty soon. I am glad you realize that gluten is having this effect on you so that you can be careful. Sometimes words can hurt as bad as a whack.

There are some of us who react to distilled gluten grains and you may be one of them. For now if you feel you want a drink or two be sure that you are drinking an alcohol that is not gluten grain derived. Later on after you have healed fully you could try them and watch for a reaction. Not many of us do have issues with the distilled gluten but those of us who do have the issue seem to be the ones who have had strong neuro effects.

You may want to check out this thread. Although it isn't a for sure thing many of us have gotten relief from neuro issues like anxiety and depression with the diet. Can't be sure that you will but hopefully you will also get a good result after you have been gluten-free for a bit longer.

GFinDC Veteran
GFinDC
Posted

I took a quick look at Ask a Patient database and found a some mentions of Lexapro and alcohol effects. There are probably more but I think it requires searching through multiple pages to find them. I pasted in some of the comments below. I selected a few of the negative comments about alcohol reactions, there are lots of other comments of course, 1300 or so. Looks to me like you are not the only person who has trouble with alcohol and Lexapro.

Open Original Shared Link

***********************************

Lexapro worked great for me the first few months I began taking it. I have had trouble sleeping my entire life, and after taking 10mg an hour before bedtime, I slept great. I was also less irritable. The MAJOR side effect for me was blacking out after cosuming one alcoholic drink and vomiting the entire next day. After seeing 2 doctors, I finally realized it was lexapro that caused it after suffering with that side effect for 2 years. I am now on sertraline (generic for zoloft)- no vomiting after drinking but I feel like a zombie.

***********************************

Plz be careful with this drug..loved it when I first starting taking it. After 2 years and 50 lbs later i hated it. Made me crave alcohol. Almost costed me a 14 yr marriage. Makes you not care about anything, and made my liver ache!!

***********************************

Cannot get out of bed. Cannot drink any alcohol. Cannot focus on work. Headaches and eye pains.

***********************************

poor short-term memory, increased alcohol craving, increased reaction to alcohol/blackouts, vivid dreams, sleep disturbances (talking in sleep), weight gain (15+ lbs) and decreased sex drive.

***********************************

  • 3 weeks later...
I am Cat Rookie
I am Cat
Posted

I guess you'll have to figure out if it's the alcohol or the people who are more important in your life. ?

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dilettantesteph Collaborator
dilettantesteph
Posted

It isn't uncommon for gluten to cause anger outbursts. You will find several posts on it on this forum. Add alcohol to the mix and it can get worse. I have anger issues with gluten myself. It got bad before diagnosis. I am a much nicer person now.

BoydBT Apprentice
BoydBT
Posted
  • Author

:rolleyes:

I think I am trying to be very careful with drinking. There is definitely a fine line. If I am home alone I will tend to get on the internet and write and sip a few Martinis.

Next thing I know I am sound asleep on the couch and it's 3am.

I am glad to hear it does cause anger outbursts, rather than me just being an angry person, which I am not.

Interesting point about the possibility of going med free.

It really gets me upset that docs ignore a the root cause of celiac disease. How many people suffer MI, RA, insane moods plus so much more when a simple blood test could be the DX to the cure. :angry:

BoydBT Apprentice
BoydBT
Posted
  • Author

I guess you'll have to figure out if it's the alcohol or the people who are more important in your life. ?

Yes ppl are more important. I seldom drink when with company now that I know I become another personality.

You are aware of the mood swings. I can be funny, aggressive, very energetic and a very dangerous driver,or alive with mania.I tend to like the mania.

I can also get very sad and show sign of true depression.

I never know what the cat will bring home.

Boyd

ravenwoodglass Mentor
ravenwoodglass
Posted

:rolleyes:

I think I am trying to be very careful with drinking. There is definitely a fine line. If I am home alone I will tend to get on the internet and write and sip a few Martinis.

Next thing I know I am sound asleep on the couch and it's 3am.

You may want to get some potato vodka and give that a try in those martini's. You may find you stay awake and have less ill effects. Some of us are sensitive to distilled gluten grains. I drink just one distilled gluten vodka drink and don't remember anything for the rest of the night and awake with a horrible hangover. I can drink potato vodka in 3 or 4 drinks and not have a hangover the next day and remember everything that went on.

Drinking while your still on the lexapro can be quite dangerous to your body. Do bring it up with your doctor so he can monitor your liver function.

Do keep in mind also that getting into a habit of daily drinking can result in alcoholism even if you don't have the genetic tendencies for it. I am not saying you have a problem with alcohol just want to make sure you are aware of the possiblity of it happening.

Skylark Collaborator
Skylark
Posted

I find it interesting that rum is such a problem. Normally rum is made from sugar cane and no grains are involved in making it. It sounds like the restraint you are practicing with alcohol is wise.

As others have mentioned, once you've been gluten-free for a while you may find the lexapro is unnecessary. I used to have bipolar illness, and it has resolved off gluten and meds and taking a supplement called EMPowerPlus. The EMPowerPlus is important; if I don't take it I still have some insomnia and mood swings. It is much better than meds as I don't have the brain fog or any weird alcohol reactions.

GFinDC Veteran
GFinDC
Posted

Hi Boyd,

I used to take an antihistamine with clemastine chlorfumerate or some such thing in it. I can't really remember the spelling. But my sig other at the time told me I got mean when I took it. Nothing to do with alcohol, just the drug itself. And I didn't even realize I was acting differently either. So, I know drugs can have those kind of affects on people, and we just have to be careful and check them out ourselves before trusting the snake-oil salesmen, er, ah, doctors.

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