Celexa and alcohol

[Party girl]

I've been on Celexa for a few months now and it has worked wonderfully at reducing my anxiety and irritability. I've always partied (4-6 drinks - I'm a petite woman so I get drunk from that) a few times a month on the weekends. Since reading these posts, it occurs to me that I have had a significant reduction in hangover symptoms in the past few months. BUT, about 24 hours after drinking (so I usually notice this on Monday after drinking Saturday night), I have SEVERE anxiety and irritability for about a day. It took me a while to figure this out since I don't drink every weekend and since the symptoms don't start right after drinking. One hypothesis is that since your liver, which is typically just processing the Celexa on a daily basis, then has all this alcohol to process, it can't process the Celexa as efficiently. This would lead to a fluctuation in Celexa levels in your system and Celexa withdrawal symptoms when there is a decrease inconsistent with typical patterns (e.g. what would happen if you missed a day of the medication). I haven't talked about this with my doctor, but that's one guess. However it works biologically, I definitely have enough evidence to stop partying after Friday night (if I party at all) so it doesn't interfere with work on Monday.

[AnnaDowles]

I find some information about Celexa (Citalopram) at http://citaloprams.com There is description of side effects, dosage, using of this medicine. Hope it will be useful.

[matt]

going to start taking celexa but drink everyday.

[On celexa for 6 years]

ih8celexa wrote:

I had a couple beers one night, ended up blacking out for 2 hours. falling down a long flight of stairs, and did substantial damage to my back and arm. I could barely walk or use my arm. DO NOT DRINK ON CELEXA!! NO RECREATIONAL DRUGS EITHER!!!

Just because you had a bad experience, doesn't mean everyone else will. I've been on Celexa for 6 years, I'm a heavy drinker, and used to be a frequend drug user, no bad effects. All depends on the individual.

[tommymack]

Drinking alcohol when taking any anti-depressant is dangerous. You run the risk of black outs, heart palpitations and memory loss. If you are serious about getting better, skip the booze. Stay on the meds.

[boston5]

I have been taking Celexa for 4 years now. 20 mg for a couple years and 40 mg.

Have felt great and really beat my depression. However, drinking has been an issue. There are times when I go out and can drink all night with no issues - then I will go out at another time, have two glasses of wine and blackout! It has been so frustrating.

I work out daily, do yoga, eat well. I only drink on weekends and occasionally during the week. I drink for the social aspects only. I am a single male and love meeting people. I find going out for drinks is great fun and a fabulous way to meet new people. My frustation is that no matter how much I try, I do not know if I am going to blackout or not.

I am not at the point where I do not want any type of drugs in my system and going to ween myself off the celexa and stop drinking for a few months until I can monitor how I feel completely free of all drugs and alchol. If I feel good, I will return to social drinking and know that my days of depression are behind me. I know that if a troubling experience in the future brings me down - I can always go back to the celexa, for it is a great product. Just feel like it is time to experience life without it.

[AAA]

Wow some of this scares me because I am a recovering Alcoholic and drug addict I feel if I start taking celexa like some people have pointed out it could get me trouble. My therapist us proscribing it however she maybe just siding with my wife and wants to mello me out.
I just don't want to jeprodize my sobriety for my melloness. However I am starting to feel like I try to much and can't focus on ONE thing. I instead try to dk ten things but get only 2-3 done.
Ah shit I need a drink lol forget the Lmao

[Dee]

Mike in NY wrote:

I have been able to drink like a fish while taking celexa I've been on it for about 9 months I do notice if I drink heavy my symptoms of anxiety worsen for a day or two until the meds regain thier strength I dont know if this is what really happens but it sure seems this way. I also was on Paxil for about a year and had a simular experiance. Good luck to all!

HI - I have to agree with oyu - I drank heavily on Sat night and its like I am having constant panic attacks - very terrible- I think for the time being I will be laying off the booze...bummer but oh well!

[CLC]

Do you all take the drug in morning or at night?

[Citalopram Girl]

I'm on 20 mg of Citalopram and drink about three nights a week (usually vodka and Red Bull or cranberry). I'd say my usual amount for a night out is five - nine drinks, which obviously gets me really wasted. I've never had any problems. In fact Citalopram has helped A LOT! I no longer have hangovers at all. Of course I am on Citalopram for anxiety, NOT DEPRESSION.

[tho32]

been taking celexa for 2 1/2 months. drank 15 drinks the other night and woke up in a parking lot on the floor of my car. came home to find my family gone and my house trashed. found my kids at my moms house safe. found my wife at the neighbors with brusies. i broke my toe and almost everything in my kitchen. i also had cuts on my wrists. now i think my wife is pursuing a divorce. i dont remember a thing!!! i would never and have never intentionaly hurt anyone, especially the woman i love.
DO NOT DRINK ON CELEXA!!!

[Chief-Royal]

Bride-to-be wrote:

This is my 4th day on citalopram 20mg. I am supposed to move up to 40mg after "3-5 days", according to the doctor. Although I was a moderate (approx 3 drinks/day, 3-4 days a week) drinker before starting the citalopram, I now have absolutely no interest in alcohol at all. The thought of it makes me somewhat queasy. I am considering stopping the citalopram now, before I get any more in my system. My bachelorette party and wedding are in a couple months, and I know I'm going to want to drink. I'm afraid that I'll have a blackout or get really sick if I am still on the citalopram. My question is: for those of you that suffered blackouts or agressive behavior - did this happen every time you drank? If I 'test it out' before my wedding, and I'm okay, do you think I'll be okay for the wedding? Or does it seem to be hit or miss? I'm not really keen on the drug thus far anyway - I feel all trippy. Either I'm racing and buzzy like I'm did cocaine or I'm sleepy and spaced out. Plus, my jaw aches and my pupils are different sizes. Very weird. I am taking the drug for mild depression and stress, if that matters.

Hey I have been taking 20mg of citalopram for almost 4 weeks due to stress and anxiety. ALso for the last 5 years have been an alcoholic ( 12-18 ) a night EVERY night..since starting the meds I have cut back to 8-12 beers a week. But last Sun. watch the game I drank 10 beers and couldnt even get a buzz...so I havent experienced any black out conditions.,,,but only the opposite...I cant get drunk anymore..maybe a godsend for me..

[Clay Cogar]

Does anyone know if Celexa can cause a
"false positive" on a blood alcohol test ?

My wife is on 20mg, drank 4 beers in 3 hours
and had a .18 on a blood alcohol test.

The test was taken over an hour after her last beer.

There's no way it should have been that high.

[Danielle]

I guess I am the only one here who doesn't agree - I took my medicine, had 3 or 4 drinks (which is normally nothing for me) and long story short, woke up the next morning covered in my own blood and vomit, had two black eyes, had no recollection of what had happened but now several people I know refuse to talk to me and I have a hangover that won't seem to go away. So some people are fine drinking on celexa but some are not! beware!

[Chief-Royal]

Danielle wrote:

I guess I am the only one here who doesn't agree - I took my medicine, had 3 or 4 drinks (which is normally nothing for me) and long story short, woke up the next morning covered in my own blood and vomit, had two black eyes, had no recollection of what had happened but now several people I know refuse to talk to me and I have a hangover that won't seem to go away. So some people are fine drinking on celexa but some are not! beware!

Wow I am sorry to hear that....so no other scripts or anything else was involved except alcohol and celexa (citalopram)????? Did you take this medication and then directly start drinking your 4 drinks...and what kind of alcohol were you drinking. My experience has been with beer only. I took my medication all weekend in the morning and drank 10 to 15 beers everynight and had no blackouts or felt any different that without the medication.

[lol]

abceee wrote:

I meant to say, at the Bank..lol oops I am typing in the dark..lol

lol - glad you clarified that! When you said you fell asleep dropping a deposit at the back, I thought you were slangily saying that you fell asleep on the toilet! lmao

[allison]

I was taking it for about two weeks and it increased my depression and anxiety,,, so I stopped taking it, then a few of my friends who have been taking it years said you need to give it a longer try. So went back on it a few days, went out to have a few drinks,,, got pulled over by the cops, could not perform the dog tricks, did not blow, was arrested for DUI and no face a court trial.. and really only 3 short vodkas... and I usually can drink like a fish.. and in jail that night I was agressive and suicidal.. so my advice is not to drink on it!! Facing a bunch of legal shit!

[pooppypants]

I was able to drink like a fish after taking celexa. My hard on is bigger and I last longer. My only complaint is that my wife won't let me pound her ass as long because it is to big now. Thank you celexa!!! Thank you for making me more of a stud!!!

[erbc]

I have found that I have massive memory loss when drinking. My friends assure me that i do not do anything stupid and that I never drink very much. And then I am really paranoid and depressed for a few days. I have made a real effort not to drink more that one drink now. It really scares me.