Question posted by sirensiren on 21 March 2013
Last updated on 24 August 2020
It seems there are some horror stories of attempting to have alcohol while on bupropion- light headed and depressed for days, it hitting WAY too hard etc.
Though I am only in my 2nd week, and drinking is the last thing on my mind, I hope it's not impossible that I can enjoy a 2-3 drinks a week once I feel stable on this medication.
Does anyone find that they can drink without it being a problem? What are your experiences with alcohol and bupropion?
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I just completed a 2 day nightmare. Seeing things looking out my window hearing voices so this combination can get read)y bad. I drank a Saturday- and effects occurred through monday
Wow that's crazy!!! I hope it didn't cause any long term issues and I hope your feeling better!!!
I have been on it for 3 weeks now, with no side effects or problems with alcohol. I have gone drinking twice now on a Friday morning after work for a 5 hour stretch on both occasions. I have not desired a cigarette yet. Easiest time I have had at quitting smoking.
I would also like to add that my ole lady started taking the wellbutrin at the same time I did and was drinking with me both times and had no ill effects.
I think, if you're choosing to ask whether you can do something that is specifically said NOT to do on a medication you are electing to take, then going on this board to look for what you want to hear isn't going to help your situation. No, I'm not being judgmental, I'm stating the facts. In the situation you're in, if the occasional alcoholic drink is important in your life, go to your Doctor, and say "Doc, I am taking Bupropion, but I really want to have a glass of wine sometimes. Is it safe for me to do this, or is it smarter to switch to a different antidepressant that carries less risk?" That way, if you drink on Buprupion, it's on your medical record, your doctor has given you the okedokee for it, so you can feel better about it. :0)
AMEN, Sister! That's exactly what I did. You have to be up front with your doctor.
Totally! My Doctor would have a twinkle in his eye and give me a chuckle and a good answer! LOL He'd either say "Yeah, you can do this, but no more than this... or he can say... let's move you to this so you can drinkaloo all you want." LOL
Well I being on bupropion 300xl for a year now I guess is not recommended to drink but it probably depends on your adaptation to the mess becouse I have drinks ones or twisted a week sometime beer some times cocktail and the most sied effect I ever got was sleep a little longer them the usual and feel tired... I'm not saying you should do it I'm just saying it dependeds a lot on how your sistem will adapt to the meds
I'm on 300mg Wellbutrin and I don't drink all the time, but I have a drink pretty regularly. I know it's not the best idea, but I've also binge-drunk a few times on Wellbutrin with no problems other than a headache the following morning (to be expected). Obviously for people with depression drinking a lot isn't advised, but I've personally never had a problem with any kind of drug interaction.
As a teenager I was perscribed this drug. I don't remember the exact dosage, and this is going to sound silly, everyone's brain chemistry is going to be a bit different. There were a few occaisions where I honestly was intoxicated from eating a lot of cheese. So my solution: instead of drinking, just order yourself a pizza. My guess is a surge of dopamine on top of whatever wellbutrin does mimics the effect. Give it a try once, it can't hurt, even though it sounds silly. Chocolate could likely do the same.
I must also note my awful experiences with the drug, I quit taking it after intense hallucinations, been fine ever since. Therapy and a better outlook on life proved much more effective than this bizarre dope.
I think it depends on why you are on the antidepressant. I started taking it after my mom passed and i was 3 months prego with 2nd baby and first was only 9 months old. I just kept crying all the time. and was angry. that was 15 months ago.
Anyway, I take the meds and still have a beer a couple nights a week after work to simmer down and relax while takin care of my babies. maybe 2x a month i have more than a beer or couple glasses of wine and have been able to take care of that issue of wanting something when you are told you cant have it, ya know. Just having a little outlet helps with the stresses. I dont smoke or anything, so the beer or glass of wine give me the little peace I seek, haha
I think that if you regularly have a few here and there prior to taking that med, then doing similar while taking med for me has been fine. It takes a few weeks for initial side affects to smooth out and then things in life seem easier to handle.
This is not on the topic of drinking but Im wondering how long it takes the medication to go into affect & how are the side affects
I'll say I started exactly a week ago and I can concentrate and think more clearly than I have in the last 7 years! It's amazing how I can focus and just deal with everything I never could... I am an excessive drinker and thus far, cut back for fear factor alone, but I've had my 1 night of "per usual" drinking, and threw up the entire next day... Not normal for me... Otherwise I blame only me and think that this is one or the few drugs you can be yourself on...
Im also wondering the same sort of thing. Ive been taking wellbutrin for a couple years now. 100mg once a day. I'm sensitive to pills. i just upped my dose to 150 a day and I'm one day 7 and my anxiety is the worst its been since i started taking it. like getting to class and enjoying conversation with classmates and friends feels awkward and tough. Does this go away?
Im talking wellbutrin again at age 42, after taking it on & off in my 20's. Its the best antidepressant for me because it gives me energy, an uplifted mood and no brain fog. The negative side effects in my opinion especially Heightened in the first 1-2 weeks are a hard time sleeping and increased anxiety. (These neg side effects are why I'd go off it at times, and also not being to terms with really needing an antidepressant all the time) In my 20s i just delt with it. This time around I have a low dose script for zanax for anxiety as needed. I also use vetiver essential oil diffused at night and that helps me sleep.
sirensiren, Hello there. Even though I agree it's not good to mix alcohol with any drug, in my opinion. And that's only because I was a chronic alcoholic and drank on meds, and always either passed out, or did weird things, not weird weird, but it did affect my mind, and wasn't good. I'm not being judgmental at all, I just noticed you started out with two to three drinks a week, to a glass of wine occasionally. I don't think a glass of wine occasionaly is harmful, but why take the chance of drinking a few drinks, and what you saw happen on the internet happen to you? I don't hink you mean downsing shots. There's a lot of people that are on antidepressants that want to drink. But it can be harmful. I know this from my own personal experience. And I'm talking only two to three drinks would start to have a weird mixed affect on me. So I quit taking the antidepressant, and was just a chronic alcoholic for years.
Not now though. I'm just advising you to be careful. You are surely not the only one who has written in, asking the very same question. And it is good that you did. Because it shows, you do want to be careful. So no harm done here. I just encourage you, out of love and concern, to please be careful. Please. Mixing alcohol and any drug, affects people in different ways. Remember that. What may not hurt one person, can have some serious side effects to another. I'm glad you wrote in. Be careful, and smart. And please, write in again, if you have questions about anything else. That's what we're here for. Many Blessings, Ruthie
I couldn't agree with you more babyr.
It just isn't worth the risk. I wouldn't take that kind of risk because I have a friend who decided she could have a few drinks while on antidepressants, she has never been the same since.
Well, thank you my lady. Theres never a stupid question. Uh, well, I have to take that back. There can be, but most are not. I don't like to be preachy to people. You get nowhere that way wit anyone. They won't listen to you. But, I've found, that if you lovingly, and gently answer a serious question, you get better luck helping someone, who really needs it. I cannot tell you how many times people preached at me when I was driking. It made me mad, and I drank more. I had a serious problem, not comparing myself to the girl who wrote in, totally different. But I had a serious problem, that needed serious help. You know I hadn't talked to a friend in 8 years. And through our boys growing up together, and reconnecting on Facebook, she got my phone number and called me up a year ago. I've been sober over six. She said something that brought chills all over my body. She said, well, I thought two things.
you either, finally killed yourself with alcohol, or you quit drinking. How sad it was to hear that. And I didn't think I really had a problem. When everyone else in my life was thinking I would die from alcohol. Well, I didn't. And I'm sitting here writing this to you. Ok, tears in the eyes. I sure wish I would have stopped sooner. Because it's hard not to blame part of myself, for my two older boys being alcoholics. But the fact my husband has had to drive into my head, to get me over the worse case of guilt a person could have, is that I did quit, and maybe just maybe, I can help another soul, who is bound by chains, by it. I sure hope I can. Love, Ruthie
Thank you- I certainly know for many of us with depression, prior to treating it properly with real medication and therapy, it's all to common to rely on a drug of choice. People do not take alcohol as seriously as "drugs" because it is commonplace and legal.
I prioritize my mental health above being able to have alcohol, obviously- but I am wondering if the effects of this medication and alcohol are so severe and change how you metabolize it so much, that I truly need to avoid it for life. I do think 2-3 drinks a week is a moderate amount, but certainly if you see that as alarming you're entitled to that view. I have no desire to get drunk for sure, but it would be nice to know that I can enjoy wine in a month or so when things "settle" with the onset, or perhaps have a couple drinks at a night club. If not, I'll live- nothing, absolutely nothing is worth sacrificing my mental health! I've been through hell this year, I do not need to make any bad choices to bring that back.
I think the biggest problem with alcohol and certain drugs is that the feel good feeling can make you unaware of just how much you are actually drinking. I know that happened to my friend but she may not have been strictly a social drinker either.
So if you are sure that one drink is all it will be then it could be okay.
Now I don't drink at all - at least not anymore and haven't for alot of 24 hours, but I do know that there are certain social situations where it would probably be nice to have a glass of wine or cocktail. Something to make you feel part of the group.
What I usually do is find some exotic fruit juice or sparkling fruit juice or something like that which costs a little more and isn't something I would normally buy. Then I take it with me and have it in a wine glass. No one knows but me and hubbie that I am not drinking alcohol and I feel good about what I am having and what I'm not having.
sirensiren, I agree with lady. And I also think you're a pretty smart cookie. That's why, I hope, I didn't sound judgemental, because I went to club's when I was 19, and then after, for a while. Sometimes, I would only have a couple, and sometimes not. I'm not being truthful there. For me, I was an alcoholic, and always drank too many. But, this is about you. I just dont believe in being judgmental at all, especially when you have done the very same thing. It doesn't matter if it was in the past or not. You, at one time, was in the same place, and so, no judgement should ever happen. It sounds like you have your head together, pretty good, and that is a compliment. If you're not an alcoholic, and want to have a drink, then do. You'll know, if theres any side effects, and won't do it again if there is. I'm not against drinking, just because I couldn't control it. I just encourage people to be wise when mixing with medicine.
I think we've ran that dog enough now. lol. I think you have the point. We just love ya, and want you to be careful, and you will be. Thank you, by the way, for not getting a bad attitude. I'm very impressed with that. We weren't scolding you. Remember, to write back in, if you need us though. Sont forget about us, hon. Be safe, and many blessings. Ruthie
It is never a good idea to mix alcohol and anti-depressamts. It can cause CNS depression.
I'm aware it's not ideal to mix the two, but I'm wondering if minimal to moderate drinking is something people on bupropion can enjoy from time to time without specialized repercussions like the horror stories you find on the web. I'm not talking about pounding shots, but a glass of red wine would be nice to be able to enjoy again.
I take bupropion and have a glass of wine from time to time. Just can't go overboard especially if prone to seizures. I wouldn't make a habit of drinking while on any antidepressant as alcohol is itself a depressant, but an occasional, only you know your habits.
I take wellbutrin and drink atleast 2 days a week heavily without any noticable side effects. But that could be do to my strong tolerance for medication.
Yes, it is totally fine to have a glass or two of wine, a beer, or a mixed drink on occasion -- frankly
even one drink a day is fine. Just take care to do it the first time at home to make sure it doesn't make you a bit more tipsy, and don't drive, of course. Alcohol is a CNS depressant, NOT a mental
depressant -- people often confuse that really important concept!? All antidepressants come with a "don't drink" warning, but the only one that you really have to watch is Cymbalta, as it can cause
liver damage if someone drinks heavy while on that drug. Otherwise, one drink is fine -- and this comes from my psychiatrist, it is not just speculation on my part.
depression, anxiety, bupropion, alcohol
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