Remeron, Wellbutrin, and Alcohol

[cashicus]

Hi,

I'm sorry if this topic has been talked about in an earlier post, but I wasn't able to find anything. I am currently on Wellbutrin SR (200 mg/day in the morning) and remeron/mirtazapine (7.5 mg/day in the night- mostly to help with my sleeping). I am 22 years old, and admit that a large part of my social life on the weekends involves going out to bars and drinking- it's difficult to imagine cutting alcohol out of my life (I do not have an alcohol problem, it's just a part of my social life). Before I was on medication, I was able to drink however much alcohol I wanted and would never have a hangover or feel down the next day. I would also enjoy myself while I was drinking. Now whenever I drink alcohol it just puts me to sleep. Even if I have only 1-2 drinks, the next day I have a terrible hangover and my mood is very down. I was curious if anyone else has experienced similar problems. Is this most likely a result of the wellbutrin or the remeron? I am planning on stopping the remeron, because I don't like the idea of being dependent on a medication to help me sleep.

Just curious if anyone else has some input. Thank you!

[flutterfly]

hey sweets...

welcome to crazytown!!!

i'm not on welbutrin but i'm on 60 mg of remeron! n ya the alcohol at least for me (i drink plenty) is twice what the effect (including hangovers) what it was before the remeron!!!  only way i minimize it is ta drink ALOT of water either after i'm done drinking...or if you can drink some along with you alcohol!!!

but i'm on soo much more than you are...my suggestion is to check out www.crazymeds.us...there's info on both drugs there that's in laymans terms!

good luck to you n see you 'round the boards!

flutterfly xo

[Velvet Elvis]

Well.  Hopefully if meds are working you won't have to drink as much to enjoy yourself.  I know I drink a lot more slowly than I used to.  A beer can last me an hour if I'm not trying to chug it down. 

Wellbutrin can make hangovers worse, particularly if anxiety is part of it.  Increased anxiety for a day or two after drinking too much is common for people who have anxiety problems to start out with.  As Wellbutrin is known for increasing anxiety to begin with, it stands to reason the combining it with booze would increase this effect. 

Wellbutrin can be hard on your liver, so drinking a lot on it on a regular basis is particularly hard on it.

[johngalt]

I may have mentioned this before, but Paxil and alcohol most definitely DO NOT MIX, at least in my case.  I was a VERY moderate drinker until I began taking Paxil--and within a few months had become such an out of control alcoholic that I came very close to being committed over it.

Others have told me of similar experiences--none were "friendly drunks" while on Paxil either.  One non-drinker told me that Paxil almost immediately led to a craving for alcohol.

Would be interested in learning if others have had similar experiences or if these are just isolated incidents.

[revlow]

Hi,

There have been a couple recent discussions on this as well. Here's one: Wellbutrin and the 1 beer hangover. Can't find the other right now; if I do, I'll post it here.

Best wishes.

[Bianca]

I take Wellbutrin (300mg) and Cymbalta, I rarely if ever get hangovers.  I can also mix different drinks and still be fine.  I as well didn't want to give up alcohol either.  Just got liver tests and everything is just fine.  I guess this all depends on the person.  I did notice around the age of 22 that I just started getting hangovers.  Kinda weird but I do remember that.