Wellbutrin/Effexor and alcohol problems

I am on 150mg of Wellbutrin and 37.5mg of Effexor XR. I was on 150mg of
Effexor XR for a few months but got switched to Wellbutrin about a
month and a half ago (restless leg syndrome); I still take the Effexor
to manage anxiety (I think...). Also, I just had a birthday 3 1/2
months ago and now I'm able to drink legally, and I've been frequenting
bars admittedly, more often than I should even without being on
medication. I know Wellbutrin comes with a warning about alcohol, but
it seems like it's mostly because of seizures and I have none of the
risk factors for seizuring so I figured whatever and kept drinking as
much as usual. (I get drunk almost every Friday and Saturday, for the
past few months, which is a dramatic increase from once or twice a
month before.)
I know that's a lot and I probably might have a budding drinking
problem but that's another matter. My problem is that, while I was on
Effexor only, it didn't seem to interact too badly with alcohol. I
wasn't a heavy drinker by any means before I turned legal, but I knew
what a hangover felt like minus the Effexor, and it was pretty much the
same, as with the feeling while I was drinking.
However, since switching to the Wellbutrin/Effexor combo, I have
intense headaches after drinking and feel extremely sick. But this is
not the most troubling aspect - in the month and a half since I started
taking this combination, I have noticed a marked decline in my ability
to think. I've always been fairly smart and very quick-thinking,
especially with words. But now, I find myself struggling to locate even
a reasonably simple word, and even when I think of a word, I can't
remember if it works in the context or not; sentence structure and
common phrases are especially difficult. My whole thought process has
slowed considerably and I'm starting to worry that I've done some sort
of irreversible damage to my brain.
I'm kind of scared to talk to my doctor about it because I so blatantly
disregarded his warning to not drink. Has anybody else had this kind of
reaction to drinking while on medication?

<ultrapeanut@hotmail.com> wrote in message
news:1160460516.521238.212700@m73g2000cwd.googlegr oups.com...
> I am on 150mg of Wellbutrin and 37.5mg of Effexor XR. I was on 150mg of
> Effexor XR for a few months but got switched to Wellbutrin about a
> month and a half ago (restless leg syndrome); I still take the Effexor
> to manage anxiety (I think...). Also, I just had a birthday 3 1/2
> months ago and now I'm able to drink legally, and I've been frequenting
> bars admittedly, more often than I should even without being on
> medication. I know Wellbutrin comes with a warning about alcohol, but
> it seems like it's mostly because of seizures and I have none of the
> risk factors for seizuring so I figured whatever and kept drinking as
> much as usual. (I get drunk almost every Friday and Saturday, for the
> past few months, which is a dramatic increase from once or twice a
> month before.)
> I know that's a lot and I probably might have a budding drinking
> problem but that's another matter. My problem is that, while I was on
> Effexor only, it didn't seem to interact too badly with alcohol. I
> wasn't a heavy drinker by any means before I turned legal, but I knew
> what a hangover felt like minus the Effexor, and it was pretty much the
> same, as with the feeling while I was drinking.
> However, since switching to the Wellbutrin/Effexor combo, I have
> intense headaches after drinking and feel extremely sick. But this is
> not the most troubling aspect - in the month and a half since I started
> taking this combination, I have noticed a marked decline in my ability
> to think. I've always been fairly smart and very quick-thinking,
> especially with words. But now, I find myself struggling to locate even
> a reasonably simple word, and even when I think of a word, I can't
> remember if it works in the context or not; sentence structure and
> common phrases are especially difficult. My whole thought process has
> slowed considerably and I'm starting to worry that I've done some sort
> of irreversible damage to my brain.
> I'm kind of scared to talk to my doctor about it because I so blatantly
> disregarded his warning to not drink. Has anybody else had this kind of
> reaction to drinking while on medication?
>


drinking works on you real slow ,
eventually you won't think at all ,
if you keep going the way you are

you must contact the doctor and answer the doctor truthfully so he can
prescribe safely for you. especially since alcohol itself is a
depressant. remember doctors are not trained in mindreading
if you think you have a drinking problem you are always correct.
"Signs that someone might be an alcoholic include:
* Drinking to forget his or her problems
* Drinking alone often
* Lying about his or her drinking habits
* Losing interest in food
* Feeling unhappy or irritable when he or she is not drinking
* Losing memories of certain events ("blacking out")"
please see howstuffworks.com
http://health.howstuffworks.com/alco....htm/printable

"Depression Symptoms of depression are different depending on the
person. Some people have only a few symptoms, while others may have
many symptoms at once. Symptoms of depression include:
* A sad feeling that will not go away
* Restlessness or slowed movements
* Changes in appetite or weight
* Changes in sleeping patterns
* A lack of interest in activities that usually provide pleasure
* Fatigue or lack of energy
* Feeling worthless, or feeling guilty for no reason
* Trouble concentrating or making decisions
* Repeated thoughts of death or suicide
see:
http://www.effexorxr.com/faqs.asp



ultrapeanut@hotmail.com wrote:
> I am on 150mg of Wellbutrin and 37.5mg of Effexor XR. I was on 150mg of
> Effexor XR for a few months but got switched to Wellbutrin about a
> month and a half ago (restless leg syndrome); I still take the Effexor
> to manage anxiety (I think...). Also, I just had a birthday 3 1/2
> months ago and now I'm able to drink legally, and I've been frequenting
> bars admittedly, more often than I should even without being on
> medication. I know Wellbutrin comes with a warning about alcohol, but
> it seems like it's mostly because of seizures and I have none of the
> risk factors for seizuring so I figured whatever and kept drinking as
> much as usual. (I get drunk almost every Friday and Saturday, for the
> past few months, which is a dramatic increase from once or twice a
> month before.)
> I know that's a lot and I probably might have a budding drinking
> problem but that's another matter. My problem is that, while I was on
> Effexor only, it didn't seem to interact too badly with alcohol. I
> wasn't a heavy drinker by any means before I turned legal, but I knew
> what a hangover felt like minus the Effexor, and it was pretty much the
> same, as with the feeling while I was drinking.
> However, since switching to the Wellbutrin/Effexor combo, I have
> intense headaches after drinking and feel extremely sick. But this is
> not the most troubling aspect - in the month and a half since I started
> taking this combination, I have noticed a marked decline in my ability
> to think. I've always been fairly smart and very quick-thinking,
> especially with words. But now, I find myself struggling to locate even
> a reasonably simple word, and even when I think of a word, I can't
> remember if it works in the context or not; sentence structure and
> common phrases are especially difficult. My whole thought process has
> slowed considerably and I'm starting to worry that I've done some sort
> of irreversible damage to my brain.
> I'm kind of scared to talk to my doctor about it because I so blatantly
> disregarded his warning to not drink. Has anybody else had this kind of
> reaction to drinking while on medication?

ultrapeanut@hotmail.com wrote:
> I am on 150mg of Wellbutrin and 37.5mg of Effexor XR. I was on 150mg of
> Effexor XR for a few months but got switched to Wellbutrin about a
> month and a half ago (restless leg syndrome); I still take the Effexor
> to manage anxiety (I think...). Also, I just had a birthday 3 1/2
> months ago and now I'm able to drink legally, and I've been frequenting
> bars admittedly, more often than I should even without being on
> medication. I know Wellbutrin comes with a warning about alcohol, but
> it seems like it's mostly because of seizures and I have none of the
> risk factors for seizuring so I figured whatever and kept drinking as
> much as usual. (I get drunk almost every Friday and Saturday, for the
> past few months, which is a dramatic increase from once or twice a
> month before.)
> I know that's a lot and I probably might have a budding drinking
> problem but that's another matter. My problem is that, while I was on
> Effexor only, it didn't seem to interact too badly with alcohol. I
> wasn't a heavy drinker by any means before I turned legal, but I knew
> what a hangover felt like minus the Effexor, and it was pretty much the
> same, as with the feeling while I was drinking.
> However, since switching to the Wellbutrin/Effexor combo, I have
> intense headaches after drinking and feel extremely sick. But this is
> not the most troubling aspect - in the month and a half since I started
> taking this combination, I have noticed a marked decline in my ability
> to think. I've always been fairly smart and very quick-thinking,
> especially with words. But now, I find myself struggling to locate even
> a reasonably simple word, and even when I think of a word, I can't
> remember if it works in the context or not; sentence structure and
> common phrases are especially difficult. My whole thought process has
> slowed considerably and I'm starting to worry that I've done some sort
> of irreversible damage to my brain.
> I'm kind of scared to talk to my doctor about it because I so blatantly
> disregarded his warning to not drink. Has anybody else had this kind of
> reaction to drinking while on medication?
>

Interesting results, but you left out the part where you stopped getting
drunk to see if the effect reversed itself.

> Interesting results, but you left out the part where you stopped getting
> drunk to see if the effect reversed itself.

We're still conducting that study, but preliminary results seem
promising.