Paroxetine (or other antidepressants) and alcohol intake...particularly an massive increase in it.

[JoshLymanIsHotterThanSam]

So I’ve been battling with DH’s steep increase in alcohol intake in the last 6 months and last night made the connection that he started paroxetine for the first time at about the same time.

For background DH has an addictive personality and has so far battled an unhealthy relationship with alcohol in his teens, a severe drug addiction and most recently had weight loss surgery to help with a food addiction. I realise that the chances of him latching on to something new is high but wondered if anyone else had seen an link between a specific AD and alcohol intake?

Really don't know OP, he needs to speak to his GP

Yes, but in relation to duoloxetine - I read lots of posts by people taking it who found that they massively craved alcohol when they were on it.

Additional complication is that it magnifies the effect so you want to drink more and it makes you more drunk more quickly.

It might be part of the same family of drugs?

I’ve done a bit of googling and found that it’s is possible there is a link, and it’s not always the same ADs for each person, seems to depend on receptors or something.

@Frownette not quite so simple when he currently sees no issue .

I’m now stuck in the delightful place of trying to work out how to deal with this one.

You sound as if you are looking for a reason that is not simply an acceleration of his alcoholism. Please be careful here. You could be right, and it would be lovely if you were, but if he’s already had issues with addiction then it’s just as likely that he’s medicating his mental state with alcohol. Alcoholism is a progressive condition. He will need more and more as he continues along this path.
I wish you luck ... it’s not something that you can control for him though.

I absolutely had this with Paroxetine. It worked so well apart from that. It was as though I couldn't tell when I was getting drunk so I would just drink and drink and black out. So embarrassing. I would crave booze so intensely but the hangovers were terrifyingly bad

@HopeClearwater I know that you are right, and it could just be the next thing in which case I have no control and it’s ultimately going to end in divorce as I am not willing to deal with severe alcoholism.
However I suspect it might be worth getting him off the Paroxetine to see, I believe there is a link that’s worth exploring. Only because previous to this during our 11 years together he has never drunk like this. He’s had the odd session (and by odd I mean once or twice a year) but he’s never wanted to drink at home on a regular basis. Getting the beers in was reserved for a sunny bank holiday afternoon in the garden and maybe a few on Christmas Day. So while it could be progression of a new addiction-it also has the capacity to be something that is an unexplainable side effect of his tablets.

this happened to me on venlafaxine. I dont know why, but just kept wanting to drink every evening. Was having maybe 3 ciders every night or half to 2/3 of a bottle of wine. Never really been much of a drinker. I also self harmed on it which I didnt do before or since.
I wonder if its coincidence

It's more likely related to stopping the addictive eating so something else addictive is now becoming the number one go to choice to replace food

@JoshLymanIsHotterThanSam oh joy! Actually you sound really patient.

The ADs won't work if he's drinking that much. Sounds like he's doing it in front of you which is good. I'd phone his doctor and explain the situation, then say to him he needs a medication review.

I had to do this with someone I know as I knew he'd lie about how much he was drinking (he's on sertraline). Unfortunately he got worse and gets alcohol psychosis. He's not a relative, friend or a boyfriend and his behaviour was frightening so I keep my distance now, I've done what I can.

@Runbikeswim I haven’t ruled that out. Would just like to make sure before I do anything drastic like initiate separation

@Frownette my thoughts were get in contact with the gp too. He is actually due a medication review so it wouldn’t be a lie. I think I need to go see her first on my own though.

I was tee total before taking paroxetine. I have my opinion on it.
I wouldn't recommend anyone drinking on it, it causes horrendous blackouts and the hangovers are tremendous plus the withdrawal from coming off of the damn stuff is worse than an illegal drug ( took me over a yr to slowly reduce using liquid form and 2 yrs for the brain zaps to stop ).

@How - if you don’t mind me asking-your wording suggests that following taking Paroxetine you were no longer tee total?

That's correct, within a month of starting paroxetine I was drinking alcohol. I had taken other anti - d's before seroxat but old types which didn't work so a consultant decided to try me on the 'new' SSRI (we are talking 1990's).
I hadn't drunk any alcohol since my early teens, you know standard getting pissed and silly in the park with your friends infrequently. I didn't like the feeling of being out of control with it so didn't bother as I got older, I got known for being a non drinker when out clubbing.
Within weeks of taking Seroxat I was buying small bottles of vodka on my way home from work at least twice a week. The combination of taking the meds and the vodka put me into manic like state and within 12 months I was risking my life, blacking out weekly when out, taking fucking stupid risks with strangers.

I came off Seroxat after many yrs but continued to drink as it now was an addiction, I wasn't manic with just the alcohol as I was taking seroxat with it.

It's a long story but I continued to drink and ended up a full blown alcoholic, am now clean of all drugs - prescribed and alcohol.

Thank you for sharing what sounds like a difficult story. Do you have any pearls of wisdom from the other side that I could use?

I am utterly sure of one thing, if this develops into full blown alcoholism then I will initiate separation. However if I can get to it before it does then I will fight to the death to pull him out of it.

I had this on whatever that antidepressant is that starts with C. It took the edge off my nerves and it seemed to stop the “highs” or intensity of life but also eradicated the ability to relax fully. As a consequence I’d drink loads of wine to get to sleep. The cycle continued until I was drinking at least a bottle of wine a night, often more. And my anxiety went through the roof. I changed to Prozac and am much better and don’t drink at all.

I was on the drug for a long time as it worked for my depression, I note now Seroxat is hardly ever prescribed due to the suicide risks (mainly in young adults) and the severe withdrawal from the drug.
Why was your OH prescribed it as there are plenty of other newer SSRI's without the associated risks?
I would seek advice from your local drugs and alcohol team, I have nothing against GP's but they aren't equiped to deal with addiction (not in 10minute appointments). You can usually self refer to the local drug team, do you think that is something your OH would seek out?
I would get some support for yourself regardless.

A quick google brought up this page. There is link to a unpublished paper which makes for interesting reading.
rxisk.org/driven-to-drink-antidepressants-and-cravings-for-alcohol/

*published

?

A few years ago when I was on a high dose of antidepressants, I would get abnormally drunk and lose all memory of what I was doing. I've also seen friends of mine get blackout drunk and pass out in pubs from mixing antidepressants and alcohol.

So I quite firmly believe there's a link.

As to what you can do, I don't know. Paroxetine is extremely addictive.

One assumes @joaoramos said something not so nice?

I shall live in ignorance.

@HowlsMovingBungalow he was prescribed it following a lack of success with other SSRIs. He did moderately well on Sertraline but then the effects wore off and he was on max dose. He’s struggled to settle on any others since.

Deleted post was a troll.

It is a tough call if the seroxat works for stubborn to treat depression. Does he want to stop drinking? As a pp said, no anti depressant will work when you are drinking so I guess the next move for your OH is to see if he can stop whilst taking Seroxat and seek some professional support.

We’ve had a chat about the tablets, we’re going to try and taper off them. As it stands at the moment he sees no issue with his drinking so I can’t bring that into the conversation-however I don’t think he’s acting clearly of sound mind-there have been some other things recently that haven’t been quite him-and the “mania” suggested upthread rings quite true.
Is it possible an AD could cause a permanent sense of mania?