Some doctors think it's OK to drink moderately if you take an SSRI like Lexapro. “Moderate drinking” means 2 drinks a day for men and 1 drink a day for women. One drink equals 12 ounces of beer, 5 ounces of wine, or 1 ounce of hard liquor.
The combination of Lexapro and alcohol should be avoided due to potentially dangerous side effects. Even a small amount of alcohol can lead to a large amount of unpleasant effects. Mixing these two substances may actually lead to heightened symptoms of depression and anxiety.
People who drink alcohol while taking Lexapro may feel more depressed or anxious, and these symptoms may then become more challenging to treat. This worsening scenario is potentially dangerous as it can lead to some people having an increase in suicidal thoughts.
Generally, it's recommended to wait at least a couple of weeks after stopping Lexapro before drinking alcohol. Lexapro is an antidepressant medication that can take some time to completely clear from your system, and drinking alcohol while taking the medication can increase the risk of side effects and interactions.
However, since many patients are not willing to give up alcohol completely, it is important to combine alcohol and antidepressants in the safest way possible. Some physicians allow moderate drinking for their patients. This means 1 drink per day for women and 2 drinks per day for men.
It's best to avoid combining antidepressants and alcohol. It may worsen your symptoms, and it can be dangerous. If you mix antidepressants and alcohol: You may feel more depressed or anxious.
Drinking while on these medications poses a number of problems, from more severe side effects to addiction and even death. It is never recommended to use alcohol while on antidepressants. If you are having a hard time stopping drinking, seek professional support.
What happens if you drink alcohol while taking Lexapro? Drinking alcohol while taking Lexapro isn't recommended. Both alcohol and Lexapro can cause side effects like increased depressive thoughts, sleep problems, and dizziness. Combining the two may cause drowsiness, nausea, reduced alertness, and serotonin syndrome.
Lexapro and alcohol together can cause side effects such as dizziness, changes in mood, increased anxiety, drowsiness, nausea, and sleep problems. Combining the two substances can also lead to more serious interactions, including worsening depression, liver problems, and serotonin syndrome.
Do not use escitalopram with buspirone (Buspar®), fentanyl (Abstral®, Duragesic®), lithium (Eskalith®, Lithobid®), tryptophan, St. John's wort, amphetamines, or some pain or migraine medicines (eg, rizatriptan, sumatriptan, tramadol, Frova®, Imitrex®, Maxalt®, Relpax®, Ultram®, Zomig®).
Most people who take antidepressants don't need to cut out caffeine completely, says Dr. Netherton. But it's important to pay attention to how much caffeine you're getting throughout the day and how it's making you feel.
The exact reason Lexapro might cause weight gain isn't fully understood yet. However, many experts believe that changes in metabolism or appetite could play a role in causing this particular side effect.
In addition, some of the side effects of Lexapro can be made worse by alcohol and other depressants. Especially things like feeling fatigued and having trouble with sexual arousal. Since alcohol can have the same effect on some people, the two drugs together can have a much stronger effect.
Alcohol and antidepressants can impair a person's coordination, and cause confusion and severe drowsiness. People can fall and injure themselves, and it's best to avoid driving or operating machinery if someone drinks while on any type of antidepressant.
If you miss a dose of this medicine, take it as soon as possible. However, if it is almost time for your next dose, skip the missed dose and go back to your regular dosing schedule. Do not double doses.
You're less likely to experience unpleasant or unpredictable effects if you drink alcohol while taking an SSRI or a serotonin-noradrenaline reuptake inhibitor (SNRI) antidepressant, but avoiding alcohol is often still recommended.
You can take Lexapro at any time of day. It's typically taken once per day. If you start taking Lexapro and find that you're having trouble sleeping, try taking it in the morning. This may make it less likely that you'll have trouble falling asleep.
Can I Drink Alcohol While On Zoloft? The United States Food and Drug Administration (FDA) recommends avoiding using alcohol while taking Zoloft, even if it is just a glass of wine or a single can of beer.
What dose of Lexapro is used for anxiety? The typical dose⁷ of Lexapro for anxiety is 10mg daily. Your doctor may start you at 5mg and taper up to 10mg to prevent your anxiety symptoms from worsening during the first two weeks of treatment.
Drinking alcohol with anxiety medications can worsen side effects, such as extreme sleepiness, difficulty concentrating, and slowed breathing. These side effects can lead to accidental injuries with serious and sometimes fatal consequences.
Each person will experience slightly different side effects, but the most common side effects are drowsiness, headache, insomnia, nausea, and vomiting. These effects may emerge during the first weeks of starting Lexapro. If the starting dose of Lexapro is too high, these side effects may be even worse.
Serotonin syndrome
Alcohol can also temporarily boost the amount of serotonin in the brain. Consuming alcohol while taking antidepressants can lead to very high serotonin levels. Excess serotonin can cause serotonin syndrome, a potentially life threatening condition.
There are no antidepressants that are completely safe when taken with alcohol. Some providers may say that light to moderate drinking is OK while taking certain antidepressants, such as selective serotonin reuptake inhibitors (SSRIs) like sertraline (Zoloft), fluoxetine (Prozac), and escitalopram (Lexapro).
Moderate Drinking and Antidepressants
This typically means one serving of alcohol per day (for example, one glass of wine or 12-ounce serving of beer). If you're prescribed an antidepressant for depression or anxiety, your healthcare provider may ask that you wait several weeks before consuming alcohol.
Can you mix caffeine and antidepressants? Most people who take antidepressants don't need to cut out caffeine completely, says Dr. Netherton. But it's important to pay attention to how much caffeine you're getting throughout the day and how it's making you feel.