Drinking beer and taking xanax PLEASE HELP!

[pamlynne1961]

:cry::cry::cry:



Hi, I am new here so hello everyone. I have a question that I hope someone can answer for me, or at least they have been through it themselves. I went on vacation in September and while I was there, I drank beer daily for 9 days in a row. I am on Effexor XR and Xanax. It has been a little over 5 weeks that I have not drank. I am normally not a drinker at all, but since we were on vacation I thought I would. Since then, I have been having feelings of slight depression, unable to focus, unable to make decisions, unable to concentrate. I feel that I am shaking from the inside out. I do not get out, and will not drive because of these feelings. It scares me. I feel like I am about to lose it. I have anxiety daily and I don't feel like myself at all. I have heard it can take up to 8 weeks for things to return to normal. I feel I have messed up my levels from drinking so much alcohol. Has anyone ever experienced anything like this? Any information would be greatly appreciated. Thank you

[jamiej]

id say try not to drink again.i got hooked on drink at the moment im trying to get off it,i would say il have one and thats it,but then i cant stop so now i have to try not to drink at all.

[joewow]

Well there's onething more that you didn't tried yet and it's marijuana .. This is what works awsome for me to cope with anxiety .. i am not recommended to you but i am just trying to let you know that's it's an awsome drug .. And Xanax does nothing for me ..

Spokane Fitness Trainer

[Colourgirl]

Wow, I could have sworn I posted a response to this post, but I don't see it here. So wierd. Anyway, Pamlynne, I hope that you have recovered sufficiently by now, and have stopped the alcohol useage. My doctor, when I was on anti-depressants and anti anxiety meds, made a point to let me know that I shouldn't drink with it. Even my pharmacist let me know, as indicated on the bottles. But of course we all break the rules, and find out for ourselves why we shouldn't drink with them at the same time. Not only does it ruin the efficacy of the drug, but having a drug that passes your blood brain barrier and manipulate your brain chemistry along with alcohol can have damaging side effects, like the ones you were experiencing. The come down effect afterwards can also be very punishing. If you find that you are having trouble with keeping away from alcohol, I would definitely check back in with my doctor to see what other options there are. You just don't want to mess with brain chemistry.

joewow,

Welcome to Phobics Awareness, and you bring up something that I also found that has helped me, marijuana. In parts of the US, you can get a medical marijuana card, and while there are people who want it to just smoke, it does have healing properties, and I find myself gravitating towards that than pills. However, I never push it, simply because there are people who are still prejudiced against it, and just like any other pill or drug that is used to augment our mood and function, it can work beautifully for some, and not so much in others. I like the fact that it's more natural than some pills, and I don't get the dirty feeling left over from xanax or other anxiety meds when it's about worn off. Just like any other drug though, if you use any anti-anxiety meds without a good cognitive process, it can become a crutch....which is something that can come easy to us when we have been so exhausted from dealing with panic. The last thing we want to do, is work on it mentally! But it's so worth it.

Thanks for bringing this up joewow, and I look forward to your other comments! Take care!

Colourgirl