I love my new psychiatrist!!

[Bern]

Originally Posted by Yanks1083

My new psychiatrist said that I can have a max of 2 beers/drinks on occasion.

I've seen my new psychiatrist for the second time and I asked her what an occasion was. She said once a week!!!! I couldn't believe it! I thought she meant once a month or once every two months, or once every three months! My old psychiatrist that I saw for seven years said I can drink once in a blue moon. What's a blue moon? I was a minor then, so maybe that's why she said blue moon. My social worker in the partial hospital I was in during January said I could never drink again. Let me remind you all that I'm on 30mg of generic Paxil, 650mg of Seroquill, and 100mg of Anafranil. And just becuase she said 2 drinks once per week, doesn't mean that I am going to start drinking once a week.

I got so excited after she said once a week! When I was driving home some guy ran a stop sign and almost hit me....I gave him the finger. Now I feel bad, and I felt bad ever since my finger went up....a few years ago I told myself that I would never give anyone the finger again while driving. I guess the 4 cups of coffee that I had this morning hit me, and what my psychiatrist told me put me over the edge. I drink 4 cups of coffee every morning, and it never gets me like this.

[rdjanis]

Interesting, docs are told to advise patients not to use alcohol while taking paxil. The recommendation for seroquel is that alcohol causes extreme fatigue and it is not recommended as well. Makes one wonder why a doctor would suggest occasional drinking while you are on both these medications.......

[Light]

I was told one drink one time could compromise the effectiveness of the medication. I failed to respond to about 12 medications while drinking. When I quit drinking I responded very well to the first medication I tried (zoloft).

[paxilgirl]

Yanks, I don't understand what the obsession is about drinking. I find it hard to understand why this area of your life is so important to you.

If you ask me, booze isn't something that I would be excited about and geez, you are on all those meds, I wouldn't touch a drop of alcohol at all.

When I started on 10mgs of Paxil, I took half a glass of wine and almost passed out....I could only have imagined what I would have been like when I was on 30mgs.

I would advise not drinking at all...there is no need for it while you are on these meds. It is dangerous to you and your health.

PS: Don't get upset, I'm saying this because I am concerned.

[scotty]

Alcohol and these drugs are a recipe for disaster. I'm appalled that a psychiatrist would "approve" alcohol when taking these. Yanks, you'd better think long and hard how much this drink means to you.Yup, it's the Mom and the nurse coming out here. The impulsivity caused by paxil is increased with alcohol use and what it can do to your liver is Very scary.

[elisa]

No wonder you love your new psychiatrist. He approves what you want to do regardless of consequences!!

Ynaks, I bet you know WHY you want to drink so badly!! Just refer to your last year's posts on this subject.

You're surrounded here on this board with more concerned mom's than you ever dreamed of.

[Bern]

Thanks Mom, Mom, Mom, and oh yea, and thanks to my biological mother too.

I'm not going to drink every week...don't worry. I went 5 months....from January 27th to July 4th without alcohol, becuase the social worker and my hospital pyschiatrist said to avoid alcohol.

But anyone know why this doctor is saying that I can have maximum 2 drinks a week? She's young. She is probably in her late 20's or early 30's. Now there's a factor. But she's a psychiatrist and I still don't understand why her opinion is different. My old psychiatrist said that she doesn't mind if I had "a glass of wine in a blue moon." So, there are also other psychiatrists out there that don't mind if I have a drink.

I'm going to my OCD support group tomorrow. I'll bring up this subject.

[babs]

I drank on occasion during the 11 years I was on Paxil and didn't really feel any different ... this just fuels my suspicions that Paxil really didn't have that much of an effect on me. Only side effect I ever had was sleepiness, and I still got depressed sometimes anyway.

[Bern]

Originally Posted by babs806

I drank on occasion during the 11 years I was on Paxil and didn't really feel any different ... this just fuels my suspicions that Paxil really didn't have that much of an effect on me. Only side effect I ever had was sleepiness, and I still got depressed sometimes anyway.

What's an occasion to you? Once a week, once a month? Twice a year?


Oh yea and I forgot to tell everyone, my biological mom called my psychiatrist on July 11th to make sure that she said that I can drink. My psychiatrist told me that today. I'm surprised my mom called her behind my back....she never did that when I was under 21.

[babs]

Originally Posted by Yanks1083

What's an occasion to you? Once a week, once a month? Twice a year?

I usually only drink at family get-togethers, which we have at Thanksgiving and Easter. Maybe 2 or 3 glasses of wine in an evening. I sometimes drank on other occasions too, like happy hours at the office. I've never been a huge drinker, but in my early 20's when I did drink I usually got drunk. Hangovers are a pretty good cure for that ....

[angels]

Thing is, some people survive Paxil AND alcohol with no great damage. But, there is no way to know. A psychiatrist saying it's ok to drink makes as much sense as saying that they know what Paxil does in the body. No one knows the answers to any of that. I understand the wanting to drink, but my concern comes from reading your posts from a year ago. If you were in Europe, I think I'd be more comfortable. But the US is not known for integrating fine wines and good beer with a slow food dinner in a Tuscan setting.

And I would say that any psychiatrist who recommends something that is counter to FDA approved cautions needs to be investigated. That said, I understand that you want to do this; so just make sure you have one person you trust with you. Just concerned that's all. And there should be plenty of evidence on this site that we all must be responsible for our own health decisions. So make your decision, but don't base it on an irresponsible health professional. She doesn't know what Paxil does and doesn't do any more than anyone else -- medical or patient or drug manufacturer. There simply isn't any scientific data on it.

[paxilgirl]

Originally Posted by Yanks1083

What's an occasion to you? Once a week, once a month? Twice a year?


Oh yea and I forgot to tell everyone, my biological mom called my psychiatrist on July 11th to make sure that she said that I can drink. My psychiatrist told me that today. I'm surprised my mom called her behind my back....she never did that when I was under 21.

Because your mom is genuinely concerned about you and that your drinking is a concern and possibly she sees it as a problem.

However, as an adult, your mom should have respected your privacy, but moms are moms....

[paxilgirl]

Oh, and I would have fired my physc in 10 seconds if I knew he/she was discussing my care to someone else without my permission. How unprofessional.

[Bern]

Originally Posted by paxilgirl

Oh, and I would have fired my physc in 10 seconds if I knew he/she was discussing my care to someone else without my permission. How unprofessional.

Actully, I think I signed a release...but I can't remember. I should have had her rip it up yesturday.

[Bern]

Originally Posted by angels

If you were in Europe, I think I'd be more comfortable.

Why would you be more comfortable if I was in Europe?

[angels]

Originally Posted by Yanks1083

Why would you be more comfortable if I was in Europe?

Well, this is a gross over simplification, but Europeans drink a little a lot and it is more a way of complimenting life's great enjoyments - often fresh from the market food and to sprinkle s few drops of alcohol in the midst of good music and good conversation.

The American way of drinking is to use alcohol sparingly, but in situations where it is socially uncomfortable, or a closeness is artificially generated via beer at football games or where it is expected. It's a big deal, rite of passage etc. etc. Many deaths occur on college campuses when the kids get away from home for the first time and later the halls of AA fill up with the kids who stayed alive. Nooooo , this is not how the majority of Americans act. However, we have an automobile driven way of life stemming from the Eisenhower build highways administration and that goes with eating fast and drinking for effect rather than the cherry on the parfait.

As a little test, tonight how many Europeans will walk to a pub or bar and sip a little and how many Americans will drive to a bar to get drunk?

Yes, all of that is an oversimplification, but the thread is in there. I've read it, seen it, experienced it. It's the same as the American distortion in the media of sex. I like America and the American spirit and gusto, but we're waaaay off base in some areas of life.

[elisa]

Originally Posted by angels

Well, this is a gross over simplification, but Europeans drink a little a lot and it is more a way of complimenting life's great enjoyments - often fresh from the market food and to sprinkle s few drops of alcohol in the midst of good music and good conversation.

The American way of drinking is to use alcohol sparingly, but in situations where it is socially uncomfortable, or a closeness is artificially generated via beer at football games or where it is expected. It's a big deal, rite of passage etc. etc. Many deaths occur on college campuses when the kids get away from home for the first time and later the halls of AA fill up with the kids who stayed alive. Nooooo , this is not how the majority of Americans act. However, we have an automobile driven way of life stemming from the Eisenhower build highways administration and that goes with eating fast and drinking for effect rather than the cherry on the parfait.

As a little test, tonight how many Europeans will walk to a pub or bar and sip a little and how many Americans will drive to a bar to get drunk?

Yes, all of that is an oversimplification, but the thread is in there. I've read it, seen it, experienced it. It's the same as the American distortion in the media of sex. I like America and the American spirit and gusto, but we're waaaay off base in some areas of life.

This is so very true. I've spent 27 years of my life in Europe and know a little about drinking habits there. Ofcourse there are always excesses in every society, but as a whole Angels is right on. Sometimes I miss that little walk to a neighbourhood bar, sipping a little wine and socialize in a homey atmosphere.

[time to move on]

Remember, psychiatrist are people, too. They bring their own baggage into situations even if it is bad for the patient, perhaps even unknowingly. When this happens, it means that you have found a very unprofessional doctor and should switch immediately.

For example, I had a psychiatrist put me on Valium to "tide me over" until my Paxil kicked in. I was extrememly hesitent considering that my Grandmother was addicted to Valium for years. He assured me that Valium has been given a bad rap because doctors used to prescribe it in too high a dose, one that is more addictive than the 5 mg/12 hours he put me on. Desperate to have some relief, I trusted him--only to find out in a later session that he personally believes that Valium is safer than asprin, and that he pops a few Valium for everything from tense social situations to altidude sickness on hikes. He was obviously a Valium/meds abuser/overuser who did not want to acknowledge to himself that Valium can be dangerous, and therefor told his patients that Valium was very safe.Maybe it is for some people. But it certainly wasn't for my Gram.

Maybe an alchohol and SSRI cocktail is safe. Or maybe your doc is just deluding herself into thinking that Alcohol is a less dangerous drug than it really is (for very personal reasons). The point is that I challange her to describe with certainty to explain the immediate and long term interactions a reactions inside the body between alcohol and an SSRI. Until she can do that, she has NO RIGHT to tell you to do something that could be dangerous or counterproductive to your your search for improved mental health.

[paxilgirl]

I still can't believe this doc promotes drinking while on SSRIs....but like you said timetomoveon, docs are human....

[Bern]

Originally Posted by paxilgirl

I still can't believe this doc promotes drinking while on SSRIs....but like you said timetomoveon, docs are human....

And that's why I love my new psychiatrist!

[scotty]

Yanks, you are looking to hear what you want to hear, not what is right for you. Read Shaney's recent post about alcohol. You're way to young to have alcohol take such a precedence in your life.

[paxilgirl]

Yanks, I agree with Laurie.

Shaney had a tremendous time (understatement) with his withdrawal and drinking didn't help. No alcohol period while on this stuff....

Get alochol off your priority list. You have better things to look forward to than having a drink.

[mdladie]

talk about "muddying the waters!" DO NOT MIX ALCOHOL WITH MEDS. You say the psychiatrist will "let" you drink........it is not a matter of permission. This is very serious in my opinion and I would be suspect of a doctor who valicated your desire to have a drink, even on occasion. Please think this one through.

[angels]

Originally Posted by mdladie

talk about "muddying the waters!" DO NOT MIX ALCOHOL WITH MEDS. You say the psychiatrist will "let" you drink........it is not a matter of permission. This is very serious in my opinion and I would be suspect of a doctor who valicated your desire to have a drink, even on occasion. Please think this one through.

Well said! That IS the point.
And, I may perhaps been too subtle before, but think through the motivation for drinking. Is it to complement an authentic experience with other like minded humans or is it to cover over an unease with social situations. If it is the latter, it will invite connection to those who also fear risking their authentic selves. One can be life enriching; the other can be growth inhibiting and possibly dangerous socially.

[Bern]

Originally Posted by mdladie

talk about "muddying the waters!" DO NOT MIX ALCOHOL WITH MEDS. You say the psychiatrist will "let" you drink........it is not a matter of permission. This is very serious in my opinion and I would be suspect of a doctor who valicated your desire to have a drink, even on occasion. Please think this one through.

In 2004 while I was on 40mg of Paxil, I always drank. I always mixed. I did it 1-4 times a week. I was 20 going on to 21 in October. I would drink anywhere from 2-7 Coors light. Nothing happened. The only reason why I tried to withdraw from Paxil was because I wanted to drink. Now I'm on 30mg of Paxil generic, and probably will be on it for a while longer. I have cut down drinking. I had 4 Coors Light on July 4th becuase it was my first time drinking since January 27th. Now all I'm going to do is drink less than once a week, beucase my doctor said it was ok to drink once a week with a max of 2 drinks.