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Has anyone drunk alcohol on Wellbutrin/Bupropion?

Posted by polopep @polopep, Apr 26, 2024

Hi,

I appreciate this is a medicine they recommend not drinking on but a social red or champagne keeps me sane and wondering if anyone had any bad effects. I've had a strange nausea but not every time and wonder if this is associated with the alcohol? I'm asking if you have to stay off it all together or the occasional one or two drinks is OK?

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rashida | @rashida | Apr 28, 2024
In reply to @polopep "Thank you. And I do appreciate the suggestions about a non-alcoholic drink. I do that often..." + (show)
Profile picture for polopep @polopep

Thank you. And I do appreciate the suggestions about a non-alcoholic drink. I do that often now anyways as I cunningly offer to drive on a lot of our family social engagements so I don't drink. I have severe anxiety and complex PTSD so I really do love a social drink at times with a very good meal. I was curious to see if anyone else had side effects as I've never had any side effects on other meds before with alcohol. I'm not a big drinker nowadays either I should point out. You are right - clearly the nausea is not a good thing but only happens rarely which is why I thought to ask to see if anyone else had it. Thank you for the advice - appreciated.

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@polopep I am a social drinker but space out the drinking and medication time. I would imagine the occasional social drink wouldn’t do much harm if spacing the time between the drink and the dosage time - but I would run that by your doctor. I can see taking your medication at the same time - or very close to your medications time being a potential (if not definite) problem though!

I must add that I do not drive at all. My husband and kids do drive, but they are very responsible about drinking and driving. One family member always opts to be the designated driver if the other has had even one drink.

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tlaw | @tlaw | Oct 2 10:27am
In reply to @jakedduck1 "@polopep If your depressed why would you want to consume a depressant that will only make..." + (show)
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@polopep
If your depressed why would you want to consume a depressant that will only make depression worse and as @gingerw points out could make the medicine less effective and cause serious side effects.
Jake

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@jakedduck1 Alcohol and anti-depressants are both depressants. The term depressant doesn't mean that it is depressing your mood, but the name "anti-depressants" given to those medications is referring to your mood.

Taking both together can increase the effects of the other, versus if it was taken individually.

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loraclucy | @loraclucy | Oct 3 1:32pm
In reply to @rashida "@polopep I am a social drinker but space out the drinking and medication time. I would..." + (show)
Profile picture for rashida @rashida

@polopep I am a social drinker but space out the drinking and medication time. I would imagine the occasional social drink wouldn’t do much harm if spacing the time between the drink and the dosage time - but I would run that by your doctor. I can see taking your medication at the same time - or very close to your medications time being a potential (if not definite) problem though!

I must add that I do not drive at all. My husband and kids do drive, but they are very responsible about drinking and driving. One family member always opts to be the designated driver if the other has had even one drink.

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@rashidajohnson
I have had no problem with having wine while on Bupropion.

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srqqd | @srqqd | Oct 3 2:33pm

Wellbutrin combined with excessive alcohol neurologally changed my husband's brain.
Yes, he was an alcoholic, but I still feel this is a dangerous combination.

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tomkofathensga | @tomkofathensga | Oct 3 3:49pm

I have never had problems with these while having a beer or two or three. Not having the right combination of drugs was always my problem.

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truly520 | @truly520 | Oct 4 11:14am

I am on a low dose of bupropion and do drink wine without any effect.

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berekann | @berekann | Oct 4 6:13pm
In reply to @tlaw "@jakedduck1 Alcohol and anti-depressants are both depressants. The term depressant doesn't mean that it is depressing..." + (show)
Profile picture for tlaw @tlaw

@jakedduck1 Alcohol and anti-depressants are both depressants. The term depressant doesn't mean that it is depressing your mood, but the name "anti-depressants" given to those medications is referring to your mood.

Taking both together can increase the effects of the other, versus if it was taken individually.

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@tlaw for years, while taking Ambien, I drank Beer before and with dinner. Never had a problem. Perhaps it even enhanced the sedation effect. Warnings today seem even more dire. I’m taking lorazepam and they worn no alcohol can increase risk of respiratory distress. So I’ve switched to zero alcohol, which is pretty darn good. Also Heineken0.0

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5148branelly | @5148branelly | Oct 5 1:15pm

I’ve been on bupropion for years and have drunk both wine and beer w/o incident. I do space them out—waiting an hour or more post alcohol before taking bupropion.
Alcohol's both a mood and respiratory depressant, so theoretically it’s a bad idea to drink. But all things in moderation. I’ve never had any problems.

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