This is for a novel im writing. For a point in the story, a girl is taking meds and is convinced by friends to go and drink and she has a negative reaction and wakes go the next day remembering nothing.
But Im not a medic so I dont know how realistic this is. What would happen if a person takes meds like anti depresants, and afterna few hours drink alcohol? What would happen to them?
MOD NOTE:
This question is for a Novel!
Different effects depending on the antidepressant. https://www.drugs.com/article/antidepressant-medications-alcohol.html
Avoiding alcohol is a good idea, especially when taking any type of medication.
Bupropion (Wellbutrin XL, Forfivo, others), a common oral antidepressant, should NOT be combined with alcohol due to the risk for seizures.
This might be useful info for my story. This part is a traumatic experience for the character. Any additional info would be appreciated. It seems like is sometimes prescribed to young people like the character.
The mixture of antidepressants and alcohol causing a blackout alone is not realistic. Maybe just have her drink a lot of alcohol? More realistically (albeit darker), you could do something similar to what the hangover movie did. Maybe even have a drink switch up where the woman intended to be drugged is not (and this ends up alright) and the girl in question is taken home by her friends because she’s acting super drunk.
Yeah, this is a dark story, but seems like I have to make it more excesive in this part to make it realistic. I have never taken medication but I had black outs after drinking home made 40% or 50% alcohol drinks. After 3 blackouts I decided to not drink again.
I don’t know about antidepressants but ordinary painkillers (paracetamol) have a risk of triggering unconsciousness when combined with alcohol.
There’s a very wide range of things that could happen when you mix anti-depressants and alcohol. The drug, the dose, the amount of alcohol, the person, what else they did that day, and about 100 other factors would all be relevant in the likelihood of that happening.
Is that outcome possible? definitely.
Realistic is more of a subjective bar. But people get blackout drunk all the time without antidepressants, I would think most readers would treat it as realistic. Particularly if you have her drinks a lot of alcohol, and wake up with symptoms of a hangover.
Doesn’t seem very realistic for anti-depressant meds to cause what you are describing. Drinking alcohol while on most of the commonly prescribed anti-depressants just makes them less effective and more likely to cause liver damage or trigger epilepsy.
I know people with bi-polar manic depression who stop taking their mood-stabilizer meds because they think they don’t need it anymore, and then they go out and do a ton of crazy stuff while blackout drunk and remember none of it.
I’ve only really got experience with my own medications which is a combo of effexor and mirtazapine. For me when I drink alcohol, it feels like the effect is intensified. For example on one standard drink, i feel as drunk as if I had two standard drinks, if I drink two, I usually stop after 2 because I feel like I’ve had four and I’m ready to fall asleep. I’ve never experienced memory loss from alcohol but, I’ve never pushed myself past that limit, even before I went on antidepressiants. I think these drugs and combinations can be a very complex thing, and everyone can have different reactions.
Alcohol is a depressant, so… yeah, not a good idea.
https://www.drugs.com/food-interactions/brexanolone.html
Brexanolone and Alcohol/Food Interactions
There is 1 alcohol/food/lifestyle interaction with brexanolone. Moderate Alcohol (Ethanol) brexanolone
Moderate Drug Interaction
Using brexanolone together with ethanol may increase side effects such as dizziness, drowsiness, confusion, and difficulty concentrating. Some people may also experience impairment in thinking, judgment, and motor coordination. You should avoid or limit the use of alcohol while being treated with brexanolone. Do not use more than the recommended dose of brexanolone, and avoid driving, operating machinery, or engaging in potentially hazardous activities requiring mental alertness and motor coordination until you know how the medication affects you. Talk to your doctor if you have any questions or concerns. It is important to tell your doctor about all other medications you use, including vitamins and herbs. Do not stop using any medications without first talking to your doctor.
https://www.drugs.com/mtm/brexanolone.html
What is brexanolone?
Brexanolone is used to treat postpartum depression.
Brexanolone is available only under a special program because it can cause excessive drowsiness or sudden loss of consciousness. You must be registered in the program and understand the risks and benefits of brexanolone.
Brexanolone may also be used for purposes not listed in this medication guide.
Alprazolam is a benzodiazepine used to treat anxiety disorders, and it causes exactly what you’re talking about if you take it with alcohol. It’s not an antidepressant but it’s sometimes used for people with depression, at least at first.
Thank you. Very useful.
