How long do side effects of combining Zoloft and alcohol last?
March 30, 2022 8:19 PM
Someone close to me takes Zoloft, primarily to manage anxiety. They typically drink very little, but had a birthday party Saturday night and drank a lot-shots of vodka, mixed drinks. Felt crummy Sunday. Tuesday night had one mixed drink at birthday dinner. Tonight, report that they’ve been sleeping all day, that they are confused, having a hard time tracking. It seems consistent with possible side effects of combining those two substances-but I can’t find info about how long after one could expect to still be feeling ill.
And of course, their anxiety is kicking in hard core. They are 25, healthy. I don’t think this is an ER visit situation (but am I wrong?) but did encourage calling on call doc, and hydrating and sleeping. Other thoughts?
And of course, their anxiety is kicking in hard core. They are 25, healthy. I don’t think this is an ER visit situation (but am I wrong?) but did encourage calling on call doc, and hydrating and sleeping. Other thoughts?
Other thoughts?
Covid's still very much a thing, and your person attended a party over the weekend and a dinner on Tuesday.
posted by Iris Gambol at 11:21 PM on March 30, 2022
Covid's still very much a thing, and your person attended a party over the weekend and a dinner on Tuesday.
posted by Iris Gambol at 11:21 PM on March 30, 2022
I do think this is a situation that could possibly need an ER because of the confusion and trouble tracking. At the very least call your insurance nurse line or after hour doctor line to check.
posted by nantucket at 11:31 PM on March 30, 2022
posted by nantucket at 11:31 PM on March 30, 2022
I have very bad reactions to alcohol when I’m on Zoloft. I was never more than a very occasional drinker but when I did it was whiskey and sake, never lower proof things like beer or wine, and I could have plenty of it for my size and weight before feeling more than a pleasant buzz and increased loquaciousness. But after being on sertraline for a little while it was Passover and the maybe two glasses of wine total that I had wreaked havoc on my body, despite eating a large meal and pacing the wine throughout the Seder as you’re supposed to. I couldn’t keep my balance, I had a roaring headache, I got sweaty and chilled, pretty much the only thing I didn’t have was nausea. I went home and conked out and woke up with a serious hangover. Drank a huge amount of water and tea and leftover matzoh ball soup, and felt better by that afternoon.
Subsequent toe-dips into alcohol consumption while medicated have resulted in almost identical results. One glass of wine makes me feel like shit for the night, two glasses makes me wanna die the next day, too. At no point do I get to feel pleasantly buzzed, I just skip right over that part. I never cared for alcohol much, only really enjoying it in desserts and sauces, so I simply do not drink at all anymore. I will happily trade a reign on my anxiety for an old fashioned every six months or whatever.
So my point is, my experience does not fully track with your friend’s. I would be concerned something else was going on. It does seem like a lot of public socializing considering the still very active pandemic. I never had confusion past the first few hours after drinking, and that was always super mild compared to the other crappy feelings. I would encourage your friend to definitely call someone, and even try an urgent care.
posted by Mizu at 11:59 PM on March 30, 2022
Subsequent toe-dips into alcohol consumption while medicated have resulted in almost identical results. One glass of wine makes me feel like shit for the night, two glasses makes me wanna die the next day, too. At no point do I get to feel pleasantly buzzed, I just skip right over that part. I never cared for alcohol much, only really enjoying it in desserts and sauces, so I simply do not drink at all anymore. I will happily trade a reign on my anxiety for an old fashioned every six months or whatever.
So my point is, my experience does not fully track with your friend’s. I would be concerned something else was going on. It does seem like a lot of public socializing considering the still very active pandemic. I never had confusion past the first few hours after drinking, and that was always super mild compared to the other crappy feelings. I would encourage your friend to definitely call someone, and even try an urgent care.
posted by Mizu at 11:59 PM on March 30, 2022
This (the confusion and tracking difficulties) does not fit with my experience of being an occasional drinker drinking alcohol while taking SSRIs (Zoloft and others) either. Hangovers or having very low tolerance, yes, but nothing like that.
posted by needs more cowbell at 4:13 AM on March 31, 2022
posted by needs more cowbell at 4:13 AM on March 31, 2022
Confusion sounds like a concerning symptom to me. A friend mixed substances, then felt confused and passed out, turned out to be a stroke. Unlike almost any other part of the body, you only have one brain, you need it to work really well, and it’s irreplaceable. Anything with the brain merits further checking in my books.
posted by nouvelle-personne at 7:29 AM on March 31, 2022
posted by nouvelle-personne at 7:29 AM on March 31, 2022
Thanks all. At urgent care now-PCP couldn’t see them until Monday.
-COVID is an interesting idea. they are triple vaxed and has had Covid previously but you never know.
-I’m pretty confident they are upfront about how much they drank/drink typically. Lots of time together when alcohol is freely available and almost never drinks. Occasionally takes an edible. I asked about other substances and about the chance someone could have given them something.
posted by purenitrous at 11:18 AM on March 31, 2022
-COVID is an interesting idea. they are triple vaxed and has had Covid previously but you never know.
-I’m pretty confident they are upfront about how much they drank/drink typically. Lots of time together when alcohol is freely available and almost never drinks. Occasionally takes an edible. I asked about other substances and about the chance someone could have given them something.
posted by purenitrous at 11:18 AM on March 31, 2022
I hope your friend is doing better. Just nthing that I and many people I’ve known have had alcohol while taking SSRIs or SNRIs, and neither I nor anyone I know has ever had a reaction like this. It might mess with your tolerance or make drinking less pleasant. Confusion or cognitive difficulties, however, are very alarming symptoms, and it is strange that they showed up so late after the heavy drinking (or are persisting for so long). If this were my friend I would probably be pressing to take them to the ER.
Re: other substances, I would be really surprised if they took anything and weren’t telling you at this point. Just as a counter-example, in college a friend of a friend went to campus health because he was very unwell and hallucinating. They kept badgering him about “what he took” and not believing the answer, which was nothing. Turns out he was hallucinating because he had a burst appendix, and could have died had they not figured it out. I’m not suggesting that’s what’s going on here, but I bring it up because in my experience there are a lot of weird myths and biases around substance use that can end up being actively harmful.
posted by en forme de poire at 6:21 AM on April 1, 2022
Re: other substances, I would be really surprised if they took anything and weren’t telling you at this point. Just as a counter-example, in college a friend of a friend went to campus health because he was very unwell and hallucinating. They kept badgering him about “what he took” and not believing the answer, which was nothing. Turns out he was hallucinating because he had a burst appendix, and could have died had they not figured it out. I’m not suggesting that’s what’s going on here, but I bring it up because in my experience there are a lot of weird myths and biases around substance use that can end up being actively harmful.
posted by en forme de poire at 6:21 AM on April 1, 2022
Just to circle back-negative Covid test, everything else looked fine to doc except mild UTI. Doc said to hydrate and sleep, possible other virus, and prescribed antibiotics.
posted by purenitrous at 7:10 AM on April 1, 2022
posted by purenitrous at 7:10 AM on April 1, 2022
This thread is closed to new comments.
It's concerning that your person already felt "crummy" from the (contraindicated) combo, and yet chose to have more alcohol.
It's evening now. If they're waking on their own, and don't seem difficult to wake by someone else, they're probably good until tomorrow. (If either is difficult, they need to see a doctor.) They should try to get lots of water or hydrating fluids, plus at least a little food, in them. Tomorrow, after a good sleep tonight, they'll either feel better, call in to the doctor, or both.
Another option is to figure out what nurse or doctor line they have access to tonight, give them a call, and follow their directions.
Keep in mind that just dehydration can cause those symptoms, and alcohol is dehydrating. The medical combo just makes it worse. Given the half-lifes of the Zoloft and the alcohol, they're *probably* past the most dangerous, sedating part - but I'm not a doctor, so if either of you are concerned in that direction, they need to see one.
Also... how certain are you that they are NOT taking anything else, and that's really all the alcohol they've had? Seems like a lot of time the danger comes from the things someone doesn't admit to, that end up being one thing too many...
And for heaven's sake... hopefully how yucky they feel *this* time discouraging them from repeating the experience!
posted by stormyteal at 9:14 PM on March 30, 2022