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Does anyone have any experience with antidepressants-can the effects on the person taking have a similar effect as alcohol. MY AH just started taking for first time and the other day I though he was acting like he had been drinking (not drunk) but grinning and a little silly. Found no other signs that he had-so could it be the anti depressant?
I have been on antidepressants twice The second time I did not really have so many of the effects, mainly it didn't work so great and I just totally lost my libido. The first time however..... for the first week or 10 days it was like I had taken an ecstacy tablet. I wondered if this is how 'normal' people felt. It was so nice to feel calm etc. The antidpressants play with serotonin in the brain, and that is a feel good chemical. I was not hungry and I felt so nice and calm it was wonderful. This past as I got used to them. For the first few days I took only a small dose and it was increased s time went on. They also made me nauseous and headaches.
I can't say if this is what is happening with your husband, but that is what it was like for me, the second time I was on different medication and I do not want to go back on them again.
There is a warning against drinking whilst on the medication also. It can take up to 6 weeks for the medication to be therapeutically effective once it has reached the right levels in the blood.
I hope this helps but if you are ever in doubt, please contact his doctor or a pharmacist may be able to help.
Stepping onto a brand-new path is difficult, but not more difficult than remaining in a situation, which is not nurturing to the whole woman.- Maya Angelo
I am a psych nurse and the effects should not be like they are drunk, but if they are a happy drunk....then it's possible. HOWEVER, if your husband is still drinking he should NOT take the medication. This can cause adverse reactions. The point of using ADs (antidepressants) is to be on as minimal a dose as possible to help correct the chemistry in the brain. Most ADs take 6 weeks to really get into your system, so me being the untrusting person I am, I have to ask how long has he been on the medication. You don't have to answer, but review the answers yourself. If he took it for a few days and is feeling like this....it's not completely likely. You don't notice just a sudden change. It's gradual. I do take an AD as well and for me what I'm able to notice about it is "If I had this happen to me a couple weeks ago(whatever action that would normally send me into my depression) I wouldn't have acted this rational." It's a very gradual process. If he's been on the medication for a while (4 weeks or longer) and he is acting too happy, then the dosage could be too high or it could be the wrong medication for him. When taking ADs you should still experience sadness and bad days just like someone that doesn't need an AD. You shouldn't have a constant happy/high feeling. So evaluate for yourself. Hopefully this info helped.
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~*~Grant me the serenity to accept the things I cannot change~*~
What is your fear here? The checking and focusing in on him is for something going on with you. What is it? This is what alanon is for. Your serenity and peace of mind does not lie in whether he drank or if his antidepressants have side effects that will be up to him to tell his doctor and not you.
looks like more explanation is needed-my AH is not and has not always been unbearable-he can be a mean drunk- the recent behavior was his reponse to my getting a protective order-the question about the anti depressants came because I noted a change in his behavior that was similar towhen he has just started a relaspe-after being pretty sure that is what it was and asking for help on how to detach rather than confront or ignore-I started realizing this time was different-he usually has lots of obvious other signs-so started thinking it might be the anti-depressants rather than a relaspe-no fear, just wanted the knowledge to what I was dealing with-he has been on about a week-he is just not angry any more and more relaxed
