Alchohol and Prescription drugs

gcwebbyuk

This is going to sound a little (maybe a lot) stupid, but how badly does alchohol affect certain drugs like codeine, amitriptyline?

I have been taking the above two drugs now for nearly 8 months, which has meant I havent had any alchohol in that long.

It's getting to a stage where I am becoming a very bored old man (at 30). Can't do much excersise any more, can't have a drink, always tired etc.

For the first few months I got over it, but I am getting close to going bonkers :shock: .

Thing is it's not just me, my wife feels awkward drinking around me, and I havent been out with mates in ages.

So how dangerous is it - both prescriptions say avoid alchohol.
Codeine (taking up to 6 30mg tablets a day)
Amitrptyline (taking 1 25mg tablet a day)

whyamihere

Having tried this - Don't.

That's all I'm saying. Just don't.

gcwebbyuk

Thats exactly why I havent.

JUst wanted to be sure that I wasnt depriving myself for no reason.

Thanks

FSR Si

Just try it but don't go overboard, cheap way of getting pissed if you ask me

jimjamyaharr

Have you spoken to your doctor?
It mite put alot of stress on your liver and kiddneys

gcwebbyuk

GP said same as the writing on the tablets - avoid

jimjamyaharr

Unfortunatly theres your awnser

sparrowlegs78

I'm on 50mg of Amitriptylene (sp) a day and even a mouthfull of falling down water makes me dozy...it's all to do with the nerve relaxing effects of the drug......it could be said i'm dozy without alchofrol anyway! lol
Caz xxx

supersonic

I used to take a tricyclic drug called dothiepin. Used to sleep like a baby with that, and more so with a drink!

Where are my stabilisers?

I take 10mg of amitriptylene a day and drink quite a bit sometimes :shock: I've been on it for years and didn't particularly notice a difference (bit tired maybe), BUT - I'm on a smaller dose, am not taking codine, I don't listen to advice and have the memory of a fish these day's.... the latter may be a symptom or a side effect, I don't know, it's foggy in here :roll:

Seriously, I'm not taking the piss or anything, but in my low dose it say's to avoid alcohol, I don't, so more fool me!

It might depend a bit on why you're taking it??? I only take it along with another tablet to control my migraines, but I know that isn't the primary use of the drug. So, there may be a more important reason for avoiding alcohol whilst taking it. IMO, the GP wasn't very helpful - a bit of an explanation as to what might happen if you were to drink would have been useful, then you could make up your own mind!

gcwebbyuk

Am taking it for nerve pain brought on by a disc in my neck pushing against my spinal cord.

I do find it makes me sleepy, and so too does codeiene.

In the eight months I have been taking it I have had one beer, the next day I had the hangover from hell and everything ached, so I have not drunk anything since.

It's not that I feel I need alchohol to enjoy myself, far from it, but I just feel anti-social now.

Oh well looks like its ribena then until I get sorted!

Now hows about I ask for some prescription marjuana???

TimesLikeThese

just done a bit of googling.
a couple of nhs sites mentioned your drugs and alcohol and that you could perhaps try a little and see how you react. However as you are on a combination then your drowsieness would probably be more severe.

http://www.nhs.uk/chq/Pages/863.aspx?CategoryID=73&SubCategoryID=103

http://www.nhs.uk/chq/Pages/867.aspx?CategoryID=73&SubCategoryID=103

You say you're not bothered about the alcohol any more but your wife/friends are... why dont you switch to drinking lemonade when you are out and when its your round cheekily say you've spiced yours up with a bit of vodka for a change. If it makes everyone else more relaxed then wheres the harm?

I've also found out that dihydrocodein is supposed to be 1.5 times stronger than codein - been wondering that for years as I've been on it (60mg tabs) and diclofenac (diclofenac + alcohol = stomach bleeding) for the last 10.

Personally, I only feel drowsy on the meds when the pain isnt as severe, in which case I just stop taking them. But if you feel drowsy on the meds as it is and intend to take alcohol it sounds like you definitely wont be the life and soul of the party when you'll be passing out in 5 mins and have to be carried home! :oops:

My votes definitely for tricking everyone else into thinking you are drinking - thats what I did - but just insist when its their round it is lemonade only.

gcwebbyuk

TimesLikeThese - thanks for the response.

The lemonade idea is what I currently do on the odd occasion I go out (very few). I recently went to Egypt on an all inclusive package - was funny how when we ordered a lemonde and a rum and coke, he always gave me the rum and coke and my wife the lemonade.

I did eventually spruce it up slightly - a lemonde with a drizzle of lime juice.

As for the tablets, you mention diclofenic, I am also taking that too, 50mg 3 times a day with meals, but I also take omeprazole to help the lining of my stomach.

In all I am taking 147 tablets per week :shock:

Omeprazole - 1 per day - 7 per week
Diclofenic 50mg - 3 per day - 21 per week
Codeiene 30mg - 8 per day - 56 per week
Parecetamol 500mg - 8 per day - 56 per week
Amitrptyline 25mg - 1 per day - 7 per week

Add to that the following 21 supplements per week:
Multibionta Active - 1 per day - 7 per week
Calcium & Magnesium - 1 per day - 7 per week
Cod Liver Oil & Glucosamine - 1 per day - 7 per week

If you shake me, I rattle! :oops:

fred1star

FCUK me.... your a pharmaceutical companies dream....

supersonic

So many tablets say avoid alcohol.

Nik_B

Diclofenic is bloody nasty nasty stuff! I'm not supprised you're on Omeprazole.

I was taking Diclofenic for a short time when I pulled my neck muscles baddly adn the pills made me really ill. I allready took pariet/rabeprazol for my stomach but the anti inflamatories caused me serious stomach pain. It could cause stomach bleeding and an ulser.

ArroyoDave

gcwebbyuk wrote:

TimesLikeThese - thanks for the response.


As for the tablets, you mention diclofenic, I am also taking that too, 50mg 3 times a day with meals, but I also take omeprazole to help the lining of my stomach.

In all I am taking 147 tablets per week :shock:

Omeprazole - 1 per day - 7 per week
Diclofenic 50mg - 3 per day - 21 per week
Codeiene 30mg - 8 per day - 56 per week
Parecetamol 500mg - 8 per day - 56 per week
Amitrptyline 25mg - 1 per day - 7 per week

Add to that the following 21 supplements per week:
Multibionta Active - 1 per day - 7 per week
Calcium & Magnesium - 1 per day - 7 per week
Cod Liver Oil & Glucosamine - 1 per day - 7 per week

If you shake me, I rattle! :oops:

Thats a hell of alot of drugs,you must be walking toxic dump.

I'm on far less than that,and have never been told to take so many.
At first i was taking like you
Omeprazol 1 a day
Enantyum 25mg 2 a day
Diazepan 1 before bed
I have stopped taking these as they did nothing except put me to sleep at about 3 o'clock in the afternoon.
The big change came when i was told to take Inzitan. This comes as two packs.The first pack you inject every day in the morning.The second pack you inject every other day.
After this you can not repeat until 6 month have passed.
Im now on the second pack which i finish next wednesday.
As i had told you in the other thread this has allowed me to start using the turbo trainer and i'm feeling better.
I have a long way to go,but i'm improving.

As of supplements,i'm taking the High 5 protection pack (i only started this at the same timei started the injection.) As i said i believe in the other thread the specialist i saw recently said this is a good help.

As of alcohol NO!
Many of the tablets are anti inflammation and alcohol works against this and in some adults adds big time to inflammation.

The only alcohol i will drink is a couple of glasses of red wine with a dinner,the rest of the time no alcohol.

I havent forgot about uploading my scans on the other thread,i'll get to it soon.

TimesLikeThese

gcwebbyuk wrote:

n all I am taking 147 tablets per week :shock:

lol

I'll see your 147 doses of meds a week and raise you 315.

Yep I take a grand total of 462 doses of meds a week!
But at least I've come off a few and reduced my dose of others now so I'm better! :shock:

Of those, 4 a day are doctor ordered supplements, so its not all 'meds'

gcwebbyuk

Aha _ i can add a few meds too that though

2-3 x Movicol a day to stop me buning up
2 x puffs of Qvar Inhaler a day
2 x 2mg of diazepam when the muscles go into spasm

Still doesnt add up to 462 though! You must jiggle much more than me!

I do feel like I am a space cadet in the evening when I can start taking the codeine, can't take it when I am out and about with work as I need to drive, so only when working in the office, at home or at night.

When we were on holiday, I averaged about 5 hours per 24 awake! But now I am back at work I am struggling again.

TimesLikeThese

5 hours per 24 awake?
Sounds like you need less painkillers.
When my pains bad I tend to get up to 5 hours sleep per week depite also being on the Temazepam and Diazepam

supersonic

462?! I thought I was going well at 28 lol.

gcwebbyuk

It was due to total exhaustion, the heat (42 degrees) and the above painkillers making me drowsy.

When I say awake, I mean not so dopey that I can't concentrate or hold a conversation.

5 hours a week sounds pretty awful mate, how do you cope with normal day to day life?

What is the pain from?

TimesLikeThese

@supersonic - ahh to be young once more...

@gcwebbyuk
3 different things... falling apart here!
but the main one is the surface layer of both eyes ripping off a few times a night.
Light sources like say... daylight causes the cornea to rip off and expose the nerves.

So yeah... lifes gone completely pear shaped the last couple of years with this problem.

So always wear shades when you ride - not worth getting your eyes scratched out and ending up like me!

supersonic

28 pills lol. I am 31 ;-)

That does sound bad mate. And painful! Been pretty lucky with my eyes except a bout of central serous retinopathy earlier in the year which give me a blind patch in the middle of my vison.

gcwebbyuk

:shock: kin ell mate!

So how did you do it? Will it ever be "fixed" or will it be an on-going "issue"?

I was born an Oakley baby so always wear shade's (Endura's on the bike though, dont wanna ruin them!).

8)

gcwebbyuk

p.s. - am not even as old as you supersonic, 31 in august :oops:

supersonic

Weird innit, we expect these things in our 60s, not 20s and 30s!

gcwebbyuk

I know! I turned 29, was diagnosed with Asthma, and then this (although this has been going on a while, just not to this degree).

I have a plan though that my life will start again at approximately 31.5 years old... (subject to NHS waiting lists....). Ironic thing is, I am seeing the surgeon the day after my 31st birthday

supersonic

Just seems to be one thing after the other with me lol. I recover from something, then they find summat else! Same NHS probs though...

sparrowlegs78

must be something about being 30 odd lol....I'm dropping to bits too, :oops:
Caz xxxx

gcwebbyuk

Didnt you know - 30 is the new 80 :shock: