Is Mixing Lamictal with Alcohol safe?

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Lamotrigine, also known by the brand name Lamictal, is a medication for epilepsy that also treats bipolar disorder. It treats the manic and depressive periods of adult bipolar disorder and prevents and controls epileptic seizures.

The most prevalent neurological condition in America, epilepsy, affects around 50 million individuals. Bipolar disorder is the second most common and affects nearly 45 million people.

With over 11 million prescriptions written for it in 2018, Lamictal is one of the most prescribed medications for bipolar disorder or epilepsy.

If you are consuming Lamictal, you must have wondered about its interaction with alcohol. Since alcohol is harmful, mixing it with an OTC drug or prescribed medication can have detrimental effects.

Side effects of alcohol interactions with Lamictal range from mild to severe.

Key Takeaways

Mixing Lamictal with alcohol is risky – Both substances affect the central nervous system, and combining them can intensify side effects like dizziness, confusion, mood swings, and even life-threatening conditions like respiratory depression or seizures.

Lamictal must be tapered off gradually – Stopping the medication suddenly can cause serious withdrawal symptoms, including seizures, depression, and suicidal thoughts. Always consult a doctor before adjusting the dosage.

People with bipolar disorder are more vulnerable to alcohol misuse – Alcohol can worsen bipolar symptoms and increase the risk of addiction. Drinking while on Lamictal can complicate treatment and harm mental and physical health.

Lamotrigine

A 3-day alcohol detox program may not be suitable for everyone. Let’s identify who should consider other detox methods to ensure safety and effectiveness:

Lamotrigine is sometimes mixed with other drugs under medical supervision to control seizures and prevent mood swings in adults. This anticonvulsant drug and alcohol act on the central nervous system and interact with brain chemicals.

Although most specialists believe Lamictal is not addictive, stopping it suddenly can cause withdrawal symptoms. Patients have described experiencing withdrawal seizures after discontinuing Lamictal and relapse of bipolar disorder symptoms.

Other Lamictal withdrawal signs:

low mood
Hostility
Lethargy
Loss of focus
Headaches
Body tingling
Suicidal Thoughts

The body and duration of use have an impact on these symptoms. Lamictal is one of several medications people abuse to block out unpleasant emotions and escape reality.

As a result, tapering the dose of Lamictal is crucial rather than abruptly stopping it. Whenever you want to stop using it, speak with your doctor to get help.

Your doctor will wean you off the medication after two to three weeks of gradually lowering the dose. You won’t experience Lamictal withdrawal symptoms if you do this.

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Alcohol and Bipolar I Disorder

Bipolar disorder can be directly impacted by alcohol use. Because of their symptoms, many individuals with bipolar disorder who drink alcohol may abuse it.

Bipolar disorder patients are more inclined to act impulsively during manic stages, such as drinking large amounts of alcohol. This alcohol abuse frequently brings on alcohol dependency.

To deal with their anxiety and depression during the depressive phase of the disorder, people may drink alcohol. Alcohol can exacerbate the signs and symptoms of bipolar disorder rather than lessen them.

The likelihood of mood swings can rise when alcohol is consumed. Additionally, it may lead to more aggressive actions, depressive episodes, and suicidal thoughts.

Lamotrigine for Bipolar I Disorder

Bipolar I disorder and bipolar II disorder are the two subtypes of bipolar disorder. In bipolar I disorder, as opposed to bipolar II, the signs of mania and depression are more severe. Lamictal has FDA approval to treat bipolar I disorder.

Adults or adolescents receiving treatment for bipolar disorder or are weaning off of other drugs used to treat bipolar disorder may be prescribed Lamotrigine by their doctor.

Lamotrigine doses may be reduced for older persons since they may be more sensitive to its effects.

People who take Lamotrigine frequently report feeling able to put things in perspective and less receptive to stress. They typically still experience depressive days, but they are typically shorter and less severe.

Lamotrigine can cause a skin rash in children under 18 if the dosage is given too quickly. Numerous studies support the use of Lamotrigine for treating bipolar illness in children despite the severe potential side effects.

Dangers of Mixing Alcohol and Lamictal

Being a depressant, alcohol slows down the central nervous system. Some of the messages that are trying to reach the brain are blocked by alcohol.

A person’s perceptions, emotions, mobility, vision, and hearing are all affected by alcohol. Alcohol can make someone feel more at ease or less worried in highly tiny doses.

Intoxication results from the brain’s alterations brought on by more alcohol. Overindulgent drinkers may stumble, become uncoordinated, and slur their words.

They will likely feel bewildered and puzzled. Intoxication can make someone very friendly and talkative or hostile and angry, depending on the individual.

Lamictal works by preventing calcium channels in neuronal membranes that trigger seizures. Lamictal also enhances the level of GABA to decrease neuronal excitation to guard against excitotoxicity.

This drug also has anti-depressant characteristics that prevent depressive episodes. However, there is a warning sign label because it can have life-threatening effects on some individuals. That is why it is advised to ask a medical professional about medications.

Alcohol can increase the mild side effects of Lamotrigine because they both increase the amount of GABA. GABA is the neurotransmitter in the brain and spinal cord; an increased level of this neurotransmitter can result in symptoms of depression.

Other common side effects of Lamictal and alcohol are:

Blurred vision, double vision
Nausea and vomiting
Back pain
Stomach upset and loss of appetite
Weight loss
Insomnia, sleep disturbances, and abnormal dreams
Joint pain
Tremors
Dysmenorrhea
Skin irritation or severe skin rash
Stiff neck
Dry mouth
Difficulty in balancing the body
Euphoria
Apathy
Taste problems
Panic attacks
Depression
Twitching

It’s common practice to prescribe Lamictal to treat bipolar disorder symptoms. Using Lamictal plus alcohol simultaneously, as you have bipolar disorder symptoms, can have serious consequences.

For instance, addiction, which can arise when someone uses drugs or alcohol as a form of self-medication, affects many people with bipolar disorder. Also, bipolar disorder may make you more likely to develop an alcohol use disorder.

The amount of alcohol a person consumes may also change depending on the stage of their bipolar disorder:

Some bipolar patients may drink during a manic period because they feel less restrained. Other patients with bipolar disorder may drink to feel better during a depressive episode.

Drinking can intensify mood swings and raise the risk of addiction, violence, depression episodes, and suicide in those with bipolar disorder. Before drinking alcohol while taking Lamictal to treat bipolar disorder symptoms, you should talk to your doctor.

If you experience the signs and symptoms below, your pharmacist can help you:

- Drowsiness

- Respiratory problems

- Dizziness

- Impaired motor reflex

- Coma and extreme shifts in mood

Alcohol and the majority of drugs interact. Alcohol use is not advised if you take Lamotrigine because it may worsen these side effects. These interactions can be dangerous, especially if someone takes Lamotrigine and drinks too much alcohol.

Due to this interaction, a person may experience severe CNS depression, severe respiratory depression, a potentially fatal skin rash, and death in extreme circumstances.

As a result, it is advised to drink alcohol sparingly or not at all when using Lamotrigine. Furthermore, it would be best to put off finishing risky or attention-demanding tasks until you know how they affect you.

Potential Risks of Lamictal

If you have alcohol dependence, you must inform your doctor about your drinking problems before consuming this mood stabilizer drug.

Even moderate amounts of alcohol can interact with Lamictal and can worsen your symptoms of bipolar disorder. Many treatment options are available at rehab centers to help you recover from alcohol use disorder.

Talk to your doctor about the potential risks of Lamictal including:

This seizure medication can result in an allergic reaction which is why it is essential to inform your doctors if you have an allergy to any ingredient in the medicine.

Before using any medications, read the package label carefully to avoid medical emergencies.

The effectiveness of disintegrating tablets, lamotrigine chewable tablets for suspension, or tablets in kids of two years of age and older with certain types of seizures has not been shown to be limited by pediatric-specific issues.

However, safety and effectiveness in children under the age of two have not been proven.

Even though adequate research on the effects of Lamotrigine in the senior population has not been done, geriatric-specific issues are not anticipated to limit Lamotrigine’s utility in the aged.

The dose of patients using Lamotrigine may need to be changed, as elderly patients are more likely to experience age-related liver, renal, or heart issues.

There are not enough studies on women to determine the harm to the baby by using this medicine with breastfeeding.

Before using this drug during nursing, weigh the potential advantages against the potential drawbacks. For breastfeeding mothers, regular exercise with a good diet can be helpful instead of long-term treatment with Lamictal.

A congenital impairment known as cleft palate has been linked to greater rates of lamotrigine use during pregnancy.

Call your doctor right away if you find out you are pregnant while taking this medicine. Stopping the medication before talking to your doctor can result in rebound seizures that could endanger the mother and unborn child.

Frequently Asked Questions

Navigating the journey to recovery can bring up many questions. Below are some of the most commonly asked questions about our services. If you need more information or have additional questions, we are only a phone call away.

Can drinking alcohol trigger mania?

Alcohol consumption may also result in alcohol-induced hypomania, as research links drug abuse to the rapid cyclical nature of moods.

The NIH warns that the combination of alcohol usage and hypomania may be dangerous.

High levels of stress are among the potential causes of mania or hypomania. Other causes include altered sleep habits or sleep deprivation and using alcohol or drugs recreationally.

Can I mix alcohol with Lamictal?

Alcohol consumption may also result in alcohol-induced hypomania, as research links drug abuse to the rapid cyclical nature of moods.

The NIH warns that the combination of alcohol usage and hypomania may be dangerous.

High levels of stress are among the potential causes of mania or hypomania. Other causes include altered sleep habits or sleep deprivation and using alcohol or drugs recreationally.

What happens if someone who does not have bipolar I disorder takes Lamictal?

Lamictal is a medication used to treat bipolar I disorder and some epilepsy and seizures. As a result, patients with diseases other than bipolar I disorder can use the medication.

Even if you do not have bipolar I disorder, a specific type of epilepsy, or seizures, taking Lamictal still puts you at risk for adverse side effects.

It is not recommended to take Lamictal unless a doctor has prescribed it for you.

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