The Duloxetine Interactions Guide: What Not To Eat, Take or Drink

However, this risk is greatly increased when it is mixed with alcohol. This elevation can lead to a milder form of serotonin syndrome, with symptoms including headache, nausea, diarrhea, and dizziness. If you were prescribed both medications, monitoring these symptoms closely with your healthcare provider is vital. When a patient first begins to use an antidepressant like this one, they may find that their symptoms of depression increase before decreasing.

While moderate alcohol consumption can be relaxing, excessive use can lead to dangerous impairment. Understanding these effects is crucial when considering the additional impact of mixing alcohol with Cymbalta. Although it is widely known that drinking is inadvisable during treatment with any medicines, the interaction of spirits and antidepressants can have devastating consequences. Among many physical effects that originate in the interaction, Cymbalta and alcohol can also produce additional mental issues or worsen the person’s anxiety and depression. Your doctor may recommend that you avoid alcohol during your initial treatment or suggest that you consume only small amounts of alcohol while taking the medication.

What Are the Symptoms of Liver Damage?

Following their instructions is important to your success with Cymbalta treatment. Mixing Cymbalta and alcohol may pose a higher risk for specific populations.

When to Seek a Doctor

When alcohol and Cymbalta are mixed, the effects on the body and mind can be amplified, potentially causing harm. Our writers and reviewers are experienced professionals in medicine, addiction treatment, and healthcare. AddictionResource fact-checks all the information before publishing and uses only credible and trusted sources when citing any medical data. Duloxetine is an antidepressant, which means that it will work to help and try to get the patient to come out of the depressive state, and it does that well. But, on the other hand, spirits are a known central nervous system depressant. That means that it may make the depression worse, even if it’s for short periods.

The Duloxetine alcohol mix can induce more prolonged alcohol blackouts. One of the conditions that Cymbalta treats is depression and the symptoms that go along with it. However, this drug can sometimes also cause depression and anxiety symptoms. Talk to your doctor about whether you can have an occasional drink while you’re on Cymbalta. If your doctor allows it, you should discuss how much is a safe amount of alcohol while you take this drug. If you are thinking about trying Cymbalta for depression, anxiety, or other illness, discuss your options with your doctor.

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Cymbalta is a brand name for the drug duloxetine, a serotonin-norepinephrine reuptake inhibitor (SNRI).
If these symptoms arise or worsen while taking Cymbalta, it’s crucial to inform a healthcare provider immediately.
If you must drink alcohol, it is recommended that you do so in moderation and only after you have been taking Cymbalta for a period of time.
You may find that combining Cymbalta and alcohol can worsen the side effects of both substances.
These interactions can affect the drug’s therapeutic effects and increase the likelihood of side effects.

Don’t stop taking an antidepressant or other medicine so you can drink. For antidepressants to work as intended, you need to take them regularly to have a constant level in your system. Stopping and starting your antidepressants can make your depression worse.

The study also found that this decrease in drinking was also accompanied by a drop in anxiety-related behaviors. Children, teens, and young adults may also experience increased suicidal thoughts and behaviors, particularly when they first start taking Cymbalta. Alcohol may heighten this risk if it is consumed while you are taking your medication. Consuming a small amount of alcohol with Benadryl can enhance sleepiness or drowsiness duloxetine with alcohol effects, potentially interfering with your day-to-day activities. Benadryl (diphenhydramine) is an over-the-counter (OTC) antihistamine drug commonly used to treat symptoms of allergies. It is a first-generation antihistamine with side effects such as drowsiness, slowed breathing, and sleepiness.

Or they may recommend that you avoid it altogether based on your physical and mental health history. While Cymbalta is often prescribed to treat depression, it can sometimes destabilize mood. Combined with alcohol, it may also decrease the effectiveness of the medication. Some patients take Cymbalta to help them alleviate symptoms of alcohol withdrawal.

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Additionally, if you decide to drink alcohol in moderation while taking Cymbalta, you should do so only after you have been taking the drug for a while. This gives you time to understand how your body reacts to the drug and to find out which side effects you will have from it. If you must consume alcohol it is recommended that you only drink it in moderation. Moderate drinking is one drink per day for women and two drinks per day for men. Amounts equaling one drink vary by alcohol type — a beer equaling one drink is 12 ounces, red wine equaling one drink is 5 ounces, and a 100 proof liquor drink consists of a 1 ounce serving. Duloxetine increases the risk of bleeding by blocking the serotonin transporter in platelets.

Increased depression

After all, every time the liver has to filter something as strong as alcohol, some liver cells die, and taking Duloxetine could make matters worse for their overall health. Duloxetine, commonly known under the branded name Cymbalta, is a prescription antidepressant classified as a serotonin-noradrenaline reuptake inhibitor (SNRI) 1, 2. It has indicated use for several conditions, including depression, anxiety disorders and chronic pain conditions like diabetic neuropathy, fibromyalgia, and musculoskeletal pain 1, 3, 4, 5. The interaction between Cymbalta and alcohol is potentially dangerous. While the actual effect cannot be predicted, it is important to bear in mind that the effects that do occur can be life threatening especially if alcohol is consumed in large quantities. It is strongly recommended that patients avoid consuming alcohol when taking Cymbalta but if they must do so, to take it in moderation.

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In addition to the increased risk of liver damage that occurs when it’s mixed with alcohol, Cymbalta can make symptoms of depression and other mental conditions worse. Most healthcare providers discourage the consumption of alcohol while taking the medication Cymbalta. The combination of these two substances can serious side effects to occur. If you must consume alcohol you should do so in moderation and only after you have been taking Cymbalta for a while. If you regularly consume alcohol you should talk to a doctor before taking this drug. Full disclosure of all your current medications—including prescription drugs, over-the-counter medications and herbal supplements—is crucial before starting Duloxetine.

Certain supplements might interact with Duloxetine, potentially altering its effectiveness or increasing side effects. For example, St. John’s Wort, used for depression, can also contribute to serotonin syndrome when used with Duloxetine. Duloxetine is typically taken in capsule form, allowing for effective oral absorption. This medication can interact with other medicines, foods, and substances, ranging from minor to severe, and can impact your treatment’s effectiveness and well-being.

Consequences of Mixing Cymbalta and Alcohol

So even though alcohol doesn’t lead to worsening of mental or motor impairment, it can end up canceling out the effects of the drug, or at the very least, decreasing its efficacy. Alcohol in the body works the opposite way of the drug and can worsen the situation. Since ethanol is a depressant, too, it can worsen the symptoms of anxiety and depression. Because of the increased depression, the patient may end up experiencing more suicidal thoughts than usual. As a result, the patient might end up needing a different dosage to counter the depression. Cymbalta and alcohol interaction is a concerning matter for many patients who have only begun taking the drug.