Can I Drink Alcohol on Effexor?
According to the manufacturer or
Effexor® (
venlafaxine hydrochloride), drinking alcohol while using Effexor is not recommended. This is because drugs like Effexor and alcohol act upon similar chemicals in the brain. The concern is that Effexor will increase the effects of alcohol -- whether this is increasing
depression symptoms or affecting motor skills.
Practically, when many healthcare providers are asked whether it is okay to drink alcohol while on Effexor, they recommend drinking light-to-moderate amounts. They also recommend that you wait to drink alcohol until you understand how Effexor and other medicines you may be currently taking affect your body.
Alcohol and Effexor: What Is Moderate Drinking?
When healthcare providers recommend moderate alcohol drinking, they mean one drink a day for women and two drinks a day for men. Because the alcohol content in drinks varies, what counts as one drink also varies. When healthcare providers talk about one alcoholic drink, they are referring to one of the following examples:
Alcohol and Effexor: What Does the Research Say?
Drinking alcohol while on Effexor does not seem to increase the mental and motor skills impairments caused by alcohol in normal subjects taking Effexor.
However, the effects of alcohol and Effexor in those with depression have not been studied. This is one reason for exercising caution with alcohol and Effexor.
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