Bipolar Type II Support Group

Is it okay for someone on Bipolar meds to have 1-3 beers a night if thats all they have? I have read that street drugs are a no-no, and liquor,, but is it okay to have a little? just curious if you have an answer to that. Thanks

my pdoc told me not to drink at all, b/c of the meds.

I had a bad reaction and passed out after one beer.

So I don't drink on any meds.

My pdoc knows that I often have a couple of drinks in an evening and says that it's okay. I don't know if it's really okay or if he's just scared that I'll stop the meds instead of the drinks. He might be right.

A surgeon once told me that alcohol makes most meds work more, so taking a drink with a painkiller for example, amplifies the effects of the painkiller. That's why mixing alcohol with some drugs can kill you, like mixing lots of sleeping pills with booze. It can stop your heart. I'm pretty sure that no psychotropic drugs will stop your heart so personally, I wouldn't worry about a couple of beers. A couple of fifths on the other hand - not good.

I quit drinking about 4 months after starting meds. I feel better for it. My doctor suggested I quit (I was drinking a ton!). It just made me more depressed.

I drink an average of 6 vodka on the rocks, sometimes more (which apparently comes out to a 1/2 liter of vodka) on a single occassion, usually at least a couple of times a week. I'm a petite person, so the quantity I consume is even more dangerous, and I black out every time. I feel like I can drink as much or more since I've been on the meds. Problem is, the heavy drinking throws my moods of balance. I'm working on the drinking problem, but when impulsivity or severe depression hits, it's easy to turn to. My PDoc is thinking of putting me on Naltrexone for just my high-risk days (Thurs-Sun) to help me cut back on the binge drinking. I've been struggling with alchohol abuse for many years, and it really messes with the bipolar symptoms. If you can, I recommend avoiding alcohol completely. Hopefully I'll get to that point someday.