Harm Reduction SSRI's and other drugs

[iodo]

I started celexa (Citalopram Hydrobromide, 20mg) about a week and a half ago to treat depression. I've looked all around the internet and have got mixed results as to what I can take, and what I should avoid. I'm your average "weekend warrior", I like to get high, but since starting the SSRI I haven't taken anything out of fear of bad drug interactions. Yes, I realize I should just cut out drugs entirely for my depression's-sake, but I still would like the option to take something when I feel like it.

Generally I take "whatever I can get" (psychs, benzos, amps), but I avoid things like opiates and long-lasting stimulants.

So what drugs can I do...?

This is not a "what should I take", this is more harm-reduction so I don't take something and end up with horrible results.

 

[moneyboy]

I am on an SSRI for a relatively long time, as far as I am concerned I can consume allmost anything.

psychedelics and weed go very well with SSRI from my personal experience, when it comes to amphetamins I'd be carefull and take rather small amounts to check for interactions. one thing surely to avoid in the beginning is tramal, because it acts as an serotonin releasing agent so you may get sympthoms of serotonin-syndrome (can include high fever, vomiting, diarrhoe, dizziness, agitation and more). personally I did tramal anyway (since I am a real bad ass and try all the combinations that are risky), got a slightly strange feeling in the head while began to experiment with it but no big problems. I consumed rather small amounts of tramal (50 - 100 mg) to stay on the safe side.

If your depression is related to your substance-abuse then you should stick with the SSRI for a period of time and keep away from other substances.

 

[ATLL765]

Not really on topic, but I'm interested to know if you had any insomnia when you started the Celexa? I took it for a bit a while back and I have insomnia to begin with, but the first week on this shit was horrific. I don't think I slept more than 12 hours that week.

 

[iodo]

Not really on topic, but I'm interested to know if you had any insomnia when you started the Celexa? I took it for a bit a while back and I have insomnia to begin with, but the first week on this shit was horrific. I don't think I slept more than 12 hours that week.

I did have weird insomnia for the first three days, I was completely awake when it hit my bedtime. But after those three days my sleeping has increased, I usually get 8 hours but now its a solid 12, which has been bothersome.

 

[xtcgrrrl]

I'd like to know the answer to the OP's question. I've been on Prozac all fall (but I forget to take it a lot.) I haven't had any problems with: benzos, opiates including heroin, and small doses of amphetamines. I also drink on them which I know you're not supposed to do, although I dunno why.

 

[iodo]

and small doses of amphetamines.

would 15mg of d-amp (dexedrine) be considered a small dose? That's the dose I use to get extra work done, maybe once a month, and I'm unsure about the safety of it with an SSRI.

I'm interested about drinking on them, and why you're not supposed to. My dad has been on Escitalopram (Lexapro) for 5+ years and drinks 2-3 beers a night, 5-6 beers on the weekend, and hasn't had any complications with it.

I'm also interested in the SSRI+x for:
cocaine
pyrovalerones
4-sub-tryptamines
2c-x, 25x-xxxx, mescaline and analogues
LSD

 

[BZboo]

It depends on your tolerance. If you have little tolerance to amps then I think that you should take half first and see how you feel. SSRIs I believe make LSD pretty ineffective. I have taken prosac and 2Cs and 25x-xxxs too and they werent not effected by taking anti depressants.

 

[Trying2Iso]

MDMA may cause serotonin syndrome i combination, altho this is rare

 

[Rybee]

I'm on TCA's which have a very similar mechanism of action and just avoid anything like Tramadol/Tapentadol which excessively inhibit the re-uptake of Serotonin.

Other that I still bang out all kinds of opiates and benzos.

 

[Mycophile]

I've been on Prozac since I was a young teenager so every single recreational substance I have ever used has been while I have been on Prozac.

All of the following are fine:

Weed
LSD
LSA
Shrooms
Dexedrine should also be fine, I have done it probably over a hundred times with no problem
some Opiates should be fine and I've done Percocet, Vicodin, etc on it but I do NOT know whether or not Heroin is ok...I wouldn't risk it....
Cocaine CAN be ok if not taken to extremes, I've done it several times and was fine but only recently heard that too much with an SSRI MIGHT be dangerous
Kratom
Nitrous
Salvia Divinorum
Alcohol also SHOULD be fine IMO...I mean they tell you not to drink on SSRIs but I have never understood why as they are not serious CNS depressants.

Every time I've ever been drunk in my life I have been on prozac...so I'm not even sure how many times that is lol, but I'm guessing over 1,000 since I am in my 30s, and I have never experienced one single problem mixing alcohol with my SSRI.

Now I know that's probably not good HR, so keep in mind that I am not telling you that drinking on you SSRI is totally safe, but in my personal experience and that of many others drinking on an SSRI is often not very dangerous.

Benzos like Klonopin, Xanax, etc should generally be fine on SSRIs.

A lot of psychedelics are safe, but from what I have heard not any which have things in them like Scopolamine or any kind of MAOI at all.

I THINK mescaline BY ITSELF could be safe to mix but I'm not sure.




Now the following drugs are absolutely NOT AT ALL OK to take on an SSRI as far as I know:

MDMA/MDA--may not even work or might cause serotonin syndrome
DXM/Robitussin--VERY likely to cause Serotonin syndrome
Ayahuasca--Contains an MAOI and could cause Serotonin syndrom

ANY KIND OF MAOI is VERY dangerous to take on an SSRI
PCP could be dangerous possibly
Yohimbe could cause Serotonin syndrome (I once mixed them and lived but it wasn't smart)
Any type of Datura would probably be a very bad idea
Fly Agaric/Amanitas might or might not be a bad idea


That's not a complete list at all, it's just what I know of personally.

 

[Mycophile]

would 15mg of d-amp (dexedrine) be considered a small dose? That's the dose I use to get extra work done, maybe once a month, and I'm unsure about the safety of it with an SSRI.

I'm interested about drinking on them, and why you're not supposed to. My dad has been on Escitalopram (Lexapro) for 5+ years and drinks 2-3 beers a night, 5-6 beers on the weekend, and hasn't had any complications with it.

I'm also interested in the SSRI+x for:
cocaine
pyrovalerones
4-sub-tryptamines
2c-x, 25x-xxxx, mescaline and analogues
LSD

I'm not sure about that dosage, but I took small to medium dosages of dex many times on Prozac without a problem.

I can't say for sure whether or not it's fine on your SSRI though.

I have also gotten drunk countless times on my SSRI with no problem despite what it says on the bottle, but that doesn't necessarily make it 100% safe.

And as I've mentioned, LSD is fine mixed with an SSRI as far as I know and was for me, and in my personal experience small amounts of cocaine can be ok mixed with some SSRIs, but I haven't mixed them in years and I heard someone on here say that there can be possible dangers associated with that mixture so I would be careful if you do mix them.

 

[Matrok]

Over a period of about 5 years, the SSRIs I've been on have included Prozac, Citalopram and Sertraline. In the early stages (for probably the first month or two) try not to take anything, and if you do, exercise extreme caution. To be honest, you should exercise extreme caution anyway

In my experience, SSRIs & Alcohol = get drunk really fast to a ridiculous extent. For example, where I would have normally been tipsy after 4 pints of 4% lager (I'm only little), on SSRIs this much got me pretty hammered. Because SSRIs sometimes leave me feeling nauseous anyway, drinking usually increased the chance that I would vomit. Maybe that's just me.

The Psychedelics I tried have generally been fine. The ones I tested out included 2Cs, LSD, some NBOMEs and Mushrooms. I do not recall any diminished effects, though at the time I was relatively inexperienced in using Psychedelics.

MDMA, with significantly reduced doses, has also generally been fine, but with extremely diminished effects to the point at times it wasn't worth it - however, there was an incident where I was dangerously close to Serotonin Syndrome, this was (I believe) caused by the interaction between the SSRI (Prozac, but I can't see this being any different for other SSRIs), MDMA and a small amount of Mephedrone. Mixing stims on an SSRI = bad idea. Lesson definitely learnt.

I experienced none of the pleasant effects others have reported on Mephedrone alone when I was on Prozac - there was only mild stimulation, and nothing that came close to euphoria. Again, wouldn't advise, risk of SS.

I have experienced no problems with using a variety of Dissociatives with SSRIs, including Ketamine (and a couple of its analogues) 3 & 4-MeO-PCP, Methoxphenidine, Diphenidine and Nitrous Oxide.
However this does not include DXM - The effect of DXM when using SSRIs, even in large doses (do not advise, obviously), was minimal, if any, and the body load was unpleasant. There would also be an increased risk of Serotonin Syndrome - I was extremely lucky not to have ended up in a dangerous situation, so I would strongly advise against doing this.

The effects of the benzos I tried in conjunction with an SSRI (etizolam, valium, xanax), were not affected much while using SSRIs - however I was more sedated when using them in conjunction with Sertraline.

The positive effects of the Opiates/Opioids that I have tested in conjunction with SSRIs (Oxycodone, Dihydrocodeine, Fentanyl, Morphine, Codeine, AH-7921, Kratom) were diminished somewhat, while the negative effects (nausea and itching) generally remained the same.

I have combined Tramadol with SSRIs before, however it was at reduced dosages and I would still not recommend it due to the increased risk of Serotonin Syndrome, for the sake of not a great deal of bang for your buck. It's just not worth the risk.

It might seem obvious, but for whichever drugs you plan to take, check whether they act on the serotonin receptor, and to what effect.
Something that also helped me immensely when I was trying to gauge whether a combination would be safe was to go to the Erowid experience vaults and search for [Pharms - (your SSRI)] Combined with: [Drug you want to take] - take a look at the dosages and read about what happened. Use that to make an informed decision on whether you do or don't.

To echo Mycophile, this is not an exhaustive list, I can only answer from personal experience, and this is by no means encouragement to do any of the combinations with SSRIs I have tried. What might have been ok for me may not be ok for you. Always exercise caution, and if you're not sure, don't do it! Stay safe

 

[CaveBear]

ive been taking paxil for years 60mg. i drink and smoke weed every day. never a problem. ive used h, percs, vics, opana, coke, and meth as well. again never a problem.....but, i would never green light someone to go balls out at 1st. tread lightly because we can have very diff experiences.

 

[Treefa]

Well the fact that you'll take "whatever you can get"(psychs, benzoes, amps) I recommend you narrow your flavor a little bit brochacho.

Amps are OK, but negative side effects may become quite noticeable, Benzos are fine...but if you abuse benzos you might as well get an Rx..

I'm not sure about psychedelics, but i'm POSITIVE that they interact with SSRI's.

My mother started taking Lexapro like 11/2 months ago(1.5, not 11.5) and I've been asking her everyday how she's doing on it, if she experiences any side effects or anything. She seems to tolerate It pretty well, but she says she doesn't think it's helping so I told her that it's probably best to stop taking it...gradually, of course.
She just NOT depressed IMO. She get's sad once in a while, but that's because she's going through ALOT of shit at this time in her life. I notice that a lot of people, instead of really seriously thinking about WHY they're depressed(SAD), would rather go to the doctor and get a bottle of SSRI's, thinking it's going to make them SO MUCH HAPPIER...their lives will be SO MUCH EASIER.

But IMHO I think Antidepressants are not safe in at least 25% of the population, they are severely OVERPRESCRIBED IMHO, there are jus much much safer things, take weed for an example.
Not only does it work exponentially better than any AD on the market EVER, but it's now fashionable and quasi-legal...so treating your depression (with pot) is now in-style!

Go get you some potent herb, papers or a bowl, and your on the way to so-so pussy heaven!

Shit, that's what I do anyways!
And when I DO get depressed I seriously fucking think about what is making me so sad, and as soon as I find exactly what it is, I think more about WHY it is making me sad, and finally what I SHOLD do about it.
Then I do what I THINK I should do, and 9/10 times it comes down to not being able to change the weather...se la vie!

 

[moneyboy]

I'd like to add that mixing SSRIs and DXM is a bad idea, feels terrible.

 

[iodo]

Well the fact that you'll take "whatever you can get"(psychs, benzoes, amps) I recommend you narrow your flavor a little bit brochacho.

Amps are OK, but negative side effects may become quite noticeable, Benzos are fine...but if you abuse benzos you might as well get an Rx..

I'm not sure about psychedelics, but i'm POSITIVE that they interact with SSRI's.


Go get you some potent herb, papers or a bowl, and your on the way to so-so pussy heaven!

Shit, that's what I do anyways!
And when I DO get depressed I seriously fucking think about what is making me so sad, and as soon as I find exactly what it is, I think more about WHY it is making me sad, and finally what I SHOLD do about it.
Then I do what I THINK I should do, and 9/10 times it comes down to not being able to change the weather...se la vie!

Yeah, I don't just take everything I want when I want, I'm responsible enough to have done drugs for 4+ years without building an addiction (not being cocky, that's actually an accomplishment where I live). Narrowing your flavor tends to lead to addiction or heavier abuse, from what I've seen. I do a mix of everything, 1 drug every so-often.

Depression and sadness are different. Sadness is feeling bad because you lost a game, you're girlfriend broke up with you, or someone hurt your feelings. Depression is waking up every morning, only to look forward to going back to sleep. Depression is not eating for days because you don't feel 'motivated' enough to make a sandwich. Depression is cutting off ties with people you love, because you just want to be alone. I smoke pot all the time. While I'm high, I'm in a better mood, sure, but smoking weed doesn't do much in terms of long-term depression. So far, the subtle effects from the SSRI have been better than weed.

 

[Mycophile]

Well the fact that you'll take "whatever you can get"(psychs, benzoes, amps) I recommend you narrow your flavor a little bit brochacho.

Amps are OK, but negative side effects may become quite noticeable, Benzos are fine...but if you abuse benzos you might as well get an Rx..

I'm not sure about psychedelics, but i'm POSITIVE that they interact with SSRI's.

My mother started taking Lexapro like 11/2 months ago(1.5, not 11.5) and I've been asking her everyday how she's doing on it, if she experiences any side effects or anything. She seems to tolerate It pretty well, but she says she doesn't think it's helping so I told her that it's probably best to stop taking it...gradually, of course.
She just NOT depressed IMO. She get's sad once in a while, but that's because she's going through ALOT of shit at this time in her life. I notice that a lot of people, instead of really seriously thinking about WHY they're depressed(SAD), would rather go to the doctor and get a bottle of SSRI's, thinking it's going to make them SO MUCH HAPPIER...their lives will be SO MUCH EASIER.

But IMHO I think Antidepressants are not safe in at least 25% of the population, they are severely OVERPRESCRIBED IMHO, there are jus much much safer things, take weed for an example.
Not only does it work exponentially better than any AD on the market EVER, but it's now fashionable and quasi-legal...so treating your depression (with pot) is now in-style!

Go get you some potent herb, papers or a bowl, and your on the way to so-so pussy heaven!

Shit, that's what I do anyways!
And when I DO get depressed I seriously fucking think about what is making me so sad, and as soon as I find exactly what it is, I think more about WHY it is making me sad, and finally what I SHOLD do about it.
Then I do what I THINK I should do, and 9/10 times it comes down to not being able to change the weather...se la vie!

How are you "positive that psychedelics interact badly with SSRIs"??

I've never heard any evidence to support that psychedelics like LSD, Psilocybin Mushrooms or Salvia Divinorum, for example, have any seriously negative effects when mixed with SSRIs.

That doesn't mean there are NONE, but I've never heard of any nor have I experienced any when mixing them myself.

If the psychedelics include an MAOI though that is a different story.

 

[Lysergamided]

The SSRI family is what I call the interaction family. There is so many different SSRIs with 2ndary MOAs even enzyme inhibition or induction that there is an extremely higha mount of interactions let alone it's SRI effects which also interact with many things alerady. Amphteamines(including AMPH and METH) are strongly not recommended to take othe then by doctor's orders, some opioids that are commonly prescribed like tramadol also interaction, some random non-recreational drugs also interact with SSRIs(dont remember which ones but I think blood thinners and/or vasodilators are one as SSRIs make bleeding easier), psychedelics are strictly recommended to avoid using while on SSRIs, empathogens should be avoided, Many CNS stimulants excluding strict DNRIs with little to no serotonin activity and possibly some DNRAs but I know of no DNRA without somewhat significant serotonin activity. I can keep going on but yeah there is a lot, also I took some Dexedrine once when I was on effexor and lst time I took it was months before I was on effexor my first SSRI and I had symptoms very reminiscent of serotonin syndrome with moderate dexamph doses. While not on SSRIs a few months later, I took a much higher dose of D-AMPH with no serotonin syndrome symptoms arising. So I gotta say these are recommended to avoid, I think dopamine has more to do with depression anyways and I believe I read a recent study that had that findings which I already knew as true. SRis only make you happy if your depressed and for a short period they do not treat symptoms other then mood whereas CNS-stimulants like methylphenidate actually do.

 

[Mycophile]

^^^

However, as you probably know, SSRIs are not used only for depression as some are also used to treat OCD symptoms and anxiety and can be effective for long periods of time.

I know that many drugs interact badly with SSRIs, but in my personal experience with only one SSRI I've never had a bad interaction.

Psychedelics in general, like LSD and Psilocybin, do not in my personal experience in mixing them with Prozac, seem to have a bad interaction, nor did the mixture of prozac and dexedrine for me ever result in a bad interaction, so I think it is probably VERY specific to the exact type of SSRI one takes in terms of what it can be mixed with most likely.

 

[Lysergamided]

^^^

However, as you probably know, SSRIs are not used only for depression as some are also used to treat OCD symptoms and anxiety and can be effective for long periods of time.

I know that many drugs interact badly with SSRIs, but in my personal experience with only one SSRI I've never had a bad interaction.

Psychedelics in general, like LSD and Psilocybin, do not in my personal experience in mixing them with Prozac, seem to have a bad interaction, nor did the mixture of prozac and dexedrine for me ever result in a bad interaction, so I think it is probably VERY specific to the exact type of SSRI one takes in terms of what it can be mixed with most likely.

It's decides more on the unique neurochemistry of the individual in question. A rare side-effect of effexor by itself is serotonin syndrome. Some people are capable of handing certain neurotransmitters better then others or perhaps have little sensitivity to them. I've tried SNRIs(2 of em) and 1 SSRI. I dislike that entire family of chems.