AboutDr. Ravindra Bhaskar Ghooi Expertise I can provide information on drugs and medicines, their actions, uses, interactions and adverse effects. To avoid confusion, generic names of
medicines may please be provided. I am a pharmacologist, having worked
on animal and human pharmacology, and presently I am the Dean of Bilcare Research Academy, where we teach courses on clinical research. We dont work on saturdays and sundays, hence questions reachng me on these days will be replied on Monday, please bear with me.
A woman named Beth sent you an e-mail back in 2008 who was having problems with her husband with alcohol and Lexapro. Do you know whatever happened to him? I beleive it is the Lexapro b/c it affected me the same way. In 12/2007 my husband and I were seeing a marriage counselor due to our troubled relationship, lots of fighting, heavy drinking, and financial problems. This marriage counselor advised me to go to my PCP and get "medication" for my OCD tendencies and heavy drinking. I prevoiusly had eating disorders as a teeanager and was becoming more and more OCD. The PCP gave me Lexapro upon my first visit. This worked for a few weeks and made me feel better. But 3 weeks after that, I got a DUI. The PCP then gave me Campral. I also went to a rehab and got antabuse. I am 40 years old and have lived in the same area for 18 years and have no criminal record. Then, I proceeded to rack up 2 more drunk in publics and an involountary hospitalization for saying I was going to kill myself b/c I had gone to the PCP's house one night very drunk b/c he had kissed me and grabbed my breasts during and office visit to refill the Lexapro. His wife then called me on my cell phone and I freaked out and started drinking again and calling them and saying I would kill myself. (This I am thinking could be the result of the added Campral, it's known to cause this per the product insert.) I then went to a rehab, forced by my husband b/c I could not stop drinking even while taking antabuse. (I learned that you will not get sick even if you take antabuse and drink up to 10-12 airplane bottles of gin as long as you don't eat anything for 24 hours.) Why would a person want to do this to themselves? At the rehab., I told the Psychiatrist there that I thought this Lexapro was a problem, I was getting more and more anxious and my blood pressure had gone from 120/80 (which it has been for years) to 145/110. He gave my Busbar to ease the anxiety (which I now know was created by the Lexapro or a combination of that an alcohol.) I the proceeded to get another DUI. While in jail for 1 week, I requested to be not given any medication. When I got home, I finally had control over my drinking and have never driven or been in any trouble from drinking again. This is very sad b/c my family thought I was going insane and would remain that way. If I had been in a study, the first DUI would have kicked me out of the study. But unfortunately that didn't happen. I just thank God I got off of that in time to stop drinking and driving before I killed myself or someone else. I think it's the Lexapro. Unfortunately, I have talked to about 12 attorneys and there is nothing that can be done to financially indemnify me and my family's financial losses relating to fines, loss of license, lost time from work. Not to mention, now, I am a high risk for health and life insurance. If my life insurance ever cancels for non-pay, I will not be able to get the same rate back. Although, the stockholders who invested in this drug will be indemnified for their losses with the $65 MIL settlement. Poor guys, I feel so sorry for them. What about the rest of the people who were unfortunate enough to take this drug? This is a very unpredictable drug. I know 3 other people who took this drug and have exhibited bizarre and crazy outburst type and sexual promiscuity behavior and one who also got a DUI from constant obbsessive drinking while on this drug.
Answer Hi Jane,
Drugs are meant to help people and not alter behavior in this way. If a drug does all this, should we call it a drug at all? But then a drug wrongly used will end up doing all this. I am not going to lecture you, I am not a moralist, but let me share my thoughts with you about what is wrong with life style today and medical practice too.
Man (and that includes women) is a social animal. We are well and normal when we are in a good social set up, this includes good friends, parents, children and spouses. Not all will be good but a majority need to be good for an individual to be normal. Behavior gets altered for bad when social interactions deteriorate, this happens to all of us, you are not an exception.
The answer for problems arising out of social inadequacies is improving social circles in which we move about, and not just by drugs. Doctors have started using drugs as though they are a panacea (a cure for everything).
Here I would like to ask you, do you have good friends, friends who will not just tolerate all your behavior but guide you, at times scold you. One needs friends who will slap or hug one when needed. Likewise you need such a family too.
Unfortunately families have got fragmented in many countries (US and western Europe is worst affected) and there isn't much we can do about this, but there are other things that are under our control.
While your doctors are trying whatever they can, I would like you to do some things. May be it is holistic approach to your difficulties.
1. When you wake up in the morning, I would like you to go for a morning walk. It matters little what time you leave for work, you will have to wake up earlier and find time for it. Alternately go to gymnasium for some exercise, or to a pool for a swim. You should spend at least 45 minutes doing this every day.
2. Pray. I know you cant go to church every day, but sit or stand in a corner and say a prayer. I believe you are a Christian, hence get your Bible out, and spend at least 30 minutes with it.
3. Good food. Cut out all ready to eat foods, make a real breakfast, toasts, eggs, juice, porridge and whatever you like.
4. Fruits. You must eat two fruits a day, these should be substantial.
5. Read. Pick up the habit of reading. Start with something simple and nice. I recommend books by PG Wodehouse for people. They are available on the net free of charge. Try the Gutenberg project site on the net (Google will guide you).
6. Friends. Make more friends, talk to as many people you can every day, on the net, on phone, face to face, in every way.
7. Every morning decide that today you will not drink. No matter how many times you fail, make this resolution every day, I bet you will succeed on most days. When you fail ensure you dilute your drink more than normal. Every ounce should be diluted with at least 7 ounces of water or soda.
I don't assure you success, because it will require your efforts. But then you can make efforts, you are not a weak person (a weak person would never speak the truth as you do). Remember you are a good person, a strong individual, a person of worth. An ordinary lifeless liquid called alcohol cannot beat you.
Stop all these drugs. They are not helping you, if you need help to sleep take alprazolam or lorazepam at night.
If it helps you, go away somewhere for a few days, it is easy to start on a new page.
I am sure you will succeed, if you need any help do write. If you are worried about confidentiality of this site write on my e mail (rghooi@gmail.com) Eventually I would like you to join allexperts as an expert to help others who are suffering as you now are.
