I am taking venlafaxine effexor xr can i drink alcohol? if i want to go out for a night what should i do?

Hello!

Alcohol should be consumed in moderation when taking Effexor XR (Venlafaxine XR) because it can act as a central nervous system depressant, causing more drowsiness, dizziness, etc. You may also experience more side effects from alcohol and your medication.

It is also not recommended to skip doses of your medication when drinking alcohol as this can also cause side effects.

Therefore, I recommend that you take your medication as usual and have only 1 or 2 alcoholic drinks on your nights out. You can start gradually to see how you feel when you take alcohol.

I hope this helps!

Have a nice day,

Marie-Laurence Gauthier, pharmacist