June 12, 2023 • 38 mins
In this weeks episode we touch on all things with a WARNING label. A somewhat controversial topic but one we believe is extremely important to bring awareness to. There can be many dangers when mixing alcohol with medication, even simple over the counter medications can effect you differently when mixed with alcohol. We are by no means experts on this subject but we are asking the questions, are people paying attention to warning labels on prescription medications? Are they reading the pamphlet of information that comes with their medication? Is your doctor asking questions about your alcohol consumption when prescribing you medication? And in future will we see warning labels on alcohol bottles like we have on cigarette packages? We are having a sensitive and serious conversation about of these things and more.
Notable mention:
Follow James Swanwick on Instagram @ https://www.instagram.com/jamesswanwick/
Recommended Articles: https://www.goodrx.com/drugs/side-effects/10-medications-you-shouldnt-mix-with-alcohol?
https://www.goodrx.com/well-being/substance-use/how-does-alcohol-affect-the-body?
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Transcript
Episode Transcript
Available transcripts are automatically generated. Complete accuracy is not guaranteed.
Kelly (00:02):
welcome to the LAF life podcast, a lifestyle podcast
based on living alcohol free anda booze soaked world.
My name is Kelly Evans andtogether with my friends, Tracey
Djordjevic, Mike Sutton andLindsay Harik.
We share uncensored.
Unscripted real conversationsabout what our lives have been
like since we ditched alcoholand how we got here by sharing
(00:25):
our individual stories.
We'll show you that there isn'tjust one way to do this, no
matter where you are on yourjourney from sober, curious to
years in recovery and everyonein between, you are welcome
here, no judgment and a ton ofsupport.
Lindsey (00:42):
Hey everybody.
Welcome back to the LAF Lifepodcast.
We're so happy that you're heretoday.
I've got Tracey Kelly, andmyself.
I'm Lindsay.
Hey everybody.
Kelly (00:53):
Hi.
Hey.
Lindsey (00:55):
We started off with, Thinking that we're gonna talk
about some medications and theireffect with alcohol or 10 types
of medications that youshouldn't mix alcohol with.
I think this is a reallyimportant topic because I think
there are a lot of people.
Taking prescription medications,even over the counter stuff like
(01:18):
Advil and Tylenol and we'redrinking.
We may not even be honest withour family doctor about how much
we're drinking, cuz I know Iused to not be truthful about
that.
And I think this is a reallygood thing to get out on the
table.
Now, keep in mind, we are notdoctors.
(01:40):
We are just gonna have aconversation about it.
We've looked at some, articlesand things online.
So I think I'll preface this bysaying that if you are taking
medication make sure that you'rehaving a chat with your family
doctor if you're drinkingalcohol.
And it's really important to behonest about the amount.
(02:01):
Yeah.
And then Kelly, you sharedsomething in our group chat
about the alcohol companiesfighting.
To, not have to put warninglabels on alcohol bottles, like
cigarette companies have to.
So we can tie this all togethercuz I know for a fact there are
warnings on medication bottlesabout not consuming alcohol with
(02:25):
medications.
Yeah.
Tracey (02:28):
So warning, we are not experts.
We're not medical experts onsubject matter, but we do think
that it's very important tobring to people's attention
because it's pretty scary tothink all the people out there
these days taking we take Advilor Tylenol, so we don't have a
hangover in the morning with ouralcohol.
(02:48):
Let alone all the people thatare taking say, anti-anxiety
medication or antidepressants,all these things that could have
different effects when they mixit with alcohol.
Lindsay said, it's veryimportant.
And I think a lot of people,especially if they're drinking
heavily and they're not reallyready to admit that, or they're
(03:08):
scared to.
Aren't being truthful with theirdoctor about it.
And I think a lot of people justignore those labels even on say
we're talking about antibioticsand it says, don't take alcohol
with this.
How many people have takenantibiotics and still drink?
Yep.
Kelly (03:24):
Oh man.
So I'm curious, do doctors ask,when a doctor prescribes a
medication like this, are theyasking people what the
relationship with alcohol is?
They're just relying on thatsticker.
And my other thing I'm curiousabout is how many people read
that insert that they get?
With their pills.
Lindsey (03:43):
That is a good point.
Such a good point.
Kelly.
Those are two very importantthings.
I'm gonna ask you guys thisquestion because I'm trying to
think about my own personalexperience, but I know that when
my doctor would ask me, how muchare you drinking?
It wasn't even an, are youdrinking alcohol?
It was how much are youdrinking?
I would instantly feel a pang ofanxiety or my stomach drop
(04:06):
because.
I knew, I didn't wanna say Ibinge drink two bottles of red
wine every weekend.
That's embarrassing.
I felt embarrassed about that.
Isn't that a red flag?
Kelly (04:16):
Oh yeah.
I was never honest about that.
Just my annual physical.
I think she used to ask sheknows I don't drink now, but
yeah, she would ask me how manyglasses of wine per week do you
drink?
I'm like, oh, five or six.
Tracey (04:29):
I don't think I ever got asked that question.
Maybe once.
Really?
Depending on, maybe a physicalor something Kel, but like yeah,
I don't remember ever havingthat conversation with my
doctor.
I don't think it was even ever aquestion.
So they're prescribing thesemedications?
Yes.
Okay.
And they're not asking aboutalcohol, but I feel like people
(04:50):
need to be empowered themselvesenough to open that pamphlet and
read it and see that there arerisks.
To drinking while on
Lindsey (04:59):
I have seen, like I see the label on the bottles.
I'm gonna talk as somebody whohas taken and still does take
medicine for anxiety.
I'm gonna say this though too,since quitting alcohol, I've
been able to decrease it by 50%.
Wow.
It's pretty incredible.
But I do see the warning labeland I have read the insert.
(05:20):
I just ignore it.
I just think what, whatever.
It was you, Lindsay, that reallymade me think about this topic
because you brought it up inyour episode.
And I never thought about it,but then I think about it.
I personally am not on that kindof medication, but I have
girlfriends that are Yeah.
And drink pretty heavily.
That's right.
So it was concerning to me whenyou were talking about how you
(05:42):
blacked out and she, every timethose two things are probably
directly correlated.
A hundred percent.
What really concerns me is allthe young girls, when I think
about my daughter's, almost 14,she's gonna be a teenager soon.
Then she's gonna be going off tocollege or university.
And I think about those younggirls, a lot of them being on
(06:03):
these types of medications anddrinking or binge drinking in
college and university andleaving themselves vulnerable to
God knows what, if they'reblacking out or passing out, and
making themselves reallyvulnerable to some really not
good situations.
Hundred percent.
Kelly (06:21):
Thinking if they only drink, two or three beers, that
they're gonna be okay.
But really, if they're takingmedication, it could be.
Yeah.
That's the thing.
And there's a few different waysthat alcohol and medications
interact.
So first of all, when you aredrinking alcohol with
medication, it can actually makeyour medication less effective.
(06:42):
Another way is it can actuallymake your medication toxic to
your body.
Sorry, Lynn, are you talkingabout anxiety medication or like
medications in general?
Lindsey (06:52):
Just medications in general.
Yeah.
And then we can go into thedifferent categories and there
are some things that are writtenabout, generalizations about how
alcohol and some types ofmedications interact.
When you mix alcohol and somemedications, it can actually
make the side effects frommedications worse.
(07:13):
And then it can cause newsymptoms and make you feel ill.
And the last way here is it canmake you actually feel more
tipsy from the alcohol.
And I've experienced that withanti-anxiety medication.
I've experienced the blockingout the way more tipsy,
(07:33):
increased drowsiness.
It can be, yeah.
Really scary.
Tracey (07:38):
I had mentioned to you guys about my dad.
Who was an alcoholic and thathow when his drinking really
increased and became a problemwas when his doctor prescribed
him anti-anxiety medication.
No doubt he was having anxiety,probably partially due to the
amount he was drinking.
(07:59):
And then, he goes to the doctor,gets his prescription for
anti-anxiety medication.
Between the medication and thealcohol, he got to a point
where, With the two mixing.
He didn't know how muchmedication he was taking or how
much booze he was drinking.
Wow.
So when he went to rehab, andthat was his first stint in
rehab?
The rehab clinic actually saidthat he would have a harder time
(08:21):
coming off the anti-anxietymedication based on how much he
was taking.
That it was way more addictivethan the actual alcohol, and
that would be harder for him.
And he was also shocked at theamount that he was being
prescribed by his doctor basedon the fact that his doctor must
have had some awareness of hisdrinking.
(08:42):
Whoa.
So that was a very eye-openingexperience too.
And then it just clicked to mewhen you started telling your
story about the medication andthe alcohol when you were
drinking, but yeah, it's prettyscary.
Really scary.
Wow.
Wow.
Lindsey (09:00):
There's something I read online too.
This is really scary.
Women have higher blood alcohollevels than men after drinking
the same amount of alcohol.
And I think I'd have to, I don'tknow, look this up, but I think
that women, there's a higherpercentage of women taking
(09:22):
anti-anxiety and depressionmedication Yep.
Than men.
So if your blood alcohol is highand then there's a good chance
that, women are taking thesemedications man, it's just scary
and I don't know what it's doingto the inside of your body.
Okay, you can experience, all ofthese symptoms and heightened
(09:44):
side effects and all this kindof stuff, but man, over time
that must just
Tracey (09:48):
like, Medication is hard on your liver as it is.
Yeah.
And so is alcohol.
So it's like you're giving yourliver alone a double whammy.
Like you said, what kind ofextra problems could it
potentially be creating for you,if it is basically canceling out
the effects of your medication.
(10:09):
Then it could actually beincreasing any of the symptoms
or problems you're having,especially anxiety.
Yeah.
That is pretty scary to thinkabout.
You're a good example Lynn, likeyou said, when you stopped
drinking, you actually were ableto cut down on your medication.
Lindsey (10:24):
Oh, yeah.
It's crazy.
So it's almost like we'redrinking, we're causing symptoms
of anxiety that we're taking themedication for, but then we have
to take higher doses of thismedication to manage the
symptoms caused by drinking, andthen it just keeps rinse and
repeat.
Tracey (10:38):
It's like a cycle, right?
That's same thing happened to mydad.
The more he was taking theantianxiety medication, the more
he drank and then the more heneeded the medication.
So crazy.
It's like a vicious cycle.
And then that kind of goes intowhat Kelly wanted to talk about
with the not putting warninglabels on alcohol and just yeah.
Kelly (10:59):
First I just wanna say everybody looks at the
depression and anxiety as achemical imbalance, and you guys
are talking about, what this isdoing to your body, what alcohol
is doing to your body.
But the chemical imbalance, it'snot in the brain, it's in the
gut.
So I'll read you something here.
Many people think depression andanxiety as a chemical imbalance
(11:20):
in the brain, but thesechemicals are created in the
gut, not the brain.
In fact, more than 30 differentneurotransmitters and nearly 90%
of your body, serotonin, thefeelgood hormone come from your
gut.
So what you're digesting,medication, food, alcohol.
That's affecting your brainchemistry.
(11:42):
What we think of as a chemicalimbalance that we need to take a
pill for.
What if we, we talked about inthe last episode about being in
nature.
That changes your chemistry.
The food that you eat changesyour chemistry.
Obviously the alcohol iscompletely destroying our guts.
But a hundred percent.
That's something important to meto mention on this episode
(12:02):
because I think I'm reallycommitted to helping people feel
empowered.
And we talked even at thebeginning of before we started
recording here about do peopleeven read all the papers that
come, drugs, so that's sodisempowering just to start
putting something in your bodyand you don't even know anything
about it.
Knowing how this happens.
(12:23):
Like how do I get anxiety, howdo I get depression?
It's what you're consuming, inyour energy field and what
you're ingesting in your body.
It could, make a world ofdifference if you just made
those changes instead of,obviously drinking and even this
medication that everybody'staking, so there's other options
(12:45):
that you wanted me to read thisother post?
Just to finish that there, Kel,I was gonna say, if not anything
else bringing up this subject.
Hopefully people start to lookat those labels, start to read
those pamphlets.
Yes.
Like we said, we're not theexperts, but maybe this is
bringing some sort of awarenessto make people a little more
(13:06):
conscientious about.
Exactly what you said, whatthey're putting in their body
and making sure that what theyare taking, they're not mixing
with things that they shouldn'tbe.
That includes food
Lindsey (13:17):
Yeah.
And that's take ownership too,like advocate for your own self.
Don't just rely on your doctor.
No.
Kelly (13:25):
Thank you for saying that.
Lindsey (13:26):
Yeah okay.
Yeah.
There's a time and place formedicine.
There's a lot of things and alot of advances and it's really
helpful to people, but alsothere's some new things coming
out.
That the whole chemicalimbalance thing isn't even a
thing.
Drug companies need to sell youon the chemical imbalance.
(13:47):
Yeah, I was gonna say, speak ofthat.
Don't forget this, if they sellmedications, right?
Kelly (13:50):
This is about money.
It's my business.
Every time your doctor gets thatlittle pad out, they're making
more money.
Just remember that.
But I love what you said.
That's what I was leading intoKel.
Yeah.
That's what I was gonna leadinto because it led into your
topic when I was Yeah.
Saying Now you know, you should.
Talk about the posts that yousaw, because I think those two
(14:11):
things are connected.
It's about the big giants makingthe money, right?
Yeah.
Lindsey (14:16):
Yeah.
Big.
Not to say throw them away.
If you're taking medication,don't just stop taking it.
Don't down the toilet, butthat's right.
Kelly (14:25):
Do some mood and trust your gut.
Your gut, like your intuition.
We talk about our intuition allthe time on this podcast, which
I love, but trust yourintuition, what's best for you?
Don't blindly trust somebodyjust because they went to school
and they believe in medicine.
There's bingo, so many otherthings that change your
chemistry.
Aw, yeah.
(14:46):
Okay, so I love this guy.
This James Swanwick is his name,and he's just putting out all
these real truth bombs onInstagram lately, and keeps them
really simple and he's just agood one to follow, I think.
But he says alcohol companiesare involved in a multi-billion
dollar coverup, fighting to keepcancer warnings off its labels.
(15:07):
They don't want drinking tobecome the new smoking as the
number of cigarette smokers hasplummeted in recent decades.
Did you know that cigarette adsused to say things like, more
doctors smoke camels than anyother cigarette?
As crazy as that seems today, weget bombarded with the message
that alcohol is relaxing andthat in moderation it might even
(15:29):
be good for you.
This is clearly untrue as recentstudies indicate even one
seemingly innocent drink a daycan cause brain degeneration.
So that would be like a dreamcome true for me.
Yes.
To see those labels of Yeah.
Show a brain, like what did wesee?
And I did still smoke when theycame out with those labels.
(15:50):
I hated seeing them.
The lungs and all black lungswhat if the bottle of wine like
that I used to think looked soclassy, I loved like looking at
the labels and stuff like that.
What if it had a big old pictureof a brain that was
deteriorating or somebody in ahospital bed dying of cancer or
alcohol abuse?
I know somebody that died fromalcohol that was 45 years old.
Lindsey (16:15):
That should have never happened ever.
So what do you guys think?
Do you think we'll ever seethese labels?
I think so.
I really think, we'll, I thinkit's gonna be a fight.
I think we're still, it's gonnabe years, I think.
I don't think it's somethingthat's gonna happen overnight,
but I really do think that wewill see them and they should be
there.
It's crazy.
It's crazy that they're not,
Kelly (16:37):
It's still, it's a lot of money.
There's a lot of money in thatbig alcohol.
We've said that's pretty muchthe beginning of the podcast,
that we felt like alcohol wasgonna become the next
cigarettes.
We said that it's trending thatway.
We're starting to become moreand more aware of the effects it
has on your brain and on yourbody, and how it doesn't have
(16:58):
any health benefits and it'sreally a poison.
So as People still smoke, right?
Absolutely.
And there's these absolutelywarnings only, He's saying that
the number of smokers havedecreased?
Yes.
The alcohol companies arefighting this because the number
of people that are drinking willeventually decrease of course,
too.
And then there's a hugefinancial loss for the alcohol
companies.
Tracey (17:17):
But I think it, it will be the same.
Thing as cigarettes.
Eventually I'm sure it didn'thappen overnight with cigarettes
either getting those labels outthere.
So it won't happen overnightwith alcohol.
But I think we'll get there.
I think we'll get to a pointwhere they don't have a choice,
that the evidence will be toostrong against it and they'll
have to do it.
And then, yeah, then it's gonnacome down to the same as a
(17:39):
smoker.
It's gonna be your choice,right?
Those risks, if you wanna takethem, you'll keep drinking.
If you don't, then you won't.
Yeah.
Yeah.
I guess I just still find itsurprising with all the new
studies that are out there and,there's no safe amount of
alcohol.
Seeing people that are healthconscious still.
Posting pictures of their boozeor still drinking regularly.
(18:01):
It surprises me.
Yeah.
But I think that people arestill just in denial.
I think they don't want tobelieve that.
I've tried to have theseconversations with people.
Just in passing cuz I don'twanna preach and I'm not judging
just to, bring awareness becauseI've learned so much since I
(18:21):
quit drinking.
And I've just try to share someof that knowledge sometimes and
it's like people tune out orthey don't wanna listen or they
think, oh yeah, but like one ortwo here and there is not a big
deal.
They still wanna go with that orbelieve that because, but
Kelly (18:39):
it's gotta eat away at you.
Because I remember, when Irealized, so I realized I had
gout in June.
So that was June, 2017.
I'm laughing, but it's not funnybecause it's always embarrassing
for me to say that.
But anyway so I was in denial,but only until February.
Seven months, but it was thatonce I know something, I can't
(19:03):
unknow it.
Once I knew that was starting tomake my health deteriorate.
That ate away at me and I alwayshad taken my health seriously.
So that's why I say I'msurprised to see the health
conscious people.
Yeah.
Because some people don't care.
They're like, everything inmoderation.
You're gonna die one day Yolo,whatever.
Yeah.
Which is amazing.
It's not, I don't think it'sfine.
(19:23):
I wish everybody had a healthy,happy, long life, but, it's the
health conscious people still,posting the pictures and binge
drinking on the weekends.
It still surprises me.
Tracey (19:33):
Yeah.
There's still yoga studios andstuff like that.
Offering, serving it alcohol.
Yeah.
Lindsey (19:38):
Yoga and wine events, or, I
Kelly (19:40):
love sending the message.
I send the messages, I send themhappy, friendly messages sending
with love.
Yeah.
But good for you.
It's a total that's the word.
It's escaping me right now.
Contradiction.
It is, yeah.
Yeah.
Crazy.
Yeah.
That's what I was saying earliertoo, about taking antibiotics
(20:01):
and drinking.
Lindsey (20:02):
Even things like pain medication.
How many people have taken Advilor Motrin, Naproxen, which is
Alieve, right?
Or Tylenol Acetaminophen.
So if you're taking like Adviland you're consuming alcohol,
the combination can increaseyour risk of stomach ulcers and
(20:25):
stomach bleeding, right?
And with Tylenol.
Tylenol is actually processedthrough your liver.
So when you drink alcohol andyou're taking Tylenol, we should
never take those two together.
I've actually seen people takeTylenol and wash it down with
wine, so they don't, but
Kelly (20:41):
that could cause and that could cause liver damage.
Do all that shit.
Yeah.
Cause liver damage.
All of them.
I used to take Naproxin almostevery day.
I took Naproxin cuz Tylenolwasn't enough for me.
My hangovers were so bad.
Headaches were so bad.
Yeah.
But yeah and Pepto, like allthat shit, every day, every
Lindsey (21:01):
Opioids and alcohol are not it's a bad combination.
And there's a lot of people whoare.
Taking opioids, whether they'represcription or not, and
drinking alcohol, right?
It's not,
Tracey (21:13):
but it goes back to that vicious addiction cycle, and
then one just perpetuates theother.
We've had a couple guests thattalked about, doing cocaine and
drinking.
Yes.
Because crazy, then they coulddrink more, right?
Yeah.
And a lot of people do.
They take those other drugs tostraighten themselves out, even
plot.
Even mixing pot and alcohol.
(21:33):
Yeah.
It's not good.
Some people utilize that tostraighten themselves out or ha
have it so that the alcoholdoesn't affect them as much, or
so they can drink more.
How many people are takingsleeping pills?
Or is another scary thing too.
And those people are alsodrinking alcohol, sleeping pills
and anxiety medications.
(21:54):
So like ambient Xanax.
Ativan.
Lorazepam.
But those things, when you putthem together are a complete
contradiction.
Of course they are like, it'slike we're taking
antidepressants, but then we'retaking a depressant alcohol.
I know.
I guess people just don't thinkabout it as a depressant.
They see all the messages we getand they're like, oh yeah,
(22:14):
that's just like what we do.
We just, it's Friday night.
Nobody's thinking it's gonnamake them depressed or anxious
the next day.
No cuz you're right.
It goes back to the messaging,Kel goes back to the messaging
that we're getting.
That, it's, oh, it's a reward.
Oh, it helps stress.
Oh, it helps you, right?
All this stuff.
(22:35):
Oh, there's health benefits.
No.
None of those all
Kelly (22:39):
brutal.
Yeah.
Yeah.
And then there's theantidepressant medication and
the antipsychotic medication,right?
Amitriptyline is a very commonantidepressant.
And when you drink alcohol withamitriptyline can lead to
extreme dizziness and it'sdocumented.
(23:00):
Blackouts, that's can be a sideeffect of mixing alcohol with
that medication.
Or if you're taking somethinglike Zoloft and you drink
alcohol, it's documented thatyou'll have worsened feelings of
depression.
Oh my gosh.
Which is where you're taking themedication for depression in the
first place, right?
Yeah.
So some of the other sideeffects of mixing medication
(23:23):
like that and alcohol isdrowsiness, dizziness.
Problems with movement, liverdamage, and just serious heart
effects.
It's crazy scary.
Tracey (23:35):
Yeah.
And it makes me wonder or think,I know, know, is this actually
what these big pharmaceuticaland alcohol companies are doing?
Are they, it's almost likeThey're collaborating, they're
working together.
Yes.
Yeah.
To create.
Yeah.
And sell more of this stuff.
Yeah, like almost hand in hand.
Lindsey (23:55):
Oh man.
Even A D H D A D H D is a hugething.
It's a huge hot topic right nowand I know there are people
taking a D H D medications, twothat are well known, or Adderall
and Ritalin, but mixing thesemedications.
It's the same poorconcentration.
If you have ADHD and you'retaking a medication for adhd.
(24:15):
And you're mixing it withalcohol.
One of the side effects is poorconcentration.
But what, like that's why you'retaking the medication.
Dizziness, drowsiness.
Like a never ending cycle.
I know.
Oh, it's, people take Adderallto party.
That's other,
Kelly (24:28):
yeah.
There's a reason why we're sohave no attention span.
And my attention span is small,but it's look at what we're.
Spending our time doing yeah.
The reels and the tos and stufflike that.
That's what's causing all this.
Nobody's just sitting withthemselves and breathing and, or
just being with the person nextto the constant stimulation.
Constant, yeah.
(24:48):
Constant stimulation.
Yeah.
Tracey (24:50):
And that instant gratification, the dopamine hit.
Kelly (24:53):
Yes.
Yeah.
Yes.
Yeah.
So I think we did this onanother episode with the natural
dopamine.
And stuff like that.
That's that self-empoweringthing too.
Is finding the substitutions orfinding out why, why am I like
this?
Why am I depressed?
Why do I have anxiety?
I am a huge advocate on therapy.
Huge.
There's a root, there's a rootproblem.
(25:16):
It a prescription doesn't.
Solve that.
Yeah.
A bottle of wine doesn't solvethat.
If there's a root problem thatyou can heal and it can be
healed forever.
Love.
Tracey (25:26):
I wanna throw something else that I heard on a podcast
today, from someone that was aformer addict and they were
talking about going back tosocietal stereotypes and how
we're raised to believe thesecertain things.
And these stigmas for femalesversus males.
And they're talking about, whenmen grow up and they're told
(25:48):
right away, they're not allowedto cry.
It's not acceptable for them tocry, and girls aren't allowed to
say no to everything, right?
They're breed to be these peoplepleasers.
And they were talking about howwhen, girls are young, We're
free spirits, we're likespeaking our mind.
We're farting and burping justlike boys are.
(26:08):
And then all of a sudden we getto adolescents and then those
things aren't accepted anymoreand aren't proper.
So then we have to, basicallysuppress ourselves.
And the message was, and Ithought about this and I wrote
something down about it, ifwe're never allowed to be, seen
(26:28):
as whole.
Then there'll always parts ofourselves we're trying to fill,
and that's where addiction isborn.
Kelly (26:37):
Ugh, Tracy.
Okay, say that again.
If we're never, if we're neverallowed to be whole, then
they'll always be parts ofourselves that we are trying to
fill.
And that's where addiction isborn.
Oh my God, that really speaks tome.
Wow.
Yeah.
(26:58):
Yeah.
That's really good.
What podcast was that?
It was actually, did you guysever listen to Armchair Expert?
Yeah.
Yeah.
Lindsey (27:08):
So it was Jane, she,
Tracey (27:11):
Jane guest and that's what she, I actually, I will
send it to you guys.
I highly recommend that episode.
She is amazing.
She is.
Doesn't she quit drinking justrecently?
She wasn't speaking to drinking,she was talking about her eating
disorder actually.
And Wow.
Then, Dax Shepherd is arecovering addict too.
But yeah, she is like aninspiration for women.
(27:35):
Oh yeah.
I think I would send thatepisode to any woman out there.
Okay.
I'm gonna listen to She's a veryinspiring woman.
Yeah.
That's amazing.
Lindsey (27:44):
Yeah.
So I thought that
Kelly (27:45):
was so true.
Yeah, that's really good.
Good.
Yeah.
Get to the root.
And that's, yeah.
That's what I saw when, in 2020when I read Glennon Doyle
Untamed.
I'm like, that's exactly what Isaw.
I'm like, holy shit.
The theme of my childhood wassuppression, and that's exactly
what my story is.
Yeah.
(28:06):
Thanks for reading that.
That's the thing.
We're not getting to the rootinstead of getting to the root.
It's no different than okay, soyou're trying to solve it with
alcohol.
It's same with the prescriptionmedication, right?
It's here's just anotherband-aid solution.
Oh, you feel this way?
Just take this drug and youwon't feel it anymore.
So people get really triggeredby stuff like this, that's why I
(28:28):
sometimes hesitate to say thesethings because it Absolutely and
not that we're encouraging, likeLindsay had mentioned earlier,
just throwing your medication,there's people that legitimately
need it.
Absolutely.
For sure.
For sure.
We're not undermining that, but,have you looked at other
options?
Exactly, yeah.
(28:48):
Other ways.
And the root, have you gotten tothe root?
That's exactly what I was gonnaget at.
It's like you can't just take apill and I think that's what us
as a society, we're like, all wedo is we go to a doctor if we're
feeling sad or anxious, or if wehave blood pressure problems or
diabetes, you go to the doctorand they give you the
medication.
And that's it.
But it's no.
(29:09):
Yeah.
And then you're on it for life.
For life.
And I saw this Me too.
So every prescription drug has aside effect.
Yeah.
And every side effect istreatable with a prescription
drug.
Lindsey (29:21):
Yeah.
But it's like you've gotta do.
Some work there, with yourhealth, you've gotta take
accountability.
Try some therapy, try somebreath work, try some exercise,
try getting outside in the sun,and try, not drinking alcohol
and you may be able to reduceyour medicine, monitored by a
doctor, right?
That's how many people havetaken antibiotics and had drinks
(29:43):
while they were on antibiotics?
I know I have.
And that's a huge no-no.
Some antibiotics already comewith side effects of nausea,
vomiting, diarrhea.
But then, Alcohol can worsenthose effects, but it can also
lead to heart problems and liverdamage when you're taking those
things.
I remember in my drinking days,when I met my ex for the first
(30:05):
time, calling a friend, beinglike, I'm on antibiotics for
strep throat and they wanna gofor drinks.
What do you think?
Do you think I can have alcohol?
And she's yeah, it's fine.
Holy cow.
No, it's not fine.
It's not fine.
Then you just go, you don'twanna be doing the cycle of
going back on antibiotics overand over again.
So crazy.
(30:26):
Wow.
Even blood pressure medication,there's lots of people taking
blood pressure medication,drinking alcohol.
Guess what it does to your bloodpressure?
It raises it.
But you're taking a bloodpressure medication to lower
your high blood pressure.
Tracey (30:39):
And in saying that, Lynn, I think I could say my
brother was able to get off hisblood pressure medication when
he stopped drinking.
Wow.
That's yeah, like you weresaying, Lynn, I think one of the
things to note is not to say getoff your medication, but you
That's right.
Could, if you deal with certainthings or try certain
(31:00):
alternatives, you coulddefinitely maybe reduce it.
That's right.
So and two.
Is your doctor asking you theright questions or are they just
writing you a prescription?
Yes.
If you are going to your doctorand you have a good doctor, they
shouldn't just write you aprescription.
The second you say you're havinganxiety or depression.
Yes.
They should be asking a lot ofthorough questions to really
(31:22):
qualify you to be on thatmedication.
And if they're not and they'rejust scribbling on their
prescription pad, then you mightwanna think about getting a new
doctor too.
Because they're just filling thepockets of the big pharma
companies.
Yes.
Kelly (31:36):
Yeah.
And they're just trained totreat one thing at a time,
right?
The first time I went to anaturopath, my kids were young,
so I was probably like in myearly thirties and I was really
struggling with anxiety and Ihad gone to my doctor and my
doctor wanted to write aprescription and I was like, ah,
let me see what else I could do.
And I went to a naturopath andthe first thing she asked me
was, What's your sleep like?
(31:58):
What do you eat and how much doyou exercise?
Oh, I was like, yes.
Those are the questions thatneed to be asked.
And it's just a different way oftreating people, right?
Treating patients medical.
Yeah.
Doctors, that's what theybelieve in.
They believe in medicine andnaturopath.
That's natural.
That's whole health.
That's your whole body.
What's going on with the wholesystem.
(32:19):
Yeah, for sure.
That was a big eye opener forme, seeing the difference in
that.
Wow.
Yeah,
Lindsey (32:24):
I think it should be both, there's a time and place
for everything.
I don't think you should bewalking around with strep throat
being like, I'm gonna cure itwith honey and these herbs.
I'm like, no, you're probablynot.
I think you
Kelly (32:34):
need some oregano.
You can trust me.
Oil of oregano.
I haven't taken antibiotics fora long time since I was a kid
and I'm allergic to penicillinnow, because I took so much of
it when I was a child.
So it's not the answer toeverything, but yeah, oil of
oregano is an amazing, naturalantibiotic.
But we're lucky.
We're lucky to live in acountry.
(32:56):
We're lucky to live in a timeYes.
Where we have access to all ofthis stuff.
And.
Yeah, empower yourself.
Look at all of it.
There isn't just one answer toeverything,
Tracey (33:05):
We're bred in society now, to have those quick fixes.
It goes back to the instantgratification, people don't
wanna put the work or energyinto sometimes looking deeper or
looking into differentalternative medicines.
Because they just want thatinstant relief, it's no
(33:26):
different than slugging back acouple drinks to just instantly
have whatever you're trying tocope with go away.
Lindsey (33:33):
I think it can be both too.
Somebody who's walking aroundwith a blood sugar of 20 and is,
not maybe making the righthealthy eating habit choices.
Exercise choices, I think, youhave to get your blood sugar
down and you gotta make ithappen like, Fast.
So to give somebody somethinglike metformin, which is what a
(33:54):
lot of diabetes patients aretaking to decrease your blood
sugar, but while you're workingon your lifestyle.
Because at some point you may beable to just stop taking that
medication cuz you don't evenneed it.
You needed to get your lifestylein check.
But mixing alcohol andmetformin.
Is a huge no-no.
There are a lot of people withdiabetes taking this medication
(34:16):
that are drinking alcohol.
I know a few people and it's youshouldn't be doing that.
Tracey (34:20):
Alcohol is very high in sugar, so if you're diabetic, I
was just gonna say that one, youshouldn't be drinking anyways,
and I would think your doctorwould tell you that one.
I have that conversation.
Hopefully.
Yeah.
Yeah.
Lindsey (34:34):
There's one other medication here.
Blood thinners warfarin is acommon one.
I know when I was practicing inclinical dental hygiene, there
were a lot of patients takingwarfarin who also talked to me
about how much they love redwine, and it's oh geez, like
alcohol's a blood thinner.
But guess what?
So is the medication you'retaking.
So that's really dangerous.
(34:57):
Really dangerous.
Not good.
Yeah.
What else do we have here?
Oh, over the counter cold andflu medications.
Not good to drink with those.
Oh my God.
NyQuil i can't take nyQuil byitself.
oh my God.
We had another guest talkingabout how they drank nl.
Kelly (35:12):
I would drink NyQuil if I didn't drink that night.
If I had a night off or You weresaying that's to help me asleep.
Yeah, that's how I would fallasleep.
Wow.
Lindsey (35:20):
Wow.
Oh my gosh.
Kelly (35:22):
High in alcohol.
Yeah.
That's crazy.
I think it's important girlsthat we chatted about this and
like I said is really good.
Yeah, I
Lindsey (35:31):
think this was a really good topic.
I know we were a little bitnervous because I feel the same
way.
Okay, we're not experts.
We don't want people flushingtheir meds down the toilet being
like, LAF life told me to dothis.
But I think we have, but we haveto like as women too.
It's the three of us girls onthe convo today, on the pod,
that's what this podcast isabout, bringing awareness to
(35:51):
topics like this that might be alittle bit touchy or
controversial, but it's no, wehave to talk about it.
Like I've, I've lived it, right?
I've been the girl takingmedication and drinking.
Oh yeah.
And that's, yeah, and nobody'sjudging.
None of us are judging anybodyelse.
It's still on that path andstill, yeah.
No, you have to, whatever'shappening.
You have to make decisions thatare best for you at the end of
(36:14):
the day.
Yeah.
And if, being on medication, Iknow there are people that feel
strongly about that or it'schanged their lives.
If that's working for you, howabout, or at the end of the day,
everybody has to do what worksbest for them, what makes them
happy and what makes them feelat peace within themselves but
we are just throwing out therethat there are other ways to, or
(36:38):
if you're concerned or you'rethinking about these things,
that definitely, don't be afraidto dig a little deeper or look
at alternatives or look at youroptions.
Mix it up.
Yeah.
Trust your intuition.
Yes.
I love that.
Absolutely.
Just know.
Just be aware that's all this isabout is if you're taking
medication and you are drinking,just be aware of the
(37:01):
interactions that can happenfrom consuming those two things
together, right?
Yeah,
Kelly (37:06):
education.
Just because your doctor's notasking your doctor's not asking
about alcohol and things likethat.
Doesn't mean it's not important.
And that something, oh, badcould happen.
And you know what?
Sometimes the pharmacist is agood resource too.
If something doesn't come up atthe doctor and you're picking up
your prescription, asking thepharmacist what if I drank
alcohol while taking this?
Such a be to tell you too?
(37:28):
Yeah.
Yeah.
Very good point, Kel.
Ask questions.
Never be afraid to askquestions.
It's your body.
Be curious, right?
Yes.
Be curious about everything.
Yeah.
Yeah.
Tracey (37:38):
And at the end of the day, we're all responsible for
our own health, yes.
Regardless of whether you'reseeing an expert or not, once
you walk out that door, you'reresponsible for your health.
If you are concerned aboutsomething or something doesn't
feel right or off, then ask thequestions.
For sure.
Love that.
Lindsey (37:55):
All right.
Thanks everybody for tuning intoday, so appreciate your
support and if you think afriend or somebody that you know
could benefit from listening,please share the episode.
Give us a five star rating thatwould really help us out.
And yeah, we'd love to hear fromyou.
So if you have anything that youwanna share with us, you can
reach us.
On our Instagram at LAF LifePodcast on Facebook in our
(38:19):
support group, LAF Life anduntil next time, keep laughing.
Goodnight.
Bye guys.
Thank you.
Bye.
Read your medication leaflets.
Kelly (38:35):
Thank you for listening.
Please give us a five starrating like and subscribe, share
on social media and tell yourfriends.
We love getting your feedbackand ideas of what you'd like to
hear on upcoming episodes of thelaugh life podcast.
If you yourself are livingalcohol free and want to share
your story here, please reachout.
welcome to the LAF life podcast, a lifestyle podcast
based on living alcohol free anda booze soaked world.
My name is Kelly Evans andtogether with my friends, Tracey
Djordjevic, Mike Sutton andLindsay Harik.
We share uncensored.
Unscripted real conversationsabout what our lives have been
like since we ditched alcoholand how we got here by sharing
(00:25):
our individual stories.
We'll show you that there isn'tjust one way to do this, no
matter where you are on yourjourney from sober, curious to
years in recovery and everyonein between, you are welcome
here, no judgment and a ton ofsupport.
Lindsey (00:42):
Hey everybody.
Welcome back to the LAF Lifepodcast.
We're so happy that you're heretoday.
I've got Tracey Kelly, andmyself.
I'm Lindsay.
Hey everybody.
Kelly (00:53):
Hi.
Hey.
Lindsey (00:55):
We started off with, Thinking that we're gonna talk
about some medications and theireffect with alcohol or 10 types
of medications that youshouldn't mix alcohol with.
I think this is a reallyimportant topic because I think
there are a lot of people.
Taking prescription medications,even over the counter stuff like
(01:18):
Advil and Tylenol and we'redrinking.
We may not even be honest withour family doctor about how much
we're drinking, cuz I know Iused to not be truthful about
that.
And I think this is a reallygood thing to get out on the
table.
Now, keep in mind, we are notdoctors.
(01:40):
We are just gonna have aconversation about it.
We've looked at some, articlesand things online.
So I think I'll preface this bysaying that if you are taking
medication make sure that you'rehaving a chat with your family
doctor if you're drinkingalcohol.
And it's really important to behonest about the amount.
(02:01):
Yeah.
And then Kelly, you sharedsomething in our group chat
about the alcohol companiesfighting.
To, not have to put warninglabels on alcohol bottles, like
cigarette companies have to.
So we can tie this all togethercuz I know for a fact there are
warnings on medication bottlesabout not consuming alcohol with
(02:25):
medications.
Yeah.
Tracey (02:28):
So warning, we are not experts.
We're not medical experts onsubject matter, but we do think
that it's very important tobring to people's attention
because it's pretty scary tothink all the people out there
these days taking we take Advilor Tylenol, so we don't have a
hangover in the morning with ouralcohol.
(02:48):
Let alone all the people thatare taking say, anti-anxiety
medication or antidepressants,all these things that could have
different effects when they mixit with alcohol.
Lindsay said, it's veryimportant.
And I think a lot of people,especially if they're drinking
heavily and they're not reallyready to admit that, or they're
(03:08):
scared to.
Aren't being truthful with theirdoctor about it.
And I think a lot of people justignore those labels even on say
we're talking about antibioticsand it says, don't take alcohol
with this.
How many people have takenantibiotics and still drink?
Yep.
Kelly (03:24):
Oh man.
So I'm curious, do doctors ask,when a doctor prescribes a
medication like this, are theyasking people what the
relationship with alcohol is?
They're just relying on thatsticker.
And my other thing I'm curiousabout is how many people read
that insert that they get?
With their pills.
Lindsey (03:43):
That is a good point.
Such a good point.
Kelly.
Those are two very importantthings.
I'm gonna ask you guys thisquestion because I'm trying to
think about my own personalexperience, but I know that when
my doctor would ask me, how muchare you drinking?
It wasn't even an, are youdrinking alcohol?
It was how much are youdrinking?
I would instantly feel a pang ofanxiety or my stomach drop
(04:06):
because.
I knew, I didn't wanna say Ibinge drink two bottles of red
wine every weekend.
That's embarrassing.
I felt embarrassed about that.
Isn't that a red flag?
Kelly (04:16):
Oh yeah.
I was never honest about that.
Just my annual physical.
I think she used to ask sheknows I don't drink now, but
yeah, she would ask me how manyglasses of wine per week do you
drink?
I'm like, oh, five or six.
Tracey (04:29):
I don't think I ever got asked that question.
Maybe once.
Really?
Depending on, maybe a physicalor something Kel, but like yeah,
I don't remember ever havingthat conversation with my
doctor.
I don't think it was even ever aquestion.
So they're prescribing thesemedications?
Yes.
Okay.
And they're not asking aboutalcohol, but I feel like people
(04:50):
need to be empowered themselvesenough to open that pamphlet and
read it and see that there arerisks.
To drinking while on
Lindsey (04:59):
I have seen, like I see the label on the bottles.
I'm gonna talk as somebody whohas taken and still does take
medicine for anxiety.
I'm gonna say this though too,since quitting alcohol, I've
been able to decrease it by 50%.
Wow.
It's pretty incredible.
But I do see the warning labeland I have read the insert.
(05:20):
I just ignore it.
I just think what, whatever.
It was you, Lindsay, that reallymade me think about this topic
because you brought it up inyour episode.
And I never thought about it,but then I think about it.
I personally am not on that kindof medication, but I have
girlfriends that are Yeah.
And drink pretty heavily.
That's right.
So it was concerning to me whenyou were talking about how you
(05:42):
blacked out and she, every timethose two things are probably
directly correlated.
A hundred percent.
What really concerns me is allthe young girls, when I think
about my daughter's, almost 14,she's gonna be a teenager soon.
Then she's gonna be going off tocollege or university.
And I think about those younggirls, a lot of them being on
(06:03):
these types of medications anddrinking or binge drinking in
college and university andleaving themselves vulnerable to
God knows what, if they'reblacking out or passing out, and
making themselves reallyvulnerable to some really not
good situations.
Hundred percent.
Kelly (06:21):
Thinking if they only drink, two or three beers, that
they're gonna be okay.
But really, if they're takingmedication, it could be.
Yeah.
That's the thing.
And there's a few different waysthat alcohol and medications
interact.
So first of all, when you aredrinking alcohol with
medication, it can actually makeyour medication less effective.
(06:42):
Another way is it can actuallymake your medication toxic to
your body.
Sorry, Lynn, are you talkingabout anxiety medication or like
medications in general?
Lindsey (06:52):
Just medications in general.
Yeah.
And then we can go into thedifferent categories and there
are some things that are writtenabout, generalizations about how
alcohol and some types ofmedications interact.
When you mix alcohol and somemedications, it can actually
make the side effects frommedications worse.
(07:13):
And then it can cause newsymptoms and make you feel ill.
And the last way here is it canmake you actually feel more
tipsy from the alcohol.
And I've experienced that withanti-anxiety medication.
I've experienced the blockingout the way more tipsy,
(07:33):
increased drowsiness.
It can be, yeah.
Really scary.
Tracey (07:38):
I had mentioned to you guys about my dad.
Who was an alcoholic and thathow when his drinking really
increased and became a problemwas when his doctor prescribed
him anti-anxiety medication.
No doubt he was having anxiety,probably partially due to the
amount he was drinking.
(07:59):
And then, he goes to the doctor,gets his prescription for
anti-anxiety medication.
Between the medication and thealcohol, he got to a point
where, With the two mixing.
He didn't know how muchmedication he was taking or how
much booze he was drinking.
Wow.
So when he went to rehab, andthat was his first stint in
rehab?
The rehab clinic actually saidthat he would have a harder time
(08:21):
coming off the anti-anxietymedication based on how much he
was taking.
That it was way more addictivethan the actual alcohol, and
that would be harder for him.
And he was also shocked at theamount that he was being
prescribed by his doctor basedon the fact that his doctor must
have had some awareness of hisdrinking.
(08:42):
Whoa.
So that was a very eye-openingexperience too.
And then it just clicked to mewhen you started telling your
story about the medication andthe alcohol when you were
drinking, but yeah, it's prettyscary.
Really scary.
Wow.
Wow.
Lindsey (09:00):
There's something I read online too.
This is really scary.
Women have higher blood alcohollevels than men after drinking
the same amount of alcohol.
And I think I'd have to, I don'tknow, look this up, but I think
that women, there's a higherpercentage of women taking
(09:22):
anti-anxiety and depressionmedication Yep.
Than men.
So if your blood alcohol is highand then there's a good chance
that, women are taking thesemedications man, it's just scary
and I don't know what it's doingto the inside of your body.
Okay, you can experience, all ofthese symptoms and heightened
(09:44):
side effects and all this kindof stuff, but man, over time
that must just
Tracey (09:48):
like, Medication is hard on your liver as it is.
Yeah.
And so is alcohol.
So it's like you're giving yourliver alone a double whammy.
Like you said, what kind ofextra problems could it
potentially be creating for you,if it is basically canceling out
the effects of your medication.
(10:09):
Then it could actually beincreasing any of the symptoms
or problems you're having,especially anxiety.
Yeah.
That is pretty scary to thinkabout.
You're a good example Lynn, likeyou said, when you stopped
drinking, you actually were ableto cut down on your medication.
Lindsey (10:24):
Oh, yeah.
It's crazy.
So it's almost like we'redrinking, we're causing symptoms
of anxiety that we're taking themedication for, but then we have
to take higher doses of thismedication to manage the
symptoms caused by drinking, andthen it just keeps rinse and
repeat.
Tracey (10:38):
It's like a cycle, right?
That's same thing happened to mydad.
The more he was taking theantianxiety medication, the more
he drank and then the more heneeded the medication.
So crazy.
It's like a vicious cycle.
And then that kind of goes intowhat Kelly wanted to talk about
with the not putting warninglabels on alcohol and just yeah.
Kelly (10:59):
First I just wanna say everybody looks at the
depression and anxiety as achemical imbalance, and you guys
are talking about, what this isdoing to your body, what alcohol
is doing to your body.
But the chemical imbalance, it'snot in the brain, it's in the
gut.
So I'll read you something here.
Many people think depression andanxiety as a chemical imbalance
(11:20):
in the brain, but thesechemicals are created in the
gut, not the brain.
In fact, more than 30 differentneurotransmitters and nearly 90%
of your body, serotonin, thefeelgood hormone come from your
gut.
So what you're digesting,medication, food, alcohol.
That's affecting your brainchemistry.
(11:42):
What we think of as a chemicalimbalance that we need to take a
pill for.
What if we, we talked about inthe last episode about being in
nature.
That changes your chemistry.
The food that you eat changesyour chemistry.
Obviously the alcohol iscompletely destroying our guts.
But a hundred percent.
That's something important to meto mention on this episode
(12:02):
because I think I'm reallycommitted to helping people feel
empowered.
And we talked even at thebeginning of before we started
recording here about do peopleeven read all the papers that
come, drugs, so that's sodisempowering just to start
putting something in your bodyand you don't even know anything
about it.
Knowing how this happens.
(12:23):
Like how do I get anxiety, howdo I get depression?
It's what you're consuming, inyour energy field and what
you're ingesting in your body.
It could, make a world ofdifference if you just made
those changes instead of,obviously drinking and even this
medication that everybody'staking, so there's other options
(12:45):
that you wanted me to read thisother post?
Just to finish that there, Kel,I was gonna say, if not anything
else bringing up this subject.
Hopefully people start to lookat those labels, start to read
those pamphlets.
Yes.
Like we said, we're not theexperts, but maybe this is
bringing some sort of awarenessto make people a little more
(13:06):
conscientious about.
Exactly what you said, whatthey're putting in their body
and making sure that what theyare taking, they're not mixing
with things that they shouldn'tbe.
That includes food
Lindsey (13:17):
Yeah.
And that's take ownership too,like advocate for your own self.
Don't just rely on your doctor.
No.
Kelly (13:25):
Thank you for saying that.
Lindsey (13:26):
Yeah okay.
Yeah.
There's a time and place formedicine.
There's a lot of things and alot of advances and it's really
helpful to people, but alsothere's some new things coming
out.
That the whole chemicalimbalance thing isn't even a
thing.
Drug companies need to sell youon the chemical imbalance.
(13:47):
Yeah, I was gonna say, speak ofthat.
Don't forget this, if they sellmedications, right?
Kelly (13:50):
This is about money.
It's my business.
Every time your doctor gets thatlittle pad out, they're making
more money.
Just remember that.
But I love what you said.
That's what I was leading intoKel.
Yeah.
That's what I was gonna leadinto because it led into your
topic when I was Yeah.
Saying Now you know, you should.
Talk about the posts that yousaw, because I think those two
(14:11):
things are connected.
It's about the big giants makingthe money, right?
Yeah.
Lindsey (14:16):
Yeah.
Big.
Not to say throw them away.
If you're taking medication,don't just stop taking it.
Don't down the toilet, butthat's right.
Kelly (14:25):
Do some mood and trust your gut.
Your gut, like your intuition.
We talk about our intuition allthe time on this podcast, which
I love, but trust yourintuition, what's best for you?
Don't blindly trust somebodyjust because they went to school
and they believe in medicine.
There's bingo, so many otherthings that change your
chemistry.
Aw, yeah.
(14:46):
Okay, so I love this guy.
This James Swanwick is his name,and he's just putting out all
these real truth bombs onInstagram lately, and keeps them
really simple and he's just agood one to follow, I think.
But he says alcohol companiesare involved in a multi-billion
dollar coverup, fighting to keepcancer warnings off its labels.
(15:07):
They don't want drinking tobecome the new smoking as the
number of cigarette smokers hasplummeted in recent decades.
Did you know that cigarette adsused to say things like, more
doctors smoke camels than anyother cigarette?
As crazy as that seems today, weget bombarded with the message
that alcohol is relaxing andthat in moderation it might even
(15:29):
be good for you.
This is clearly untrue as recentstudies indicate even one
seemingly innocent drink a daycan cause brain degeneration.
So that would be like a dreamcome true for me.
Yes.
To see those labels of Yeah.
Show a brain, like what did wesee?
And I did still smoke when theycame out with those labels.
(15:50):
I hated seeing them.
The lungs and all black lungswhat if the bottle of wine like
that I used to think looked soclassy, I loved like looking at
the labels and stuff like that.
What if it had a big old pictureof a brain that was
deteriorating or somebody in ahospital bed dying of cancer or
alcohol abuse?
I know somebody that died fromalcohol that was 45 years old.
Lindsey (16:15):
That should have never happened ever.
So what do you guys think?
Do you think we'll ever seethese labels?
I think so.
I really think, we'll, I thinkit's gonna be a fight.
I think we're still, it's gonnabe years, I think.
I don't think it's somethingthat's gonna happen overnight,
but I really do think that wewill see them and they should be
there.
It's crazy.
It's crazy that they're not,
Kelly (16:37):
It's still, it's a lot of money.
There's a lot of money in thatbig alcohol.
We've said that's pretty muchthe beginning of the podcast,
that we felt like alcohol wasgonna become the next
cigarettes.
We said that it's trending thatway.
We're starting to become moreand more aware of the effects it
has on your brain and on yourbody, and how it doesn't have
(16:58):
any health benefits and it'sreally a poison.
So as People still smoke, right?
Absolutely.
And there's these absolutelywarnings only, He's saying that
the number of smokers havedecreased?
Yes.
The alcohol companies arefighting this because the number
of people that are drinking willeventually decrease of course,
too.
And then there's a hugefinancial loss for the alcohol
companies.
Tracey (17:17):
But I think it, it will be the same.
Thing as cigarettes.
Eventually I'm sure it didn'thappen overnight with cigarettes
either getting those labels outthere.
So it won't happen overnightwith alcohol.
But I think we'll get there.
I think we'll get to a pointwhere they don't have a choice,
that the evidence will be toostrong against it and they'll
have to do it.
And then, yeah, then it's gonnacome down to the same as a
(17:39):
smoker.
It's gonna be your choice,right?
Those risks, if you wanna takethem, you'll keep drinking.
If you don't, then you won't.
Yeah.
Yeah.
I guess I just still find itsurprising with all the new
studies that are out there and,there's no safe amount of
alcohol.
Seeing people that are healthconscious still.
Posting pictures of their boozeor still drinking regularly.
(18:01):
It surprises me.
Yeah.
But I think that people arestill just in denial.
I think they don't want tobelieve that.
I've tried to have theseconversations with people.
Just in passing cuz I don'twanna preach and I'm not judging
just to, bring awareness becauseI've learned so much since I
(18:21):
quit drinking.
And I've just try to share someof that knowledge sometimes and
it's like people tune out orthey don't wanna listen or they
think, oh yeah, but like one ortwo here and there is not a big
deal.
They still wanna go with that orbelieve that because, but
Kelly (18:39):
it's gotta eat away at you.
Because I remember, when Irealized, so I realized I had
gout in June.
So that was June, 2017.
I'm laughing, but it's not funnybecause it's always embarrassing
for me to say that.
But anyway so I was in denial,but only until February.
Seven months, but it was thatonce I know something, I can't
(19:03):
unknow it.
Once I knew that was starting tomake my health deteriorate.
That ate away at me and I alwayshad taken my health seriously.
So that's why I say I'msurprised to see the health
conscious people.
Yeah.
Because some people don't care.
They're like, everything inmoderation.
You're gonna die one day Yolo,whatever.
Yeah.
Which is amazing.
It's not, I don't think it'sfine.
(19:23):
I wish everybody had a healthy,happy, long life, but, it's the
health conscious people still,posting the pictures and binge
drinking on the weekends.
It still surprises me.
Tracey (19:33):
Yeah.
There's still yoga studios andstuff like that.
Offering, serving it alcohol.
Yeah.
Lindsey (19:38):
Yoga and wine events, or, I
Kelly (19:40):
love sending the message.
I send the messages, I send themhappy, friendly messages sending
with love.
Yeah.
But good for you.
It's a total that's the word.
It's escaping me right now.
Contradiction.
It is, yeah.
Yeah.
Crazy.
Yeah.
That's what I was saying earliertoo, about taking antibiotics
(20:01):
and drinking.
Lindsey (20:02):
Even things like pain medication.
How many people have taken Advilor Motrin, Naproxen, which is
Alieve, right?
Or Tylenol Acetaminophen.
So if you're taking like Adviland you're consuming alcohol,
the combination can increaseyour risk of stomach ulcers and
(20:25):
stomach bleeding, right?
And with Tylenol.
Tylenol is actually processedthrough your liver.
So when you drink alcohol andyou're taking Tylenol, we should
never take those two together.
I've actually seen people takeTylenol and wash it down with
wine, so they don't, but
Kelly (20:41):
that could cause and that could cause liver damage.
Do all that shit.
Yeah.
Cause liver damage.
All of them.
I used to take Naproxin almostevery day.
I took Naproxin cuz Tylenolwasn't enough for me.
My hangovers were so bad.
Headaches were so bad.
Yeah.
But yeah and Pepto, like allthat shit, every day, every
Lindsey (21:01):
Opioids and alcohol are not it's a bad combination.
And there's a lot of people whoare.
Taking opioids, whether they'represcription or not, and
drinking alcohol, right?
It's not,
Tracey (21:13):
but it goes back to that vicious addiction cycle, and
then one just perpetuates theother.
We've had a couple guests thattalked about, doing cocaine and
drinking.
Yes.
Because crazy, then they coulddrink more, right?
Yeah.
And a lot of people do.
They take those other drugs tostraighten themselves out, even
plot.
Even mixing pot and alcohol.
(21:33):
Yeah.
It's not good.
Some people utilize that tostraighten themselves out or ha
have it so that the alcoholdoesn't affect them as much, or
so they can drink more.
How many people are takingsleeping pills?
Or is another scary thing too.
And those people are alsodrinking alcohol, sleeping pills
and anxiety medications.
(21:54):
So like ambient Xanax.
Ativan.
Lorazepam.
But those things, when you putthem together are a complete
contradiction.
Of course they are like, it'slike we're taking
antidepressants, but then we'retaking a depressant alcohol.
I know.
I guess people just don't thinkabout it as a depressant.
They see all the messages we getand they're like, oh yeah,
(22:14):
that's just like what we do.
We just, it's Friday night.
Nobody's thinking it's gonnamake them depressed or anxious
the next day.
No cuz you're right.
It goes back to the messaging,Kel goes back to the messaging
that we're getting.
That, it's, oh, it's a reward.
Oh, it helps stress.
Oh, it helps you, right?
All this stuff.
(22:35):
Oh, there's health benefits.
No.
None of those all
Kelly (22:39):
brutal.
Yeah.
Yeah.
And then there's theantidepressant medication and
the antipsychotic medication,right?
Amitriptyline is a very commonantidepressant.
And when you drink alcohol withamitriptyline can lead to
extreme dizziness and it'sdocumented.
(23:00):
Blackouts, that's can be a sideeffect of mixing alcohol with
that medication.
Or if you're taking somethinglike Zoloft and you drink
alcohol, it's documented thatyou'll have worsened feelings of
depression.
Oh my gosh.
Which is where you're taking themedication for depression in the
first place, right?
Yeah.
So some of the other sideeffects of mixing medication
(23:23):
like that and alcohol isdrowsiness, dizziness.
Problems with movement, liverdamage, and just serious heart
effects.
It's crazy scary.
Tracey (23:35):
Yeah.
And it makes me wonder or think,I know, know, is this actually
what these big pharmaceuticaland alcohol companies are doing?
Are they, it's almost likeThey're collaborating, they're
working together.
Yes.
Yeah.
To create.
Yeah.
And sell more of this stuff.
Yeah, like almost hand in hand.
Lindsey (23:55):
Oh man.
Even A D H D A D H D is a hugething.
It's a huge hot topic right nowand I know there are people
taking a D H D medications, twothat are well known, or Adderall
and Ritalin, but mixing thesemedications.
It's the same poorconcentration.
If you have ADHD and you'retaking a medication for adhd.
(24:15):
And you're mixing it withalcohol.
One of the side effects is poorconcentration.
But what, like that's why you'retaking the medication.
Dizziness, drowsiness.
Like a never ending cycle.
I know.
Oh, it's, people take Adderallto party.
That's other,
Kelly (24:28):
yeah.
There's a reason why we're sohave no attention span.
And my attention span is small,but it's look at what we're.
Spending our time doing yeah.
The reels and the tos and stufflike that.
That's what's causing all this.
Nobody's just sitting withthemselves and breathing and, or
just being with the person nextto the constant stimulation.
Constant, yeah.
(24:48):
Constant stimulation.
Yeah.
Tracey (24:50):
And that instant gratification, the dopamine hit.
Kelly (24:53):
Yes.
Yeah.
Yes.
Yeah.
So I think we did this onanother episode with the natural
dopamine.
And stuff like that.
That's that self-empoweringthing too.
Is finding the substitutions orfinding out why, why am I like
this?
Why am I depressed?
Why do I have anxiety?
I am a huge advocate on therapy.
Huge.
There's a root, there's a rootproblem.
(25:16):
It a prescription doesn't.
Solve that.
Yeah.
A bottle of wine doesn't solvethat.
If there's a root problem thatyou can heal and it can be
healed forever.
Love.
Tracey (25:26):
I wanna throw something else that I heard on a podcast
today, from someone that was aformer addict and they were
talking about going back tosocietal stereotypes and how
we're raised to believe thesecertain things.
And these stigmas for femalesversus males.
And they're talking about, whenmen grow up and they're told
(25:48):
right away, they're not allowedto cry.
It's not acceptable for them tocry, and girls aren't allowed to
say no to everything, right?
They're breed to be these peoplepleasers.
And they were talking about howwhen, girls are young, We're
free spirits, we're likespeaking our mind.
We're farting and burping justlike boys are.
(26:08):
And then all of a sudden we getto adolescents and then those
things aren't accepted anymoreand aren't proper.
So then we have to, basicallysuppress ourselves.
And the message was, and Ithought about this and I wrote
something down about it, ifwe're never allowed to be, seen
(26:28):
as whole.
Then there'll always parts ofourselves we're trying to fill,
and that's where addiction isborn.
Kelly (26:37):
Ugh, Tracy.
Okay, say that again.
If we're never, if we're neverallowed to be whole, then
they'll always be parts ofourselves that we are trying to
fill.
And that's where addiction isborn.
Oh my God, that really speaks tome.
Wow.
Yeah.
(26:58):
Yeah.
That's really good.
What podcast was that?
It was actually, did you guysever listen to Armchair Expert?
Yeah.
Yeah.
Lindsey (27:08):
So it was Jane, she,
Tracey (27:11):
Jane guest and that's what she, I actually, I will
send it to you guys.
I highly recommend that episode.
She is amazing.
She is.
Doesn't she quit drinking justrecently?
She wasn't speaking to drinking,she was talking about her eating
disorder actually.
And Wow.
Then, Dax Shepherd is arecovering addict too.
But yeah, she is like aninspiration for women.
(27:35):
Oh yeah.
I think I would send thatepisode to any woman out there.
Okay.
I'm gonna listen to She's a veryinspiring woman.
Yeah.
That's amazing.
Lindsey (27:44):
Yeah.
So I thought that
Kelly (27:45):
was so true.
Yeah, that's really good.
Good.
Yeah.
Get to the root.
And that's, yeah.
That's what I saw when, in 2020when I read Glennon Doyle
Untamed.
I'm like, that's exactly what Isaw.
I'm like, holy shit.
The theme of my childhood wassuppression, and that's exactly
what my story is.
Yeah.
(28:06):
Thanks for reading that.
That's the thing.
We're not getting to the rootinstead of getting to the root.
It's no different than okay, soyou're trying to solve it with
alcohol.
It's same with the prescriptionmedication, right?
It's here's just anotherband-aid solution.
Oh, you feel this way?
Just take this drug and youwon't feel it anymore.
So people get really triggeredby stuff like this, that's why I
(28:28):
sometimes hesitate to say thesethings because it Absolutely and
not that we're encouraging, likeLindsay had mentioned earlier,
just throwing your medication,there's people that legitimately
need it.
Absolutely.
For sure.
For sure.
We're not undermining that, but,have you looked at other
options?
Exactly, yeah.
(28:48):
Other ways.
And the root, have you gotten tothe root?
That's exactly what I was gonnaget at.
It's like you can't just take apill and I think that's what us
as a society, we're like, all wedo is we go to a doctor if we're
feeling sad or anxious, or if wehave blood pressure problems or
diabetes, you go to the doctorand they give you the
medication.
And that's it.
But it's no.
(29:09):
Yeah.
And then you're on it for life.
For life.
And I saw this Me too.
So every prescription drug has aside effect.
Yeah.
And every side effect istreatable with a prescription
drug.
Lindsey (29:21):
Yeah.
But it's like you've gotta do.
Some work there, with yourhealth, you've gotta take
accountability.
Try some therapy, try somebreath work, try some exercise,
try getting outside in the sun,and try, not drinking alcohol
and you may be able to reduceyour medicine, monitored by a
doctor, right?
That's how many people havetaken antibiotics and had drinks
(29:43):
while they were on antibiotics?
I know I have.
And that's a huge no-no.
Some antibiotics already comewith side effects of nausea,
vomiting, diarrhea.
But then, Alcohol can worsenthose effects, but it can also
lead to heart problems and liverdamage when you're taking those
things.
I remember in my drinking days,when I met my ex for the first
(30:05):
time, calling a friend, beinglike, I'm on antibiotics for
strep throat and they wanna gofor drinks.
What do you think?
Do you think I can have alcohol?
And she's yeah, it's fine.
Holy cow.
No, it's not fine.
It's not fine.
Then you just go, you don'twanna be doing the cycle of
going back on antibiotics overand over again.
So crazy.
(30:26):
Wow.
Even blood pressure medication,there's lots of people taking
blood pressure medication,drinking alcohol.
Guess what it does to your bloodpressure?
It raises it.
But you're taking a bloodpressure medication to lower
your high blood pressure.
Tracey (30:39):
And in saying that, Lynn, I think I could say my
brother was able to get off hisblood pressure medication when
he stopped drinking.
Wow.
That's yeah, like you weresaying, Lynn, I think one of the
things to note is not to say getoff your medication, but you
That's right.
Could, if you deal with certainthings or try certain
(31:00):
alternatives, you coulddefinitely maybe reduce it.
That's right.
So and two.
Is your doctor asking you theright questions or are they just
writing you a prescription?
Yes.
If you are going to your doctorand you have a good doctor, they
shouldn't just write you aprescription.
The second you say you're havinganxiety or depression.
Yes.
They should be asking a lot ofthorough questions to really
(31:22):
qualify you to be on thatmedication.
And if they're not and they'rejust scribbling on their
prescription pad, then you mightwanna think about getting a new
doctor too.
Because they're just filling thepockets of the big pharma
companies.
Yes.
Kelly (31:36):
Yeah.
And they're just trained totreat one thing at a time,
right?
The first time I went to anaturopath, my kids were young,
so I was probably like in myearly thirties and I was really
struggling with anxiety and Ihad gone to my doctor and my
doctor wanted to write aprescription and I was like, ah,
let me see what else I could do.
And I went to a naturopath andthe first thing she asked me
was, What's your sleep like?
(31:58):
What do you eat and how much doyou exercise?
Oh, I was like, yes.
Those are the questions thatneed to be asked.
And it's just a different way oftreating people, right?
Treating patients medical.
Yeah.
Doctors, that's what theybelieve in.
They believe in medicine andnaturopath.
That's natural.
That's whole health.
That's your whole body.
What's going on with the wholesystem.
(32:19):
Yeah, for sure.
That was a big eye opener forme, seeing the difference in
that.
Wow.
Yeah,
Lindsey (32:24):
I think it should be both, there's a time and place
for everything.
I don't think you should bewalking around with strep throat
being like, I'm gonna cure itwith honey and these herbs.
I'm like, no, you're probablynot.
I think you
Kelly (32:34):
need some oregano.
You can trust me.
Oil of oregano.
I haven't taken antibiotics fora long time since I was a kid
and I'm allergic to penicillinnow, because I took so much of
it when I was a child.
So it's not the answer toeverything, but yeah, oil of
oregano is an amazing, naturalantibiotic.
But we're lucky.
We're lucky to live in acountry.
(32:56):
We're lucky to live in a timeYes.
Where we have access to all ofthis stuff.
And.
Yeah, empower yourself.
Look at all of it.
There isn't just one answer toeverything,
Tracey (33:05):
We're bred in society now, to have those quick fixes.
It goes back to the instantgratification, people don't
wanna put the work or energyinto sometimes looking deeper or
looking into differentalternative medicines.
Because they just want thatinstant relief, it's no
(33:26):
different than slugging back acouple drinks to just instantly
have whatever you're trying tocope with go away.
Lindsey (33:33):
I think it can be both too.
Somebody who's walking aroundwith a blood sugar of 20 and is,
not maybe making the righthealthy eating habit choices.
Exercise choices, I think, youhave to get your blood sugar
down and you gotta make ithappen like, Fast.
So to give somebody somethinglike metformin, which is what a
(33:54):
lot of diabetes patients aretaking to decrease your blood
sugar, but while you're workingon your lifestyle.
Because at some point you may beable to just stop taking that
medication cuz you don't evenneed it.
You needed to get your lifestylein check.
But mixing alcohol andmetformin.
Is a huge no-no.
There are a lot of people withdiabetes taking this medication
(34:16):
that are drinking alcohol.
I know a few people and it's youshouldn't be doing that.
Tracey (34:20):
Alcohol is very high in sugar, so if you're diabetic, I
was just gonna say that one, youshouldn't be drinking anyways,
and I would think your doctorwould tell you that one.
I have that conversation.
Hopefully.
Yeah.
Yeah.
Lindsey (34:34):
There's one other medication here.
Blood thinners warfarin is acommon one.
I know when I was practicing inclinical dental hygiene, there
were a lot of patients takingwarfarin who also talked to me
about how much they love redwine, and it's oh geez, like
alcohol's a blood thinner.
But guess what?
So is the medication you'retaking.
So that's really dangerous.
(34:57):
Really dangerous.
Not good.
Yeah.
What else do we have here?
Oh, over the counter cold andflu medications.
Not good to drink with those.
Oh my God.
NyQuil i can't take nyQuil byitself.
oh my God.
We had another guest talkingabout how they drank nl.
Kelly (35:12):
I would drink NyQuil if I didn't drink that night.
If I had a night off or You weresaying that's to help me asleep.
Yeah, that's how I would fallasleep.
Wow.
Lindsey (35:20):
Wow.
Oh my gosh.
Kelly (35:22):
High in alcohol.
Yeah.
That's crazy.
I think it's important girlsthat we chatted about this and
like I said is really good.
Yeah, I
Lindsey (35:31):
think this was a really good topic.
I know we were a little bitnervous because I feel the same
way.
Okay, we're not experts.
We don't want people flushingtheir meds down the toilet being
like, LAF life told me to dothis.
But I think we have, but we haveto like as women too.
It's the three of us girls onthe convo today, on the pod,
that's what this podcast isabout, bringing awareness to
(35:51):
topics like this that might be alittle bit touchy or
controversial, but it's no, wehave to talk about it.
Like I've, I've lived it, right?
I've been the girl takingmedication and drinking.
Oh yeah.
And that's, yeah, and nobody'sjudging.
None of us are judging anybodyelse.
It's still on that path andstill, yeah.
No, you have to, whatever'shappening.
You have to make decisions thatare best for you at the end of
(36:14):
the day.
Yeah.
And if, being on medication, Iknow there are people that feel
strongly about that or it'schanged their lives.
If that's working for you, howabout, or at the end of the day,
everybody has to do what worksbest for them, what makes them
happy and what makes them feelat peace within themselves but
we are just throwing out therethat there are other ways to, or
(36:38):
if you're concerned or you'rethinking about these things,
that definitely, don't be afraidto dig a little deeper or look
at alternatives or look at youroptions.
Mix it up.
Yeah.
Trust your intuition.
Yes.
I love that.
Absolutely.
Just know.
Just be aware that's all this isabout is if you're taking
medication and you are drinking,just be aware of the
(37:01):
interactions that can happenfrom consuming those two things
together, right?
Yeah,
Kelly (37:06):
education.
Just because your doctor's notasking your doctor's not asking
about alcohol and things likethat.
Doesn't mean it's not important.
And that something, oh, badcould happen.
And you know what?
Sometimes the pharmacist is agood resource too.
If something doesn't come up atthe doctor and you're picking up
your prescription, asking thepharmacist what if I drank
alcohol while taking this?
Such a be to tell you too?
(37:28):
Yeah.
Yeah.
Very good point, Kel.
Ask questions.
Never be afraid to askquestions.
It's your body.
Be curious, right?
Yes.
Be curious about everything.
Yeah.
Yeah.
Tracey (37:38):
And at the end of the day, we're all responsible for
our own health, yes.
Regardless of whether you'reseeing an expert or not, once
you walk out that door, you'reresponsible for your health.
If you are concerned aboutsomething or something doesn't
feel right or off, then ask thequestions.
For sure.
Love that.
Lindsey (37:55):
All right.
Thanks everybody for tuning intoday, so appreciate your
support and if you think afriend or somebody that you know
could benefit from listening,please share the episode.
Give us a five star rating thatwould really help us out.
And yeah, we'd love to hear fromyou.
So if you have anything that youwanna share with us, you can
reach us.
On our Instagram at LAF LifePodcast on Facebook in our
(38:19):
support group, LAF Life anduntil next time, keep laughing.
Goodnight.
Bye guys.
Thank you.
Bye.
Read your medication leaflets.
Kelly (38:35):
Thank you for listening.
Please give us a five starrating like and subscribe, share
on social media and tell yourfriends.
We love getting your feedbackand ideas of what you'd like to
hear on upcoming episodes of thelaugh life podcast.
If you yourself are livingalcohol free and want to share
your story here, please reachout.
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