CAN I TAKE PROZAC IF I’M ALCOHOLIC AND HAVE LIVER DISEASE?
Because Prozac is metabolized principally by the liver, depressed or alcoholic patients with liver disfunction should be given either a lower dose of Prozac (or any other SSRI antidepressant) or none at all. A liver that is already overtaxed will take significantly more time to metabolize the drug. Regular monitoring of liver funtioning is necessary. Researchers have discovered that patients with normal livers require no more than three days before the amount of Prozac in the body diminishes to one-half, while patients with cirrhosis of the liver need over a week—7.6 days—to reach the same point. In addition, the study found that Prozac’s metabolite, norfluoxetine, also took several days longer to be flushed out of the system when liver disease was present.
What about marijuana, cocaine, LSD, or other similar drugs? These illegally obtained mood-altering drugs are all completely contraindicated for patients taking Prozac—and this would be true even if they were legal. Taken with or without Prozac, these drugs can cause uncontrolled highs, severe depression, and psychotic states in some people. For patients already prone to these reactions, the risk is high if an antidepressant drug like Prozac is added.
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