Mixing Mysoline and Alcohol: Side Effects, Interactions and Blackouts

Mysoline is a brand-name prescription barbiturate drug. It is also sold in a generic form by the name of primidone. Mysoline is prescribed to treat epilepsy and to help manage seizures. Mysoline can also be described as an anticonvulsant and sedative-hypnotic drug. Barbiturates are no longer commonly prescribed because of the risks of addiction, dependence and overdose that are associated with this drug class. While they used to be frequently prescribed to treat a variety of other conditions, they are mostly only used to treat seizures and tremor disorders today.

Mysoline has some negative side effects. Some are relatively mild, such as dizziness and drowsiness. However, others can be more severe. People who take Mysoline are warned of the potential for suicidal thoughts or actions even though they are rare symptoms. When someone is prescribed Mysoline, they should let their doctor know if they have any new or worsening suicidal thoughts, anxiety, agitation or panic attacks. Other things to watch out for include aggressiveness or violence, irritability, anger and unusual mood or behavior changes, in general.

Overall, Mysoline has sedative effects. People who use the drug may feel not only drowsy but also euphoric or very relaxed. This is especially true for people who use Mysoline recreationally. Those feelings contribute to the addiction element of Mysoline and other barbiturates. Mysoline is a central nervous system depressant, so it creates a slowdown in the brain and the rest of the body. People who use Mysoline may have slowed thinking and movement, but these effects often go away in people who are prescribed the drug and take it for a short time.

There are different reasons that a person might mix alcohol and Mysoline. In many cases, the combination is accidental or inadvertent. Some people, on the other hand, mix the substances intentionally as a way to feel more intoxicated. Mysoline and alcohol are a dangerous mix. Alcohol has adverse interactions with a lot of types of prescription medications, including barbiturates. In the long term, there can be adverse physical health effects associated with mixing alcohol and Mysoline, including liver damage, damage to the central nervous system, and respiratory and cardiac damage.

There are short-term risks as well.  Alcohol is a central nervous system depressant just like Mysoline. If someone mixes these two substances at the same time, they will usually be very intoxicated. A person may slur their speech, lose control over their muscles and movements, have coordination problems, have memory impairment or lose consciousness. People who mix alcohol and Mysoline may also experience short-term memory loss, which is often called a blackout. Mixing alcohol and Mysoline can put a person at a high risk of being in a dangerous situation.

There’s also an increased risk of becoming addicted or dependent on one or both of these substances. People who mix substances like alcohol and prescription depressants may develop a polysubstance addiction. This condition makes treatment more complex. It can also make detox more difficult because the withdrawal symptoms for both alcohol and Mysoline are severe and must be carefully managed. For example, seizures are a side effect of withdrawal from both alcohol and Mysoline. Having a physical dependence on both substances can even be fatal for some people.

Beyond the risks of dependence, addiction or severe withdrawal symptoms, there is something else to consider when mixing alcohol and Mysoline: an overdose. An overdose occurs when someone consumes a toxic amount of a substance. This can include illegal drugs or prescription drugs. It overwhelms the body and a person can slip into a coma, suffer brain damage or ultimately die. Both alcohol and Mysoline are central nervous system depressants. This means that both substances depress breathing and the heart rate. When alcohol and Mysoline are used together, respiratory depression can be so severe that a person suffers an overdose. With barbiturates, there is already such a high level of toxicity that this risk is very significant. The interaction can cause everything from extreme intoxication to a fatal overdose.

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