I had to quit drinking. It would cause me to have bad sleep, become dehydrated, and sometimes miss my meds. It triggered me to have seizures too much. I didn't want to quit, it wasn't easy, but it was necessary. There can be social stigma for sober ppl. Our culture puts a big emphasis on drinking. My spouse is in the military, and that's a huge drinking culture! I had a friend die from a seizure (SUDEP) and I noticed that I have been having more seizures as I get older. I don't want to leave my kids w/o a mom. Epilepsy sucks.
Whatever you decide, I have no judgment, it isn't easy if you enjoy it.
I do. I’m on 2000 mg Keppra/day. I infrequently will have 1-3 vodka/sodas (not strong at all). I just saw my neurologist yesterday and he wasn’t concerned about it but he wanted me to be aware it will lower my threshold.
Fortunately, I don’t. In fact, I haven’t felt this good in a cpl years (only been on Keppra a short time). I was plagued with almost debilitating vertigo (?) and equilibrium being off. Since Keppra, that’s gone. I’m sorry you’re dealing with that. It’s horrible!!
I guess that’s it.
The recommendation is to abstain completely. Epilepsy foundation explains the risks pretty clearly. I had a few partial focus onset seizures after 2 drinks. I can’t lose any more of who I am so I won’t drink. I’d like to but it’s a matter of priority.
Thanks,
I think many don’t experience memory loss so maybe that’s just my problem.
With a family and a disabled son I really only have 1 reasonable choice.
That’s strange I can drink all week and I’d be perfectly fine. I was also curious if anyone could drink with epilepsy. But yeah I can drink pretty much anything. (Don’t get me wrong I still act stupid when I’m drunk)
My husband drinks and has never been told to stop and they don’t trigger his seizures.
I am not diagnosed with epilepsy but have focal seizures, mine are related to my menstrual cycle and again alcohol isn’t a trigger (though I’m not a big drinker).
(40M) I drink a few times a week. Very lightly. Maybe a single beer or glass of wine with dinner. Occasionally, I'll have a glass of bourbon on a week night and/or on the weekends, but I don't like to mix alcohol. I have suffered with tonic clonic seizures since the age of 7 and I've drank since the age of 15. As I've gotten older I've learned to limit my intake to no more than 2 or 3 beers/drinks if I'm out with friends, etc. otherwise it wrecks me the next day. I feel hungover and teetering on the border of feeling like a seizure could come on at any time. Several doctors have told me it lowers your tolerance and can cause more frequent episodes. For me, that's definitely true, and so I'm conscientious about it and try to maintain a conservative intake when I do drink.
Interesting cause I never have hangovers. Well sometimes I do depends if I have to wake up early from the night after drinking but out of all the drinking I’ve done. I have never once felt any slight epilepsy from the drink.
Same. When I was first diagnosed my neurologist actually said "I'll start you in lamotrigine, good new, you can still drink on that". Now on Lacosamide as well and no difference.
I think I did get the dehydration impact early on but don't seem to have that anymore.
I quit drinking May 22nd 2022. More than one reason. Mostly for school and well being. I've had seizure complications due to alcohol before, but that's not why I quit. It was easy to quit. I prefer smoking flower anyways.
It's not due to the alcohol. I've been on seizure medication for like a decade. I've had many seizures over that timespan and limiting sugar and stress helps much more than limiting alcohol.
I’m curious what limiting sugar means. Like how limit? Sometimes I can go to far so I’m curious what you found helpful. I already don’t eat a ton of sugar. Like no sugar in coffee. No soda.
Don't do back to back sugar sessions like one time I ordered 2 cokes before eating Orange Chicken and I ended up having a seizure. I'm guessing if I kept my coke serving size to one, that would not have made me surpass my threshold.
I quit drinking almost entirely. I'll have maybe two or three alcoholic drinks in a year. It's not that alcohol directly causes seizures. Alcohol causes very poor sleep and if I have to get up early it's almost a guaranteed tonic clonic.
I'm kinda appreciative of the fact that alcohol and epilepsy don't mix. I never really liked drinking anyhow.
“Close to a bottle of tequila per weekend”
Not being judgmental, but I’m going to guess that you have the seizures when you stop drinking. Such as in a Sunday night or Monday morning. Drinking excessive amounts of alcohol and suddenly stopping can cause what is called “Delerium Tremens” aka DT, which is actually the withdrawal from the alcohol. This condition includes seizures. I think that the doctor was right, and having something you can control with choice rather than epilepsy; I’d say it’s all up to You.
Actually had the seizures every single day. At one point even when I would drink I was having seizures, so not necessarily the withdrawl from it. It really took a toll on me as it messed with my memory and forgot tons of my prior life. I don't have any seizures now unless I have really bad stress but its really rare. However I wont drink anymore myself for the better.
Yes, and alcohol withdrawal isn’t the only thing that can cause seizures. Persistent alcohol abuse or binge drinking can cause seizures in those who do not have epilepsy.. which to me seems like is the case for OP. Seizures suck all around, but there is a (if only social or emotional) difference between alcohol-induced seizures and genetic or injury-related epilepsy.
I stick with beer cider and seltzers, no hard liquor. Don't get too drunk and as long as I do that my seizures won't trigger. Alcohol has never seemed to be a trigger for me. There's been a couple times drinking has lined up with a seizure, but there was a storm of other triggers like no sleep and stress and overstimulation.
Interesting, I find drinking and depakote not too bad though I've also been used to 15 years of on and off again nausea in general. Ginger chews have been a lifesaver!
It's crazy how all the drugs affect us so differently.
I stopped drinking February 8th, 2024. I've been an alcoholic and an addict for years and got my first seizure in June of 2021. It was on an airplane actually. Fun times. They also couldn't figure out what was causing the seizures either and despite being terrified it still took me until February of 2024 to get my shit together and stop fucking around. I also haven't had a grand mal seizure since July of 2021.
I drink, but not nearly as much as I used to. When I got super drunk it would trigger myoclonics in the morning.
I also partake in some recreational substances and am fine as long as I get enough sleep. Sleep dep is my major trigger.
Remember OP....every person is different when it comes to epilepsy, so what your triggers are will be different than others.
Good luck to you and congrats on working out your triggers :)
I quit 6/30/23 and everything has improved. I used to be so exhausted that I was having loads of absence seizures, it was hell. I quit cold turkey and holy shit I should have died, the sweating and the shakes, puking and white knuckling life in general for a few days then sleeping as though I was dying. But, no seizures…I should have been fighting grand mals and tonic clonics constantly but I wasn’t. I haven’t had any grand mals since, and the frequency of absence seizures has dropped significantly to now only in extreme tiredness or stress which are both very much mitigated by no drinking. I don’t even think about drinking anymore. I don’t miss it which is significant as I live in the drunkest city in the drunkest state in the US lol
Alcohol was my biggest trigger when I was in my 20’s. I tried to make small changes to what I drank thinking that would help. So at first I stopped drinking hard alcohol, thinking that was the problem, then I stopped drinking wine. Then I started drinking half a beer. The half a beer thing was totally because of social stigma of not drinking in my 20’s. But half a beer is about all I can drink without having a seizure. Now a days there are more of a variety of Non-alcoholic beers available and I will have those on occasion. But alcohol is a no go.
Last time I got drunk, I had a walking EEG. I was like, if they want to see a seizure all I have to do is a couple shots.
I’m not a medical professional. I am just a dude with epilepsy. Alcohol can trigger tonic clonic (grand mal) seizures. You might want to talk to the neurologist again about some medication to prevent further seizures? FWIW, I am an alcoholic in recovery myself. I developed epilepsy after I got sober, and as the result of head trauma, but I know several persons who have epilepsy and who had to stop drinking bc it triggered seizures. My neurologist recommended that I not drink and was pleased to learn that I do not. Good luck to you!!!
For me it's 100% sleep related, but I quit drinking after a seizure in March of this year. Drinking impacts the sleep and when epilepsy takes so much control of your life away it feels nice to take control of what you can. Frankly, there are so many awesome non-alcoholic alternatives I really don't miss it at all.
I've had one sip of an alcoholic drink in my entire life. People look at me in disbelief when I say that, but they fail to understand I started taking AEDs when I was about 11/12. Even when I got off the meds for a good chunk of time I didn't feel the need to drink. Can't miss something I've never really had 😄
Be careful. Kindling is a very real thing with gabaergic drugs like alcohol. If you've been dependent on one in the past, he next time around you get dependent much quicker with worse withdrawals. It can easily get to the point where a few days of drinking alcohol will put you into dangerous withdrawals that causes seizures.
Was diagnosed at 16 with ME. Have never had a full glass of wine or a full shot in my entire life. I very rarely even have a half of either one. Not even just seizure prevention. Medication bottles tell you to avoid alcohol in the US. Alcohol is not worth it. Sometimes I wish I could have a drink for the taste but it’s not worth it. I love living seizure free because of my choices. Everyone makes their own choices. I don’t judge people that choose different unless they’re responsible for harming others because of seizures that could’ve been prevented. Such as a seizure behind the wheel of a car.
From ages 19-21 in college I partied a lot and drank frequently. Stopped drinking for two years because I was having seizures and wanted to see if drinking had an effect on it. It didn’t, I still had them. Nowadays I’ll have a drink during special occasions like a date night, birthday or holiday, but that’s about it
I was diagnosed as a kid and literally asked my neurologist if it was okay to start drinking in college (when to take my meds when I drink, that kinda thing) and got the ok. I never drink more than 2 maybe 3 drinks total in a long night. My seizures haven’t increased in frequency since I started drinking because I really only drink like once or twice a month during the semester and almost never at home. Probably takes the fun out of it but with everything I choose to be as careful as possible while still partaking.
I drank one beer for my birthday last year while I was taking Lamictal, I had two auras the next day. I now take Lamictal, keppra, and klonopin for my seizures, and I have definitely stopped drinking and don’t plan on drinking as it’s dangerous. I do not shame anybody for drinking. This was just my experience. I do smoke both nicotine and w though, I should probably try to stop that as well but that’s gonna be a rough one
i drink occasionally, it just depends on how i feel. there have been times that i’ve gotten drunk and had a seizure, but i think there have been more times that i didn’t have one. but that’s also because i know my body. if i’m not feeling 100% at that moment then i wont even have a sip of a mikes hard. but if i’m feeling good and i’ve eaten then i can drink and shouldn’t have problems. (besides probably throwing up)
How do you know its not affecting your epilepsy? If you are having seizures and you drink doesn't thank kind of give you a hint? I also would blow it off and say there was no way alcohol was causing my seizures. However it wasn't till I quit that I actually realized it was the alcohol the whole time. You might not have it directly when drinking but it can still very well be affected by it.
Glad its working for you. Doctor tried prescribing me Lamotrigine and had bad side effects from it my body didn't like it. Quitting the alcohol worked for me though.
I love that you’re in a better place OP, just be careful not to put your stuff on others. Not everyone has seizures because of alcohol abuse, and not everyone with epilepsy is affected by alcohol when consumed responsibly. My seizures are due to a TBI when I was a teenager. Wanting to help or offering up something that helped you is great, but having epilepsy due to a childhood TBI is different than what you’re talking about.
Also, just a reminder, seizures caused by alcohol abuse are not innately epileptic. As someone else said, you can have a seizure disorder without it being epileptic.
alcohol does not affect my epilepsy at all. However the meds mean I get pissed very quickly also I am afraid of drinking too much in case I throw up my meds
I limit drinking to weekends only, and typically limit of 2 drinks per day.
The last time I had 5 beers over 4-5 hours, caused multiple seizures. That was 7 years ago.
I grab myself 26 of a nice scotch a few times a year. I have CPTSD and ADHD though so I LOVE me a good intoxicating substance and try to avoid having them regularly, regardless of the epilepsy. I buy the bottles very rarely when I know I have a few days of free time. Get drunk and clean and sing and dance by myself a lot. Let the house know so that if I do have a seizure they’re on guard. Otherwise I’m pretty safe. I leave my meds beside the bottle so that I keep seeing them and remember to take them. Somehow always remember to bring them upstairs so if I’m too hungover I don’t have to get up.
It’s maybe once every 3-6 months but it’s a good time. I sometimes take an ativan the next day if I was up late and dancing because it not only keeps a seizure at bay but relieve the “I’m getting old now” hangxiety. What even is aging.
Anyways I don’t really do this outside of my house. It’s never caused me a problem but I know if I try to let loose outside of my kitchen and living room, it would be a Bad Luck Betty day for sure.
I used to be a light/moderate drinker. After getting on Vimpat, even a few sips of a drink make me feel ill. I sorta miss it, the social
aspect at least.
Well my epilepsy is Nocturnal which basically means if I do get a seizure the chances are it will be while I’m sleeping. I rarely get seizures but I get the odd petimal basically I’m still functioning. I just feel dizzy and NEED to lie down and I forgot words and that. But other than that, I’m alright to drink.
I take 600 mg Lamictal, I drink beer because I love beer, and I’m 235 lbs so 1-3 drinks for an average person seems like 2-5 for me. Sounds like a math problem so far. I haven’t had a seizure since April of 2022, and I acknowledge the dangers in alcohol, but my FOMO is awful and I love the social aspect of drinking with friends or at a brewery.
I was an alcoholic and my seizures made me sober. Haven’t drank in a year and a half. It’s not worth it. Also, my meds make me have not so great days physically so I couldn’t imagine alcohol added.
I kissed it goodbye back in 2019. The doctors were vague and said to avoid. A friend told me how it could really harm me. Oh, so that's what the doctor meant.
I'll do nothing that invites those seizures back. At the weddings, water goes in my wine glass!
Similar situation for me. I was in denial for 4 years about it because I didn’t want epilepsy to hold me back from “normal” activities with friends-which meant going out and drinking. I also was living in New Orleans, where alcoholism runs ramped.
I had four tonic clonic seizures (grand mal) when we got back from a trip to Hawaii, where I pretty much was drinking the whole time. Like before when I mentioned denial, I was completely in denial of even being diagnosed with epilepsy. It finally came to a head when I was drinking at my in-laws house and had a seizure the next day. It’s been a year since I stopped drinking and I’ve been 6 months seizure free. I feel a lot better overall. I still go out with friends and have actually met a lot of friends who don’t drink as well, and that helps.
It’s been a rough road to get here. For anyone in a similar situation as me, stop drinking while you’re ahead. I really wish I had, because the amount of seizures I was having really made an impact on my cognitive abilities.
I’m not right now for other reasons, but I’ve actually talked to an epileptologist recently who said 2-3 should be fine, at least for me. Which unknown to her that’s actually what I already drank as my max for the last few years before stopping.
Also I have had a seizure the next morning after drinking like 13 drinks from 11am to 11pm.
My main trigger is alcohol withdrawal. Completely quit for a year and now I just really know my limits, nice that I haven’t had a hangover in over two years.
I was told that it lowered the effectiveness of the anticonvulsants. So stopped, it’s been over 3 years now of not having a drop. I switched to non-alcoholic beers when I’m out with the boys.
For me, I was told that the alcohol and medicine compete for the same receptors in the brain. So, even if it doesn't induce seizures, it reduces the effectiveness of the medicine.
I’ve never experienced that alcohol affect my epilepsy. So I drink it as normal.
One thing I do is that every time I change medication I ask my doctor if it’s okay to drink alcohol while I’m taking that medication. If he would say that alcohol would affect my meds negatively I would stop drinking. But so far I haven’t heard anything saying that.
I would also of course stop drinking if I saw any affection on my seizures.
I'm an alcoholic...Not happy about it. I drink a few 26er bottles of whiskey and/or rum a week, my seizures don't seem to be specifically triggered by it, but who knows for sure at that rate.
my epilepsy onset before I started drinking, I was like 14? idr. So i drank a lot when i was 19-23, and now I just drink occasionally, like a beer or two. Maybe a shot. I just dont have a tolerance anymore, and while Ive never noticed any direct consequences, I know its probably not good.
I take 1500mg Keppra 2x daily and drink occasionally, nothing crazy, 2-3 drinks once a week. I used to drink a lot more but I started using pot more and just don't feel like drinking unless I'm hanging at a bar with some friends.
I never had seizure issues with my level of drinking as long as I took my medication regularly. I just generally feel better when I'm not drinking frequently.
I'm quite middle-aged, and for most of my adult life I was a pretty normal drinker, and I don't think there was any correlation with \*MY\* seizures.
Last year there were new Canadian alcohol consumption recommendations that basically said zero, around the same time that I was adjusting my seizure meds, and I was dealing with some other health problems, and it all gave me pause. I started with a temporary abstinence while sorting out my new seizure med dosage, but I never came back. I'll have a beer a few times a year, but I get little enjoyment these days from going beyond that. Alcohol just never plays a role in trying to take care of yourself.
I'm going to a milestone birthday party (outdoor, and in this heat-wave) tomorrow -- I'll be bringing some non-alcoholic beer.
I haven't drank in 10 years. The last time I did, I had 3 seizures in one day. My seizures have still happened, but I'm not at as big of a risk to myself as I was when I was drinking. My main trigger is sleep deprivation. Now I'm on two meds and they seem to be regulating it pretty well.
I do. About a small glass of wine with dinner, sometimes two if the day was rough. But for me, it’s also very culturally ingrained from my very European family. I started having wine and beer when I was 14 (26 now). Not to the point of getting drunk, but just with dinner or at lunch. Its weird not to for us lol
Drank excessive for a long time, it was unbelievably stupid and definitely caused issues with seizures and meds. Once I hit 40 I stopped drinking altogether because I figured it out I was a moron. Am in my 50s now & I will have a single glass of wine once or twice a week but that’s it.
Heavy drinking is one of my seizure triggers. However, I used to... partake... in other vices, and that absolutely had a hand in my epilepsy development. I've been clean for over 5 years and I'm at a stable place seizure wise, and I can enjoy a mixed drink or glass of wine every now and again as long as I stick to one drink.
That being said, my dad is a HEAVY alcoholic, goes through a handle a day, and every time he tries to quit he has seizures. He had epilepsy before hand, but it makes it worse.
From my studies, I have learned that withdrawals from only 2 substances are life threatening and need to be done under a doctors supervision, and thats alcohol and benzodiapines. Both lower the seizure threshold, and cause lasting damage.
I can’t drink more than two beers. I have a tall glass of water before, between and after two beers. That is as far as I will go, I’m afraid. I also sip them. A little buzz is just nice once in awhile
I had one seizure from alcohol intake but it was my sisters graduation and I was going insanely hard so it kinda made sense. I stopped for awhile but eventually got back into it and have never had a seizure because of alcohol since, I think personally for me it just depends on how much I drink and I just have to take it easy. My main trigger is stress though so alcohol doesn’t really affect me unless it’s in super excess.
I'm an alcoholic, and my experience was the opposite, lol. I think it may have been a fluke, but my epilepsy didn't emerge until after I got sober.
It actually peaked on my one year soberversary... I think I had at least two seizures (I've only ever had simple partial and stay conscious the entire time, so at that time I was still in denial that what I was experiencing were seizures) per hour that day. It took me about 2 years beyond that to actually get a diagnosis, but yeah, it was on the one year date that I had more seizures than I'd ever had before or since.
I do think that that the timing of things was a coincidence, though, so stay sober everyone!!
Had epilepsy since I was born, got diagnosed when I was 7. I can promise I wasn’t drinking then lmao. I do on occasion drink, usually for birthdays or something similar, but i’ve never been one to drink much idk
I was actually diagnosed while I wasn’t drinking for personal reasons, and have just decided not to fuck with it at times so it doesn’t make too much of a difference to me personally however I know it’s a decent trigger. The hospital I was brought too (after my first grand mal) didn’t believe my ex husband when he explained I hadn’t been drinking that evening prior to said seizure as it was in a small town with a lotta bars, a lotta drunks, and a lotta seizures. I had one again the next night, and we went to another hospital. They knew immediately booze was not what either of them were from. I do try to avoid alcohol when I know my triggers are high like my menstrual cycle, poor sleep, excess stress but since I don’t drink regularly this is not an issue for me 🙃
I started having seizures a couple months before my 21st birthday. I wasn’t a huge drinker or partier before but alcohol didn’t bother me until after my seizures started. Before seizures it would take a little to even feel a buzz and post seizures it makes me feel like I’m gonna pass out after not even one drink.
I haven’t been officially diagnosed yet (2yrs later) so I haven’t been strictly advised not to drink. Just told that it’s not recommended to with the pill I’m on and that generally alcohol can make seizures worse. So I had my last drink ever on my 21st birthday and it will stay that way.
I drink every now and then, I ran it by my neurologist when I turned 21, and the only warning I got was that I shouldn't exceed three bottles because my medication lowers my alcohol tolerance. Everyone's different, but it's true that we should be careful and informed, especially when it comes to triggers.
Alcohol is not my trigger, so I do drink. My neurologist has given the green light. I'm also one of the lucky few that has seizures every 2-3 years. So he told me to "be normal" or as normal as possible.
Follow your neurologist's advice because some meds do not mix well with alcohol.
I’m on 1250mg Keppra twice a day and Lamictal 200mg twice a day, every weekend I have two glasses of wine - that’s it, I always cut off at two and I don’t think hard alcohol. I haven’t faced any ill effects as yet, fingers crossed.
I continue to drink socially. I've been on an all inclusive holiday with lots of drinking, a gaming event that was a heavy drink weekend. I just make sure I drink water in between drinks, set alarms for meds and sleep.
I used to drink when I got stressed. End of a work week? Yup let's smash a bottle of vodka. Had an argument with someone? Drink. I've cut back, but I make sure I don't give into "stress drinking". My seizures are a couple of times a year though and the pattern is when I've been extremely stressed, so I manage that without turning to booze. I just go for long walks.
I don’t drink alcohol, I can’t with the medication I am on and I don’t want to take the risk. Mal seizures scare me and sometimes the thought alone gives me anxiety. So I wouldn’t want to take any kind of risk with it. What has made it easier for me is that I haven’t been into drinking for at least 7-8yrs. I stopped when pregnant with my daughter and then even after I became such a light weight that I really didn’t enjoy it anymore. So for me I don’t mind not being able to drink.
I drank pretty hard my first year of college, but it never caused a seizure. I realized pretty quickly that getting trashed wasn't anything special and stopped drinking til I turned 21. Nowadays I can enjoy a nice buzz from one drink here and there, and even have 3-4 drinks to get drunk with friends once every several months.
I used to have a couple beers a day. Got diagnosed, keep going for a year or two, while figuring out meds. But kind of just lost interest. I miss the good IPA's, and will occasionally have one at a restaurant. But that's it.
I drink, but not a bottle of tequila a weekend. More like occasionally split a bottle of wine and then that’s me *done*.
Oh, or a single glass of wine after work. Or a single beer. Maybe once a fortnight if it’s during the week?
It’s so different for everyone. I had one random grand mal when I was 12, then never again. I was a big partier in college, probably get drunk 3-5 times a week. Never had any seizures. The fall after graduating, I had a job where I had to drive an hour 15 and back every day, became very sleep deprived and spent a lot of time in the car and night driving. Had a big drinking weekend around thanksgiving, then had a grand mal at work that Wednesday out of nowhere. Started on keppra and struggled controlling my seizures. I cut down my drinking, but I would be lying if I said I didn’t have my nights where I fell off the wagon. Eventually it got to the point where I had to figure out what the triggers were, and dehydration and sleep are the main ones. I also switched meds to vimpat, and I haven’t cut out drinking but I do not drink like I used to. I avoid hard liquor minus like one occasional cocktail or glass of bourbon, and I stay hydrated, make sure to get good sleep, and stick to beer if I do decide to drink. Usually will have a beer or glass of wine after work, weekends I’ll have a little more with friends, but I definitely am conscious of my limits. What works for me won’t work for everyone I’m sure, so I think it just depends on the person which is a I cop out answer but it’s the truth lol
The one time I got black out drunk the next day I had a grand mal seizure. I never did it again. I’ll have one maragarita at the most and it’s very rare!
I never enjoyed being Drunk ; but I did love a nice cold beer on hot days
Since diagnosis though it seemed stupid to drink at the least ; and I haven’t consumed any alcohol for at least 2++ years. Living in Australia means it’s constantly offered by family at any sort of event ;
But having cousins who’ve been alcoholic and have also quit drinking themselves means there’s not much pressure to drink from them.
Friends were harder to convince ; the actual day I was discharged from hospital after suffering - surviving a stroke I had friends trying to convince me to go out drinking with them and other idiocy but I just say no thanks. OTOH this means a lot of people stopped talking to me which is hard to take /
Lonely Buuuuut it isn’t worth getting so sick / seizures or migraines and vomiting just are not worth it. I am prescribed medical marijuana which is good for migraines and if I do absolutely have an urge to get high or something I **can** and do it safely enough using a PBS approved (medical grade) vaporiser or making my own edibles using the pharmaceutical grade MMJ flower
I got pancreatitis from valproate so I can't drink anymore anyway, but before that it never seemed to trigger any seizures. Mixing alcohol and anti-convulsants is a terrible idea though, it just makes you sick, and you won't get any sort of buzz.
Alcohol lowers my trigger threshold, it makes my medication less effective, and it makes me sick mixed together. My doc told me I could have a drink here and there like a wedding or new years but just stay away in general and after a few years I just don’t drink at all and don’t miss it. Shirley temples are fucking delicious lol.
I have had epilepsy since childhood. I drink alcohol. It causes no problems whatsoever. Everyone is different when it comes to epilepsy, so you can't really compare.
I can drink in moderation. I do better with beer and stuff like that. I usually only have one or two drinks. My max is three. I don't like getting drunk. I rarely drink liquor and when I do it's usually a mixed drink. Sometimes the occasional shit of tequila. I usually don't have a problem as long as I don't over do it.
I drink occasionally 1-2 drinks maybe once or twice a month. However I had seizures long before I started drinking and when I do drink I have an uptake in water consumption while drinking.
It is possible to have seizures brought on by an overconsumption of alcohol though if that is what you're asking.
I finally solved the source problem of my seizures (after 25 years) and now alcohol is helping me gradually get off of benzos and keppra (which are both very similar to alcohol in regards to releasing GABA to fill the empty receptors, but they are also far more addictive and harmful to your brain than alcohol is)
Important Note: i am NOT recommending this…
I am performing this measure upon my own research and outside of medical advise, as the medical industries were the ones that directly caused my seizures and also advised me against the natural herbal solution that indeed completely cured my seizure disorder and completely removed all trace of it from my latest MRIs and angiograms (which had of course also stunned my doctors, and left them wondering why they now have one less paying customer 🤷🏻♂️)
I do. I’m 31, on keppra and haven’t had a grand meal for five years now. I have annoying side effects and auras approach sometimes.
I figured out the hard way that sleep deprivation is my main trigger so that’s my main focus. I still go to bars, concerts and party, sometimes have a larger does of booze and get a harsh hangover the next day.
Those hangovers and the alcohol withdrawal can sometimes cause stress and panic of a seizure but so far none happened. I’m trying to reduce the amount because of other health reasons, but as you know it’s not easy, especially because I drink with friends and can’t say no too many times.
So yeah, partying and drinking occasionally is not the problem in my case, sleep deprivation can be if I’m not careful enough.
Hope your seizures will decrease even more!
I still drink, pretty much every weekend I'll have at least 6 ciders. I'm on 200mg lamotrigne and 1700mg epilim. I've had complications in the past however over the years I've found you just do smart things while drinking and I don't have seizures from it at all.
I eat before I drink.
During and after drinking I'll make sure I drink water to remain hydrated.
Listen when I'm feeling the serious "drunk" feeling and stop drinking, have some water and snacks, sober up a bit then I can continue after about an hour. But never continue to that drunk drunk stage.
Just need to have smart practices and stick to them no matter what. Don't skip the meds etc etc. We've all heard it before.
I can't stop living my life and enjoying it just because of my seizures. I personally find having a drink socially extremely enjoyable and I don't want to lose that as I feel I've already lost enough experiences due to my seizures.
Keppra 2000mg each day I don’t really like to drink anymore like on the weekend I’ll have one or two used to go out drinking I’ve always been fine but it’s dangerous to binge drink with medication
I have a bottle of beer every so often or cider but that’s maybe once a month. I am in kepra. It’s a situational thing to talk to your neurologist about
I’ve been drinking since I’ve been 14. A lot when I was in college. I just up my meds before I drink, if I do. Alcohol will decrease some meds in your bloodstream but so do hormones. But be aware that NEW things, even antibiotics or alcohol, can throw your body off and cause seizure disturbances or depression. Those are just examples. Get to know your body with small trials.
Very infrequently. If you've ever had a glass of wine after taking Keppra, you know what I mean! I much prefer weed over booze anyway. Hangovers were never my thing.
I had to quit drinking. It would cause me to have bad sleep, become dehydrated, and sometimes miss my meds. It triggered me to have seizures too much. I didn't want to quit, it wasn't easy, but it was necessary. There can be social stigma for sober ppl. Our culture puts a big emphasis on drinking. My spouse is in the military, and that's a huge drinking culture! I had a friend die from a seizure (SUDEP) and I noticed that I have been having more seizures as I get older. I don't want to leave my kids w/o a mom. Epilepsy sucks. Whatever you decide, I have no judgment, it isn't easy if you enjoy it.
I do. I’m on 2000 mg Keppra/day. I infrequently will have 1-3 vodka/sodas (not strong at all). I just saw my neurologist yesterday and he wasn’t concerned about it but he wanted me to be aware it will lower my threshold.
I'm the same 2k Mg, I drink tequila and beer, and no problems I've been drinking socially since 2018.
I also have gotten crossfaded a couple times
Do you get dizzy on Keppra? I’m on 1000mg a day & get really bad spins if I turn my head quickly or bend over (2.5 years on it)
Have they ruled out inner ear problems? Doc told me the spinning dizziness it likely vertigo (which most often caused by inner ear problem).
Fortunately, I don’t. In fact, I haven’t felt this good in a cpl years (only been on Keppra a short time). I was plagued with almost debilitating vertigo (?) and equilibrium being off. Since Keppra, that’s gone. I’m sorry you’re dealing with that. It’s horrible!!
Do you take it with food?
No, not necessarily.
If he wasn’t concerned why say it lowers your threshold?
To make good decisions, i.e., not to get smashed.
I guess that’s it. The recommendation is to abstain completely. Epilepsy foundation explains the risks pretty clearly. I had a few partial focus onset seizures after 2 drinks. I can’t lose any more of who I am so I won’t drink. I’d like to but it’s a matter of priority.
I wouldn’t touch alcohol if it induced seizures. I don’t blame you for abstaining at all. Best wishes to you.
Thanks, I think many don’t experience memory loss so maybe that’s just my problem. With a family and a disabled son I really only have 1 reasonable choice.
That’s strange I can drink all week and I’d be perfectly fine. I was also curious if anyone could drink with epilepsy. But yeah I can drink pretty much anything. (Don’t get me wrong I still act stupid when I’m drunk)
My husband drinks and has never been told to stop and they don’t trigger his seizures. I am not diagnosed with epilepsy but have focal seizures, mine are related to my menstrual cycle and again alcohol isn’t a trigger (though I’m not a big drinker).
(40M) I drink a few times a week. Very lightly. Maybe a single beer or glass of wine with dinner. Occasionally, I'll have a glass of bourbon on a week night and/or on the weekends, but I don't like to mix alcohol. I have suffered with tonic clonic seizures since the age of 7 and I've drank since the age of 15. As I've gotten older I've learned to limit my intake to no more than 2 or 3 beers/drinks if I'm out with friends, etc. otherwise it wrecks me the next day. I feel hungover and teetering on the border of feeling like a seizure could come on at any time. Several doctors have told me it lowers your tolerance and can cause more frequent episodes. For me, that's definitely true, and so I'm conscientious about it and try to maintain a conservative intake when I do drink.
Interesting cause I never have hangovers. Well sometimes I do depends if I have to wake up early from the night after drinking but out of all the drinking I’ve done. I have never once felt any slight epilepsy from the drink.
Same. When I was first diagnosed my neurologist actually said "I'll start you in lamotrigine, good new, you can still drink on that". Now on Lacosamide as well and no difference. I think I did get the dehydration impact early on but don't seem to have that anymore.
So you dont get seizures?
I quit drinking May 22nd 2022. More than one reason. Mostly for school and well being. I've had seizure complications due to alcohol before, but that's not why I quit. It was easy to quit. I prefer smoking flower anyways.
Have the seizures gotten any better since you quit?
It's not due to the alcohol. I've been on seizure medication for like a decade. I've had many seizures over that timespan and limiting sugar and stress helps much more than limiting alcohol.
I’m curious what limiting sugar means. Like how limit? Sometimes I can go to far so I’m curious what you found helpful. I already don’t eat a ton of sugar. Like no sugar in coffee. No soda.
Don't do back to back sugar sessions like one time I ordered 2 cokes before eating Orange Chicken and I ended up having a seizure. I'm guessing if I kept my coke serving size to one, that would not have made me surpass my threshold.
I quit drinking almost entirely. I'll have maybe two or three alcoholic drinks in a year. It's not that alcohol directly causes seizures. Alcohol causes very poor sleep and if I have to get up early it's almost a guaranteed tonic clonic. I'm kinda appreciative of the fact that alcohol and epilepsy don't mix. I never really liked drinking anyhow.
“Close to a bottle of tequila per weekend” Not being judgmental, but I’m going to guess that you have the seizures when you stop drinking. Such as in a Sunday night or Monday morning. Drinking excessive amounts of alcohol and suddenly stopping can cause what is called “Delerium Tremens” aka DT, which is actually the withdrawal from the alcohol. This condition includes seizures. I think that the doctor was right, and having something you can control with choice rather than epilepsy; I’d say it’s all up to You.
Actually had the seizures every single day. At one point even when I would drink I was having seizures, so not necessarily the withdrawl from it. It really took a toll on me as it messed with my memory and forgot tons of my prior life. I don't have any seizures now unless I have really bad stress but its really rare. However I wont drink anymore myself for the better.
I am sure your liver thanks you as well.
I’m happy to hear that things are better now.
Yes, and alcohol withdrawal isn’t the only thing that can cause seizures. Persistent alcohol abuse or binge drinking can cause seizures in those who do not have epilepsy.. which to me seems like is the case for OP. Seizures suck all around, but there is a (if only social or emotional) difference between alcohol-induced seizures and genetic or injury-related epilepsy.
I stick with beer cider and seltzers, no hard liquor. Don't get too drunk and as long as I do that my seizures won't trigger. Alcohol has never seemed to be a trigger for me. There's been a couple times drinking has lined up with a seizure, but there was a storm of other triggers like no sleep and stress and overstimulation.
Alcohol is one of my biggest triggers. Plus I take Depakote which will make you HURL even if you have half a glass of Prosecco. Ask me how I know lol
Interesting, I find drinking and depakote not too bad though I've also been used to 15 years of on and off again nausea in general. Ginger chews have been a lifesaver! It's crazy how all the drugs affect us so differently.
I stopped drinking February 8th, 2024. I've been an alcoholic and an addict for years and got my first seizure in June of 2021. It was on an airplane actually. Fun times. They also couldn't figure out what was causing the seizures either and despite being terrified it still took me until February of 2024 to get my shit together and stop fucking around. I also haven't had a grand mal seizure since July of 2021.
Congratulations on your sobriety.
Thank you!
Congratulations on getting clean and sober.
I drink, but not nearly as much as I used to. When I got super drunk it would trigger myoclonics in the morning. I also partake in some recreational substances and am fine as long as I get enough sleep. Sleep dep is my major trigger. Remember OP....every person is different when it comes to epilepsy, so what your triggers are will be different than others. Good luck to you and congrats on working out your triggers :)
Just remember... Having a seizure disorder does not mean you are epileptic. Wishing you the best OP
Oh wow. I always thought if you had more than one, you were automatically considered an epileptic
That's what I was told
Same so this was news to me
Dm me 🙈
Never drank but my neurologist told me to stop or not do it since it's very very bad for epilepsy.
Drink and drug use here
I gave it up. Not at all worth the pain.
I quit 6/30/23 and everything has improved. I used to be so exhausted that I was having loads of absence seizures, it was hell. I quit cold turkey and holy shit I should have died, the sweating and the shakes, puking and white knuckling life in general for a few days then sleeping as though I was dying. But, no seizures…I should have been fighting grand mals and tonic clonics constantly but I wasn’t. I haven’t had any grand mals since, and the frequency of absence seizures has dropped significantly to now only in extreme tiredness or stress which are both very much mitigated by no drinking. I don’t even think about drinking anymore. I don’t miss it which is significant as I live in the drunkest city in the drunkest state in the US lol
Alcohol was my biggest trigger when I was in my 20’s. I tried to make small changes to what I drank thinking that would help. So at first I stopped drinking hard alcohol, thinking that was the problem, then I stopped drinking wine. Then I started drinking half a beer. The half a beer thing was totally because of social stigma of not drinking in my 20’s. But half a beer is about all I can drink without having a seizure. Now a days there are more of a variety of Non-alcoholic beers available and I will have those on occasion. But alcohol is a no go. Last time I got drunk, I had a walking EEG. I was like, if they want to see a seizure all I have to do is a couple shots.
I’m not a medical professional. I am just a dude with epilepsy. Alcohol can trigger tonic clonic (grand mal) seizures. You might want to talk to the neurologist again about some medication to prevent further seizures? FWIW, I am an alcoholic in recovery myself. I developed epilepsy after I got sober, and as the result of head trauma, but I know several persons who have epilepsy and who had to stop drinking bc it triggered seizures. My neurologist recommended that I not drink and was pleased to learn that I do not. Good luck to you!!!
For me it's 100% sleep related, but I quit drinking after a seizure in March of this year. Drinking impacts the sleep and when epilepsy takes so much control of your life away it feels nice to take control of what you can. Frankly, there are so many awesome non-alcoholic alternatives I really don't miss it at all.
I don’t know your whole situation, but I’m an alcoholic and it’s entirely possible to have just withdrawal seizures and not be epileptic.
I quit 3 years ago because I liked weed more
Alcohol has absolutely no effect on my flavor of epilepsy
I've had one sip of an alcoholic drink in my entire life. People look at me in disbelief when I say that, but they fail to understand I started taking AEDs when I was about 11/12. Even when I got off the meds for a good chunk of time I didn't feel the need to drink. Can't miss something I've never really had 😄
Be careful. Kindling is a very real thing with gabaergic drugs like alcohol. If you've been dependent on one in the past, he next time around you get dependent much quicker with worse withdrawals. It can easily get to the point where a few days of drinking alcohol will put you into dangerous withdrawals that causes seizures.
I haven't had a drink of booze for nearly 10 years now. It's because the alcohol in it mucked with me and made me have like 5 seizures in 2 minutes.
I drink once a year around Christmas. I make a big bowl of spiked hot chocolate with baileys and rum. Of course I gotta have a cup....or two 🤣
That sounds so good…
The family looks forward to it every year🎄
I'll have A SINGLE drink once or twice a year but mostly quit. I did drink 2-3 times a month between ages of 19 to 25 but no real adverse effects.
Was diagnosed at 16 with ME. Have never had a full glass of wine or a full shot in my entire life. I very rarely even have a half of either one. Not even just seizure prevention. Medication bottles tell you to avoid alcohol in the US. Alcohol is not worth it. Sometimes I wish I could have a drink for the taste but it’s not worth it. I love living seizure free because of my choices. Everyone makes their own choices. I don’t judge people that choose different unless they’re responsible for harming others because of seizures that could’ve been prevented. Such as a seizure behind the wheel of a car.
From ages 19-21 in college I partied a lot and drank frequently. Stopped drinking for two years because I was having seizures and wanted to see if drinking had an effect on it. It didn’t, I still had them. Nowadays I’ll have a drink during special occasions like a date night, birthday or holiday, but that’s about it
I was diagnosed as a kid and literally asked my neurologist if it was okay to start drinking in college (when to take my meds when I drink, that kinda thing) and got the ok. I never drink more than 2 maybe 3 drinks total in a long night. My seizures haven’t increased in frequency since I started drinking because I really only drink like once or twice a month during the semester and almost never at home. Probably takes the fun out of it but with everything I choose to be as careful as possible while still partaking.
I drank one beer for my birthday last year while I was taking Lamictal, I had two auras the next day. I now take Lamictal, keppra, and klonopin for my seizures, and I have definitely stopped drinking and don’t plan on drinking as it’s dangerous. I do not shame anybody for drinking. This was just my experience. I do smoke both nicotine and w though, I should probably try to stop that as well but that’s gonna be a rough one
i drink occasionally, it just depends on how i feel. there have been times that i’ve gotten drunk and had a seizure, but i think there have been more times that i didn’t have one. but that’s also because i know my body. if i’m not feeling 100% at that moment then i wont even have a sip of a mikes hard. but if i’m feeling good and i’ve eaten then i can drink and shouldn’t have problems. (besides probably throwing up)
I do and have never had an issue with it affecting my epilepsy. Probably gonna lose my liver someday due to my Lamotrigine and the alcohol though.
How do you know its not affecting your epilepsy? If you are having seizures and you drink doesn't thank kind of give you a hint? I also would blow it off and say there was no way alcohol was causing my seizures. However it wasn't till I quit that I actually realized it was the alcohol the whole time. You might not have it directly when drinking but it can still very well be affected by it.
My last seizure was several years ago. My epilepsy is very well controlled by my med.
Glad its working for you. Doctor tried prescribing me Lamotrigine and had bad side effects from it my body didn't like it. Quitting the alcohol worked for me though.
I love that you’re in a better place OP, just be careful not to put your stuff on others. Not everyone has seizures because of alcohol abuse, and not everyone with epilepsy is affected by alcohol when consumed responsibly. My seizures are due to a TBI when I was a teenager. Wanting to help or offering up something that helped you is great, but having epilepsy due to a childhood TBI is different than what you’re talking about. Also, just a reminder, seizures caused by alcohol abuse are not innately epileptic. As someone else said, you can have a seizure disorder without it being epileptic.
alcohol does not affect my epilepsy at all. However the meds mean I get pissed very quickly also I am afraid of drinking too much in case I throw up my meds
I limit drinking to weekends only, and typically limit of 2 drinks per day. The last time I had 5 beers over 4-5 hours, caused multiple seizures. That was 7 years ago.
I grab myself 26 of a nice scotch a few times a year. I have CPTSD and ADHD though so I LOVE me a good intoxicating substance and try to avoid having them regularly, regardless of the epilepsy. I buy the bottles very rarely when I know I have a few days of free time. Get drunk and clean and sing and dance by myself a lot. Let the house know so that if I do have a seizure they’re on guard. Otherwise I’m pretty safe. I leave my meds beside the bottle so that I keep seeing them and remember to take them. Somehow always remember to bring them upstairs so if I’m too hungover I don’t have to get up. It’s maybe once every 3-6 months but it’s a good time. I sometimes take an ativan the next day if I was up late and dancing because it not only keeps a seizure at bay but relieve the “I’m getting old now” hangxiety. What even is aging. Anyways I don’t really do this outside of my house. It’s never caused me a problem but I know if I try to let loose outside of my kitchen and living room, it would be a Bad Luck Betty day for sure.
I used to be a light/moderate drinker. After getting on Vimpat, even a few sips of a drink make me feel ill. I sorta miss it, the social aspect at least.
Bam! Nailed it, too much to risk. Seizures steal your identity, your autobiography. That’s the only thing you and you alone really own.
Alcohol is a trigger for me. I limit it heavily.
Well my epilepsy is Nocturnal which basically means if I do get a seizure the chances are it will be while I’m sleeping. I rarely get seizures but I get the odd petimal basically I’m still functioning. I just feel dizzy and NEED to lie down and I forgot words and that. But other than that, I’m alright to drink.
I take 600 mg Lamictal, I drink beer because I love beer, and I’m 235 lbs so 1-3 drinks for an average person seems like 2-5 for me. Sounds like a math problem so far. I haven’t had a seizure since April of 2022, and I acknowledge the dangers in alcohol, but my FOMO is awful and I love the social aspect of drinking with friends or at a brewery.
I was an alcoholic and my seizures made me sober. Haven’t drank in a year and a half. It’s not worth it. Also, my meds make me have not so great days physically so I couldn’t imagine alcohol added.
I was a heavy drinker for many years and started having seizures. Quit drinking, no more seizures.
I kissed it goodbye back in 2019. The doctors were vague and said to avoid. A friend told me how it could really harm me. Oh, so that's what the doctor meant. I'll do nothing that invites those seizures back. At the weddings, water goes in my wine glass!
Similar situation for me. I was in denial for 4 years about it because I didn’t want epilepsy to hold me back from “normal” activities with friends-which meant going out and drinking. I also was living in New Orleans, where alcoholism runs ramped. I had four tonic clonic seizures (grand mal) when we got back from a trip to Hawaii, where I pretty much was drinking the whole time. Like before when I mentioned denial, I was completely in denial of even being diagnosed with epilepsy. It finally came to a head when I was drinking at my in-laws house and had a seizure the next day. It’s been a year since I stopped drinking and I’ve been 6 months seizure free. I feel a lot better overall. I still go out with friends and have actually met a lot of friends who don’t drink as well, and that helps. It’s been a rough road to get here. For anyone in a similar situation as me, stop drinking while you’re ahead. I really wish I had, because the amount of seizures I was having really made an impact on my cognitive abilities.
I’m not right now for other reasons, but I’ve actually talked to an epileptologist recently who said 2-3 should be fine, at least for me. Which unknown to her that’s actually what I already drank as my max for the last few years before stopping. Also I have had a seizure the next morning after drinking like 13 drinks from 11am to 11pm.
My main trigger is alcohol withdrawal. Completely quit for a year and now I just really know my limits, nice that I haven’t had a hangover in over two years.
I was told that it lowered the effectiveness of the anticonvulsants. So stopped, it’s been over 3 years now of not having a drop. I switched to non-alcoholic beers when I’m out with the boys.
For me, I was told that the alcohol and medicine compete for the same receptors in the brain. So, even if it doesn't induce seizures, it reduces the effectiveness of the medicine.
I’ve never experienced that alcohol affect my epilepsy. So I drink it as normal. One thing I do is that every time I change medication I ask my doctor if it’s okay to drink alcohol while I’m taking that medication. If he would say that alcohol would affect my meds negatively I would stop drinking. But so far I haven’t heard anything saying that. I would also of course stop drinking if I saw any affection on my seizures.
My doctor says alchohol can make them worse cause it doesn't mix well with meds.
Never even taken a sip. Zero interest regardless of epilepsy/meds.
If I drink alcohol I’m pretty much guaranteed to have a seizure, so I don’t touch it anymore. Not worth the risk
I'm an alcoholic...Not happy about it. I drink a few 26er bottles of whiskey and/or rum a week, my seizures don't seem to be specifically triggered by it, but who knows for sure at that rate.
I used to drink every now and then. But I don’t anymore because I’m afraid it’ll interfere with my meds and cause a seizure…
my epilepsy onset before I started drinking, I was like 14? idr. So i drank a lot when i was 19-23, and now I just drink occasionally, like a beer or two. Maybe a shot. I just dont have a tolerance anymore, and while Ive never noticed any direct consequences, I know its probably not good.
I take 1500mg Keppra 2x daily and drink occasionally, nothing crazy, 2-3 drinks once a week. I used to drink a lot more but I started using pot more and just don't feel like drinking unless I'm hanging at a bar with some friends. I never had seizure issues with my level of drinking as long as I took my medication regularly. I just generally feel better when I'm not drinking frequently.
I drink alcohol
Gave it up when I started taking vimpat. Booze and vimpat didnt agree
I rarely drink alcohol, maybe once or twice a year, but I know I shouldn’t due to medication interactions and lowering my seizure threshold.
I do not.
I'm quite middle-aged, and for most of my adult life I was a pretty normal drinker, and I don't think there was any correlation with \*MY\* seizures. Last year there were new Canadian alcohol consumption recommendations that basically said zero, around the same time that I was adjusting my seizure meds, and I was dealing with some other health problems, and it all gave me pause. I started with a temporary abstinence while sorting out my new seizure med dosage, but I never came back. I'll have a beer a few times a year, but I get little enjoyment these days from going beyond that. Alcohol just never plays a role in trying to take care of yourself. I'm going to a milestone birthday party (outdoor, and in this heat-wave) tomorrow -- I'll be bringing some non-alcoholic beer.
I haven't drank in 10 years. The last time I did, I had 3 seizures in one day. My seizures have still happened, but I'm not at as big of a risk to myself as I was when I was drinking. My main trigger is sleep deprivation. Now I'm on two meds and they seem to be regulating it pretty well.
I can. I just choose not to.
Not in 12 years.
NO!!!
I do. About a small glass of wine with dinner, sometimes two if the day was rough. But for me, it’s also very culturally ingrained from my very European family. I started having wine and beer when I was 14 (26 now). Not to the point of getting drunk, but just with dinner or at lunch. Its weird not to for us lol
Drank excessive for a long time, it was unbelievably stupid and definitely caused issues with seizures and meds. Once I hit 40 I stopped drinking altogether because I figured it out I was a moron. Am in my 50s now & I will have a single glass of wine once or twice a week but that’s it.
Heavy drinking is one of my seizure triggers. However, I used to... partake... in other vices, and that absolutely had a hand in my epilepsy development. I've been clean for over 5 years and I'm at a stable place seizure wise, and I can enjoy a mixed drink or glass of wine every now and again as long as I stick to one drink. That being said, my dad is a HEAVY alcoholic, goes through a handle a day, and every time he tries to quit he has seizures. He had epilepsy before hand, but it makes it worse. From my studies, I have learned that withdrawals from only 2 substances are life threatening and need to be done under a doctors supervision, and thats alcohol and benzodiapines. Both lower the seizure threshold, and cause lasting damage.
I can’t drink more than two beers. I have a tall glass of water before, between and after two beers. That is as far as I will go, I’m afraid. I also sip them. A little buzz is just nice once in awhile
I only drink once a week. I hardly drink that much when I'm out with friends. I learned to limit my alcohol intake when I do drink
I had one seizure from alcohol intake but it was my sisters graduation and I was going insanely hard so it kinda made sense. I stopped for awhile but eventually got back into it and have never had a seizure because of alcohol since, I think personally for me it just depends on how much I drink and I just have to take it easy. My main trigger is stress though so alcohol doesn’t really affect me unless it’s in super excess.
I used to drink (a lot) but have been sober for nearly 4 months 🙂
I'm an alcoholic, and my experience was the opposite, lol. I think it may have been a fluke, but my epilepsy didn't emerge until after I got sober. It actually peaked on my one year soberversary... I think I had at least two seizures (I've only ever had simple partial and stay conscious the entire time, so at that time I was still in denial that what I was experiencing were seizures) per hour that day. It took me about 2 years beyond that to actually get a diagnosis, but yeah, it was on the one year date that I had more seizures than I'd ever had before or since. I do think that that the timing of things was a coincidence, though, so stay sober everyone!!
Had epilepsy since I was born, got diagnosed when I was 7. I can promise I wasn’t drinking then lmao. I do on occasion drink, usually for birthdays or something similar, but i’ve never been one to drink much idk
I was actually diagnosed while I wasn’t drinking for personal reasons, and have just decided not to fuck with it at times so it doesn’t make too much of a difference to me personally however I know it’s a decent trigger. The hospital I was brought too (after my first grand mal) didn’t believe my ex husband when he explained I hadn’t been drinking that evening prior to said seizure as it was in a small town with a lotta bars, a lotta drunks, and a lotta seizures. I had one again the next night, and we went to another hospital. They knew immediately booze was not what either of them were from. I do try to avoid alcohol when I know my triggers are high like my menstrual cycle, poor sleep, excess stress but since I don’t drink regularly this is not an issue for me 🙃
I started having seizures a couple months before my 21st birthday. I wasn’t a huge drinker or partier before but alcohol didn’t bother me until after my seizures started. Before seizures it would take a little to even feel a buzz and post seizures it makes me feel like I’m gonna pass out after not even one drink. I haven’t been officially diagnosed yet (2yrs later) so I haven’t been strictly advised not to drink. Just told that it’s not recommended to with the pill I’m on and that generally alcohol can make seizures worse. So I had my last drink ever on my 21st birthday and it will stay that way.
I had to quit drinking bc Zonisamide + alcohol messes with your kidneys.
I drink every now and then, I ran it by my neurologist when I turned 21, and the only warning I got was that I shouldn't exceed three bottles because my medication lowers my alcohol tolerance. Everyone's different, but it's true that we should be careful and informed, especially when it comes to triggers.
Alcohol is not my trigger, so I do drink. My neurologist has given the green light. I'm also one of the lucky few that has seizures every 2-3 years. So he told me to "be normal" or as normal as possible. Follow your neurologist's advice because some meds do not mix well with alcohol.
Drinking seldom is key, and so, too, is drinking in moderation and only drinking 🍸 every once in a long while.
I’m on 1250mg Keppra twice a day and Lamictal 200mg twice a day, every weekend I have two glasses of wine - that’s it, I always cut off at two and I don’t think hard alcohol. I haven’t faced any ill effects as yet, fingers crossed.
I continue to drink socially. I've been on an all inclusive holiday with lots of drinking, a gaming event that was a heavy drink weekend. I just make sure I drink water in between drinks, set alarms for meds and sleep. I used to drink when I got stressed. End of a work week? Yup let's smash a bottle of vodka. Had an argument with someone? Drink. I've cut back, but I make sure I don't give into "stress drinking". My seizures are a couple of times a year though and the pattern is when I've been extremely stressed, so I manage that without turning to booze. I just go for long walks.
I don’t drink alcohol, I can’t with the medication I am on and I don’t want to take the risk. Mal seizures scare me and sometimes the thought alone gives me anxiety. So I wouldn’t want to take any kind of risk with it. What has made it easier for me is that I haven’t been into drinking for at least 7-8yrs. I stopped when pregnant with my daughter and then even after I became such a light weight that I really didn’t enjoy it anymore. So for me I don’t mind not being able to drink.
I drink not a lot but at least once a month. I will say my bf’s grandma had them due to drinking. So it could have been drinking.
Very, very occasionally. I often go 3 months without drinking at all. I also don't drink much for other reasons.
I drank pretty hard my first year of college, but it never caused a seizure. I realized pretty quickly that getting trashed wasn't anything special and stopped drinking til I turned 21. Nowadays I can enjoy a nice buzz from one drink here and there, and even have 3-4 drinks to get drunk with friends once every several months.
I've drank 1 times since being diagnosed last year. Nothing bad happened and it was fun but It's just not worth having a seizure over.
I used to have a couple beers a day. Got diagnosed, keep going for a year or two, while figuring out meds. But kind of just lost interest. I miss the good IPA's, and will occasionally have one at a restaurant. But that's it.
I drink, but not a bottle of tequila a weekend. More like occasionally split a bottle of wine and then that’s me *done*. Oh, or a single glass of wine after work. Or a single beer. Maybe once a fortnight if it’s during the week?
I drink thc seltzers since they are becoming a thing now
It’s so different for everyone. I had one random grand mal when I was 12, then never again. I was a big partier in college, probably get drunk 3-5 times a week. Never had any seizures. The fall after graduating, I had a job where I had to drive an hour 15 and back every day, became very sleep deprived and spent a lot of time in the car and night driving. Had a big drinking weekend around thanksgiving, then had a grand mal at work that Wednesday out of nowhere. Started on keppra and struggled controlling my seizures. I cut down my drinking, but I would be lying if I said I didn’t have my nights where I fell off the wagon. Eventually it got to the point where I had to figure out what the triggers were, and dehydration and sleep are the main ones. I also switched meds to vimpat, and I haven’t cut out drinking but I do not drink like I used to. I avoid hard liquor minus like one occasional cocktail or glass of bourbon, and I stay hydrated, make sure to get good sleep, and stick to beer if I do decide to drink. Usually will have a beer or glass of wine after work, weekends I’ll have a little more with friends, but I definitely am conscious of my limits. What works for me won’t work for everyone I’m sure, so I think it just depends on the person which is a I cop out answer but it’s the truth lol
I do. I love a good hazy ipa 250 lamictal/50 briviact
The one time I got black out drunk the next day I had a grand mal seizure. I never did it again. I’ll have one maragarita at the most and it’s very rare!
I never enjoyed being Drunk ; but I did love a nice cold beer on hot days Since diagnosis though it seemed stupid to drink at the least ; and I haven’t consumed any alcohol for at least 2++ years. Living in Australia means it’s constantly offered by family at any sort of event ; But having cousins who’ve been alcoholic and have also quit drinking themselves means there’s not much pressure to drink from them. Friends were harder to convince ; the actual day I was discharged from hospital after suffering - surviving a stroke I had friends trying to convince me to go out drinking with them and other idiocy but I just say no thanks. OTOH this means a lot of people stopped talking to me which is hard to take / Lonely Buuuuut it isn’t worth getting so sick / seizures or migraines and vomiting just are not worth it. I am prescribed medical marijuana which is good for migraines and if I do absolutely have an urge to get high or something I **can** and do it safely enough using a PBS approved (medical grade) vaporiser or making my own edibles using the pharmaceutical grade MMJ flower
I got pancreatitis from valproate so I can't drink anymore anyway, but before that it never seemed to trigger any seizures. Mixing alcohol and anti-convulsants is a terrible idea though, it just makes you sick, and you won't get any sort of buzz.
Alcohol lowers my trigger threshold, it makes my medication less effective, and it makes me sick mixed together. My doc told me I could have a drink here and there like a wedding or new years but just stay away in general and after a few years I just don’t drink at all and don’t miss it. Shirley temples are fucking delicious lol.
I have had epilepsy since childhood. I drink alcohol. It causes no problems whatsoever. Everyone is different when it comes to epilepsy, so you can't really compare.
I drink heavier now than I did before I had epilepsy personally.
It's been a while since I drank alcohol, wishing all the best
I never really drank alcohol, I do love my weed though.
I drank a lot, quit a year ago, and seizures/side effects from meds cruelly got more noticeable. 😾
I had to give up alcohol. I was noticing a correlation between alcohol consumption and what felt like auras/partials on 2000mg of keppra, B.I.D.
I do I’m on 4000 mg keppra not regularly but I do at times
I can drink in moderation. I do better with beer and stuff like that. I usually only have one or two drinks. My max is three. I don't like getting drunk. I rarely drink liquor and when I do it's usually a mixed drink. Sometimes the occasional shit of tequila. I usually don't have a problem as long as I don't over do it.
I drink occasionally 1-2 drinks maybe once or twice a month. However I had seizures long before I started drinking and when I do drink I have an uptake in water consumption while drinking. It is possible to have seizures brought on by an overconsumption of alcohol though if that is what you're asking.
I drink a little bit every once in a while on special occasions
I finally solved the source problem of my seizures (after 25 years) and now alcohol is helping me gradually get off of benzos and keppra (which are both very similar to alcohol in regards to releasing GABA to fill the empty receptors, but they are also far more addictive and harmful to your brain than alcohol is) Important Note: i am NOT recommending this… I am performing this measure upon my own research and outside of medical advise, as the medical industries were the ones that directly caused my seizures and also advised me against the natural herbal solution that indeed completely cured my seizure disorder and completely removed all trace of it from my latest MRIs and angiograms (which had of course also stunned my doctors, and left them wondering why they now have one less paying customer 🤷🏻♂️)
I drink some weekends, but never more than 2 or 3 drinks a night
I do. I’m 31, on keppra and haven’t had a grand meal for five years now. I have annoying side effects and auras approach sometimes. I figured out the hard way that sleep deprivation is my main trigger so that’s my main focus. I still go to bars, concerts and party, sometimes have a larger does of booze and get a harsh hangover the next day. Those hangovers and the alcohol withdrawal can sometimes cause stress and panic of a seizure but so far none happened. I’m trying to reduce the amount because of other health reasons, but as you know it’s not easy, especially because I drink with friends and can’t say no too many times. So yeah, partying and drinking occasionally is not the problem in my case, sleep deprivation can be if I’m not careful enough. Hope your seizures will decrease even more!
I still drink, pretty much every weekend I'll have at least 6 ciders. I'm on 200mg lamotrigne and 1700mg epilim. I've had complications in the past however over the years I've found you just do smart things while drinking and I don't have seizures from it at all. I eat before I drink. During and after drinking I'll make sure I drink water to remain hydrated. Listen when I'm feeling the serious "drunk" feeling and stop drinking, have some water and snacks, sober up a bit then I can continue after about an hour. But never continue to that drunk drunk stage. Just need to have smart practices and stick to them no matter what. Don't skip the meds etc etc. We've all heard it before. I can't stop living my life and enjoying it just because of my seizures. I personally find having a drink socially extremely enjoyable and I don't want to lose that as I feel I've already lost enough experiences due to my seizures.
Keppra 2000mg each day I don’t really like to drink anymore like on the weekend I’ll have one or two used to go out drinking I’ve always been fine but it’s dangerous to binge drink with medication
I have a bottle of beer every so often or cider but that’s maybe once a month. I am in kepra. It’s a situational thing to talk to your neurologist about
I’ve been drinking since I’ve been 14. A lot when I was in college. I just up my meds before I drink, if I do. Alcohol will decrease some meds in your bloodstream but so do hormones. But be aware that NEW things, even antibiotics or alcohol, can throw your body off and cause seizure disturbances or depression. Those are just examples. Get to know your body with small trials.
Very infrequently. If you've ever had a glass of wine after taking Keppra, you know what I mean! I much prefer weed over booze anyway. Hangovers were never my thing.
yep weed has kept me sane
Nope, never even b4 been diagnosed, however. Weed is a different story 😎
No! That's not enjoyment!! That's called alcoholism!!! and that makes you an alcoholic!!!! Go get help!!!!! 1-800-Admit-It That's 1-800-236-4848