Experts say your chances are much higher after consuming 3 or more alcoholic drinks.1 The more you drink, the more your risk of a seizure rises. So is it safe to drink alcohol when you have epilepsy?
Following this stage of the seizure, the person will convulse uncontrollably. Alcohol affects the brain in many ways over the short and long term. For those who, after medical consultation, are advised that very moderate consumption might can you drink alcohol if you have seizures be permissible, certain precautions are important.
- However, it is wise to know that alcohol withdrawal is not assured to happen to most; only those who have drunk heavily over the years, have a record of diabetes, or other underlying health concerns for seizures have a higher risk of experiencing alcohol withdrawal.
- People who drink heavily for an extended period may experience seizures if they stop using alcohol, even for a brief time.
- By avoiding binge drinking, you will prevent the seizures it may cause.
- There are many different types of epileptic seizure.
- In some cases, excessive alcohol consumption may lead people to miss meals or medication, which can also make seizures more likely in people with epilepsy.
If you do decide to use CBD it’s important to let your epilepsy specialist know as it might affect the way your existing ASM works. However, NHS information suggests that there’s no guarantee these products are of good quality, or that they give any health benefits. Some health stores sell certain types of CBD. Currently, Epidyolex is the only cannabis-based medicine approved for treating epilepsy in the UK.
Alcohol and seizure medicine
Some experts link excessive alcohol consumption to the development of epilepsy. If you do drink, avoid binge drinking or chronically high consumption, which may help reduce your seizure severity or frequency. Seizures often seem to develop in the hours after you stop consuming alcohol. Alcohol and some antiseizure medications can have similar side effects, and taking them together can cause potentially dangerous complications. In a 2020 study, research found that the risk of SUDEP was twice as high in people with a history of alcohol dependence or substance misuse disorder. People who chronically consume large amounts of alcohol seem to be more likely to have epilepsy than people who don’t.
Alcohol and antiseizure medications
Additionally, alcohol can lead to dehydration or missed meals, both of which can lower an individual’s seizure threshold. Drinking can disrupt sleep patterns, and lack of adequate sleep is a known seizure trigger for many people. This happens because chronic alcohol use alters brain chemistry, suppressing excitatory functions and enhancing inhibitory mechanisms. The effects of alcohol vary greatly among individuals and depend on factors such as the amount consumed and existing medication regimens.
Can I drink alcohol if I have epilepsy?
Status epilepticus is a medical emergency and can lead to lasting, irreversible brain damage. Those on blood sugar medications are most at risk for this complication. One of GABA’s functions is to prevent seizures. In these seizures, the person’s whole body becomes rigid.
Most of the seizures happened within 12 hours after they stopped drinking.4 Study results show that every person who drank large amounts of alcohol (at least 7 standard drinks) had worse seizures. In general, though, it is okay for people with epilepsy to drink in small amounts.
Alcohol use changes brain signals and can cause dehydration and changes in the normal concentrations of chemicals in your bloodstream. Drinking impacts GABA receptors, which have a relaxing influence on the brain. Whether you are struggling with addiction, mental health or both, our expert team is here to guide you every step of the way. Often, the person will have no bodily control during the seizure and will not remember it, being very groggy as they slowly wake up afterward.
Alcohol misuse and epilepsy
The Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) recommends that if you don’t currently drink alcohol, you should not start for any reason. The leaflet that comes with your medications can advise you on whether it’s safe to mix your medication with alcohol. SUDEP is the sudden and unexpected death of a person with epilepsy who is otherwise healthy without a known cause. Your body size, gender, metabolism, and genetics can affect alcohol tolerance and dependence.
- Heavy alcohol consumption is a common trigger for seizures in those who already have epilepsy.
- For some people, certain situations can trigger (set off) a seizure.
- In another 2020 study, researchers found that people with epilepsy were more 5 times more likely to die from alcohol-related causes than people without epilepsy.
- Most of the time, because drinking enhances GABA’s effects, the brain is even more relaxed than normal.
Drinking too much alcohol at once can increase your risk of seizures, especially if you binge drink or have a history of seizure problems. Alcohol can cause seizures; however, seizures from alcohol use are most likely to occur during alcohol withdrawal. Regular seizures linked to alcohol withdrawal can trigger more electrical activity in the brain.
What are the recommendations for alcohol use with epilepsy?
This condition may cause mild symptoms at first, such as headaches, anxiety, stomach pain and being unable to sleep properly. The patient information leaflet that comes with your ASM should say if alcohol is not recommended. Drinking alcohol is a personal choice, and the effect of alcohol varies from one person to another. Alcohol, drugs, and epilepsy. For these reasons, to prevent any injuries or uneasy situations, it is crucial that individuals know how to manage their alcohol intake. The neurotransmitter glutamate, responsible for exciting the brain, works in balance with GABA, meant to calm the brain.
What to Know About Epilepsy Seizures and Alcohol
But it could go on to cause more serious symptoms such as epilepsy. Alcohol or recreational drugs can cause epilepsy in some people. The Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) recommends that if you don’t currently drink alcohol, you should not start for any reason. This means drinking seven drinks a week for women and 14 for men at the most. Seizures are a potential withdrawal symptom that can be prevented if you drink in moderation. While a seizure may not damage the brain, it can make someone suddenly fall and be unable to catch themselves.
Furthermore, regulating alcohol consumption is particularly beneficial for those who take seizure medications, since many medicines seem to lower a person’s tolerance for alcohol. Because individuals would undergo this uncomfortable experience, medical professionals will be present to monitor patients, helping to treat symptoms and prevent seizures. Once the individual stops consuming alcohol after such an extended period, the hypersensitive glutamine is no longer being met with GABA’s strengthened calming effect, leading to heightened excitability in the brain. When GABA’s calming effects are continuously boosted by alcohol, the brain may reduce its natural production of GABA receptors and increase glutamine’s sensitivity in an attempt to fix the imbalance. It is important to note that the act of drinking itself does not directly cause a seizure, but rather the amount consumed and the sudden halt in drinking that triggers seizures for a good few. However, this typical move may apply differently to those with epilepsy, as alcohol can act as a trigger for producing seizures.
If people withdraw from alcohol after heavy use, it is important to do so with medical supervision. Alcohol seizures may share symptoms with seizures that are not linked to alcohol. This may be due to alcohol’s effect on the brain, sleep, and anti-seizure medications. This article looks at the connection between alcohol, seizures, and epilepsy, as well as treatment options and support. Alcohol consumption or withdrawal may trigger seizures in those with epilepsy.
Alcohol and seizure medicine also have the same side effects, which could make the combination doubly worse. As a result, you may feel the effects of alcohol and get drunk more quickly. When you drink while taking these types of drugs, it lowers your alcohol tolerance. The biggest seizure culprit may be when you often drink to excess and then suddenly stop. Limited alcohol amounts also do not change EEG results, which measure electrical activity in the brain.