Alcohol and Epilepsy: The Link, Risks and Treatment

Consuming alcohol seems to aggravate seizures in people with epilepsy and may lead to increased seizure frequency. Doctors often warn people who have epilepsy to avoid alcohol or to only drink in moderation. Consuming alcohol is a common seizure trigger for people with epilepsy. People who chronically consume large amounts of alcohol seem to be more likely to have epilepsy than people who don’t. Heavy, long-term alcohol use and withdrawal from alcohol can lead to seizures. Alcohol can also trigger seizures if you have epilepsy and often interacts poorly with anti-seizure medications.

• Toward the end of the interview, patients were questioned on illicit drugs.
• During a normal menstrual cycle, the body goes through changes in levels of the hormones estrogen and progesterone.
• Even though alcohol use may trigger seizures, 65% of interviewed subjects had consumed alcohol within the last 12 months and every third patient had consumed alcohol within the last 7 days.
• They will fall if standing upright, and every muscle in their body will be completely tense.
• Over time, repeated episodes of alcohol-induced seizures or other related brain changes may contribute to a higher risk of developing a persistent seizure disorder.
• In most cases, alcohol detox can be expected to take one to two weeks.
• Other seizures in alcohol-dependent individuals may be due to concurrent metabolic, toxic, infectious, traumatic, neoplastic and cerebrovascular diseases and are frequently partial-onset seizures.

Is It Safe to Drink Alcohol if You Have Epilepsy?

For people diagnosed with epilepsy, the decision to drink alcohol should be made in consultation with a healthcare provider. In some cases, moderate alcohol intake (e.g., an occasional drink) may be acceptable and might not significantly increase the risk of seizures. However, even small amounts of alcohol can interact with anti-seizure medications, reduce their effectiveness, or worsen side effects such as drowsiness or dizziness. Additionally, having multiple drinks or binge drinking can destabilize seizure control for some individuals. If you have epilepsy and choose to drink, it’s important to monitor how you feel, take medications as prescribed, and avoid any sudden increase or decrease in alcohol consumption.

Avoid Caffeine, Nicotine, and Other Substances

They will fall if standing upright, and every muscle in their body will be completely tense. Following this stage of the seizure, the person will convulse uncontrollably. 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.

How Does Alcohol Affect Epilepsy?

While managing your drinking can help you avoid seizures, drinking in moderation can lead to more drinking, creating a risk of developing addiction and dependence. Delirium tremens is a serious, life-threatening complication of alcohol withdrawal. Someone with delirium tremens may have hallucinations, psychosis, heartbeat changes and high body temperature.

Can I drink alcohol if I have epilepsy?

• Independent predictors for the occurrence of alcohol-related seizures within the last 12 months in patients with epilepsy.
• Although these are general guidelines, your tolerance or consumption recommendation can vary based on your overall health, size, and medical condition.
• Your risk of developing seizures seems to increase with an increasing amount of alcohol.
• Following this stage of the seizure, the person will convulse uncontrollably.
• It is important to discuss your individual risk for drinking with your health care team.

They also recommend that doctors check every six months to see if Epidyolex is can alcohol trigger epileptic seizures working to control or reduce seizures and stop prescribing it if it is not. On MyEpilepsyTeam, more than 122,000 members come together to ask questions, give advice, and share their stories with others who understand life with epilepsy. Eating a ketogenic diet is another approach that may help control seizures, especially when antiepilepsy medication does not work. Adults and children with epilepsy may benefit from a ketogenic diet or a similarly restricted diet. This is a very restrictive regimen and may not be appropriate for everyone with epilepsy.

While a seizure may not damage the brain, it can make someone suddenly fall and be unable to catch themselves. Seizures can also disrupt the oxygen supply to the brain, potentially leading to permanent brain damage. Seizures are different for everyone; however, seizures can often be predicted right before they occur by a phenomenon called an aura. An aura is different for everyone and can include a visual disturbance, a smell, a taste or even a strong emotional feeling.

Flashing / flickering lights

” You need to consider more factors than just the alcohol itself — especially your medications. Be sure to ask your doctor about the effects of alcohol on any medications you might be taking. Most of these antiepileptic medications also have side effects that mimic those of alcohol. They may slow down central nervous system responses, make a person sleepy, or cause parts of the brain to work differently. If you research a medication and these symptoms show up, it’s likely that AED will lower your tolerance for alcohol, too. People diagnosed with alcohol-induced seizure disorders along with an alcohol use disorder should enter a residential rehab program.