Alcohol And Epilepsy - Can Drinking Cause Seizures?
As many of you know by now, my daughter has epilepsy. But what you may not know, is that she’s almost to the age where she’s able to legally drink. And recently, this fact has caused me to think a lot more about the link between alcohol and epilepsy.
So I thought I’d share some of my research with you all, in case you have questions related to this topic as well.
Can people with epilepsy drink alcohol?
According to research, the short answer is… usually it’s ok for people with epilepsy to drink moderate amounts of alcohol. But there’s a lot of variables that go into it, which is what we’ll be diving into throughout this article.
Such as the follow up question…
Should people with epilepsy drink alcohol?
Many doctors and medical professionals suggest that you avoid alcohol altogether if you have epilepsy, and this boils down to the simple fact that it’s better safe than sorry. But ultimately, unless you know for sure that you have a dangerous reaction to drinking (which we’ll talk about later), it’s up to you to make the final decision.
How much alcohol can people with epilepsy drink?
Now in terms of how much you should drink, it should definitely be a moderate amount (one to two drinks, preferably spread out over a few hours) if you have epilepsy! And this is due to two main things.
Firstly, many anti-seizure medications actually lower your tolerance for alcohol. Which means that you’ll get drunk a lot faster than someone who isn’t on medication. Even if your personal alcohol tolerance would’ve been fairly high otherwise.
And secondly, too much alcohol can have serious repercussions! In fact, binge drinking and/or alcohol withdrawals can actually cause status epilepticus; which is a terrifying, life-threatening medical emergency.
How does drinking alcohol affect someone with epilepsy?
So let’s assume that, after researching the risks of alcohol with epilepsy, you decide that you do want to drink! You can expect seizures for a while afterwards…
To be exact, you could have an increase in seizure activity for up to seventy-two hours after drinking! And this is because the alcohol itself may not cause seizures (if it’s not a personal trigger for you) but other factors related to the drinking might.
Alcohol withdrawals are one of these factors, as we discussed. But there’s also disrupted sleep patterns to contend with after drinking, and a lack of sleep is a major seizure trigger for a lot of people.
Can everyone with epilepsy drink alcohol?
Lastly, in this section I just want to note that not everyone with epilepsy can safely drink alcohol! It depends a lot on the person.
For example, some people might find that alcohol is a personal trigger for them. Just like flashing lights, a lack of sleep, or certain foods might be triggers for others… So if you have a drink of alcohol and notice that you have an uptick of seizures afterwards, you might want to avoid drinking in the future.
And alternatively, some people with epilepsy have found that drinking alcohol doesn’t trigger their seizures at all. Everyone is different, but you need to respect your body and honor your own journey!
How can people with epilepsy drink alcohol safely?
With all of that said, let’s talk about some ways that people with epilepsy can minimize the negative effects of drinking alcohol if they so choose!
The first step should be talking to your doctor about whether or not they think it’s safe for you to drink, and if so, how much they think you can have! Because nobody knows your case better than you, and your physician.
Secondly, you should refrain from drinking too much. Three or more drinks is getting into dangerous territory, so try to limit yourself to two drinks maximum.
Next, you’ll need to be mindful of how long it can take to notice an uptick of seizures. Remember that it might take up to three days to experience the effects, so you should be careful over that time since you could have a seizure at any moment.
Lastly, try to minimize your other triggers after drinking as well. For instance, if you can, try to get some extra sleep. And be sure to stay hydrated and eat foods that you know are good for you! These things might seem small, but they could help cut down on negative side effects from the alcohol.
Conclusion
So to sum things up, many people with epilepsy find that they can safely drink small to moderate amounts of alcohol from time to time. But you should always err on the side of caution when it comes to drinking, especially if you have epilepsy and I'm suggesting to my daughter that she avoid it when the time comes.
Sources
As always, here are some of my main sources for this article!
https://www.epilepsy.com/what-is-epilepsy/seizure-triggers/alcohol
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