However, Epilepsy Society is unable to provide a medical opinion on specific cases. Responses to enquiries contain information relating to the general principles of investigation and management of epilepsy. Answers are not, and should not be assumed to be, direct medical advice and is not intended to be a substitute for medical guidance from your own doctors. Epilepsy Society and any third party cannot be held responsible for any actions taken as a result of using this service. Any references made to other organisations does not imply any endorsement by Epilepsy Society. The National Institute for Health and Care Excellence (NICE) is the organisation that makes recommendations about what medicines doctors can prescribe on the NHS.
Binge Drinking Seizures
- Alcohol and some antiseizure medications can have similar side effects, and taking them together can cause potentially dangerous complications.
- Unprovoked seizures that occur more than 48 hours after a person’s last drink may be due to another cause, such as head injury or withdrawal from other drugs.
- This article looks at the connection between alcohol, seizures, and epilepsy, as well as treatment options and support.
- By contrast, data from the general adult German population showed that a proportion of 19.7% is AUDIT positive (9).
- Alcoholic neuropathy occurs when too much alcohol damages the peripheral nerves.
Since alcohol-induced seizures often repeat, consider this a medical emergency. Call 911 and tell the operator you think the person is experiencing an alcohol seizure. The emergency operator will often direct you on further steps to take. It’s important to always talk with your doctor about whether it’s safe to consume alcohol with your medication. Consuming alcohol in large quantities for extended periods seems to increase seizure frequency and might increase your risk of SUDEP.
A person’s previous experiences with repeated alcohol withdrawals cause neurochemical imbalances in their brain. These changes have a kindling effect, meaning they act as a kindle and trigger seizures during subsequent withdrawal episodes. ASMs can make you more sensitive to the sedating effects of alcohol, leading you to feel drowsy or feel intoxicated more easily. Mixing ASMs and alcohol can also reduce the effectiveness of medication and/or increase side effects by affecting how the ASMs are metabolised, increasing the risk of seizure activity. The interaction of alcohol and ASMs makes driving more hazardous, even if you have consumed an amount within the legal limit, so you should avoid driving in these circumstances. Possible confounding variables that were included in the logistic regression model regarding the occurrence of alcohol-related seizures in patients with epilepsy within the last 12 months.
Consuming alcohol seems to be a common trigger for seizures in people with epilepsy. If people have an alcohol use disorder, they can talk with a healthcare professional about treatment options. If people withdraw from alcohol after heavy use, it is important to do so with medical supervision. Long-term alcohol misuse can increase the risk of developing epilepsy. Alcohol-related seizures in those with epilepsy mostly occur due to alcohol withdrawal rather than the act of drinking itself.
Alcohol Seizure Prevention
Taking recreational drugs increases the risk of seizures and of mental and physical health problems, which in turn may make seizures more likely. Also, you can never be certain what exactly is in recreational drugs. Learning more about your own epilepsy and treatment means you can make informed choices about your lifestyle.
Find and Share Support for Epilepsy
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. SUDEP is the sudden and unexpected death of a person with epilepsy who is otherwise healthy without a known cause. The risk in people with epilepsy is roughly 1 in 1,000 people per year. This article explores how alcohol affects people with epilepsy and provides recommendations for how much alcohol is best to consume. When people stop consuming alcohol after chronic use, they lose the inhibitory effects of the GABA receptors, resulting in the central nervous system being overstimulated. According to the Epilepsy Foundation, some studies have linked chronic alcohol misuse to the development of epilepsy.
Epilepsy and Alcohol: Triggers and Safe Drinking
Only 2.9% of our interviewed study subjects were AUDIT positive indicating hazardous and harmful alcohol intake. By contrast, data from the general adult German population showed that a proportion of 19.7% is AUDIT positive (9). Alcohol consumption may trigger seizures in patients with epilepsy. Yet, there is currently little knowledge on the alcohol-drinking behavior of epilepsy patients.
Doctors or family and friends can provide early intervention, which can help you avoid alcohol-related neurologic disease. In a 2019 study, researchers showed that quitting alcohol had a positive effect on most people’s mental well-being. Avoiding alcohol is the best way to treat these conditions and relieve symptoms.
In the 1940s, William G. Lennox comprehensively analyzed alcohol consumption and the occurrence of alcohol-related seizures in 1,254 subjects with epilepsy (1). However, only about 30% of patients used alcohol, thus excluding 70% from any analysis of potential alcohol-related effects on the disease. Apart from this, there is little research on the occurrence of alcohol-related seizures in patients with epilepsy. A double-blinded, randomized, interventional study on 52 subjects with epilepsy demonstrated that a social alcohol intake over a 4-month-period did not increase seizure frequencies (2). In another interventional study on 14 patients with epilepsy and 10 healthy controls, acute moderate alcohol consumption initially suppressed epileptiform EEG-activity.
The choice about whether to drink alcohol as someone with epilepsy goes beyond, “Does alcohol cause epileptic seizures? ” 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 vanderburgh house on any medications you might be taking.