If your goal is to quit drinking, do you want to gradually reduce the amount of alcohol you consume over time or give up drinking all at once? There’s no right answer, but you should go into quitting with a roadmap for your journey ahead. Even when you understand the benefits of quitting drinking, it still can be an intimidating prospect to actually kick the habit and know how to quit alcohol safely. Tips for quitting drinking that work for another person may or may not work for you. Heavy drinking is linked to a greater likelihood of developing many chronic health conditions. By quitting drinking, you’ll lower your risk of high blood pressure, heart disease and stroke, fatty liver, pancreatitis, and several types of cancer.

Consuming alcohol makes it even more dangerous, and it is never a good idea to combine drinking and driving, even in small amounts. If your medication allows drinking, only drink a few drinks, and make sure to drink slowly. You should never stop taking your prescribed ASM without talking to your specialist first as this could cause more seizures or more severe seizures. Additionally, if a seizure cannot be stopped or multiple seizures occur in rapid succession, it could result in permanent injury or prove fatal. According to the Epilepsy Foundation, seizures by themselves typically are not fatal.

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The answer to whether alcohol can trigger seizures is more complex than you might think. Clearly, people diagnosed with epilepsy have different answers to the question, “Does alcohol affect epilepsy? ” This can be confusing — especially if you or someone you love has been newly diagnosed with epilepsy and is deciding whether or not to drink. Luckily, current research can help you make wise decisions about your relationship with alcohol. Status epilepticus is a medical emergency that may lead to lasting brain damage or death.

First and foremost, it is vital you talk to your doctor about alcohol consumption and whether or not your course of medication permits it. When you begin epilepsy medication, you should receive a leaflet that outlines the guidelines for taking this medication. For example, this leaflet should also advise you if drinking alcohol is safe or not and what level of drinking is considered safe. There is no single answer for all epilepsy patients, as everyone is different, with varied needs and unique experiences. Alcohol can interfere with epilepsy medication, making these medicines less effective and raising the risk of a seizure occurring. If you have already had too much to drink, the best thing to do is to seek medical attention.

Dangers of Mixing Epilepsy Medications with Alcohol

The higher the dose of alcohol consumed and the longer the duration of its consumption, the higher the association with the onset of seizures. While those with epilepsy are at a higher risk of seizures while using alcohol, the degree of risk varies based on the amount of alcohol used. Alcohol can also impair judgment and lessen inhibitions, which can lead to risky behaviors.

Alcohol misuse

People with alcohol withdrawal seizures may also experience tremors, hallucinations, muscle spasms, and a rapid heart rate. A 2017 review found that a history of alcohol misuse increased the risk of post-traumatic epilepsy in people with traumatic brain injury. Consuming alcohol seems to be a common trigger for seizures in people with epilepsy. The can someone with epilepsy drink alcohol amount of alcohol intake before alcohol-related seizures was at least 7 standard drinks, or the equivalent of 1.4 liters of beer or 700 milliliters of wine. In almost all cases, seizures occurred within 12 hours of stopping alcohol consumption.

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However, they may cause people to fall and sustain potentially serious injuries, such as head injuries. Alcohol seizures may share symptoms with seizures that are not linked to alcohol. According to the Epilepsy Foundation, some studies have linked chronic alcohol misuse to the development of epilepsy. Certain people may be more at risk, so it’s important to take extra care if you belong to one of these groups.

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It is possible for chronic alcohol consumption to cause seizures in people without a history of seizures. According to the Epilepsy Society, consuming alcohol may make your epileptic medications less effective and may make the side effects of your medications worse. Alcohol is a diuretic, which means that it promotes water loss by increasing urine output. 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.

Can you drink alcohol while taking seizure medication?

Your risk of developing seizures seems to increase with an increasing amount of alcohol. Seizures often seem to develop in the hours after you stop consuming alcohol. Alcohol withdrawal syndrome is a condition that occurs after an abrupt stopping of heavy drinking in people with alcohol use disorders (AUD). People who chronically consume large amounts of alcohol seem to be more likely to have epilepsy than people who don’t.

A doctor will help you weigh both the benefits and the side effects before prescribing these medications. According to the CDC, heavy drinking is defined as 15 or more drinks per week for men and 8 drinks or more per week for women (2). Start by talking to any doctors, nurses, or therapists you may already be seeing. Talking with an addiction therapist or medical specialist can assist you in your goal to stop drinking.

Cirrhosis refers to a scarring of the liver, and it’s the final stage of liver disease. It’s estimated that between 10% and 20% of people with ALD will develop cirrhosis. You must decide this for yourself, ideally in consultation with a healthcare provider who can advise you on the best path forward given your personal drinking history and your current health. To learn more about the risks of epilepsy and alcohol, speak to your medical team. There is evidence that people who have uncontrolled seizures are more likely to have seizures after drinking (but people with controlled seizures could also be at risk).

Heatstroke and heat exhaustion are the most severe forms of heat illness. It’s important to know the signs of each one and what to do if you or someone around you is showing signs. Heatstroke is the most severe type of heat-related illness and can cause death if treatment is delayed. Also known as hepatic steatosis, this stage of ALD may be reversible if you stop drinking. If you spend an average of $100 a week on alcohol, you’ll save more than $5,000 a year when you give up drinking. Some researchers have also found that alcohol stimulates appetite, causing you to eat more when you drink.

Seizures from drinking are most likely to occur as the effects of alcohol wear off. Alcohol withdrawal seizures are more common in those who have been binge drinking or are trying to stop using alcohol after prolonged use. Those who overdose on alcohol may also experience alcohol poisoning seizures as the toxins from alcohol build up in their bloodstream.

• For example, this leaflet should also advise you if drinking alcohol is safe or not and what level of drinking is considered safe.
• Electroencephalogram (EEG) tests show brain activity remains the same, as long as the amount of alcohol ingested is small.
• ASMs can make you more sensitive to the sedating effects of alcohol, leading you to feel drowsy or feel intoxicated more easily.

That being said, there is evidence that alcoholism could cause long term epilepsy too. One theory is that when someone repeatedly binges on alcohol and then withdraws, it gradually causes permanent changes in the brain. These changes mean that the person would be more likely to have seizures in future, even if they stopped drinking alcohol altogether. If you have epilepsy you may have heard about risks related to alcohol and seizures. It is true that drinking beer, wine and spirits may make you more likely to have a seizure. Most of these antiepileptic medications also have side effects that mimic those of alcohol.

While abstaining from alcohol is the safest option, if one chooses to drink, adhering to low-risk drinking guidelines is crucial. Drinking alcohol poses real risks to everyone’s health, and it can be especially risky if you have epilepsy. Talk with your doctor about epilepsy and alcohol for advice about what’s best for you.