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. These changes can promote seizure activity in people with and without epilepsy during periods of alcohol withdrawal. The 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.
Hormonal Changes
Together, you can address this issue properly and help the person build a happier and healthier life in recovery. If you have any concerns aboutdrinking alcohol it’s a good idea to ask your doctor, that way you can learnmore about how drinking may affect your ASMs or particular type of epilepsy. Binge drinking is defined as a pattern of alcohol intake that causes the blood alcohol concentration (BAC) to be 0.08% (0.08 g/dL) or higher. This typically occurs if women have 4 or more drinks and men have 5 or more drinks within about a 2-hour period. Please continue reading to learn more about why alcohol seizures occur.
Seizures often seem to develop in the hours after you stop consuming alcohol. Consuming alcohol seems to be a common trigger for seizures in people with epilepsy. Using hormonal treatments, such as certain hormonal birth control methods, can help can you drink alcohol if you have seizures prevent seizure triggers by altering the normal menstrual cycle. Your doctor may also adjust your AED dose or add AED medications at specific times during your menstrual cycle to help prevent seizures. Skipping meals or eating at irregular times can cause blood sugar levels to rise and fall.
Excessive Alcohol Consumption (Alcohol Poisoning)
In other words, repeated detoxifications increase the likelihood, severity, and duration of alcohol withdrawal seizures. Most people with a seizure disorder (epilepsy) can drink small amounts of alcohol occasionally without experiencing an increase in seizure activity. Small amounts of alcohol do not change the blood levels of anti-seizure drugs. They also do not cause changes in electroencephalographic (EEG) readings (brain activity tracings).
Common Seizure Triggers and 9 Tips To Avoid Them
The National Institute for Health and Care Excellence (NICE) is the organisation that makes recommendations about what medicines doctors can prescribe on the NHS. NICE recommends that Epidyolex is only used to treat the conditions above if two other ASM have been tried and they have not controlled the seizures. They also recommend that doctors check every six months to see if Epidyolex is working to control or reduce seizures and stop prescribing it if it is not.
- Most people with a seizure disorder (epilepsy) can drink small amounts of alcohol occasionally without experiencing an increase in seizure activity.
- Alcohol can also trigger seizures if you have epilepsy and often interacts poorly with anti-seizure medications.
- According to a 2017 article, alcohol withdrawal seizures in those without epilepsy may occur 6–48 hours after a person consumes their last alcoholic drink.
- This may be due to alcohol’s effect on the brain, sleep, and anti-seizure medications.
- Getting a good night’s rest is important for proper brain function in all people and especially for those living with epilepsy.
This rapid intoxication can surprise a person and cause them embarrassment, stress, and anxiety — which can, in turn, trigger seizures. Those with epilepsy who have alcohol dependence and stop drinking suddenly have an additional risk of withdrawal-induced seizures. Many people with epilepsy have heard that alcohol consumption can change the blood levels of their AEDs. More recent research shows that having one to two drinks a day does not seem to affect these levels in most medications. However, some medications are more likely than others to metabolize differently when alcohol is used.
Studies have found that people who experience seizures triggered by binge drinking can, in the future, start experiencing unprovoked seizures even in the absence of alcohol intake. Failure to take antiepileptic drugs (AEDs) as prescribed is one of the most common seizure triggers. AEDs work by preventing seizure activity in the brain, but for the medication to work properly, you must have a high enough level of medication in your bloodstream. Missing a dose or taking the wrong dose of your AED can decrease these levels and trigger seizures. If you or a loved one is struggling with an alcohol use disorder (unhealthy patterns of alcohol consumption), get in touch with Discover Recovery Treatment Center today.
It can also occur when an alcoholic suddenly stops drinking and experiences alcohol withdrawal. Medical professionals often recommend that people with epilepsy avoid or consume a moderate amount of alcohol. If you do drink, avoid binge drinking or chronically high consumption, which may help reduce your seizure severity or frequency. 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.
The brain is always slightly sedated, and the body is always trying to return to normal. Others have seizures when they try to quit drinking after long periods. These can be life-threatening episodes, so it’s critical to know what they look like and how they’re treated. For some people, certain situations can trigger (set off) a seizure. Common triggers include lack of sleep, stress, alcohol, and not taking their prescribed anti-seizure medication (ASM).