Alcohol and other triggers

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C33

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Greetings, everybody!

I have a fairly mild case of epilepsy--I was diagnosed with absence seizures when I was 11 (more than 20 years ago) and had my first tonic-clonic at age 14. Medication kept me seizures to a bare minimum over the years, and I was taken off med altogether in 2004.

After a long stretch with no problems, I had to seizures in fairly quick order, and they both came the morning after nights of heavy drinking--something I don't do much these days at all. My neuro said that alcohol, or more specifically the hangover, is a trigger.

I don't really have a problem sticking to one or two drinks, so I wasn't particularly worried about getting back on meds, but last night I took two Tylenol Cold Nighttime caplets, woke up feeling disoriented, went to the bathroom, and that's all I remember. My girlfriend found me in the bathtub with my feet hanging over the edge. (How I didn't crack my head open, I have no idea!) I'm guessing the cold meds had a similar effect to alcohol, so now I'm wondering what else I might want to avoid.

Anyone else have similar triggers/experiences?
 
Hi C33, welcome to CWE!

It could be the Tylenol that triggered your seizure, but seizures can also be triggered by infections and/or dehydration so perhaps those were at work too.

Best,
Nakamova
 
The acetominophen in Tylenol is known to trigger seizures in people who are sensitive to that chemical. My partner experienced something similar with acetominophen when he was younger. I would avoid it and find something else to tackle your cold.
 
I had one drink with a friend for New Years and it made us both more prone to seizures. It sort of aggriavted things. We don't drink hardly at all- just for special occassions. It lowers your seizure threshold and for some, just one drink can do it. For others that can tolerate more alcohol, which is basically a poison, might not have such trouble. Now I feel kinda stupid for having one drink with being on 3 meds at the moment- one of my not so bright things to do.
Anyways- talk to a pharmacist or neuro about what meds you can that won't set off your seizures. Even though you have not had many seizures for a while- you still technically have Epilepsy, the condition. The seizures are the symptoms.

Some people can go for a long long time without any seizures, and have one drink and start having troubles again. So for each person its different.
Please stay safe.

Take care,
Crystal
 
The PM part of the Tylenol could have been it also. One Dr. warned about large amounts of Benedryl, what he meant by large I don't know. He also said decongestants can do it so watch out for any OTC cold stuff that ends in D.
 
I was told that by my old neuro about Tegretol and other meds OTC for allergies. I do have allergies but only take a prescription eye drops for it. I a sneezing as I write this- it just woke up.. oops.
I can't have bynedril because it makes my heart race and I get gittery once I wake up from the sleepiness of it.

I remember my Mom asking "what can you take with your medicine?" and I would tell her nothing with a decongestiant in it or Sudephed (bad spelling, sorry)

Take care
 
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