Alcohol and seizures

[stockiingmelissa]

I know that a lot of people I have talked to say not to drink if you seizures. I still occasionally have a wine cooler and don not seem to be affected by it. Anybodies thoughts?

I am also having problems with my seizures and the heat. I have a heart condition anyway so I have to avoid the heat as much as possible. But I have had 6 seizures over the last two days. It is really starting to bother me.

One more thing and then I will leave this alone. We are supposed to be taking a trip to a theme park in about a month. What can I safely do and what should I avoid? Thank You everyone for any and all help.

Melissa

[Nakamova]

Hi Melissa --

Everyone has different triggers and thresholds. Alcohol does it for some -- it can dehydrate the system, and mess with electrolyte balances (like potassium and sodium). It can also affect sleep. So if you're sensitive to those stressors, then alcohol might be a mistake. Additionally, alcohol and most anti-epileptic drug meds are self-reinforcing -- that is, they tend to increase each other's absorption rate, and you feel the sedative effect of both more strongly.

But not everyone is affected equally. I have no problem having a beer or a cocktail or a few glasses of wine. I've even had all three in sequence(!). But my sensitivities are different than other folks. If you feel like you are okay after a wine cooler, then you probably are.

As for the heat -- definitely try and stay hydrated, that will help. Try resting your feet in a cool bath of water, or putting a cool washcloth on your neck.

When you are at the theme park, in addition to being careful in the heat, make sure to pace yourself. Take a break and sit down BEFORE you feel tired. Bring healthy snacks. As for the rides, my own choice would be to stay away from ones that make me dizzy and spin me around. Roller coasters don't bother me though. If you're not sure how you will feel, you might want to play it safe -- start on a relatively tame kiddie ride and see how you feel, or just stay away from the rides altogether.

[epileric]

I have the odd drink & it doesn't effect me too badly but because alcohol is dehydrating, I just don't drink when it's too hot out.

Remember to stay hydrated at the theme park & don't overdo it with sugar & junk food. At least that would be my advice

[Endless]

Hi, Melissa,

Theme park? FUN!!!!

Check this out at the epilepsy.com site: Tips for vacationing at amusement parks It's targeted for kids, but it applies to us, too.

Here's a link to the AllEars tip page for people with special needs. It's targeted at disney world, and the epilepsy page is a bit generic, but still good common sense: All ears

Google Epilepy Theme Park. A bunch of stuff pops up.

As for alcohol, I'll just echo what everyone else has said. Everyone is different. I'm one of those people that can't take even one drink. Not even a glass of wine. Alcohol is a very strong trigger for me. If your seizures aren't under control yet, I wouldn't recommend drinking. It would be difficult to know whether the alcohol is making things worse, or whether it is normal random variation in your seizures. If things were under control, you could give it a try and if it caused a seizure you could just quit drinking the stuff. Why take the chance of making things worse right now when you wouldn't know it?

[valeriedl]

I really don't drink, I really didn't even before I had epilepsy. I may have a glass of wine or a drink every so often, but it's usually only one a month if even that. I've never had any problems but I never drink to the point where I get drunk.

As for roller coasters, last year I went to a theam park. My neurologist told me to stay away from the ones that spun around. I went on both kinds and didn't have any problems. I did however stay away from anything with strobe lights, I've really never had a problem with them but didn't want to take the chance.

[PhylisFeinerJohnson]

I had heat exhaustion last Wednesday and it lasted a WEEK! Happily my garden is done. (Or as "done" as it's going to be.)

As for theme parks, I've been known to throw up and pass out. At Disney's "Space Mountain," I was so disoriented because of the design of the ride, that I completely freaked out.

On the other hand, log flumes and more tame stuff are lots of fun. I just can't go upside down or super fast (one ride with centrifical force, found me in a puddle on the bottom of the "cage!")

So, wear a broad brimmed hat, stay hydrated and know your limits! Have fun!

[nikki6]

I drink like a fish and have epilepsey....I have never had a problem till this week. See post I posted today

[dfwtexas]

I'm not much of a drinker, but like a glass of wine a few times a year. When I discussed with my neurologist, he told me that as little as I drink, it shouldn't be an issue. But he did tell me that I should not drink within 2 hours of taking my seizure meds and just plan accordingly. I haven't had an problems with these guidelines