question about alchohol

[mwm1023]

I have been diagnosed with epilepsy since I was 8 years old and I am currently 18. I have heard from doctors time and time again of alcohol's dangerous effects on people with epilepsy. I have only had about 5 or 6 seizures since then which occured at times when I was either not on any medication, being taken off my medication, or switching from Depakote to Lamictal. As I am finishing up my senior year of high school, getting ready for senior week and prom, and about to go away to college I am finding it more and more difficult to stay away from alcohol. It is mainly a curiosity factor. I just can't stand not knowing what it is like. I am posting here to get some feedback from others who may have experienced this or similar situations and was wondering if it might be alright to drink it up for one night.

I don't know if this info is useful or not but I am 6'4 and about 210 lbs. and currently taking 1000 mg of Depakote ER daily.

[Bernard]

Hi mwm, welcome to the forum.

Is it worth having breakthrough seizures to find out what it's like to be drunk? Alcohol affects your brain chemistry, dehydrates you and disturbs your normal sleep pattern - all of which can be seizure triggers.

Peer pressure is for the insecure. Once you decide on your own path in life, live it with conviction. There is no reason you can't have a good time with friends if they are drinking and you are not (though you will likely see them much differently if they get stupid drunk).

[brain]

After going through all that trouble finding the right anti-epileptic drug and
going through all those seizures, you're willing to put yourself
at a risk to snatch a drink? and risk a seizure in doing so?

:shock:

But then again, even if I could drink - I wouldn't do it, not
after all the "hell" (forgive me for saying that) I've been
through! I can't drink, alcohol triggers Migraines in me anyway.

Why not go for Non-Alcoholic Drink if you want to have a drink?
They have N/A Beer or N/A Drink?

I go for a N/A Pina Colada once in a Blue Moon at a really upscale
tropical outdoors bar where the band is, at nice summer night! (I
just make sure I had a long nap in the afternoon so I don't risk
any seizures for staying up late at night).

[chris]

Hi mwm from my personal experance alcohol is one of my triggers. The other problem with getting drunk is it is difficult to feel the warning signs I have of a seizure as you get simular feelings from the alcohol. Maybe you might be best to have a few drinks in a safe environment with people that are used to dealing with epilepsy. Believe me waking up on a night club floor with your friends in tears and the bouncers asking what drugs you have taken is not worth it all.

[1096]

so i have had 3 seizures. never had any meds (for epilepsy anyway) and i think that alcohol for me was not a trigger. i've had it many times.

including after my 3rd seizure, i went straight to the pub. but aside from all that I think seeing as though you are on such a large amount of anti-epileptic drug, and were diagnosed so young perhaps you are of a higher severity than me.

personally, i think it would be OK for you to have say 1 or 2 standard drinks. but if you don't HAVE to (whatever the variables are) don't.

from my knowledge isnt taking anti-epileptic drug's a very similar sensation (especially in it's first few months) to being drunk anyway? the lack of coordination etc...

i am no neurologist (rofl) so i wouldnt drink at all if i were you. ask your gp? or your mum.

[mariaine22]

Hey, i was in the same place you are when they told me what i had was epilepsy. Im 22 n i love to go out and party... n ive come to learn that alochol wont trigger my seizure, but if i go out i cant stay up till crazy hours and gotta make sure im gonna be able to sleep @ least 8 good hrs when i get home. U gotta be careful though till u figure out if acohol is gonna make ur seizures worse or not.
Be safe

[1096]

well ive had 5 seizures now, all within 2 or 3 months (too drowsy to remember props) i think 2.

Im now on 800mg epilim. im a light weight so unless i build a resistance i dont think im going to be at the avg 1200mg full grown adult dose. besides im only 18, and a short bastard at that.

and im not going near alcohol for a while. so yeah, i wouldnt drink man. now that i can relate more.

im going to say im Des Driver from now on when i club and get free softdrink, if they still do that.

Better des driver than have to explain epilepsy, my meds and that it's common rofl. last time i was out i just asked for glasses of water (club people all thought i was doing drugs.... like E or something - coz i dance pretty full on and really get into it - that surplus the water their suspicions were undoubtedly confirmed.

[beno]

Alcohol only tends to act as a seizure trigger in large doses. But ask your doctor because they're the one who would know whether they think you're especially at risk from alcohol. But alcohol does pose another risk. A lot of anti-convulsants interact with alcohol and lower your alcohol tolerance and you can feel completely drunk after only a couple of drinks.

[alivenwell]

It's not worth it. It might be a nasty interaction between your meds and alcohol that could cause a more serious issue. If they provide something like carbonated water, it would be a much safer option. Make sure they don't add anything to it.

[Bee91]

Hi! I'm 16 so I understand what you're talking about. I think when I'm 21 I might will start drinking...but not a minute before then. And even when I am 21, I WILL NOT drink very much at all. On meds, I already knows what it is like to feel drunk...and it really sucks... I don't think it is worth having seizures. I've had hundreds of seizures and I feel like my heads going to explode so If I find out by one sip of alcohol, that it is a trigger for me, I will stay away for it forever...no matter how much I liked it...

[Torak]

When I was younger I was a complete idiot, tbh, and spent too much time partying. I went five years seizure free on only 200mg/day of carbamazepine aged 19-24, when I was in my major partying years. I also saw several friends of mine become alcoholics.

Also bear in mind that alcohol costs you more than just money. It becomes a reason for drinking all on it's own, more alluring than the company you keep, and that can eventually cost you your health, your social life, and your sanity.

I'm on the wagon nowadays. I'm older and wiser.

The cameraderie in a group of drinkers is an illusion. Each person is drowning in a seperate pool of booze.

I also derive more pleasure from using my brain cells than from killing them (that's why I'm doing an honours degree in computing at the Open University).

[TeeTees]

Hi mwm1023,

Welcome aboard.

Drinking alcohol is fantastic !.....

you feel as if you can do anything
you feel calmer
you then start to feel rough (the alcohol's settling in now)
you feel sick
you feel rougher
you feel deydrated !...
...you don't realise, but you're having a seizure in the middle of a pub full off people who don't understand what the hell is happening, as they're all drunk !
if you're lucky, you wake up the next day
you feel rough
you feel self-pity
you start feeling, why did I do that ?
you feel sorry for yourself even more
you have more seizures
you then wonder why you even bothered drinking that damn stuff !!
you then start having another drink to drown your sorrows
^back to top.

Believe me, it's a great excuse to find happiness in the bottom off a glass, but I never had to look there when I was a happy little kiddie, so why should I need it now. Let your friends carry on with drinking, if that's what they wish. But believe me, don't waste your life.....it really ain't worth it.....find happiness elsewhere bud

[angel]

Hi mwm1023,

Welcome aboard.

Drinking alcohol is fantastic !.....

you feel as if you can do anything
you feel calmer
you then start to feel rough (the alcohol's settling in now)
you feel sick
you feel rougher
you feel deydrated !...
...you don't realise, but you're having a seizure in the middle of a pub full off people who don't understand what the hell is happening, as they're all drunk !
if you're lucky, you wake up the next day
you feel rough
you feel self-pity
you start feeling, why did I do that ?
you feel sorry for yourself even more
you have more seizures
you then wonder why you even bothered drinking that damn stuff !!
you then start having another drink to drown your sorrows
^back to top.

Believe me, it's a great excuse to find happiness in the bottom off a glass, but I never had to look there when I was a happy little kiddie, so why should I need it now. Let your friends carry on with drinking, if that's what they wish. But believe me, don't waste your life.....it really ain't worth it.....find happiness elsewhere bud

my husband is a bartender we dont drink I also have my servers license ....lol I cant stand being around drunk people.... for one what if you have a seizure while your drunk? scary thought if you end up choking on your own vomit..... you can still have fun with out drinking find some cute girl to talk to dance your heart out.... make fun of your buddies while they act all stupid..... the next day you can tell them about all the silly things they did " you might get a good laugh out of it "

love angel

[TeeTees]

[quote=angel;15341the next day you can tell them about all the silly things they did " you might get a good laugh out of it "
[/QUOTE]

Now that IS fun. The amount of laughs I've had telling my friends over the phone the next morning what they done last night is brill.....especially on Christmas morning. Lucky for me, my friends were understanding and didn't try pushing me to have a beer either.

Plus, it saves you a fortune in headache pills !

Look on the bright side - when I was out clubbing there was two opportunities for non-alcohol drinkers....lemonade or coke ! <boooorrring>

[brain]

EGG NOG ANYONE?