alcohol induced seizures

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I always had massive amounts of absence seizures if I had the right amount of alcohol in my system (five or six beers). I still do drink occasionally, but it's only a glass or two of wine now.
 
In my wild impetuous youth when I first started having seizures and was generally pissed off at the world and scared to go to sleep (nocturnal seizures), I did a lot of "self-medicating" with both booze and drugs.
It didn't work. I was having two or three seizures in a night and three or four nights like that a week. I was a mess.
Then I got into body building. Cleaned up my diet and stopped all recreational substances and lo and behold, my seizure dropped to about once a month.
All of this was without any pharmaceutical meds in the picture.
 
Ive been binge drinking pretty heavy on weekends since my boyfriend moved in with me about 6 years ago. Never had seizure problems until this past spring. I get auras with hallucinations and now the last 4 times blacked out and/or fell depending on if I was sitting or standing. 2 times were on tuesdays and 1 Sat. 1 monday. We usually drink 2 750 ml bottles of vodka and about 6 energy drinks together every weekend. More if we drink sundays too. I told neurologist I probably drink 8-21 drinks a week and he didnt bat an eye. He put me on keppra and when I tried to reduce my meds last week I had 2 seizures. Now im reading a lot about drinking and thinking im provoking these and maybe not epileptic after all. Wondering if I would stop drinking could I stop taking keppra...also now concerned aboit a fatal epilectus or something ? I read about the other day. No one has ever been with me during a seizure so I dont know how long im out or what my body does.
 
Holy crap! The combo of that much booze plus energy drinks which are basically sugar/caffeine hotshots. That is enough to scramble anybody's neurons.

Even if that is not the only cause of your seizures it sure as hell is not helping any.
 
Don't want to lecture here, Morgan but as Aloha mentioned that's a lot of booze. With most meds you are not supposed to drink. I take Keppra and do drink one or two beers. I notice that when I drink heavy stuff, I have a hell of a hangover in am.
"I" would definitely cut down on the alcohol and don't even want to talk about energy drinks.
You are in charge of Your life so You have to decide what to do!
Good Luck!
M
 
I had a breakthrough seizure back in August 2014 after being free for ~2 years, had childish f-word the world attitude and went out a lot with friends since I decided not to go back to school in September. My body was only able to take ~1.5 months of this before I ended seizing again late October.

side note: I'm on Keppra and did EGG, sleep deprived EGG, MRI etc etc in September which overlapped a bit with the drinking but I found out last month all the tests were normal. Pretty pathetic (weak?) epilepsy body is..
 
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also now concerned aboit a fatal epilectus or something ? I read about the other day. No one has ever been with me during a seizure so I dont know how long im out or what my body does.
I think you mean "status epilepticus." It usually refers to when the brain is continuously seizing (not merely unconscious) for longer than 5 minutes. Status epilepticus is potentially fatal and 911 should be called when it occurs. Although the people most likely to experience it are ones with an underlying brain condition (like trauma or tumor), people with diagnosed epilepsy are also at risk. The best way to decrease your risk of status epilepticus is to take your meds, get regular good-quality sleep, and avoid triggers like alcohol and stimulants. You need to think seriously about reducing your drinking or (ideally) stopping entirely. And your neuro needs to know not only how many drinks per week you are consuming, but what you are consuming and whether you are binging when you do so.

Consuming lots of alcohol and energy drinks is like giving your brain whiplash. It may or may not be the primary trigger of your seizures, but it's very likely to be at least a secondary trigger. It messes with your sleep, it messes with your electrolytes, it can cause low blood sugar and dehydration, it can affect the way your medication is absorbed, and it can lead you to forget to take your meds altogether.

Just because heavy drinking didn't cause seizures in the past, doesn't mean it's not doing so now. Triggers can evolve as you age, and they can be cumulative. Eventually you can reach a tipping point.
 
I think you mean "status epilepticus." It usually refers to when the brain is continuously seizing (not merely unconscious) for longer than 5 minutes. Status epilepticus is potentially fatal and 911 should be called when it occurs. Although the people most likely to experience it are ones with an underlying brain condition (like trauma or tumor), people with diagnosed epilepsy are also at risk. The best way to decrease your risk of status epilepticus is to take your meds, get regular good-quality sleep, and avoid triggers like alcohol and stimulants. You need to think seriously about reducing your drinking or (ideally) stopping entirely. And your neuro needs to know not only how many drinks per week you are consuming, but what you are consuming and whether you are binging when you do so.

I have experienced status several times in my life, but I am still here. I have hard to control E, therefore I don't consume alcohol. Suddenly stopping any AED can cause one to go into status epilepticus, so I think it would be best to stop drinking instead of quitting your AEDs. My first episode with status occurred because I did abruptly stop one AED and start another, but I was under a doc's care at the time. It can and does happen and it is NO fun. Actually pretty SCARY!
 
My first recognized seizure was status partial seizure. Prior to that I didn't interpret my motor activity as seizure activity so didn't seek help right away. So I was conscious, but still scary to not have control for such an extended time.
 
Thanks everyone. I am considering cutting back to only 1-2 drinks per weekend night and 100% cutting out the energy drinks. I honestly don't know if I can give it (vodka) up 100%...but if it came to blows between life and death I would cut it out. I also had a sleep deprived EEG, 48Holter monitor, MRI, EKG's and nothing showed up in November- Had been having hallucinations visual and auditory for a few months prior to actual blacking out and also didn't realize I was having seizures until I woke up on my face whilst getting ready for work one morning(thought the hallucinations were the "Runners High" people talk about. I have a f/u with neurologist next month. Have told him about my drinking habits and as I mentioned he didn't bat an eye. He put me on Keppra and never discussed any side effects. I have been experiencing numb hands and feet and muscle spasms since my last seizure on Monday and am still tired. I also have an MRI (IUD) in which is due to come out. Maybe the birth control is having effects on me. There just seem to be so many triggers. One could drive themselves crazy trying to figure it all out. I never realized how complex epilepsy is! You all are one strong group!
 
And yes status epilepticus is what I was referring to. Thank you for the input. Its not a path I want to end up on.
 
I am considering cutting back to only 1-2 drinks per weekend night and 100% cutting out the energy drinks. I honestly don't know if I can give it (vodka) up 100%...but if it came to blows between life and death I would cut it out
That's a good place to start.
I'm sorry but somebody has to say it. You might want to check out an AA meeting or two. Just like all of us are supportive and knowledgable about E, the people you would meet there would have been there and done that with what it takes to quit such a self destructive habit.

When I made the decision to clean up my diet and lifestyle, unfortunately I had to cut someone loose that I had been with for a while because he was not supportive of my new goals and kept trying to drag me back down, "Here have another tequila shot. Just one more won't hurt you. Don't be such a priss!" etc, etc.

I really hope your boyfriend can get on board and be supportive for you, for your health and potentially your life. It kinda sounds though like you two reinforce each other's bad habits, drinking together on weekends and such. He needs to know that you need to make new good habits together or he needs to get out of your way while you make your own.
 
Preach on! I dont mind hearing it. I know its a bad habit and one we have actually joked about in the past. "We are functioning alcoholics" its really quite depressing. Just because I work and take care of business doesnt mean im functioning. I'm so far from that. My daughter would have nothing without me. So thank you for being honest.
 
I also have an IUD in which is due to come out. Maybe the birth control is having effects on me. There just seem to be so many triggers.
The IUD shouldn't be a factor (I have one myself). If it's one of the hormone-based ones, it releases the hormone in a very limited way, and the hormone in question is progesterone which actually has an anti-seizure effect. But it's good to consider everything when looking for triggers.
 
Me? I just celebrated my 33rd bday. Ive already put the nix on st patties day which goes against thevirish in me!
 
Well now just to be clear I wasnt born with a bottle in my hand if your trying to be funny. But I do know what you mean. I live in MA and have never been to boston for the festivities. I like to stay safe at home usually.
 
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