Topamax and alcohol

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Sheripark

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My doctor said drinking alcohol was not an option with topamax and nortriptyline. The way I feel now I guess I did not stew over it that much. Got me thinking and wondering if anyone here on topamax partakes in "a" cocktail?

Sheri
 
I've tried a cocktail on three occasions since my diagnosis & the start on AEDs. A glass of wine, actually. I felt like s*&^ after I drank it, not that usual pleasant relaxation I used to get before I was taking AEDs. And several hours afterwards, I felt like it was the worst hangover I've ever had - beyond awful. And I had nasty seizures on top of it. Those extra seizures happen 5-8 hours after I consume alcohol. Alcohol is a major seizure trigger. And I only had one glass of wine.

Not only is it not worth it. It's self-punishment to drink while on AEDs. Some people say they can do it, but when you read their posts most have seizures the next day (and don't know or relate it to the alcohol consumption the day before). I say it's not worth even trying.
 
It may depend on the medication that you're taking. When I was on tegretol alcohol was definitely not an option. Gave me seizures once and I stopped. On lamictal though, I've only had a seizure once after drinking (6 Kilkenny at the pub. not the best idea)

I haven't had any issues if I have one or two drinks occasionally. Apart from it making me fall asleep as alcohol intensifies the side effects of lamictal. (at least for me)
 
I think it might be the med, plus individual differences - how people react to things. I'm on lamictal and if I drink it's one big barf-headache-and-seizure-O'rama.
 
Good point Endless. It seems like every aspect of E is different for all of us. The brain is a complicated thing I suppose...
 
I have been researching everywhere online to see if I could find any website that says topamax and alcohol can be mixed. But nothing. Then i found this thread and i do want to contribute and say that i am taking topamax for seizures and i have drank on more then one occasion. I know its not 'healthy' but you do get influenced sometimes. My experience with alcohol seems normal to me. I have never drank it without taking my medication. I always make sure to take my meds at least an hour before i drink. And my drinking experience then is just like everyone else's. I don't get any excessive dizziness or confusion unless of course i drink too much. And I rarely ever get hangovers. Im not sure if its the amount i take, or maybe different people's bodies just process medicine in different moderation. But i've been happy with topamax and surprisingly its allowed me to do much more then i expected.
 
I used to be on Topamax and never had a problem having a couple every once in a while. Now Ive switched to Lamictal and still dont have any issues with drinking a few. I by no means sit there and get Sh!tfaced, im talking 2-3 beers or 1-2 mixed drinks. And Im not sayin go out and start partyin. It all affects us differently! If your sittin at the house bored one day, drink a beer and see how it makes you feel!
 
lol. this is actually funny. people on here drinking cocktails, spritzers and such....makes me feel so young. but anyways, im on topamax, lamictal and keppra. and everyone's case is different, and now that i've been on here for awhile i wouldn't want anything bad to happen to anyone on this site - especially by anything i say. but i can tell you what happens to me personally and you can weigh the good from the bad. there are times when i would get plastered jager-bombs, beers, jack-n-cokes, etc etc all night and i would be ok. wouldnt affect me seizure wise. the only thing the meds would do is make me get drunk quicker. however my epilepsy was caused via scarring of the brain.
 
I used to be on Topamax and never had a problem having a couple every once in a while. Now Ive switched to Lamictal and still dont have any issues with drinking a few. I by no means sit there and get Sh!tfaced, im talking 2-3 beers or 1-2 mixed drinks. And Im not sayin go out and start partyin. It all affects us differently! If your sittin at the house bored one day, drink a beer and see how it makes you feel!

That has been my experience too.
 
I have been on Topamax for several years and I have found it's best to only have 1 or 2 at most. I get way more buzzed, I stay up later, my sleep is impaired and it has lead to a seizure in the morning. I also take low blood sugar into account for the seizures that occur after drinking. If your liver is too busy processing the alcohol it will not be available to process sugars that help keep your blood sugar stable while you sleep. Have you ever woken up after a night of partying and craved a huge breakfast? Same principle. I know for me my seizures and low blood sugar go hand-in-hand.
Cheers!
Jules
 
Let me just say this,i live in a rural area at the moment and theres only one pub within walking distance,i got barred from that one pub but i aint had a seizure since.
 
I'm on Topamax plus a few other meds. I'll have a drink every so often, maybe something every month or two.

However I was at a picnic a few weekends ago and ended up drinking a good bit without even realizing it. They had alcholic peach iced tea in a big orange gatorade cooler. I'd already drank around 4 glasses before I'd realized it had alchol in it. I had 2 seizures the next day, not too much fun.
 
I'm on Lamictal and Keppra, and I was told from the beginning never to have more than 8 oz of wine or a beer or two, no more. My husband is wonderful - he measures my wine with a shot glass to make sure I don't go "over the limit". I tried once after my diagnosis and meds to go a little beyond that (an extra glass of wine) and the hangover the next day was like I'd had a couple of bottles - definitely not worth it. The doc told me drinking was like increasing your meds for a night and when it wears off, the electrical activity increases significantly which can mean sz, so I just don't go beyond, and haven't had any problems.
 
Always Wary of Alcohol



I am always wary of drinking alcohol, not that I don't like it, no no no, I love my snort of Brandy!!:woot:

However I have multiple conditions including a genetic disorder that, and you'll all love this one, mirrors Epilepsy and gives an extra wonderfully strange symptom called a "Brain Fog" whuch leaves me watching the world through net curtains and unable to react for from 1 minute to 1 hour and slurring my words when I come out of it fun huh.

So I really don't want to have to think about booze and topamax.

But I will tell you this I had to have morphine after an operation and had my topamax afterwards, my dreams that night were far out

Paul
 
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