I'm a college freshman with a little history of seizures. When I was younger (approx. 7th grade) I had a few seizures that we thought were related to very high fevers. During the seizures, I would pass out, my eyes would roll back in my head, and I would clench up my body very tightly. This occurred once again about a year ago after another high fever, and I hadn't had one since. Two weeks ago, I was sitting in class on friday when I had the same type of seizure as before. I had been heavily drinking the night before, but this is nothing unusual for me as a college student (I am not a drinker normally on weekdays, only on weekends, and would not consider myself an alcoholic at all). I was taken to the hospital where I had another seizure and was prescribed Keppra. I am aware I'm not supposed to drink on the Keppra, but I continued to do so and didn't have any problems until today. I forgot to take my medication last night, and I was drinking heavily. This morning, about 10 minutes after I took my medication, I had another seizure, the same type. I also woke up with a chipped tooth because of how hard I was clenching my jaw. I could feel the seizure coming on (stomach sickness, extreme hot flashes, and dizziness) and called my mom. I talked to her for about 15 seconds and she said I was very delirious and then I went into a seizure. They tend to last about 30 seconds each time. Does anybody have any ideas as to what could be causing this, since I have been drinking the same amount and frequency for about 2 years now? Thank you for your help, and yes I learned my lesson and will not be drinking again now!!
Alcohol Withdrawal Seizures
- Thread starter vmsteven
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seizurrific
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*sigh* Oh boy...
"I am aware I'm not supposed to drink on the Keppra but I continued to do so"
That's your biggest problem right there; you have to do what they tell you, even if it sucks :/ Don't think you can get away with stuff just 'cause you're you. You're not you, you're you on Keppra. And trust me, Keppra knows what you're doing and it's the boss.
I know, though I am not one of them, for many, many people out there alcohol is a huge trigger for any type of seizure (sounds like you've been having tonics). I know it's annoying but if you have epilepsy or are taking AEDs it's something you're going to have to get over. AEDs, alcohol, and a seizurrific brain don't mix.
Also, hold up boy...you're a freshman and are drinking? If you're in America, you've got to be 21 to do that, and if you're 21 with epilepsy anywhere in the world, you should have a square enough head on your shoulders to know that drinking and seizures don't mix. If medical personnel or a police officer finds you underage and drunk you'll be in sh!t tons of trouble and if they find you with Keppra or Keppra in your system they might believe you've also overdosed or are using the drug recreationally. Don't. Drink. (I am shaking my finger at you...gently...)
Think about it like this; having a seizure is actually a lot like being on the drink...you fall over and and bang your face off things, wake up with no memory of how you got somewhere or what the hell you did to get there...etc. That being said, if you're prone to seizures, no reason to drink
Your brain will need no provocation whatsoever to give you a hangover...and if you need to keep up your 'cred', hold a beer all night long but don't sip. I do that all the time! It's easy too; the people around you will be ferociously drunk and you can always pass on your warm beer to them. They'll suck it down and sooner or later you'll end up next to them on the floor with a pounding headache and a bitten tongue or a broken finger and they'll put their arm around your shoulder. Comrades in physical brain-fried injury!
Don't. Drink. : p
You seem like a good kid with a bright future...don't risk stuff because it's gratifying now. I'm only 22 -whether that's a year older than you or five years older than you doesn't matter, the point is that I'm not so far away from you in age- and I had to learn that lesson after a 3 hour long seizure (mine was for less fun reasons- I stayed up for a day and a half, and didn't eat, preparing for a round of final exams that I never got to take because of a week-long hospital stay). Listen to your body and what it needs. If it says "I need you to put that drink down!" or "I need you to stop staring at those flashy skippy lights!" , do it.
I have spoken very clearly on the subject of "the drink" with my epileptologist and, with my triggers and medications and personal situation and medical history, we shook on "one glass of wine on Christmas, and two beers on my birthday" (6 months apart from each other).
When I went into status after my starved-study-sesh I suffered no brain damage, even for such a freakishly long seizure, and I just don't want to hear of you in that same situation. Be smart, kid. Be smart and be seizure smart.
Don't. Drink.
"I am aware I'm not supposed to drink on the Keppra but I continued to do so"
That's your biggest problem right there; you have to do what they tell you, even if it sucks :/ Don't think you can get away with stuff just 'cause you're you. You're not you, you're you on Keppra. And trust me, Keppra knows what you're doing and it's the boss.
I know, though I am not one of them, for many, many people out there alcohol is a huge trigger for any type of seizure (sounds like you've been having tonics). I know it's annoying but if you have epilepsy or are taking AEDs it's something you're going to have to get over. AEDs, alcohol, and a seizurrific brain don't mix.
Also, hold up boy...you're a freshman and are drinking? If you're in America, you've got to be 21 to do that, and if you're 21 with epilepsy anywhere in the world, you should have a square enough head on your shoulders to know that drinking and seizures don't mix. If medical personnel or a police officer finds you underage and drunk you'll be in sh!t tons of trouble and if they find you with Keppra or Keppra in your system they might believe you've also overdosed or are using the drug recreationally. Don't. Drink. (I am shaking my finger at you...gently...)
Think about it like this; having a seizure is actually a lot like being on the drink...you fall over and and bang your face off things, wake up with no memory of how you got somewhere or what the hell you did to get there...etc. That being said, if you're prone to seizures, no reason to drink
Your brain will need no provocation whatsoever to give you a hangover...and if you need to keep up your 'cred', hold a beer all night long but don't sip. I do that all the time! It's easy too; the people around you will be ferociously drunk and you can always pass on your warm beer to them. They'll suck it down and sooner or later you'll end up next to them on the floor with a pounding headache and a bitten tongue or a broken finger and they'll put their arm around your shoulder. Comrades in physical brain-fried injury!Don't. Drink. : p
You seem like a good kid with a bright future...don't risk stuff because it's gratifying now. I'm only 22 -whether that's a year older than you or five years older than you doesn't matter, the point is that I'm not so far away from you in age- and I had to learn that lesson after a 3 hour long seizure (mine was for less fun reasons- I stayed up for a day and a half, and didn't eat, preparing for a round of final exams that I never got to take because of a week-long hospital stay). Listen to your body and what it needs. If it says "I need you to put that drink down!" or "I need you to stop staring at those flashy skippy lights!" , do it.
I have spoken very clearly on the subject of "the drink" with my epileptologist and, with my triggers and medications and personal situation and medical history, we shook on "one glass of wine on Christmas, and two beers on my birthday" (6 months apart from each other).
When I went into status after my starved-study-sesh I suffered no brain damage, even for such a freakishly long seizure, and I just don't want to hear of you in that same situation. Be smart, kid. Be smart and be seizure smart.
Don't. Drink.
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Hi vmsteven, welcome!
As seizurrific wisely says, don't drink. Your anti-seizure-med (in this case Keppra) can help raise your seizure threshold, but other things (like alcohol, excessive caffeine, dehydration, infections, stress, etc.) can lower it. So although it may feel like no fun, do your best to be moderate in your behavior. And take your med consistently -- missing a dose, going on and off and on an off, or stopping cold turkey can all provoke a seizure because of the strain as the brain tries to adjust to a major change in its neurochemistry. (It's a bit like ripping off a bandaid so violently that you take the scab off too and it starts to bleed again...)
It's also possible that your Keppra does may be a bit too low to give you a "safety margin" if other things are lowering your seizure threshold. You might want to ask your doc about upping the dose slightly.
Best,
Nakamova
As seizurrific wisely says, don't drink. Your anti-seizure-med (in this case Keppra) can help raise your seizure threshold, but other things (like alcohol, excessive caffeine, dehydration, infections, stress, etc.) can lower it. So although it may feel like no fun, do your best to be moderate in your behavior. And take your med consistently -- missing a dose, going on and off and on an off, or stopping cold turkey can all provoke a seizure because of the strain as the brain tries to adjust to a major change in its neurochemistry. (It's a bit like ripping off a bandaid so violently that you take the scab off too and it starts to bleed again...)
It's also possible that your Keppra does may be a bit too low to give you a "safety margin" if other things are lowering your seizure threshold. You might want to ask your doc about upping the dose slightly.
Best,
Nakamova
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I'm not supposed to drink on Lamictal either, but I do. Sometimes quite heavily if I'm out with the girls. I'm not condoning your drinking, but if your binges are infrequent and you remember to take your meds everyday, you might be ok. It doesn't seem to lower my threshold though.
Good luck.
Good luck.
vm...drinking and seizures is a personal issue; my one neuro shrugged his shoulders and said "Fine" when I told him I drank wine at night, while the other became outraged. My seizures aren't related to/effected by alcohol. And when it comes to most things in my life and it's enjoyment therein, including wine, is epilepsy going to control me, or am I going to control epilepsy?