Furthermore, seizures seemed particularly likely if the participants did not regularly drink that much alcohol. Alcohol-induced seizures are triggered by alcohol withdrawal in people with a long history of drinking. Alcohol withdrawal seizures can occur a few hours to a few days after a person stops drinking after chronic alcohol abuse.
Data collection using a standardized questionnaire, interview situations, and interview techniques
Only subjects ≥18 years who had suffered from epilepsy for at least 1 year were included. Epilepsy types and seizures were classified according to the International League Against Epilepsy (16). People who drink large amounts of alcohol and suddenly stop are at a higher-than-usual risk of seizures. About 5 percent of people detoxing from alcohol abuse will have alcohol withdrawal seizures as part of the process of quitting drinking. This can happen whether or not a person has epilepsy at the time of the withdrawal.
Later however, when alcohol blood levels had declined, epileptiform EEG-activity was increased. Seizures occurred in some of those subjects and a rebound phenomenon was discussed (3). Alcohol withdrawal can trigger seizures and people with epilepsy are at a higher risk of experiencing alcohol seizures.
Medical Professionals
It’s best to seek medical advice before having any alcoholic beverage since each person is unique. A heathcare provider can assess whether light or moderate alcohol drinking is safe. Alcohol withdrawal seizures (delirium tremens) occur when the body undergoes severe and unexpected nervous system changes after an alcohol-dependent person stops drinking. Medical professionals often recommend that people with epilepsy avoid or consume a moderate amount of alcohol.
- If you or someone you know has epilepsy, you may find it helpful to learn more.
- Epilepsy Society and any third party cannot be held responsible for any actions taken as a result of using this service.
- However, some medications are more likely than others to metabolize differently when alcohol is used.
- People who drink large amounts of alcohol and suddenly stop are at a higher-than-usual risk of seizures.
Alcohol and risk of SUDEP in a person with epilepsy
Your chances for recovery depend on how early the disease is diagnosed and how much damage has already occurred. These symptoms can occur in addition to the symptoms of alcohol withdrawal. This is a severe and short-term neurologic disease that can be life threatening.
General Health
Alcohol consumption usually represents a taboo in the doctor-patient relationship and questions on the smoking status are answered more easily. Therefore, subjects were first queried about nicotine consumption and only later asked to give details on alcohol use. Toward the end of the interview, patients were questioned on illicit drugs. Study subjects passed through the domains of the questionnaire with an increasing social stigma degree. Drinking too much alcohol can lead to life-threatening conditions, such as seizures.
Medications such as clonazepam and lorazepam are benzodiazepines that can cause a life threatening interaction when mixed with alcohol. Alcohol and some antiseizure medications can have similar side effects, and taking them together can cause potentially dangerous complications. Alcohol seizures may share symptoms with seizures that are not linked to alcohol. This section answers some frequently asked questions about alcohol and seizures.
But delirium tremens is a medical emergency and requires a hospital stay. You may need to be sedated for more than a week until the alcohol withdrawal symptoms go away. And a doctor may use brain-imaging techniques to monitor treatment over time. According to a 2017 review, muscle myopathy is common in alcohol use disorder.
Because alcohol is a depressant, it has a sedating effect on excitatory nerve cells and pathways.5 The results of neuron communication interference, or disruption, may include alcohol seizures. Symptoms of focal seizures may seem like those of other conditions of the brain or nervous system. These other conditions include migraine, mental illness or a condition that affects how the brain manages sleep-wake cycles, called narcolepsy. Several treatment options and interventions can help a person recover from alcohol dependence. Once a person stops using alcohol, they can often experience recovery from symptoms, though in some cases, some damage may be permanent. Once you stop alcohol intake, tommy lee drinking a doctor can address your specific symptoms.
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