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I'm epileptic and I drink?
Thu, 06/05/2014 - 02:01I was diagnosed with epilepsy two years ago while I was in college. When i had my first seizure, I never drank or did any drugs. It really came out of nowhere. However, I may have been in denial at the time about how serious my illness was. I wasn't really expicitly warned that people with epilepsy shouldn't drink. After about a year of living with my epilepsy I really got into the bar scene. I really enjoyed drinking with my friends, and I didn't expereience any unusual symptoms and it didn't really agrivate my condition so I thought it was ok. I would get drunk every weekend. I didn't want to be held back and I wanted to be like every other college student. I know I acted stupidly.
Anyway, since I graduated I think I developed sort of a dependance on alcohol. I've decreased my intake but I still drink. I drink about 3-4 times a week and the most i drink is about 3 drinks at a time (not every night.) I've tried to stop drinking but I get cravings. I still don't seem to experience any seizure symptoms when I drink or afterwards and it doesn't seem to interact with my meds at all. I take 150 miligrams of lamictal twice a day. I'm pretty sure that I still drink too much.
Anyway, I recently heard that drinking alcohol while taking lamictal makes the liver damage worse. Is that true? Can epileptics ever drink? Is it ok to drink if I've never had symptoms connected to my drinking? If I decide to give it up, is it ok to ever get drunk even once in a while? I feel like I should but I really don't want to give up alcohol entirely.
Welcome to the site I see
Submitted by just_joe on Thu, 2014-06-05 - 10:50
Welcome to the site I see mereloaded has already told you that most medications are excreted thru the liver and alochol danages the liver so the combination is dangerous. Can you drink alcohol that can be determined by your doctors. I have had some say NO DRINKING. I have had others say a drink now and then is ok but limit those drinks. One or maybe 2 and do use judgement to the amount of time betweem them. My current neurolgist says a glass of wine or a beer now and then is also good for the body. Look areound the world most countries drink wine with their meals or a beer. So I do have a drink now and then but the limit is 1. If I have friends or family over I know they may want beer or wine and I have it here mainly for them. I also use wine and beer in some food I make. I also know that you want to be with your friends andgo places with them. I know that becasue I did that. I went clubing with them but I also limited my drinkd to 1 drink with alcohol. All the others were Shirley Temples or Virgin mary's (drinks which were basically the same drink without alcohol) Some of those friends knew nothing about my epilepsy others did but most people thought I was drinking what they were drinking. is it ok to ever get drunk even once in a while You have taken the first step. Which would you rather have days you can get drunk or your medications working and controling your seizures and having a drink now and then? I am taking a AED which has thinning or loss of hair as one of the side effects. My hair is the best feature I have. I would rather go bald and have my seizures controlled then have hair and still have seizures. In everybodys case life is a give and take, SO you decide. It is your body and your life. I hope you make the right decission and you get seizure free. Joe