Community Forum Archive

The Epilepsy Community Forums are closed, and the information is archived. The content in this section may not be current or apply to all situations. In addition, forum questions and responses include information and content that has been generated by epilepsy community members. This content is not moderated. The information on these pages should not be substituted for medical advice from a healthcare provider. Experiences with epilepsy can vary greatly on an individual basis. Please contact your doctor or medical team if you have any questions about your situation. For more information, learn about epilepsy or visit our resources section.

Seizures, Lamictal, and Alcohol

Thu, 03/31/2016 - 15:11
I am 22 years old. I have grown up with jolting, especially when I was hungover or tired. This past November I had my first (and only) grand mal seizure. I have been taking 200mg of Lamictal daily, and, although I still jolt when I'm tired, I haven't had another big seizure. I was extremely hungover when it happened, to the point that I threw up, twice. Before the seizure, I drank a lot during college and never had any issues (other than jolting). I would be able to get drunk, even black out, had thrown up twice from hangovers, etc., but never any seizures. Of course I will never get that drunk again. My doctor told me that I can have 1-2 drinks within a 24 hour period, but being 22 and a senior in college, I feel very isolated and left out. All I want is to be able to have 3-4 drinks with my friends, drinking water in between each one and being very careful. I've noticed that sometimes after one beer or one glass of wine, I get a pretty bad headache, and I think it's due to the Lamictal. I'd like to hear from others about their experiences, so please any responses would be greatly appreciated. Believe me, I know that my epilepsy is mild compared to many people, but my seizure was enough to scare me to the point that I struggle with anxiety daily. My questions are: How serious was your epilepsy before and after starting Lamictal, is it okay to drink about 4-5 drinks with water in between, and does Lamictal give anyone else headaches? Thank you so much!

Comments

im 15 and I have JME and I

Submitted by Tiffany_bb on Fri, 2016-04-01 - 22:08
im 15 and I have JME and I understand that you've been jolting? In the beggining (before I was diagnosed) for about three years I also jolted, they were so powerful tht I would hit my sister when she was next to me and no one would believe me when I said I couldn't con it lol, but anyways that's usually my trigger sign like that's when I know something's wrong so maybe it's the same ? Alcohol: I unders your in college but If you don't wanna have another seizure the best thing is to not even drink those 1-2 drinks, alcohol triggers seizures which is what I'm thinking those headaches are. When your tired and your jolting.  Lay down, that's another trigger you need rest. You can't stay up too late your body needs to fully rest it's brain. When I don't get sleep I either go into a seizure or twitch/jolt I'm really sorry your going through this, I promise it's gonna get Better if u act like nothing's wrong than it'll be normal, you'll be fine. Make sure you get the proper medication though! The experimental phase is not fun. 

Sign Up for Emails

Stay up to date with the latest epilepsy news, stories from the community, and more.