can smoking marijuana cause seizures?

I was wondering, the other night about a week and a half ago, I was smoking weed and it was a sunday. I have been smoking weed for awhile now I have not responded weird to it at all. so the next day i was in the bathroom and i had just got done washing and drying my hands. After that i fell to the floor and began going into a seizure. I was wondering if me smoking weed was the reason for me going into the seizure. I am somewhat concern that this is the reason that it happened but i would like someone to explain this further to me

[Dr Santos]

Hi,

Cannabidiol found in marijuana has anticonvulsant effects while tetrahydrocannabinol (THC) has been shown to both provoke and suppress seizures.  Marijuana can also cause the mouth to feel dry, increase heart rate, redden eyes, and impair judgment. This is also illegal in some places and may interact with other medications as well which may do more harm.

Take care and regards.

[baktea]

So are you saying that people that have seizures could benefit from using marijuana and could help stop seizures?

[witsend66]

I have grown up around mj my whole life.  I was taught by my parents about moderation.  Though I've only indulged a few times in the last 10 years, I was going through a really rough patch, emotionally and chronic pain, last year and my mother gave me a small amount and just a little helped.  If you experience seizures like I do, alcohol is your biggest no, no. Not only does it make your med null and void, it sleep deprives you and you will have seizures.  If you can get medicinal quality mj instead of street mj it is safer and better and you only need one hit.

[Dr Santos]

Hi,
Although the components are said to have anticonvulsant effect, there are not enough studies done to prove this. I am not saying that patients with seizure will benefit from it. Rather, I do not encourage its use. Aside from being illegal, it has side effects which can do more harm than good. It is best that you have regular consult with your doctor. Take care and best regards

[research4info]

Aside from the obvious harmful effects of inhaling smoke; what harmful health effects are these, Dr. Santos? Please explain using non government sources. Not including effects such as temporary coordination impairment (alcohol is more way more severe), temporary short term memory loss (which is voided in chronic users),and short term increase in heart beat. That will out weigh the beneficial health effects of marijuana use including: anxiolytic properties, anticonvulsant properties, lower blood pressure, euphoria, anti-depressant properties, its analgesic properties, anti inflammatory properties, oh and have you read the AMA's study about how its found to slow tumor growth?

[luci11]

I was smoking mj once i didnt always smoke but this time i did! And i started feeling funny and i felt like i had to trow up, so i just layed down and my heart was pounding really fast! I was having a seizure, i almost went into a coma. Did me smoking mj cause all of this am only 18 i didnt have any illness or nothing.

[brandon782]

you are just saying that because it's illegal if it was legal you wouldnt be saying that

[ncr471]

I quit taking all my anti consultants, Not recommended without recommendation from a Neurologist. and did not have any seizures what so ever. However, the side effects from smoking the marijuana where too great and I decided on my own accord too go back onto my Medx

[ncr471]

My Neuro also agrees with Dr Santos. Marijuana is also very damaging too your brain. He doesn't not recommend or Prescribe it too his patients but he doesn't say that it won't work for you. But there are better ways too treat the condition. Sometimes people need too get their heads out of the clouds : ) I did. I use too love too smoke...

[ssat]

Yes people that have seizures can benefit from medical marijuana.

[bonbon663]

With all due respect, I think you have to do your homework about medical marijuana.  Many people with epilepsy have weaned themselves off of ALL prescription meds, because marijuana does a better job of controlling the seizures.  Also, you can get licensed to have medical marijuana, and there's nothing illegal about it.  I've seen marijuana stop a seizure in it's tracks, so, you can't tell me it doesn't work for some people with epilepsy.  If marijuana can stop  seizures and lessen the  need for pills with harmful side effects, you shouldn't dismiss it so quickly.  As I said, you should do some research.

[jojo368]

I had a pot brownie for the first time in my life, and I never spoked marijuana either. At first I was having hallucinations, hearing music that didn't exist, I was not only seeing double, I was seeing x10. Shortly, I began shivering uncontrollably and began having convulsions. It lasted about 2 hours. I couldn't control any spasming. I just sat on the floor against a wall, drinking as much water as possible. People were suggesting to go for a walk, which may have been helpful if I was just 'freaking out.' It was a lot worse than that. I was seizing. Finally, after drinking a few cups of water, my head felt clear. My body was still shivering and convulsing. I finally had to throw up and then went to lay in bed. The twitching almost immediately stopped and I fell asleep.

[Reach4thegoal]

Hey yall. Iam Jim and i just had another darn seizure the other night. Thankfully it was in my bed but the one 2 months before that i cracked my head open in my room. Anyways I smoke herb and i have had it stop a aura (pre-seizure feeling) that i get many times. But iam righting because in the last almost 2 years i have had 14'ish seizures and in almost 5 years it has been 24 25'ish seizures total. iam taken all kinds of meds trying to figure this out but iam stuck in a hole and cant get out.

May i please ask some of yall who smoke pot daily for your medicine?, equal amount of a 1/3rd of a joint breakfast, lunch, and before bed i smoke a full joint. (some times i will smoke extra in the day but thats if i feel wierd "aura")

[Ilovepats]

I only have nocturnal seizures taking 4 medications (Keppra, vimpat, onfi, and diazapam) and my husband asked my doctor if smoking mj could possibly help.  She said it may, or may not.  I tried it two weeks ago nightly right before bed, and almost every night I've had multiple seizures.  Tonight I'm not going to smoke and see how I sleep....  Similar to taking meds, the results are different for everyone.... good luck :-)

[sophia420]

I am 46 years old and have smoked weed practically everyday since age 12. I have never had any bad experiences, such as seizures or strange feelings. That all changed this year ! A couple of months ago I was in the shower getting ready to go to work, so it was in the morning. I felt this strange sensation come over me (the aura?) next thing I knew I woke up,still in the shower, and the faucet was broke off in the tub. I dont know how long I was in there, but I felt like crap and my head was sore from hitting the tub. I had been drinking beer the night before and of course smoking weed. I just figured I over did it and got light headed and fell down in the shower. Last month it happened again, but this time my wife was home and saw what really happened. I was already out of the shower this time and was brushing my teeth, that feeling came again and I hit the floor. My wife thought I had a heart attack and was gone because I was not moving or responding, then I went into full on seizure! Biting tongue, making f'd up noises and convulsing. Was taken to hospital by ambulance, I dont remember anything until we got to the hospital. I was in the ER for a while until they got me a room, on the stretcher on the way up I felt it coming on again enough to warn them. I even get this weird taste in my mouth, like an electrical or metal taste. Again, full scary as hell seizure (for my wife,cause I dont remember nothing once it starts). I was in the hospital for about a week having all kinds of tests done and they basically never found a reason for the seizures.They put me on kepra and suggested I try to quit smoking because they said it can lower your seizure threshold. They said I cant drive until seizure free for six months, so no work.(driving job) I quit drinking alcohol but not smoking weed, very hard for me to do for as long as I have done it and as often. About a week ago felt that feeling again but did not go into seizure, maybe the med kept it from going into full seizure. Had smoked quite a bit the day before and lately it has been very high quality stuff. It scared me enough to try to quit and see if it happens again. It has been about 3 days now since I have smoked :(    I guess I will see what happens. I thought I would post this if it could help someone, I would never have believed weed would cause seizures because it relaxes you. I still dont want to believe it! But if I dont get any more aura's I guess it must have something to do with it. I will post updates if anyone is interested.

[Clockwork_Orange]

Keep me up to date please. I cant drink anymore and was thinking to turning to weed. Because I cant smoke cigs or cigars. So I have notthing unless weed will work for me and not make me have them and long as it doesn't make my heart beat out of my chest and makes me sweat like cigs and cigars do.

I only have seizures in my sleep or when I first wake up. They are the kind where you cant move at all and you feel your whole body being/going num and presser like feeling and sometimes hear voices/sounds and blanking different color lights. But I remember all my seizures before, when, and after they happen.

Anyways keep me up to date if ya can. I have notthing else to turn to, to make me feel good beside weed. But if it does anything to me... I cant even do that then... Of course theres always sex but you know what I mean lol.

[sophia420]

I have not had any weed since June 26. The first three days are THE WORST!! It is not so bad now, but it is still very hard to not smoke. Everyone I know does it, so that makes it worse. Thankfully no one in my household does it, so I am not exposed to it unless I go visiting. If you have never smoked it, I would not suggest starting. It is so hard to quit!  I never thought in a million years I would say anything negative about weed, I love it. But now that I have managed to quit, hopefully I wont start again. It is very expensive unless you want to smoke crap, I prefer quality over quantity. It has always been easy for me to get, (which made it harder to quit) not like I have to approach strangers and ask about it. I also consider myself very fortunate to have never been caught with any after smoking for SO long. Police catch you with it, you may as well have crack or heroin! If cigars or cigs cause you problems, I imagine it would also. I doubt weed caused my seizures, but it could have allowed them to happen lowering the seizure threshold. Yours sound a lot different than mine though. I think mine were brought on by stress, lack of sleep and adderall (adderrall). I was working like 10 hours a day 6 days a week (outside hard work) and constantly stressed about bills, wife's many health issues, daily B.S.and a lot of adderall (adderrall). Again, I am not a weed basher, I LOVE IT ! It has become harder to get with no income, I could always go "visiting" but I like to have my own. When they allow me to go back to work, I am buying myself a Corvette with all of the money I used to spend on weed and alcohol : )

Clockwork Orange is one of my favorite movies of all time, real horror show!

[vnunez68]

It's amazing that I came across your posting! I am a 43 yr. old man that uses cannabis on a daily basis. A month ago I was home one evening in front of my computer and all the sudden I look around my living room where I see all these paramedics around my living room and I remember my roommate telling me that I have had a seizure! It was the strangest feeling in the world for me not being able to remember my own birthday when asked by paramedics! I read your story and it has really inspire me to really think about this and perhaps it's time to say no more.
I hope you're doing well from the seizures and they are not happening anymore.
God Bless!!
Victor

[sophia420]

No more seizures or symptoms for two months now. Quit drinking alcohol, smoking weed and taking adderall (adderrall). Unfortunately I may end up on the street before I can go back to work, I have had to sell anything I had worth a dollar just to eat and keep power on. Denied food stamps because my wife works, even though she only gets paid every two weeks. Already got one 3 day notice to pay rent or get out, managed to borrow enough to make it another month. Pretty sad, I have been working since age 16 and end up like this. Employer knows, so I can not work until I have Dr. release.They say they have no light duty or anything in the office I can do, I think they just dont want to take a chance of me having a seizure at work. Can not collect unemployment because I am not unemployed. Oh well, I guess I should be thankful I was not driving or at the top of my ladder on a telephone pole. I am also thankful I was able to quit all that crap before it killed me, if that is what it was. I sure feel a lot better physically and mentally.

[johncarlo]

Hi. I hope your situation has improved. My first seizure ever was when I was driving. I just woke up in the hospital being wheeled around all effed up with the doctors telling me I crashed my truck, luckily no other cars were involved.
Anyways, weed definitely causes seizures for me, especially when combined with alcohol. Actually, any sort of smoke can bring it on. I went to skateboard at a park in a town that was downwind from a major wildfire so it was smokey out. I hadn't even started moving for two minutes before I started twitching like crazy so the exercise and smoke brought them on instantly.
For all its "benefits", at the end of the day, weed is a drug. I love getting stoned and am constantly fighting the urge but it most definitely has caused seizures of various types for me. I got twitchy once on a long overnight flight after eating a brownie a long time ago. I'm 33 btw.

[lovelyglover]

My dad is epileptic and has his medical card. He used to have seizures quite frequently. He has not had one since using marijuana

[mikeyboy51]

I'll 2nd that. I have been a pot smoker since the 60s. Lately it had been giving me an unpleasant feeling. I was at a party last Friday, smoked a little off a joint that I rolled so it looked OK to me. The next thing that I knew I was coming to in an ambulance and then the hospital. What followed was a weekend of terror. I also suffer from sleep apnea and insomnia so I wouldn't swear that the weed caused the seizure but I do believe it triggered it but I'm not risking another weekend like that one. I'll take a pass.

[djvw13]

I've had the same experience, and I am almost certain it has to do with you taking a shower. From your hot shower, you body temp. raises]d which could result in a Fever Seizure, which is normal for people who don't usually have seizures. I am almost certain marijuana is a factor but I still cannot figure out why. I'm in the middle of figuring it out myself.

[djvw13]

Same experience, I told my doctor about it and all she said was that alcohol can induce seizures, but that marijuana might have played a roll too. Maybe the alcohol and weed combined? That's what I think because expecially if you smoke the weed, it can get you lightheaded (or aura) depending on how much, and long you hold it in. Smoking anything can get you lightheaded. so the lightheaded affect combined with alcohol induced a seizure. What do you think? Look up "auras" and see if you've had that side effect.

[Nae_G]

I been smoking mj since I was 17, never had any kind of issues my entire life.  Well after 6 years  of the Army and alot of experimental drugs and shots (like Anthrax), at the age of 30, In 2012, I've had 5 seizures.  The funny thing is, the military diagnosed me with seizure disorder in 2009, I thought they were tripping because I never had a seizure, just blackouts.  Is there a possibility that some strains may help to prevent my seizures while other strains my stir them up?   I normally only smoke premium green!  

Any info would be helpful.  I use to be a heavy drinker until 2 years ago, when I quit drinking altogether.  Because of all the physical and mental issues I have since my separation from the Army, MJ seems to be the only thing to help with 90% of my issues.  I quit taking all other man made prescription drugs and I feel better because of it!

I refuse to quit because then I'll have to start taking tooo many different drugs to try to get the same results from one blunt.  I guess I'm hard headed but, yeah...... I'll take my chances with the seizures all day!!

Is there a way to find out what types suppress my seizures and what types may induce them?  If there is any clinical trials to test this theory, I happily volunteer my body to science to help figure it out for other people!!  I feel that strongly that MJ has positively increased my personal standard of living.  

My email is nae.***@**** for any kind of clinical trials on this topic..

Thanks  

[syrrmystyrneo]

I too have nocturnal siezures and I am curious to know what your findings were after you tried not smoking before bed.

[oxymoronof85]

Hey all,
I read your story and wasn't entirely convinced it was the mj as you mentioned adderral as well and I know that lowers the threshold.  I've been epileptic for 18 years or so without the benefit of auras.  I know stimulants can set it off and alcohol is just further wear on the liver.  I've been trying to test mj because similar to the early post I find that the cbd in mj can lower the threshold but the thc has a dual effect.  Personally i appreciate that because most of the drugs i've been on (depakote, topimax, keppra) lower my ambition, mood, they leave me flat which i'm coming to understand is because they are all GABA blockers.  Mj I'm hoping can lower my threshold while leaving me in at least a pleasent mood.  I've smoked a couple time the past few weeks nothing regular or consitant and at first i felt like it allowed me to stay conscious through the seizure and even control myself better (that might have just been the freakout).  the last time i enjoyed a smoke i woke up having had a night siezure, it could be unrelated having happened hours later or it could be the cause i'm not sure i also agree with an earlier post siting that its a drug and all drugs work differently for different folks.  I do believe if i was able to find medicinal MJ possibly without thc and use a vorporizer or ingestion it would work much better.  Any thoughts?

[tennisgodd]

As an epeleptic who smokes marijuana And winging myself off of it because my seizures intensify every time I smoke. I take that back 90% of the time. I have tried medicinal marijuana. Same effect. I have to take my meds to stop them. Because I am winging myself off the meds due to side effects and also haven't been smoking pot :( I am pretty seizure-free. But to me personaly, pot intensifies lighting/sound, casues rapid heart rate. Started on kepra meds 1year after smoking pot. Hmm. Hope that's helpful.

[mkwzy]

So a nurse saids I should think about quitn but my doctor had nothing to say about it. I expect the discharge nurse to say somethin about it`Drs. Orders!  
He didn't encourge me to quit

[MemoryLost]

Heres my brief run down.
Sooo, in my thought...Just about 4 years ago I started having seizures.  WELL, at least ones that I was aware of.  With there being like 40 different kinds, these could have been happening my whole life, or a good part of?  Currently I'm having 2-3 grn-mals a year.  All these gan-mals were over 10mins long each.  Now I've been on pretty much every anti convulsant possible(generic and non; aprox.over a dozen different), plus got to see the best doctors possible.  All Drs giving same answers "well, we just don't know what causes these seizures". Stress???  Heriditary???  Epilepsy???  This strange head feeling people have mentioned I've experienced.  Typically while holding marijunana smoke in longer or on a bong(water-pipe) hit.  All these times I assumed it was lack of oxygen and that is what was causing that feeling.  Well to make a long story short I've read lots of books on cannabnoids within cannabis and the the effects on cognitive function.  There again no fingers point at weed causing it.  HOWEVER...I believe it does.  When I stop smoking my seizures subside.  Now I do also agree that in small amounts marijuna can help eleviate stress; which in turn can lead to little or no seizures.  My theory is if the individual such as myself is smoking large amounts.  Its proven that cannabinods thickin the cellular walls.  And if your smoking large amounts it only makes sense to thick even more, which I believe hinder electrical connectivity and activity within the brain, in turn causing electrical surging(seizure)?    

[michael07330]

how is you seizures going hope they have stopped. hi im michael and i started having seizures in oct 2011 and i smoke cannabis over day since i was young. my doc put me on epilim but i still kept having them 3 clonic tonix in a day then i would go 6 weeks with out any and i would have them again but i have them in my sleep so i dont get auros. ive given up smoking now for 2 weeks.did it help you could you reply soon thank.

[P90]

You were on what they call a 'whitey' you would not realise if you were having a seizure, most of thie time they are spontaneous but there are different types of seizures. A 'whitey' is for those who are not tollerent to 'mj' a lot like alcohol it can cause many side effects like feeling heavy, throwing up and being high. Not very dangerous compared to other drugs for example alcahol (alcohol).
   Yes I have had 3 seizures and none of the 3 had I been under the influence of 'mj' but am a smoker of 'mj'.

[Baza1066]

I smoked weed for years. After work and weekends mainly. Then 1 evening round a friends i started feeling funny, my heart beat could be seen through my clothes and started shaking head to toe for about 15 mins. From that day everytime i smoke it it happens. So an unable to smoke it anymore. Which is a shame as wouldnt mind 1 every once in a while. So it does cause seizures!!!
Hope no one else has this problem.

[DCB_Emt]

Re Seizures and Marijuana

Have NOT been Able to find ANY Studies
to Link the Use of Marijuana to Seizures.

BUT

As it IS among the "Addictive Mind Substances",
Have LOTS of Evidence of the Effects of Its Addictive Properties.

AFTER
using Marijuana for a while
AND THEN
SUDDENLY STOPPING,
it IS ALMOST Guaranteed
that the Person WILL
HAVE a Seizure within the next 4 Days.

[DCB_Emt]

After 17 years being Free of Seizures,
I was taken off of all Medications.

While off of all Medications,
did NOT start on ANY Drugs
AND Kept Alcohol to Reasonable Levels.

5 years later (22 yr after Last Seizure),
my Seizures decided to Return WITH a Vengeance !!
NEEDED to be put INTO AN INDUCED COMA.

Today, Still have Seizures,
AND Otherwise,
AM COMPLETELY HEALTHY !!

[DCB_Emt]

You are LUCKY to have survived this Reaction.
Sounds like "Excessive Substance Poisoning" !!

Often, Such "Reactions" are ONLY known
from the Accounts of Persons who Survived
the NEED for IMMEDIATE "Blood Filtering" !!

[DCB_Emt]

Of Your Views on
"Thickening of Cell Walls".

Interesting Ideas,
EVEN IF your "Probable Results"
ARE LIKELY to be the OPPOSITE Results.
These Ideas should be Examined Further !

***
  By Theories:
Seizures are the Result of
the Brain's Signals becoming OVERLY Synchronized,
Leading to Excessive Amplitude Swings.

***
  Using your base View of "Thickening Cell Walls":
it Becomes Harder for the Signals to Travel Across the Brain.
  As it is Harder for the Signals to Travel Across the Cells,
it becomes Harder for the Signals to become Synchronized.
  As it is Harder (and less Likely)
for your Brain's signals to become Synchronized,
it is LESS Likely that a Seizure Will Occur.

ALSO
  As it is Harder for the Signals to Travel Across the Cells,
it Becomes Harder to "Think" !