Epilepsy and Alcohol

[FiOBaby]

Hello, I very much need an answer because my doctor will not give me a straight answer. I'm currently on Lamictal (800mg a day) and Zonegran (200mg a day) and I'm a college student so I tend to drink. I've never had a seizure while consuming alcohol but im terrified when doing so. So heres my question...

When I drink (beer) with my meds, will it bring on a seizure? or just enhance the side effects?

Please I very much need to know asap! Maybe even stories would helpl too.

Thanks
FiOBaby

[davev]

I have been taking different meds for gran mal seizures for about 17 years now, changing meds so as not to have to prolonged use on one.  Currently I take a combo of Depakote & Lamictal.  Dosages:   AM - 750mg Depakote, 150mg Lamictal.  Mid-Day  750 mg Deoakote.  PM - same as AM.  
Anyway, back in the day I would have breakthroughs (seizures while on meds) quite a bit.  I was also partying quite a bit too.  From what I was told the alchohol acts as a diuretic and lowers the levels of the meds in your system.  I already tried the whole "I'll just take more" self medicating approach, but it didn't work.  Doc says a periodic drink is no big deal, but no partying.  Upside is that when I asked him if weed was ok, he said"obviously I can't recommend it, but no, it won't bring on seizures".  That worked for me back then (but obviously I cant recommend it).  Good luck, I hope that helps.

[carstarr]

I'm on Lamictal. Lamictal makes you blackout when you drink with it. So essenially it heightens the alcohol effects. Even if you think you can handel your beer or hard Alcohol. be careful. Especially on such a high dose.

Also i depends what your seizures are like. When I was drinking i mostly had them the day after heavy drinking, they were absence seizures and never had them while drinking or never had a grandmal and i've had it my whole life. But that's just me. Hope that helps!

[paladin2]

Can't say with certainty but can say this; is beer that important to you? I developed seizures as a full adult and Pauli Girl was too damn good to give up just because of all the damn new pills added to my diet. After some real scares from continued seizures despite multiple medications I left the Girl. Out fishing I still occasionly think of cold beer but haven't had a seizure since stopping. Is that what stopped them? Don't know but it's not worth it to me to start experimenting. I do know that good weed might even help certain seizure disorders, so unless you live in Texas or some other troglodite state, don't fight it, switch! I have 12 years now of stories, some would make you laugh and others scare the whatever out of ya. I'll try to remember some of the ones that might be pertinent to your situation.

[Ashlee8603]

I really am not completly sure if they affect each other or not.  But my dad has been having seizures for about a year, he is taking Lyrica but it still isn't stopping the seizures.  Anyway, a couple weeks ago he had one beer while on vacation.  Later that day he ended up having four grand mal seizures, the most he's had in one day.  I don't know if it would bother you or not but I thought you might like to hear his story.  I'm a college student too, so I kinda understand what you might be going through.