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Dr. Andrew Rynne
MD
Dr. Andrew Rynne

Family Physician

Exp 50 years

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Can Alcohol Ingestion Cause Problems In View Of Seizures History?

hi i have had absence seizures for about 4 years now and have not experienced one of them in two years. I am 17 years old and being being a junior in high school i was wondering if drinking alcohol would be to risky and cause major problems because i have always had curiosity
Sat, 17 Jan 2015
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Addiction Medicine Specialist,  's  Response
yeah... it can be a problem, but it's very hard to predict with mild amounts of alcohol.
Certainly getting intoxicated to the point of unconsciousness frequently is going to bring back seizures (likely Grand mal). It's hard to predict what the occaisional glass of wine or can of beer will do in this context. It could also unmask an underlying seizure disorder. Also, moderate drinking, 2 drinks 1-2 a week (this is not generally a bad amount unless you are driving while doing it!) can cause mild withdrawal effects. For most people you need specialized equipment (pulse and blood pressure monitoring at multiple times) to be able to see any withdrawal effects at moderate drinking levels but this could also trigger seizures if there is an underlying disorder. Tramadol and/or marijuana are drugs that are even more of an issue for this than alcohol and they can trigger seizures also in people who are set ups for it.
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Can Alcohol Ingestion Cause Problems In View Of Seizures History?

yeah... it can be a problem, but it s very hard to predict with mild amounts of alcohol. Certainly getting intoxicated to the point of unconsciousness frequently is going to bring back seizures (likely Grand mal). It s hard to predict what the occaisional glass of wine or can of beer will do in this context. It could also unmask an underlying seizure disorder. Also, moderate drinking, 2 drinks 1-2 a week (this is not generally a bad amount unless you are driving while doing it!) can cause mild withdrawal effects. For most people you need specialized equipment (pulse and blood pressure monitoring at multiple times) to be able to see any withdrawal effects at moderate drinking levels but this could also trigger seizures if there is an underlying disorder. Tramadol and/or marijuana are drugs that are even more of an issue for this than alcohol and they can trigger seizures also in people who are set ups for it.