Drinking alcohol can possibly trigger seizures in people with epilepsy, and the amount of alcohol that triggers seizures can vary from person to person. Most people with epilepsy are told to abstain from alcohol by their physician for this reason, as well as to avoid the possibility of increased sedation from the combination of alcohol and seizure medications.

For some people, small amounts of alcohol may not cause seizures, but the risk of seizures may be much higher after consuming multiple alcoholic beverages. Seizures can also occur after heavy or prolonged drinking has stopped. These are called alcohol withdrawal seizures. Both binge drinking and alcohol withdrawal can also cause status epilepticus, a medical emergency, which is a serious and potentially fatal condition.

Make sure to talk to your doctor about whether and how alcohol affects your seizures and how it may affect your seizure medicines. If you are told it's okay to have small amounts of alcohol, make sure you think carefully about what you drink. For example, drinking a glass of 'hard liquor' or a mixed drink may have a higher alcohol content than a beer or glass of wine, and thus affect you differently.

Remember, guidance about alcohol use should come from your doctor and must be individualized for you, in relation to your seizures, your general health, and your medicines. Don't experiment. Set up an appointment with your doctor to talk about the issues first, then make sure you include these recommendations in your Seizure Plan.

Topic Editor: Steven C. Schachter, MD and Patricia O. Shafer, RN, MN.
Last Reviewed:9/30/08