Withdrawal Seizures: it can happen to you
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Withdrawal Seizures: it can happen to you
6 days ago I was on day 2 of "taking a few days off". I woke up, much like Apri posted in their post, to discover that I had suffered seizures from withdrawal. I never thought this would happen to me. I don't know all of the terminology, but I suppose years of binge drinking with taking a few days off here and there was ... kindling (?) to my current situation? It didn't occur to me to taper off, I thought my body would feel sick or shaky if I wasn't ready to take a few days off cold turkey. I felt no other withdrawal symptoms.
I just wanted to post a warning to those of you who have been binge drinking and withdrawing periodically throughout the years, it does catch up, and it is terrifying. I am glad the outcome wasn't worse, and I hate that it happened. If it hadn't happened, I probably would have been drinking again already this past weekend. Now, I'm terrified! Watching out for enablers, they've already been showing up: "you probably shouldn't have more than 2 drinks anymore"... "you should probably never drink hard alcohol again".. etc. Quieting those voices is easy now, the fear is still too strong. Praying that I can ignore the enabling advice when the memory isn't as fresh in my mind.
Thanks for reading.
I just wanted to post a warning to those of you who have been binge drinking and withdrawing periodically throughout the years, it does catch up, and it is terrifying. I am glad the outcome wasn't worse, and I hate that it happened. If it hadn't happened, I probably would have been drinking again already this past weekend. Now, I'm terrified! Watching out for enablers, they've already been showing up: "you probably shouldn't have more than 2 drinks anymore"... "you should probably never drink hard alcohol again".. etc. Quieting those voices is easy now, the fear is still too strong. Praying that I can ignore the enabling advice when the memory isn't as fresh in my mind.
Thanks for reading.
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Join Date: Jul 2017
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Thanks for sharing. I hope you are feeling a lot better now.
I'd never heard of kindling until I read about it when I first started visiting this forum. But yes, years of binging and withdrawals have a progressive effect on the body. Simply put eventually the withdrawals just get worse and the risk of having seizures increases.
Would you have been able to taper off? Many people with serious alcohol problems simply can't do it or if they do taper it's more by luck (because the person can't drink as much as the day before because they feel so ill) than judgement.
The general advice for anyone who wants to stop drinking is to seek medical advice first but that seems to be for someone who is a daily drinker and who has drank for several months or more. For those of us who binge drink and who are regularly in the drink for a few days - stop for a few days - drink for a few days etc routine I guess we take the option of taking a chance on things when we stop. Thankfully I've never had a seizure though there was one occasion where I felt like I was going to have one (my body felt like it was going in to spasms and it lasted for more than 24 hours, maybe it was a bunch of seizures, I don't know, but I never fell unconcious or anything nor did I have a fit or anything like that) but I do know of people who have had them and I just hope that it never happens to me. Not having to take the risk "the next time" by not drinking in the first place is the only way to guarantee that you'll not have a seizure.
I'd never heard of kindling until I read about it when I first started visiting this forum. But yes, years of binging and withdrawals have a progressive effect on the body. Simply put eventually the withdrawals just get worse and the risk of having seizures increases.
Would you have been able to taper off? Many people with serious alcohol problems simply can't do it or if they do taper it's more by luck (because the person can't drink as much as the day before because they feel so ill) than judgement.
The general advice for anyone who wants to stop drinking is to seek medical advice first but that seems to be for someone who is a daily drinker and who has drank for several months or more. For those of us who binge drink and who are regularly in the drink for a few days - stop for a few days - drink for a few days etc routine I guess we take the option of taking a chance on things when we stop. Thankfully I've never had a seizure though there was one occasion where I felt like I was going to have one (my body felt like it was going in to spasms and it lasted for more than 24 hours, maybe it was a bunch of seizures, I don't know, but I never fell unconcious or anything nor did I have a fit or anything like that) but I do know of people who have had them and I just hope that it never happens to me. Not having to take the risk "the next time" by not drinking in the first place is the only way to guarantee that you'll not have a seizure.
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Originally Posted by Robbie64 
Thanks for sharing. I hope you are feeling a lot better now.
I'd never heard of kindling until I read about it when I first started visiting this forum. But yes, years of binging and withdrawals have a progressive effect on the body. Simply put eventually the withdrawals just get worse and the risk of having seizures increases.
Would you have been able to taper off? Many people with serious alcohol problems simply can't do it or if they do taper it's more by luck (because the person can't drink as much as the day before because they feel so ill) than judgement.
The general advice for anyone who wants to stop drinking is to seek medical advice first but that seems to be for someone who is a daily drinker and who has drank for several months or more. For those of us who binge drink and who are regularly in the drink for a few days - stop for a few days - drink for a few days etc routine I guess we take the option of taking a chance on things when we stop. Thankfully I've never had a seizure though there was one occasion where I felt like I was going to have one (my body felt like it was going in to spasms and it lasted for more than 24 hours, maybe it was a bunch of seizures, I don't know, but I never fell unconcious or anything nor did I have a fit or anything like that) but I do know of people who have had them and I just hope that it never happens to me. Not having to take the risk "the next time" by not drinking in the first place is the only way to guarantee that you'll not have a seizure.
I'd never heard of kindling until I read about it when I first started visiting this forum. But yes, years of binging and withdrawals have a progressive effect on the body. Simply put eventually the withdrawals just get worse and the risk of having seizures increases.
Would you have been able to taper off? Many people with serious alcohol problems simply can't do it or if they do taper it's more by luck (because the person can't drink as much as the day before because they feel so ill) than judgement.
The general advice for anyone who wants to stop drinking is to seek medical advice first but that seems to be for someone who is a daily drinker and who has drank for several months or more. For those of us who binge drink and who are regularly in the drink for a few days - stop for a few days - drink for a few days etc routine I guess we take the option of taking a chance on things when we stop. Thankfully I've never had a seizure though there was one occasion where I felt like I was going to have one (my body felt like it was going in to spasms and it lasted for more than 24 hours, maybe it was a bunch of seizures, I don't know, but I never fell unconcious or anything nor did I have a fit or anything like that) but I do know of people who have had them and I just hope that it never happens to me. Not having to take the risk "the next time" by not drinking in the first place is the only way to guarantee that you'll not have a seizure.
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How do you know you had a seizure? What do you recall of the episode? I had seizures many years ago but I have no memory of it. I was in the ambulance and hospital when they happened so it is in my medical records. Are you talking about grand mal seizures?
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Mummyto2:
When someone drinks, it increases their seizure threshold, or the amount of abnormal brain activity necessary to induce a seizure. When they stop drinking after an extended binge, it causes a rebound effect in their seizure threshold, causing it to be lower than normal.
So it really depends on the person. But chances are if you drink for long enough and/or stop abruptly enough, it would greatly increase your risk of a seizure. I'm personally convinced I was close. I was having some extremely scary symptoms.
When someone drinks, it increases their seizure threshold, or the amount of abnormal brain activity necessary to induce a seizure. When they stop drinking after an extended binge, it causes a rebound effect in their seizure threshold, causing it to be lower than normal.
So it really depends on the person. But chances are if you drink for long enough and/or stop abruptly enough, it would greatly increase your risk of a seizure. I'm personally convinced I was close. I was having some extremely scary symptoms.
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Originally Posted by soupcon
How do you know you had a seizure? What do you recall of the episode? I had seizures many years ago but I have no memory of it. I was in the ambulance and hospital when they happened so it is in my medical records. Are you talking about grand mal seizures?
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Originally Posted by Mummyto2
I wonder if I would be likely to have one of these, never had one at all, I was a binge drinker then progressed more and longer binges, just over 4 weeks sober, glad your okay it sounds terrifying
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Such an awful thing, it actually reminds me of my friends mum, she drank but always hid it from professionals, then an ambulance was called and she went into hospita, no one told the doctors that she was an alcoholic and the day after she died, my friend said to me that she thinks the body went into shock, it’s blooming frightening
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I am really sorry you experienced grand mal seizures. Did the hospital recommend any follow up treatment? Have you considered AA or seeing an addiction therapist or rehab? Your situation is so serious and it seems you are surrounded by enablers. Do you have any support besides SR?
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Do you have any friends that don't drink or friends that are supportive of your sobriety? True friends stand by you and want you to be sober and live your best life. I went back and read your posts here from 2008. You might want to do the same. You talked about having hallucinations from alcohol withdrawal before. These seizures you just had were only a matter of time. This IS your wake-up call. I know how terrifying this has been for you because I have been there. If the urge to drink arises (as it will) replay this episode. You may not be so lucky next time.
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Join Date: Apr 2019
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Jbhall, i couldn't agree with you more. This was a terrible thing but probably the strongest wake up call/ motivator i could get. The thought of even a glance at alcohol is so scary now. I think i will forever associate a drink with a seizure.
I always knew it was possible but not so out of the blue.
I think for us it is so much more likely to happen. I understand once you have one you are prone to more.
So happy you are ok as well.
I always knew it was possible but not so out of the blue.
I think for us it is so much more likely to happen. I understand once you have one you are prone to more.
So happy you are ok as well.
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Most of y'all know this so I'll keep it short: I went cold turkey, because I was DONE drinking and with alcohol in my body. I went thru seizures and lots more minor stuff. I'd make the same choice again - it's seared in my brain that I WILL die if I drink again. Risky? Yes. But I chose a certain death by drinking over an uncertain future. My kind of alcoholism is all or nothing so I went for it all, because I didn't want nothing - as in, death.
I'm not advocating this or telling anyone it's the right way. IMO there isn't a right way, and it's up to each person. The bottom line, however, is quitting.
I'm not advocating this or telling anyone it's the right way. IMO there isn't a right way, and it's up to each person. The bottom line, however, is quitting.
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Originally Posted by soupcon
I am really sorry you experienced grand mal seizures. Did the hospital recommend any follow up treatment? Have you considered AA or seeing an addiction therapist or rehab? Your situation is so serious and it seems you are surrounded by enablers. Do you have any support besides SR?
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Originally Posted by soupcon
Does your therapist know the extent of your drinking? I know how easy it can be to minimize the drinking when you aren't sure if you want to quit. I know that was my experience at least.
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Originally Posted by jbhall
I'm not sure. I have only met with her twice over the course of about 2 years. Both times I have told her I was a heavy drinker. I plan to be very honest with her about my withdrawal seizures, I do not plan to mislead her.
And, I'll echo the suggestion about starting a recovery-specific program. Mine is AA, others use SR, others plenty of different methods they can share. I view it as critical to have my foundation being about sobriety, and adding psych, spiritual development and education on supportive things, all the way to yoga and diet to be things to ADD on to my base.
Glad you are here.
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Thanks for sharing, jbhall. I wish you all the best on your sober journey. When I finally quit cold turkey in 2011 I had a seizure, luckily when I was already in an inpatient detox center. I was transferred to a regular hospital and spent a week hooked up to IVs before heading to rehab. It was incredible to me that I had gotten to the point where within 12 hours of quitting I was in full-blown alcoholic hallucinosis-although by then I had realized that I had to quit or die, and life had become a waking nightmare. With drinking, everything is okay until suddenly it's not, and you realize that it's true: you are well and truly hooked. Even that wasn't enough to scare me off the drink for good until a horrific drunken suicidal wreck nearly cost me my life. Now I have 3 years, 4 months of wonderful sobriety and I will never go back---sobriety rocks.
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