Weight loss and diet plan for a healthy lifestyle.

CHILDREN WITH EPILEPSY: RECREATIONAL (STREET) DRUGS

Adolescence is a time of experimentation, and some adolescents are going to experiment with drugs, particularly in their middle or late teens. All parents worry about the drug culture that their child might become involved in, but my experience is that teenagers who have had epilepsy throughout their childhood are probably less likely than many of their peers to experiment with recreational drugs, perhaps because they are more ‘drug-wise’. They have been brought up with a strict drug regime; they are used to using drugs therapeutically, and may be much more aware than most teenagers of the dangers of drug abuse.

Of those adolescents who do experiment with drugs, most will obtain them from friends and very few will have access to heroin, crack or cocaine. Marijuana (cannabis) is by far the most commonly-used drug amongst teenagers.

For their own safety teenagers need to be well informed about drugs and teenagers with epilepsy need to know the special risks they may be running if they experiment with drugs. Some recreational drugs may interact with anticonvulsant medication and some, particularly alcohol and cocaine, are themselves associated with seizures.

ALCOHOL

Teenage drinking is on the increase. An American study of high-school seniors in 1986 found that 91 per cent had tried alcohol, 65 per cent had consumed it within the past month, and 5 per cent drank alcohol daily. About 10 per cent of American high-school and university teenagers have been found to be ‘heavy drinkers’. Neither is there as much difference as there used to be between the drinking habits of girls and boys, though girls are still less likely to drink regularly and heavily.

These are American figures, but all the evidence is that British teenagers are no different. Alcohol abuse is associated with poor seizure control, and the teenager with epilepsy must be told the risks of drinking, and taught that if they spend an evening in the pub with their friends, they can not match them drink for drink without being likely to have seizures the morning after. It is worth drawing their attention to low-alcohol beers and wines, while also making sure that they understand that whatever they drink they should try to keep their total fluid intake low so that they do not run the risk of a water load induced seizure.

MARIJUANA

After alcohol and tobacco, marijuana is probably the recreational drug most often used by teenagers. Marijuana induces euphoria, heightened perceptions and a sense of relaxation at low doses. High doses have more complex effects, including fear, distortions of body image and disorientation. Marijuana also affects co-ordination, as do many antiepileptic drugs; if they are taken together the toxic effects on co-ordination and balance are likely to be greatly increased.

Some reports suggest that marijuana may reduce seizures, others that it may increase them. In fact, because the amounts used and the purity and type of the drug vary so widely it is difficult to come to any clear conclusions. There is no real evidence that it has any specific adverse effect when used by people with epilepsy. However, the heavy marijuana user may tend to be less compliant about taking his or her drugs. There is also a tendency for sleep cycles to be disturbed in heavy marijuana use, and both these factors may mean that a person’s epilepsy becomes less well controlled.

AMPHETAMINES

(Common names: uppers, speed, pep pills, sulphate, blues, black bombers, purple hearts)

Amphetamines are stimulants, reasonably cheap and easy to get hold of, and usually taken to keep the user awake throughout an all-night party (or, a less credible scenario, to enable them to stay awake and revise for an exam). Amphetamines also reduce appetite.

Amphetamines used to be prescribed with anticonvulsant medication to counteract the drowsy side-effects although this is seldom done now. Amphetamines themselves probably do not cause seizures, but the chaotic life style they induce, with irregular meals and lack of sleep, may well do so.

ECSTASY

Ecstasy is the street name of a widely available amphetamine-like drug. As with amphetamines, it is largely a ‘party’ drug, keeping the user lively and happy so that they can sustain a party mood for hours without flagging. Many youngsters take it without any apparent ill-effects; others react badly, and some have died. This unpredictability makes it a dangerous drug for anyone; for the teenager with epilepsy it has special risks. Like amphetamines, its use is associated with disrupted sleep and skipped meals. Teenagers who take ecstasy become so lively and hyperactive that they often become dehydrated, which seems to increase the risks from the drug. To avoid dehydration they need to drink a lot (of water, not alcohol) and for someone with epilepsy drinking might itself produce a water overload and trigger off a seizure.

HEROIN

(Common names: H, smack, scag, horse, blow)

Heroin is a powerful drug causing both physical and psychological dependence. The first time it is taken it usually only causes nausea and vomiting. Only after it has been taken a few times is the ‘rush’ — a brief but intense feeling of pleasure and euphoria – experienced. The rush is followed by a feeling of calm and peace. Heroin can be dissolved in water and injected beneath the skin, into a muscle, or directly into a vein. Usually, however, it is smoked (called ‘chasing the dragon’) or sniffed, and taken this way the dangers of overdose and infection are reduced and the effects are less powerful.

Pure heroin does not cause seizures in ordinary doses (though it may do so in small children), neither does withdrawal of the drug cause seizures. The real danger (of which anyone who takes heroin, whether or not they have epilepsy, should be aware) is that most ‘street heroin’ is unlikely to be pure. Often it is mixed with substances like strychnine and other drugs which may well cause seizures.

COCAINE

(Common names: coke, snow, crack)

Cocaine is probably the most dangerous street drug for anyone who has epilepsy. It is a stimulant drug with effects very similar to amphetamines and is a potent seizure precipitant. Even people who do not have epilepsy may fit the first time they take cocaine. If you have epilepsy, the risks of having a seizure are very much greater.

*73\193\2*

CHILDREN WITH EPILEPSY: RECREATIONAL (STREET) DRUGSAdolescence is a time of experimentation, and some adolescents are going to experiment with drugs, particularly in their middle or late teens. All parents worry about the drug culture that their child might become involved in, but my experience is that teenagers who have had epilepsy throughout their childhood are probably less likely than many of their peers to experiment with recreational drugs, perhaps because they are more ‘drug-wise’. They have been brought up with a strict drug regime; they are used to using drugs therapeutically, and may be much more aware than most teenagers of the dangers of drug abuse.Of those adolescents who do experiment with drugs, most will obtain them from friends and very few will have access to heroin, crack or cocaine. Marijuana (cannabis) is by far the most commonly-used drug amongst teenagers.For their own safety teenagers need to be well informed about drugs and teenagers with epilepsy need to know the special risks they may be running if they experiment with drugs. Some recreational drugs may interact with anticonvulsant medication and some, particularly alcohol and cocaine, are themselves associated with seizures.ALCOHOLTeenage drinking is on the increase. An American study of high-school seniors in 1986 found that 91 per cent had tried alcohol, 65 per cent had consumed it within the past month, and 5 per cent drank alcohol daily. About 10 per cent of American high-school and university teenagers have been found to be ‘heavy drinkers’. Neither is there as much difference as there used to be between the drinking habits of girls and boys, though girls are still less likely to drink regularly and heavily.These are American figures, but all the evidence is that British teenagers are no different. Alcohol abuse is associated with poor seizure control, and the teenager with epilepsy must be told the risks of drinking, and taught that if they spend an evening in the pub with their friends, they can not match them drink for drink without being likely to have seizures the morning after. It is worth drawing their attention to low-alcohol beers and wines, while also making sure that they understand that whatever they drink they should try to keep their total fluid intake low so that they do not run the risk of a water load induced seizure.MARIJUANAAfter alcohol and tobacco, marijuana is probably the recreational drug most often used by teenagers. Marijuana induces euphoria, heightened perceptions and a sense of relaxation at low doses. High doses have more complex effects, including fear, distortions of body image and disorientation. Marijuana also affects co-ordination, as do many antiepileptic drugs; if they are taken together the toxic effects on co-ordination and balance are likely to be greatly increased.Some reports suggest that marijuana may reduce seizures, others that it may increase them. In fact, because the amounts used and the purity and type of the drug vary so widely it is difficult to come to any clear conclusions. There is no real evidence that it has any specific adverse effect when used by people with epilepsy. However, the heavy marijuana user may tend to be less compliant about taking his or her drugs. There is also a tendency for sleep cycles to be disturbed in heavy marijuana use, and both these factors may mean that a person’s epilepsy becomes less well controlled.AMPHETAMINES(Common names: uppers, speed, pep pills, sulphate, blues, black bombers, purple hearts)Amphetamines are stimulants, reasonably cheap and easy to get hold of, and usually taken to keep the user awake throughout an all-night party (or, a less credible scenario, to enable them to stay awake and revise for an exam). Amphetamines also reduce appetite.Amphetamines used to be prescribed with anticonvulsant medication to counteract the drowsy side-effects although this is seldom done now. Amphetamines themselves probably do not cause seizures, but the chaotic life style they induce, with irregular meals and lack of sleep, may well do so.ECSTASYEcstasy is the street name of a widely available amphetamine-like drug. As with amphetamines, it is largely a ‘party’ drug, keeping the user lively and happy so that they can sustain a party mood for hours without flagging. Many youngsters take it without any apparent ill-effects; others react badly, and some have died. This unpredictability makes it a dangerous drug for anyone; for the teenager with epilepsy it has special risks. Like amphetamines, its use is associated with disrupted sleep and skipped meals. Teenagers who take ecstasy become so lively and hyperactive that they often become dehydrated, which seems to increase the risks from the drug. To avoid dehydration they need to drink a lot (of water, not alcohol) and for someone with epilepsy drinking might itself produce a water overload and trigger off a seizure.HEROIN(Common names: H, smack, scag, horse, blow)Heroin is a powerful drug causing both physical and psychological dependence. The first time it is taken it usually only causes nausea and vomiting. Only after it has been taken a few times is the ‘rush’ — a brief but intense feeling of pleasure and euphoria – experienced. The rush is followed by a feeling of calm and peace. Heroin can be dissolved in water and injected beneath the skin, into a muscle, or directly into a vein. Usually, however, it is smoked (called ‘chasing the dragon’) or sniffed, and taken this way the dangers of overdose and infection are reduced and the effects are less powerful.Pure heroin does not cause seizures in ordinary doses (though it may do so in small children), neither does withdrawal of the drug cause seizures. The real danger (of which anyone who takes heroin, whether or not they have epilepsy, should be aware) is that most ‘street heroin’ is unlikely to be pure. Often it is mixed with substances like strychnine and other drugs which may well cause seizures.COCAINE(Common names: coke, snow, crack)Cocaine is probably the most dangerous street drug for anyone who has epilepsy. It is a stimulant drug with effects very similar to amphetamines and is a potent seizure precipitant. Even people who do not have epilepsy may fit the first time they take cocaine. If you have epilepsy, the risks of having a seizure are very much greater.*73\193\2*

Share and Enjoy: