Epilepsy treatment how long

The Pregnancy Prevention Programme is a system of ensuring all female patients taking valproate medicines:. They recommended that:. The success in controlling seizures by medication varies depending on the type of epilepsy. For example, if no underlying cause can be found for your seizures idiopathic epilepsy , you have a very good chance that medication can fully control your seizures. Seizures caused by some underlying brain problems may be more difficult to control.

The overall outlook is better than many people realise. The following figures are based on studies of people with epilepsy, which looked back over a five-year period. These figures are based on grouping together people with all types of epilepsy, which gives an overall picture:.

There are popular first-choice medicines for each type of epilepsy. However, if one medicine does not suit, another may be better. A low dose is usually started. The aim is to control seizures at the lowest dose possible. If you have further seizures, the dose is usually increased.

There is a maximum dose allowed for each medicine. In about 7 in 10 cases, one medicine can control all, or most, seizures. Medicines may come as tablets, soluble tablets, capsules or liquids to suit all ages. In about 3 in 10 cases, seizures are not controlled despite taking one medicine. This may be because the dosage or timing of the medication needs re-assessing.

A common reason why seizures continue to occur is because medication is not taken correctly. If in doubt, your doctor or pharmacist can offer advice. If you have taken a medicine correctly up to its maximum allowed dose but it has not worked well to control your seizures, you may be advised to try a different medicine. If that does not work alone, taking two medicines together may be advised. However, in about 2 in 10 cases, seizures are not well controlled even with two medicines.

The decision when to start medication may be difficult. A first seizure may not mean that you have ongoing epilepsy. A second seizure may never happen, or occur years after the first. For many people, it is difficult to predict if seizures will recur. Another factor to consider is how severe seizures are. If the first seizure was severe, you may opt to start medication immediately.

In contrast, some people have seizures with relatively mild symptoms. Even if the seizures occur quite often, they might not cause much problem and some people in this situation opt not to take any medication.

The decision to start medication should be made by weighing up all the pros and cons of starting, or not starting, treatment.

A popular option is to wait and see after a first seizure. If you have a second seizure within a few months, more are likely. Medication is commonly started after a second seizure that occurs within 12 months of the first. However, there are no definite rules and the decision to start medication should be made after a full discussion with your doctor. All medicines have possible side-effects that affect some people.

All known possible side-effects are listed in the leaflet which comes in the medicine packet. If you read this it may appear alarming. However, in practice, most people have few or no side-effects, or just minor ones.

Many side-effects listed are rare. Each medicine has its own set of possible side-effects. Therefore, if you are troubled with a side-effect, a change of medication may resolve the problem. When you start a medicine, ask your doctor about any problems which may arise for your particular medicine. Two groups of problems may be mentioned:. Note : you should not stop taking a medicine suddenly. If you notice a side-effect, you should ask your doctor for advice.

It is important to take your medicine as prescribed. Try to get into a daily routine. Forgetting an occasional dose is not a problem for some people; however, for others this would lead to breakthrough seizures.

Some people need treatment for life. But you might be able to stop if your seizures disappear over time. You may not need any treatment if you know your seizure triggers and are able to avoid them. AEDs are the most commonly used treatment for epilepsy. They help control seizures in around 7 out of 10 of people.

AEDs work by changing the levels of chemicals in your brain. They do not cure epilepsy, but can stop seizures happening. The best type for you will depend on things like the type of seizures you have, your age and if you're thinking of having a baby. Some AEDs can harm an unborn baby — see living with epilepsy for more information. If your doctor recommends taking an AED, ask them about the different types available and which is likely to be the most suitable for you.

AEDs are available in a number of different forms, including tablets, capsules, liquids and syrups. You usually need to take the medicine every day. Your specialist will start you on a low dose and gradually increase it until your seizures stop. If the first medicine you try does not work, your doctor may recommend trying another type.

It's important you follow any advice about when to take AEDs and how much to take. Never suddenly stop taking an AED — doing so could cause a seizure. If you have not had a seizure for a few years, ask your doctor if you might be able to stop treatment.

If they think it's safe, your dose will be reduced gradually over time. While taking AEDs, do not take any other medicines, including over-the-counter medicines or complementary medicines, without speaking to your GP or specialist. Other medicines could affect how well your AED works. Side effects are common when starting treatment with AEDs.

Some may appear soon after starting treatment and pass in a few days or weeks, while others may not appear for a few weeks. Contact your GP or specialist if you have symptoms similar to being drunk, such as unsteadiness, poor concentration and being sick.

This could mean your dose is too high. For information about the side effects of your medicine, check the information leaflet that comes with it. In these cases, there's a good chance that your seizures could stop completely after surgery. If your epilepsy is poorly controlled after trying several AEDs, you may be referred to a specialist epilepsy centre to see if surgery might be possible. The results of these tests will help you and your specialist decide if surgery is an option for you, and what the result of surgery might be.

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MRI of deep brain stimulation A magnetic resonance imaging MRI scan of deep brain stimulation shows the location of electrodes placed in the brain. Latest on newly diagnosed epilepsy care Advice for the management of epilepsy Error Select a topic. Thanks for Subscribing You will receive the first epilepsy email message in your inbox shortly.

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