Medication

Types of Medication

Typically when you are diagnosed you will be prescribed anti-epileptic medication. Up to 70% of people with epilepsy have their seizures controlled with anti-epileptic drugs (AEDs). If you only have had one seizure, medication may not be prescribed straight away. This is because not all first seizures are diagnosed as epilepsy. If the doctor feels there is a high chance of a second seizure then medication may be prescribed. Otherwise, your doctor may prescribe medication if you have had two or more seizures.

There are many types of Anti-Seizure Medications (ASMs). It is important to remember that epilepsy is a very individual condition and finding the right treatment for a person's seizures can be a trial and error process for a treating clinician. 

Usually prescribers try to keep medication schedules to once or twice a day. You will need to take it at the same time each day so that the level of medication is kept stable in your blood and doesn’t dip or peak. Missed doses can lead to low drug levels and seizures. Doses taken too close together may cause drug levels to be too high, which can cause side effects, so it needs to be kept just right. If you do miss a dose don’t double up on doses to make up for it. This could lead to too much medication in your system and could result in seizures too. It’s important to take the dose prescribed and not alter it unless your doctor advises it.