Wanna Know?: Answers to the Tough Questions about Living with Epilepsy

Medication

I take pills several times each day. Sometimes it's hard for me to remember to take them.
Time to get organized! This will be your best bet to remember to take your medication. There are different ways to do it. You could get a watch or even a personal digital assistant (PDA) that has an alarm on it and set it for each time you need to take a pill.

Another route would be to write a couple of medication schedules that you could put in different places, such as on the front of your family's refrigerator, on a bulletin board in your bedroom, or you could even tape one to the inside of your locker at school. And if you still have trouble remembering your medication, talk to your doctor about long-acting forms of seizure medications that you may only need to take once or twice a day.

Is there any cure for Epilepsy?
A cure for epilepsy has not yet been achieved. Medications do not cure epilepsy in the same sense that penicillin can cure an infection. For many people with epilepsy, however, the medication will prevent seizures as long as they are taken regularly; but, successful drug therapy requires the active cooperation of the patient.

My parents are on me everyday, reminding me to take my pills. What if some days I just don't feel like it?
A lot of people, especially teens whose seizures are controlled and who want to stop taking their medication don't realize that an "I just don't feel like it" attitude can be a very dangerous one to take.

If your epilepsy is controlled, most likely you're not having seizures for a reason – because your medication is working! So, even if you don't feel like it and even if your parents are giving you a hard time, keep taking your medicine.

This isn't to say that you'll have to take medication for the rest of your life. You and your doctor may decide at some point to decrease or even try to discontinue your medication, but this is something that needs to happen after talking with your doctor.

Can teens who take meds for epilepsy use birth control pills?
Yes, someone with epilepsy can use every method of birth control available in this country. However, some epilepsy meds make birth control pills less effective in preventing you from getting pregnant. Anyone who prescribed contraception for someone with epilepsy should also know what epilepsy medications you are taking.

Is it possible to go without have any seizures for two years when you are on medication and then have one out of the blue even if you still take your meds?
The frequency of seizures in people with epilepsy varies from one individual to another. In some people they occur frequently despite treatment with medication. In others, seizures are less frequent and more easily controlled. Sometimes seizures reappear after being controlled for many years. If this occurs, a person may need a neurological reevaluation to be sure that no other underlying condition exists. Medication may have to be adjusted or reinstated.

Seizure frequency and severity, however, are often irregular. There are several reasons why seizures may increase temporarily, including sleep deprivation, irregular use of medication, the consumption of alcohol, interactions with certain other medicines and, in photosensitive people, exposure to flashing lights or repetitive patterns. If medication is kept in a place where it can get damp, its effectiveness may be lessened.

Sometimes the underlying condition in the brain that is causing the seizures undergoes changes that might produce more frequent seizures. Pregnancy may also affect seizure frequency, and there are other conditions that can occur during pregnancy, as well, that might have an effect on the pattern or severity of seizures. These changes call for careful reevaluation by a physician, who may suggest medication or other changes. Sometimes, despite everyone's best efforts, it is impossible to identify a specific cause for increased seizure frequency.

Epilepsy generally does not get worse with age unless the seizures are being caused by an underlying brain disorder that gets worse with time, such as a brain tumor. If anything, the frequency of seizures that begin earlier in life seems to lessen as people grow older.