Treatment with anti-epileptic drugs

The main way epilepsy is treated is with anti-epileptic drugs. These are taken at regular times each day to prevent seizures, not just when a seizure happens.

There are many different anti-epileptic drugs available and these can be prescribed at different dosages. If you try one anti-epileptic drug and it doesn’t stop your seizures, your doctor may suggest that you try a different dosage or a different anti-epileptic drug. Some people who have very minor seizures, which don’t happen very often, prefer not to take anti-epileptic drugs at all. This is something to discuss with your own doctor.

Doctors usually try to avoid prescribing more than one anti-epileptic drug at a time. This is because the more drugs you take, the higher is the risk of having side-effects. There may be times, however, when you need to take two or more anti-epileptic drugs. For example, when you change from one anti-epileptic drug to another, or if the doctor thinks that a second anti-epileptic drug would help control your seizures better.

If you have any other medical conditions and/or you take other medications, it is important to tell any doctor who is treating your epilepsy. This will help them to decide on the best anti-epileptic drugs for you.

Making treatment with anti-epileptic drugs easier

• Most anti-epileptic drugs are available in different formulations, not just tablets or capsules. These include liquids and chewable tablets. You can ask your doctor to prescribe these, if you have difficulty swallowing tablets.
• Ask the pharmacist for clear instructions on how to take your anti-epileptic drugs. For example, they could give you a patient information leaflet in large print.
• If the packaging for your anti-epileptic drugs is difficult for you to open or handle, ask the pharmacist to change it.
• Ask the pharmacist if they sell Dosette boxes. These keep your medication organised and help you to make sure that you take the right drugs at the right time.
• If you live in the UK, contact the Disabled Living Foundation for information about other special pill containers or alarms that you can buy. These can be used to remind you to take your medication. Disabled Living Foundation; tel. 0845 130 9177; www.dlf.org.uk

Getting the same version of your anti-epileptic drugs

This information is about getting anti-epileptic drugs in the UK. If you are looking for information about drugs in another country, please contact your local epilepsy organisation

There are many different brands and versions of anti-epileptic drugs. Some may occasionally be manufactured abroad and can have different properties to the version made in the UK. These are called parallel imports. Any difference in the anti-epileptic drugs you take might make you more at risk of having seizures or side-effects. Although not all doctors and pharmacists agree with this, Epilepsy Action’s advice is to try and always get exactly the same brand of your medication from your pharmacist.

The National Institute for Health and Clinical Excellence (NICE) is an organisation responsible for providing national guidance on treatment in England and Wales. NICE also recommends that people with epilepsy continue to get the same version of anti-epileptic drug wherever possible.

• More information about getting the same anti-epileptic drugs every time

Stopping treatment with anti-epileptic drugs

Some people have to take anti-epileptic drugs for the rest of their life, to prevent seizures returning. Other people can stop taking anti-epileptic drugs when they have been seizure-free for a few years.

If you want to find out it you can stop taking your anti-epileptic drugs, it’s important not to attempt this without getting advice from an epilepsy specialist. If the specialist recommends that you do stop taking anti-epileptic drugs, it’s usual for this to be a very gradual process. If you stop taking anti-epileptic drugs too quickly, this could cause you to have more frequent and severe seizures.