A very valid concern felt by many people is what side-effects they are likely to experience. A glance at the most common or important side-effects may look rather alarming. However, it should be remembered that although any of these side-effects is a possibility, the majority of people will experience few or relatively mild side-effects.
Some of the side-effects affecting the central nervous system, such as drowsiness or dizziness, may be more apparent in the early days of taking the medication while the body is adjusting to taking drugs. Once this has happened, these should lessen or disappear completely. If that does not happen, then it is important to talk to the doctor again who may suggest changing either the dosage or the drug itself.
The following information is taken mainly from British National Formulary (BNF) Number 56 (September 2008). Published by the British Medical Association and the Royal Pharmaceutical Society of Great Britain, it is updated twice a year. For the latest guidance, visit www.bnf.org.
The drugs listed are those usually prescribed for everyday seizure control. Other drugs, such as diazepam or midazolam, are available for emergency use. Under the heading Indications in epilepsy, the main use of each drug is given. In certain circumstances some drugs may be prescribed for purposes/seizure types other than those listed. Anti-epileptic drugs are available in a number of different formulations such as tablets, capsules, chewtabs, sugar-free liquid, syrup, dispersible tablets, crushable tablets and sprinkle capsules.
For further information about anti-epileptic drugs, side-effects, dosages etc, please consult your GP, specialist, refer to the BNF or contact the Epilepsy Helpline: freephone 0808 800 5050; contact us via the Email helpline.
Click on the drug name for further information or scroll down for the full list:
Glossary: adjunct/adjunctive – used with other anti-epileptic drugs
|
Generic name
|
Some brand names
|
Indications in epilepsy
|
Date of UK licence
|
|
acetazolamide
|
Diamox
|
Has a specific role in treating epilepsy associated with menstruation. It can also be used with other anti-epileptics for tonic-clonic and partial seizures. It is occasionally helpful in atypical absences, atonic and tonic seizures
|
1988
|
|
acetazolomide modified release
|
Diamox SR
|
As above
|
|
|
carbamazepine
|
Tegretol
|
Partial and secondary generalised tonic-clonic seizures, primary generalised seizures
|
1965
|
|
carbamazepine modified release
|
Carbagen SR
Tegretol Retard
|
As carbamazepine
|
1965
|
|
clobazam
|
Frisium
|
Adjunct in epilepsy
|
1979
|
|
clonazepam
|
Rivotril
|
All forms of epilepsy
|
1979
|
|
ethosuximide
|
Emeside
Zarontin
|
Absence seizures
|
1955
|
|
gabapentin
|
Neurontin
|
Monotherapy and adjunctive treatment of partial seizures with or without secondary generalisation
|
1993
|
| lacosamide |
Vimpat |
Adjunctive therapy in the treatment of partial-onset seizures with or without secondary generalisation (this information is taken from the Manufacturer's Summary of Produce Characteristics |
2008 |
|
lamotrigine
|
Lamictal
|
Monotherapy and adjunctive treatment of partial seizures and primary and secondarily generalised tonic-clonic seizures; seizures associated with Lennox-Gastaut syndrome
|
1991
|
|
levetiracetam
|
Keppra
|
Monotherapy and adjunctive treatment of partial seizures with or without secondary generalisation and for adjunctive therapy of myoclonic seizures and generalised tonic-clonic seizures
|
2000
|
|
oxcarbazepine
|
Trileptal
|
Montherapy and adjunctive treatment of partial seizures with or without secondary generalised tonic-clonic seizures
|
2000
|
|
phenobarbital (phenobarbitone)
|
|
All forms of epilepsy except absence seizures
|
1912
|
|
phenytoin
|
Epanutin
|
All forms of epilepsy except absence seizures
|
1938
|
|
pregabalin
|
Lyrica
|
Adjunctive therapy for partial seizures with or without secondary generalisation
|
2004
|
|
primidone
|
Mysoline
|
All forms of epilepsy except absence seizures
|
1952
|
| rufinamide |
Inovelon |
Adjunctive treatment of seizures in Lennox-Gastaut syndrome |
2007 |
|
sodium valproate
|
Epilim
Orlept
|
All forms of epilepsy
|
1973
|
|
sodium valproate modified release
|
Epilim Chrono
Episenta
|
All forms of epilepsy
|
|
|
tiagabine
|
Gabitril
|
Adjunctive treatment for partial seizures with or without secondary generalisation
|
1998
|
|
topiramate
|
Topamax
|
Monotherapy and adjunctive treatment of generalised tonic-clonic seizures or partial seizures with or without secondary generalisation; adjunctive treatment of seizures in Lennox-Gastaut syndrome
|
1995
|
|
valproic acid
|
Convulex
|
All forms of epilepsy
|
1993
|
|
vigabatrin
|
Sabril
|
Initiated and supervised by appropriate specialist, adjunctive treatment of partial seizures with or without secondary generalisation not satisfactorily controlled with other anti-epileptic drugs; monotherapy for management of infantile spasms (West’s syndrome)
|
1973
|
|
zonisamide
|
Zonegran
|
Adjunctive therapy for refractory partial seizures with or without secondary generalisation
|
2005
|
last updated October 2008
Comments
Two years ago i was on keppra for my epilpesy and no other drugs was working and i got told it ould help me , but insted of helping me i had one of the side affect that can send you loonley and i had that i ended up haveing the m1 shut down as i told everyoine in the car i was rtravling with that they was kidnapping me and ten i went missing thur it i would not adivce this drug to anyone
I have read good and bad about Keppra I have now been taking 500mg morn and night for 2 months after a change over from Tegretol. I am about to increase my dose to 750mg morn and night. Apart from feeling tired and having to go to the loo more frequently I have been pleased with it. My seizures (complex partial) have changed and last for a shorter amount of time.
I wouldnt advise anyone against a drug everyone is different and until you try it you just dont know!
my husband takes keppra and lyrica after developing epilepsy after a stroke 2 years ago he 41 now cannot speak n partially paralysed.i have found that taking keppra it still makes him slightly drowsy and has reduced his appetite but in all ok.each person reacts differently to medications until they find the right one.my husbands had 4 different medication and this seems to b ok.he has fits every 3 months we can live with that.my 13yr son has just been diagnosed as well bit we are moinitering him.
hi julie i hope your husband is still doing o k our son was dianosed with epilepsy in july this year he also has diabetes hes 19 and we are so worried about him how is your son doing
Hi Everyone
I am sorry to hear that Keppra didnt work for Victoria but I feel I must express the fact that these drugs do effect diffrent people in diffrent ways. I was on Carbamazapine for nine years with very few problems, then it stopped working. Since then I have been on Lamotrigine, Clobazam, Epillim, Topiramate and Keppra in eather combinations or monotherapy. Sadly none of these have managed to control my seizures compleatly.
My point is that when I was on Topiramate I was very confused, felt permantly druged, depressed ,made some very poor dicisions and generaly was not myself. I was taken off of Topiramate when it stopped working alltogether and placed on to Keppra. It was like getting my life back, no more confusion or depresion and I got my sense of humor back ( most inportant ! ). My brain is working faster and better than it has since I was first placed on medication some twelve years ago. My view on Topiramate is that it shouldnt be given to dogs let alone humans. similar to Victoria view of keppra I suspect.
Everyone reacts diffrently to these Medications and my advise is DONT dismiss any of them on other peoples expireances.
I have been what can be described as over sensitive to some of the anti epileptic medications over the years. Carbamazepine (Tegretol), lamotrigine (Lamictal) and sodium valproate (epilim) turned toxic on me and sent me in to status in their time. I had a particulaly nasty experience with phenobarbital (phenobarbitone) which caused particularly nasty hallucinations and depression, thankfully the psychiatrist I was referred to identified I was not going mad and it was my medication having this effect on me & more importantly I was cleared of the accusations of being a recreational drug user, as my GP & family had convinced themselves. In more recent years following a dicey pregnancy I was avidly encouraged to give Phenytoin (epanutin) a break and try one of the modern AED's levetiracetam (Keppra) as it looked as if it may have less side effects than epanutin, potentially control seizures (I experience 1 every 12 months). In the months I took Keppra; as I was phased up to my designated dosage I gradually developed more an dmore side effects whicvh included; extreme mood swings, regular panic attacks, twitching of the neck and both eyes, continued periods of memory loss, slurred speech and seizures. Thankfully when I was admitted to hosptial with seizures & vomitting and with a suspected heart problem my neurologist agreed that perhaps I did not agree with Keppra. I was gradually phased of Keppra and I started to regain cognitive abilities and went for numerous heart tests. It took a good 18 months in my opinion to recover from the effects on my memory. I may be what is described as unique however 2.5 years later I am seizure free (remarkable for me) on epanutin.
HI
My 8 year old daughter was diagnosed with epilepsy 3 years ago. She has been given Epilem - she isnt getting as many seizures anymore - BUT she isnt the same happy child! As time goes on I am wondering what these drugs are doing to my child? My daughters personality has changed dramatically, she is wingy, babish, she often fails to finish a sentence or even remember basic words, she has NOT got a sense of humour, she struggles to make friends. Would she be better off not taking any medication?????
I have read the letters above, explaining what it feels like to have medication etc but what does it feel like to have epilepsy? which is the better?? can anyone enlighten me.
Hi there, My daughter is 5 yrs old and was diagnosed with epilepsy 2 months ago after having her second seizure (tonic-clonic - general). The first being 10 mths prior to the 2nd. She has been put on Epilem. Had a normal CT scan and is scheduled for an EEG soon. I only started the drug 2,5 weeks ago. She is on the lowest dosage for her weight etc. I have found that after about the 3rd day after starting the medication she is extremely moody, started talking "babyish" and seems much more sleepy and in general just "off". All this after such a short period of time on the drug, so after reading the comment from Dawn above, I am too very skeptical and somewhat more worried than before!! I feel very concerned about the long term effects such as possible development of depression etc. It has been said she will need to be on the medication for at least 2 years. I know each child / person is unique but is these common traits with anti-epileptic drugs?
I to suffer from epilepsy but i would advice you consult your gp and hopefully they will make an appointment with your consultant. They would advice you what steps to take.
I take the largest dose of keppra you are supose to, I have been taking keppra as long as it has been out and the only time that I have had any problem it has been my fault. Keppra has really worked for me.
Hi Lesley, my son has diabetes and epilepsy too. Diabetes since 17 and then diagnosed with epilepsy at 28 after years of saying his seizures were not hypos. He lives alone and I can understand your worries for your son. I hope he finds medication to control the seizures soon.
Hi, my daughter has suffered febrile convulsions since the age of 13 months. She had a couple early last year and was sent for an EEG and a sleep deprivation EEG which did not reveal anything of any importance. With this is mind her consultant put it down to her having febrile convulsions lasting longer than the usual 5 years and she'd grow out of it. Last October she had a seizure and more recently one last weekend. We have seen her consultant who now, due to her age, her being 7 this year, has decided to put her on Epilem.
She started taking this Monday evening (today being Friday) and in that short space of time we have noticed a considerable difference in her behaviour. She has been moody, grumpy and hyperactive. She has a tendancy to be affected by certain sweets, biscuits and drinks with artificial colourings and sweeteners and the reaction she's had to Epilem has been very similar. I'm finding it rather worrying and not sure whether its just early days. I notice that this medication is not suitable for those with diabetes, is this due to the high sugar content? If so, what are their alternatives? Would be grateful for any input?!!
Hi, My son was on Epilim/sodium valproate and he/we suffered from the side effects of this drug. We experienced the bad behaviour, mood swings and incredible rage. This lasted until we had him taken off this drug. There is a lot of sugar in it but there is a sugar free version available. He was given Tegretol and there was less behavioural problems with it. There are a lot of different drugs available. Check the internet. My son is now on Keppra and we had a few weeks of behaviour changes until his body adjusted to it, but now we have our son back with none of the behavioural problems. One thing to consider when looking at other drugs is the liver and kidney effects. A lot of the drugs require frequent blood tests to make sure there is no damage to the organs. Keppra is one of the few drugs that does not affect the liver or kidney. Hope this helps.
Hi Dawn
I was told I had eplipesy when I was 7 years old (I am now 29) and at first I was given carbamezaphine but this has no effect on my seizures at all. When I was 12 I was given epilim but this turned me into a different child over night. I became very bad tempered, moody, angry and babyish. It was only after numerous visits to the hospital and having to pay to see a private doctor that I was given Lamotrigine when I was 15 and I have never looked back. I still take it now and have been seizure free for about 3 years with hardly any side effects. I believe I wasn't given it earlier as it was quite new then and expensive.
I would deffinatly push your doctor to take you seriously and try and get the medication changed as this won't be helping your daughter at all
Kate
hello everyone,
I live outside the US and my daughter has had 2 febrile convulsions so far 6 months apart. She is only a year and 4 months. we had a pediatric neurologist see her only to prescribe Atemperator (sodium valproate) to her. Seeing all of the side effects that can occur along with her age, I really don't want to medicate her. My wife thinks different and we are her a tough time deciding what's best for her. I don't want to see my daughter like a zombie or with any mood swings. I think logically if its because of a high fever the best way to treat this is to first find out what is causing the fever and fight it with antibiotics at the same time control the fever. If my way of thinking is wrong somebody please let me know or give me some helpful advise or alternative. i really think she is too young to be experimenting with mind altering drugs.
Also is there any website for children with these type of problems that can give me more information
Hi Rowena,
My son who is now 5 years and 3 months-old has been on Epilim for about a year. His first convulsion lasted 20-25 minutes which was scary and then a much shorter one -8 min.- followed within 2 weeks. He simply went blank just like a switched-off TV while watching Shrek III! His EEGs and MRI results revealed absolutely nothing but still, he was prescribed with the drug. Yes, he had mood changes and was extremely grumpy and hyperactive at first but now, seems much settled down. He is absolutely a happy child though very sensitive to life and his surroundings compared to other kids of his age. He has some sort of language problems but he had the same problem even before the seizures because he's bilingual so noone can say it's due to the drug use. Hope this post would be a help for many mums to decide and find out which drug is best for their children.
Since my auras returned 3 years ago my life has been hell as the drugs stop me being me. I tried Keppra which was great for weightloss! Howver it made me snappy and gave me totally uncharacteristic suicidal thoughts. So that was stopped pretty quick. Tried Topiramide, so confused. Now I am on lamotrigine, works ok. However I am irritable, can't sleep, forgetful, muddles, too emotional... If only I could change it. I am in a trap, to change it would inevtably mean a driving ban, not good in a rural area. Anyone know any good jokes!!!!!
hi , i also was put on keppra has they wanted to change me from eplim i had so mant side affects losing weight thought i was going mad depresssion, panic attcks, and when people kept asking me if i wanted children i just felt i could have any more i wouldnt beable to handle it i came of the drug which my gp madea mistake and i had a fit and eneded up in hospital for 3 days, but now but on eplim and feel so much better hope all is ok with u
hi my 5 yr old suffers from partial seizures and has done since she was 9 mths .. she was prescribed tegretol but this did nothing for them so went onto epilim about 2 yrs ago .. This makes her very tired especially since starting school her memory seems to be erratic and she also talks babyish a lot .. she cant grasp reading or writing yet as all her class mates do , u can tell her 1 thing one day yet she will forget it the next .. she still has seizures but the last 1 being sat 25th april but the 1 before that was nov .. her consultant says she will grow out of it as her mri was clear but not her eeg .. the way i see it is the medicine is not doing much so wud rather have her off of it so she can start learing ..
I wonder if you can help me, my husband is on lamotragine 400mg per day and Sodium Valporate (Epilim) 900mg a day. Is there any homeopathic medicines he should not take. I was giving him Feverfew, Enchinacea and Glucosamine but I have stopped them because he was having trouble standing up sometimes, he didn't feel giddy but his legs would not work. I was afraid of him falling downstairs. Can anyone advise me?
Hi, I am just waiting to see a specialist for my 20mth old son who has 3 sezuires now, he had the first one at 14mths old, an with him having a temperature at the time, it was thought to be a febriel convultion.(this may have not been the case) He suffered another seziure at easter (18mths old )and then 6 weeks later (last week) suffered another.
He completely stops breathing, turns pale white/grey his lips turn blue, his whole body goes stiff and his arms and legs 'lock' his body dos'nt jerk violently just jerks alittle, and his eyes roll back to show the whites, and the tiny bit of the blue that you can just see, in the corner of his eye is in a rolling/shaking motion. Afterwards when he starts to breath again he just stares into space, like hes in a trace, and then eventually comes round looking sleepy/dozy and confused, giving me lots of cuddles.
I am so worried if they diognose him with epilepsy, espcially after reading eveyones storys about their medication. Does this sound like an epileptic fit to you guys? I am soo scared and dont know much about it. The only experience I have is that a girl someone from my school and my brother-in-law's nephew both died after having an epileptic fit. I dont want anything like that to happen to my baby boy, can anyone offer and advice. I know I still have to wait to see the specialist and have the scans and test done, but I have a feeling that they are going to say hes epileptic. I am so upset and stressed and just want it to go away, I love my lil lad to bits and just want him to be happy and healthy.
I swopped from Epilim to Keppra and although my epilepsy was controlled, Keppra initially sent me straight to sleep (was extremely drowsy on it for a while), then I got mood swings and one day (when I should have been extremely happy) I was all over the place, from giggling, to sobbing my heart out, to really angry. I couldn't understand what was going on and thought I was going mad - my friends and family told me to come swop back to Epilim. Epilim is brilliant bar weight gain & thinking about having babies in the future & it's side effects, so I'm trying again, to swop onto Carbamazepine - see how it goes! I'm hoping not as badly as Keppra, I sent in a yellow card report about Keppra so that the side effects were noted. I hope that this will work for me, it's not easy - every medication has it's side effects - it's just trying to find the right one for you! x
i have had epilepsy now for around 10 years... i am a 21 year old female and i take a high dose of epilim chrono... i am on 1500ml morning AND night... my epilepsy is controled to a certain extent but i am still having my fits and due to this, its making me very forgetful... does anyone have any advise that i can take on board coz i seem to be running out of ideas and my fits to say the least are getting worse... Thanku. x