Epilepsy: diagnosis, treatment and healthcare in the UK

Introduction

The aim of these web pages is to tell you how epilepsy is diagnosed and how it can be treated. They also give information about healthcare services and what you can do if you live in the UK and are not happy with your treatment.

If you have any further questions about anything to do with epilepsy, contact an adviser on the Epilepsy Helpline. You can also contact your family doctor, epilepsy specialist, or epilepsy specialist nurse.

In this section

• Introduction
• What to do if you think you’ve had a seizure
• Diagnosing epilepsy
• Anti-epileptic drug treatment
• List of AEDs available in the UK
• Getting the same version of your anti-epileptic drugs every time 
• Other ways of treating epilepsy
• Effects of other things on epilepsy treatment
• Sudden unexpected death in epilepsy
• Getting healthcare
• Getting help if you are unhappy with your care or treatment
• NICE guideline for epilepsy treatment UK
• Keeping a seizure dairy
• Visiting your doctor

This information was written by Epilepsy Action’s advice and information team with guidance and input from people living with epilepsy and medical experts.

Our thanks

Epilepsy Action wishes to thank Dr John Paul Leach, consultant neurologist, Southern General Hospital, Glasgow, UK for reviewing this information.

What to do if you think you’ve had a seizure

This information is relevant for people who live in UK

• Visiting your GP (family doctor)
• Epilepsy clinics

Visiting your GP (family doctor)

If you think that you’ve had a seizure, the first person to see is your GP. If your GP thinks you might have epilepsy, they will usually arrange for you to see an epilepsy specialist at the hospital. This is to make sure you get the right diagnosis and have the best treatment for your epilepsy. The epilepsy specialist is usually a neurologist (for adults) or a paediatrician (for children).

Epilepsy clinics

If there is an epilepsy clinic in your area, your GP will usually refer you there. Epilepsy clinics provide things like ‘fast-track’ appointments for people who have had their first seizure, and the latest scanning equipment.