Medication
Epilepsy is a type of neurological disorder known for causing seizures. These seizures can be sporadic and occur without warning, or they might be chronic and occur on a regular basis. According to the Mayo Clinic, about 80 percent of people with epilepsy require ongoing treatment to prevent seizures from disrupting their daily activities.
Procedures
Researchers are studying many potential new treatments for epilepsy, including: 1 Responsive neurostimulation. Implantable, pacemaker-like devices that help prevent seizures are... 2 Continuous stimulation of the seizure onset zone (subthreshold stimulation)... 3 Minimally invasive surgery. New minimally invasive surgical techniques,...
Therapy
That depends on how long their seizures normally last. If their seizures always last for a little longer than 5 minutes and end by themselves, you may not need to do anything. But if the person you care for has had longer seizures in the past that needed emergency medicines, they should have an epilepsy care plan.
Self-care
Early childhood and older adulthood tend to be the most common life stages. The outlook tends to be better for people who develop epilepsy as children — there’s a chance they might outgrow it as they age. Developing epilepsy before the age of 12 increases this positive outcome. Common complications from epilepsy may include:
Nutrition
What is epilepsy and how is it treated?
What new treatments are being studied for epilepsy?
When should I take care of someone with epilepsy?
What is the prognosis for people with epilepsy?
How long do you have to take epilepsy medicine?
Most doctors will consider tapering the dosage and discontinuing your seizure medicines after a seizure-free period of 2 to 4 years. If you have had only one seizure, some doctors will consider discontinuing the medicine if you have been seizure-free for 6 to 12 months.
Is epilepsy a lifelong disease?
Epilepsy is usually a lifelong condition, but most people with it are able to have normal lives if their seizures are well controlled. Most children with epilepsy are able to go to a mainstream school, take part in most activities and sports, and get a job when they're older.
How long can epilepsy last?
Most seizures last from 30 seconds to two minutes. A seizure that lasts longer than five minutes is a medical emergency. Seizures are more common than you might think. Seizures can happen after a stroke, a closed head injury, an infection such as meningitis or another illness.
Can epilepsy be completely cured?
They can last from a few seconds to several minutes and may cause confusion or loss of consciousness. Afterward, you may have no memory of a seizure happening. There's currently no cure for epilepsy, but it can be managed with medications and other strategies.
Can you live a normal life with seizures?
Some people are able to achieve seizure-free lives, while other people with epilepsy can manage their seizures to live long and full lives.
Can I marry a girl with epilepsy?
A: From a medical point of view, persons with epilepsy can marry. However, in some countries there have been laws and in others even now there are laws that prevent persons with epilepsy to marry. It is important that the would be spouse of a person with epilepsy should be aware of the situation.
Can you recover from epilepsy?
About 6 out of 10 people diagnosed with epilepsy can become seizure free within a few years with proper treatment. Many of these people will never have any more seizures. For the rest of the people, some will have occasional breakthrough seizures or side effects of medicines and others will have uncontrolled seizures.
Can epilepsy come back after years?
However, sometimes seizures do come back days, months or even several years later. Neurologists can provide some statistical information about the outlook for remaining seizure free off of medication, and will typically do an EEG to help inform that conversation.
How much sleep do epileptics need?
People with epilepsy should get adequate sleep - enough to feel refreshed the next day. In general, adults should try for at least 7-8 hours a night. Going to bed late (for example, 3 a.m. instead of 11 p.m.) can be compensated for by sleeping late (10 a.m. instead of 6 a.m.) and thereby avoiding sleep deprivation.
Does epilepsy go away with age?
Some people require lifelong treatment to control seizures, but for others, the seizures eventually go away. Some children with epilepsy may outgrow the condition with age.
Is rice good for epilepsy?
Food Items You Can Easily Consume Low glycemic index foods such as whole grains, brown rice, whole-wheat bread and pasta, legumes, yogurt and nuts.
What is best medicine for epilepsy?
March 22, 2007 - Lamictal is the best first-choice drug for partial epilepsy, while valproic acid is the best first choice for generalized epilepsy, two major clinical trials show.
Does epilepsy go away with age?
Some people require lifelong treatment to control seizures, but for others, the seizures eventually go away. Some children with epilepsy may outgrow the condition with age.
Can epilepsy come back after years?
However, sometimes seizures do come back days, months or even several years later. Neurologists can provide some statistical information about the outlook for remaining seizure free off of medication, and will typically do an EEG to help inform that conversation.
Can you grow out of epilepsy?
Epilepsy can begin at any time of life, but it's most commonly diagnosed in children, and people over the age of 65. Some children with epilepsy will outgrow their seizures as they mature, while others may have seizures that continue into adulthood.
Does epilepsy get worse with age?
The incidence of any type of seizure increases substantially over the age of 60, commonly due to other neurological conditions such as dementia or stroke.
What is the procedure to remove a part of the brain that causes seizures?
There are two main kinds: Resective surgery. The surgeon will remove the part of your brain that causes the seizures. This surgery is most often done when the part of the brain causing the seizures is very small, has very good boundaries, and doesn’t control things like your speech, movement, sight, or hearing.
What is the medication called that changes the way the brain works?
Epilepsy medications, sometimes called anti-seizure or anticonvulsant medications, change the way your brain cells work and send messages to each other. The kind of medication your doctor suggests depends on a few things: The type of seizures you have. How likely it is you’ll have more seizures. Your age. Your sex.
How to get off medication?
How to Get Off Your Medication. Ketogenic Diet. Nerve Stimulation. Surgery. After you’re diagnosed with epilepsy, you have several ways to get treatment. Medication, a special diet, an implant that works on your nerves or brain, and surgery could all help you feel better.
Can a teenager have seizures?
Some types of seizures only happen in children and younger teenagers. If you’re an older teenager or young adult, your doctor might think it’s safe for you to stop your medication. This diet is high in fats and low in carbohydrates. Your doctor may suggest it, depending on the type of seizures you have.
Do you need a blood test for epilepsy?
While you’re taking it, the doctor will want you to get blood tests to see how your body handles the treatment. How often you need them depends on your type of epilepsy medication, other drugs you take, and any health conditions you might have.
Can you take more than one medication for epilepsy?
Drugs that work for one person might not work for another. You might have to try more than one. Most people who take medication for epilepsy find a good fit on the first or second try. You might have to start with a low dose and slowly add more. It depends which medication you take.
How to reduce the risk of epilepsy?
You can help minimize this risk factor by adopting heart-healthy lifestyle habits, such as regular exercise and a low-fat/low-sodium diet. Treatment is one of the most important factors that affect your overall epilepsy prognosis.
When does epilepsy develop?
Epilepsy can develop at any age. Early childhood and older adulthood tend to be the most common life stages. The outlook tends to be better for people who develop epilepsy as children — there’s a chance they might outgrow it as they age. Developing epilepsy before the age of 12 increases this positive outcome. <–callout–>.
What are the factors that affect epilepsy?
Despite treatment, premature mortality is increased in people with epilepsy. There are a variety of factors that determine epilepsy prognosis. Among these include your: 1 age 2 health history 3 genes 4 severity or pattern of seizures 5 current treatment plan
What is the condition that causes seizures?
Epilepsy is a type of neurological disorder known for causing seizures. These seizures can be sporadic and occur without warning, or they might be chronic and occur on a regular basis. According to the Mayo Clinic, about 80 percent of people with epilepsy require ongoing treatment to prevent seizures from disrupting their daily activities.
Why do people stop taking antiseizure?
Antiseizure medication, when taken on a regular basis, can help control activity in the brain that leads to epileptic seizures. In turn, this helps to also minimize risk factors and complications related to epilepsy. Some people eventually stop taking antiseizure medications.
What age can you get epilepsy?
Age: Adults over the age of 60 may experience an increased risk for epileptic seizures, as well as related complications. Family history: Epilepsy is often genetic. If you have a family member who experienced epilepsy-related complications, then your own risk may be higher.
What to do if you have a seizure while standing up?
There are treatments and therapies that can help. Falls: You can also be at risk of falling if a seizure strikes while you’re walking or engaging in other activities while standing up.
How long does a seizure last?
There are many types of seizures that cause symptoms ranging from lightning-fast muscle jerks lasting less than a second to full body convulsions lasting two or three minutes. Epilepsy, if not well-controlled, can greatly worsen a person’s quality of life and can cause severe injury or death.
How to stop seizures?
Brain surgery. Brain surgery to remove the seizure focus is the most effective method to completely stop seizures. First, we must find the seizure focus and make sure it can be safely removed. This always involves a stay in the epilepsy monitoring unit to record seizures with simultaneous video and EEG.
What is an epileptic seizure?
An epileptic seizure is an excessive, uncontrolled burst of electrical activity from nerve cells in the brain – essentially an electrical storm. There are many types of seizures that cause symptoms ranging from lightning-fast muscle jerks lasting less than a second ...
What is epilepsy MRI?
Epilepsy is a neurologic disorder that causes unexpected and recurrent epileptic seizures. The diagnosis involves conducting a careful neurological history, a 30-minute brain wave study (electroencephalogram or EEG), and imaging of the brain (magnetic resonance imaging or MRI).
Where is the most common location for epilepsy surgery?
This is called intracranial EEG. The most common location in the brain for epilepsy surgery is the temporal lobe. About 60 percent to 80 percent of patients become seizure-free with this type of surgery. A new technique is laser surgery, which involves destroying the seizure focus with heat rather than removing it.
When are patients invited to participate in a trial?
Often, patients are invited to join a trial after they have failed a number of other FDA-approved medications.
Is Epidiolex safe for Dravet Syndrome?
As of May 2018, there have been two major, scientifically rigorous clinical studies that have shown that Epidiolex, a form of CBD oil pending FDA approval, is relatively safe and effective in Dravet Syndrome and the Lennox-Gastaut Syndrome.
What are the best treatments for epilepsy?
When epilepsy isn't being controlled by medication and surgery isn't an option, we turn to devices. There are two on the market now: 1 vagus nerve stimulator (VNS). 2 NeuroPace - a reactive neurostimulator
How many people have epilepsy?
This all adds up to a good prognosis for the nearly 3,4 million people with epilepsy in the U.S. With proper treatment, most people with epilepsy can live healthy lives without seizures.
What is a neuropace?
The NeuroPace is a reactive neurostimulator that detects seizures and shocks the brain to stop them. The device is set to send out pulses of a certain duration at certain intervals and it goes around the clock. It uses the technology from cardiac defibrillator devices to respond to electrical activity in your brain.
Can you have seizures if you take the wrong medication?
If you're on the right drug, you're likely to have good control of your seizures. But if you're on the wrong drug, you may keep having seizures -- and you might not even know that there are better approaches out there. That's why getting expert care can be important.
Can you live without seizures?
With proper treatment, most people with epilepsy can live healthy lives without seizures. To find out the current state of epilepsy treatment, WebMD talked to neurologist Gregory L. Barkley, MD, past chairman of the Epilepsy Foundation's Professional Advisory Board. Barkley also practices at the Henry Ford Health System in Detroit.
Can epilepsy be cured?
Surgery can lead to long-term remission. It can be a true cure for epilepsy. One study came out in 2001 that showed that about 60% of people who had a temporal lobectomy (in which the temporal lobe located on the side of the brain is removed) had no seizures, or at most, a few auras afterward.
Is Epidiolex a drug?
They're easier to use and more predictable. That's helpful, since we know that drug interactions are the bane of many patients. The drug Epidiolex, which is made from cannabidiol ( CBD) a form of medical marijuana, has been found to be effective in treating very severe or hard-to-treat seizures.
What is the best treatment for epilepsy?
A health care provider will change the amount of the medicine or prescribe a new drug if needed to find the best treatment plan. Medicines work for about 2 in 3 people with epilepsy.
Who treats epilepsy?
Many kinds of health providers treat people with epilepsy. Primary care providers such as family physicians, pediatricians, and nurse practitioners are often the first people to see a person with epilepsy who has new seizures.
What is it called when you stop taking seizure medication?
This is a condition called status epilepticus. Status epilepticus can sometimes happen when a person suddenly stops taking seizure medication. Rarely, people with epilepsy can experience s udden u nexpected d eath in ep ilepsy (SUDEP).
What kind of doctor do you go to for epilepsy?
When problems occur such as seizures or side effects of medicine, the primary health provider may send the patient to a neurologist or epileptologists for specialized care. People who have seizures that are difficult to control or who need advanced care for epilepsy may be referred to an epilepsy centers.
What is epilepsy and what is it called?
Epilepsy Basics. What is epilepsy? What is a seizure? Epilepsy, which is sometimes called a seizure disorder, is a disorder of the brain. A person is diagnosed with epilepsy when they have had two or more seizures. A seizure is a short change in normal brain activity.
What to do if you have a seizure for the first time?
A person who has a seizure for the first time should talk to a health care provider, such as a doctor or nurse practitioner. The provider will talk to the person about what happened, and look for the cause of the seizure. Many people who have seizures take tests such as brain scans for a closer look at what is going on.
How to tell if someone has a seizure?
A person having a seizure may seem confused or look like they are staring at something that isn’t there. Other seizures can cause a person to fall, shake, and become unaware of what’s going on around them. Seizures are classified into two groups.
How to reduce the risk of epilepsy?
Here are some ways to reduce your risk of having status epilepticus: Always take your epilepsy medicine regularly, and never stop or reduce your medicine without advice from your doctor or nurse. Missing doses and stopping epilepsy medicine suddenly are common triggers for status epilepticus.
What should a care plan include for someone with epilepsy?
The care plan should say how to tell if the person is in status epilepticus and what to do. It should also include details of any emergency medicine that has been prescribed, who is trained to use it and when to give it.
How long does convulsive status epilepticus last?
If convulsive status epilepticus lasts for 30 minutes or longer it can cause permanent brain damage or even death.
What is it called when a seizure doesn't stop?
Status epilepticus (sometimes just called status) is seizure activity that lasts too long. It happens when a seizure doesn’t stop in the usual time, or when someone has seizures one after another without recovering in between. Status epilepticus can happen with any type of seizure. Status epilepticus can happen in people who have been diagnosed ...
What is the name of the medical service that treats epilepsy?
Emergency medical services (paramedics) also carry medicine so they can start treatment as soon as they arrive. If someone with epilepsy is at known increased risk of status epilepticus, their doctor may prescribe them emergency medicine (sometimes called rescue medicine).
What is the purpose of emergency medicine?
The aim of emergency medicine is to stop the status early on, before it causes long-term damage. If the emergency medicine stops the status, the person may not need to go into hospital. Emergency medicine can be given by a family member, carer, teacher or colleague, as long as they have been trained in how to give it.
Can seizures last too long in the UK?
Most people with epilepsy have seizures that last a short time and stop by themselves. But sometimes , a seizure can last too long and become status epilepticus.
Temporal lobe resection
A temporal lobe resection removes a portion of the temporal lobe of the brain. The goal of surgery is to reduce or eliminate the abnormal electrical activity in the brain that causes temporal lobe epilepsy. It is the most common type of epilepsy surgery.
Resection of other areas of the brain
Doctors may also remove other areas of the brain, including portions of the occipital, frontal, or parietal lobe. This treatment works best when doctors discover lesions on these regions of the brain or find that unusual electrical activity in these regions is causing seizures.
Corpus callosotomy
A corpus callosotomy is a palliative procedure, which means that it eases symptoms but does not eliminate them. During the surgery, a surgeon cuts the corpus callosum, which connects the left and right hemispheres of the brain. This prevents seizures from spreading from one side of the brain to the other.
Lesionectomy
A lesionectomy involves removing any lesions, tumors, or abnormal blood vessels in the brain that are causing seizures. When surgery is successful, a person may become seizure-free.
Hemispherectomy or hemispherotomy
In rare cases, a doctor may perform a hemispherectomy, which involves the removal of an entire hemisphere, or half, of the brain. A related surgery, known as a hemispherotomy, is similar to a corpus callosotomy and involves disconnecting the brain’s hemispheres but not removing either of them. These procedures are rare.
Multiple subpial transection
A multiple subpial transection removes several small areas of the brain where seizure activity occurs.
Neurostimulation device implantation
In addition to removing parts of the brain, surgeons can implant devices to treat epilepsy. These devices stimulate the brain in different ways to stop the signals that trigger seizures.
Treatment
Clinical Trials
Lifestyle and Home Remedies
Coping and Support
Specialist to consult
Preparing For Your Appointment
- Doctors generally begin by treating epilepsy with medication. If medications don't treat the condition, doctors may propose surgery or another type of treatment.