What is epilepsy?
Epilepsy is a disorder of the brain. People with epilepsy have brain cells that create abnormal electricity, causing seizures. In some cases, a seizure may cause jerking, uncontrolled movements and loss of consciousness. In other cases, seizures cause only a period of confusion, a staring spell or muscle spasms.
A single seizure is not considered epilepsy. People with epilepsy have repeated episodes of seizures.
Epilepsy is not a mental illness, and it is not a sign of low intelligence. It is also not contagious. Seizures do not normally cause brain damage. Between seizures, a person with epilepsy is no different from anyone else.
What should I do when someone has a seizure?
If you have epilepsy, you may want to share the following information with your family, friends and coworkers. If someone near you has a seizure, use the following general guidelines:
Stay calm.
Don't move the person to another place.
Don't try to keep the person from moving or shaking.
Don't try to wake the person by shouting at or shaking them.
Remove items that could cause injury if the person falls or bumps into them.
Gently turn the person on his or her side so any fluid in the mouth can safely come out.
Never try to force the person's mouth open or put anything in it.
Place something soft (such as a pillow) under his or her head.
Most seizures aren't life-threatening. You don't need to call a doctor or an ambulance unless the person isn't known to have epilepsy or unless the seizure lasts longer than 5 minutes.
When the seizure is over, watch the person for signs of confusion. Allow the person to rest or sleep if he or she wishes.
If I have epilepsy, do I have to take medicine every day?
Yes. You must take your medicine every day, even when you aren't having seizures or when you think you won't have a seizure. To prevent seizures, you have to take the medicine regularly, just as your doctor tells you.
What should I do if I forget to take my medicine?
Usually you should take your medicine as soon as you realize you forgot a dose. If more than 24 hours have passed since your last dose, call your doctor for instructions.
Should I take extra medicine if I think I'm about to have a seizure?
No. The amount of medicine you take for your epilepsy is carefully set for your own specific needs. No extra medicine should be taken without your doctor's approval.
Will I have to take medicine forever?
It may be possible for some people with epilepsy to stop taking medicine. However, this decision must be made by your doctor. Before you and your doctor can decide to stop the medicine, several questions should be considered. These include how quickly your seizures were controlled, how long you have been free of seizures and if you have other illnesses that may affect your problem.
Can I take other drugs while taking medicine for epilepsy?
Because many drugs affect the ability of your epilepsy medicine to control your seizures, ask your doctor or pharmacist before taking other drugs, even drugs you can buy without a prescription.
Are there other treatments for epilepsy?
When you are first diagnosed with epilepsy, your doctor will usually start by treating you with medication. If that doesn't work, your doctor may suggest surgery. Surgery is most commonly done if it’s known that your seizures begin a well- defined area of your brain that doesn't interfere with important functions like speech, language or hearing.
In other cases, your doctor may recommend a type of therapy called vagus nerve stimulation. This requires a small device be implanted under the skin on your chest. The device delivers an electrical pulse to the brain.
A kind of treatment for children with epilepsy involves a strict diet that is high in fat and low in carbohydrates. This diet is known as a ketogenic diet.
With all treatments, work with your doctor to determine the best treatment for you.
Can I drink alcohol if I have epilepsy?
You should avoid drinking alcohol if you have epilepsy. Alcohol can make it easier to have a seizure and can also affect the way your epilepsy medicine works in your body.
What if I become pregnant?
Uncontrolled seizures can affect the unborn baby. Epilepsy medicine may also affect the unborn baby. Decisions about taking medicine during pregnancy must be made by you and your doctor, after talking about the risks and the benefits.
Can I drive if my seizures are under control?
Laws about driving for people with epilepsy are different in each state. Ask your local epilepsy foundation about driving rules or ask your doctor.
When should I call my doctor?
The seizure lasts longer than 5 minutes.
You injured yourself during the seizure.
The way you usually feel during and after having a seizure changes.
It takes you longer than normal to recover after having a seizure.
Your seizures become more severe or happen more frequently.
A second seizure immediately occurs after the first.
You are pregnant.
You have diabetes.
You have a sudden headache, numbness or weakness in one side of your body, or problems with your vision or speech right before you have a seizure. These could be signs of a stroke.
Any time you change your seizure medicine or take any other medicines.
Epilepsy and Pregnancy
Are there risks to me if I become pregnant?
Women who have epilepsy and become pregnant have a higher risk for pregnancy-related complications than pregnant women who don't have epilepsy. These complications include:
Vaginal bleeding
The possibility that your seizures may occur more often
Preeclampsia (a condition during pregnancy that is a combination of high blood pressure and the presence of protein in the urine after 20 weeks of pregnancy)
Separation of the placenta (the organ that provides nourishment for the baby during pregnancy) from the uterus (womb)
Pregnancy affects each woman who has epilepsy differently. Some women actually experience less seizures than normal while pregnant.
Are there risks to my baby?
More than 90% of women who have epilepsy deliver normal, healthy babies. But there are some risks. Babies of mothers who have epilepsy have a higher risk of being stillborn or being born premature. They might also have a slightly higher risk of developing seizure disorders as they get older. There is also more risk for problems such as delays in development and growth, bleeding problems in the baby after birth and the possibility of birth defects caused by the medicine you take. However, the risks of not taking your medicine are much higher for you and your baby. These include physical injury, developmental delay and even death from your seizures.
What can I do to help protect myself and my baby?
It's very important that you take your antiseizure medicine just as your doctor tells you. If you haven't had any seizures for 2 years or more, your doctor may want to slowly stop your seizure medicine before you become pregnant or while you are pregnant. However, you should not stop taking this medicine on your own.
As with all pregnant women, it's also very important for you to take prenatal vitamin supplements and folic acid, which can help prevent certain kinds of birth defects. Start taking these vitamins before you get pregnant to get the most benefit. Because your antiseizure medicine may change how your body absorbs folic acid, your doctor may recommend a type of prenatal vitamin with a higher dose of folic acid. Tell your doctor about any history of brain or spinal defects in your family (or in the family of the baby's father). Eating a healthy diet, getting enough sleep and exercising regularly are other things you can do to have a safe and healthy pregnancy.
What can I expect when I'm pregnant?
During your pregnancy, you will see your doctor often. Your doctor will perform frequent blood tests to be sure that you're getting enough antiseizure medicine. It's very common for your doctor to change the dose of your medicine during your pregnancy. He or she may also want you to have several ultrasound exams (called sonograms) during your pregnancy. Your doctor may even want you to have an amniocentesis. In this procedure, a small amount of fluid is removed from your uterus. This fluid gives your doctor some information about the health of your unborn baby. These extra precautions are a way for your doctor to monitor your pregnancy and your unborn baby's development.
