What Are the Treatments for Epilepsy?
The majority of epileptic seizures are controlled by medication, particularly anticonvulsant drugs. The type of treatment prescribed will depend on several factors, including the frequency and severity of the seizures and the person's age, overall health, and medical history. An accurate diagnosis of the type of epilepsy is also critical to choosing the best treatment.
Drug Therapy
My WebMD: A Teen Copes with Epilepsy
I had my first real epileptic seizure when I was 5 years old. My mother says my eyes were rolling and I was staring off into the distance. She was terrified. What I had is called a "petit mal" seizure or an "absence" seizure. Its called that because theres a lapse in conscious activity for a couple of seconds. Its different from a "grand mal" seizure, when people have convulsions. Thats what most people think of when they think of epilepsy. A petit mal seizure may not sound like much, but its...
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Many drugs are available to treat epilepsy, several of which have only recently been released. Although generic drugs are safely used for most medications, anticonvulsants are one category where doctors proceed with caution.Most doctors prefer to use brand name anticonvulsants, but realize that many insurance companies will not cover the cost.As a result, it is acceptable to start taking a generic anticonvulsant medication, but if the desired control is not achieved, the patient should be switched to the brand name drug.
Classic medications used to treat epilepsy include:
Newer drugs to treat epilepsy include:
The choice of drug is most often based on factors like the patient's tolerance of side effects, other illnesses he or she might have, and the medication's delivery method.
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