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Talking with your doctor is always important with any medical condition, but with epilepsy, it is extra important.
Always be sure you understand and remember the instructions that your doctor has given you. It might be a good idea for you to take notes during your appointment so that you do not forget any of the important details. Some of the things that you may want to write down are: How often should you take your medication. How much should you take. What should you do if you forget to take one of your subscribed medications? Anything important that you should know about epilepsy and how it may affect you.
Communication is so much more than just understanding your doctors instructions. You must also give your doctor any information that might be helpful to him in treating you. You must be sure to ask all questions that you may have. This will be the most important step you can take in beginning to help yourself.
Do not be shy! Ask your questions even if you think that they are not important. Remember that it is your doctors job to help you understand. Ask how your medication is supposed to work. This will help you to understand just how important it is to stick to your medication schedule. If you know how your medication is supposed to work, it will help you to detect side effects more easily. It is important to report any of these side effects that you are having as your doctor will want to know.
The doctor will give you a lot of important information, but it is up to you to give him/her important information as well. Keep track of when you have seizures. Have you noticed any side effects. Have your been having headaches or are you tired all the time? If you are having a feeling that is different or just feels funny, try your best to explain that feeling to your doctor.
The information that you give your doctor will help him in adjusting your medications to a level that is right for you. Remember though, to only change the amount of medication you are taking if your doctor tells you too.
Good communication is the root of all good medicine and good control of your epilepsy. If you have tried to talk with your doctor and you don't feel you are getting useful answers, this too is something you need to make known. Your health is the reason you are seeing the doctor to start with, make sure that you are getting the treatment that you deserve.The class of drugs that your doctor will use when trying to fight your epilepsy is call antiepileptic drugs, or anticonvusants. These drugs are taken every day and sometimes several times a day. These drugs will not cure your epilepsy, they only serve to help control the seizures.
Careful testing is done to find the cause and the type of a persons seizures so that your doctor will know which of the antiepileptic drugs will work the best for you. The following is a list of the drug or drugs that you may find yourself on:
Cabamazepine (Tegretol)
Clonazepam (Klomiopin)
Ethosuximide (Zarontin)
Phenobarbital
Phenytoin (Dilantin)
Primidone (Mysoline)
Valproic acid (Depakene)
Divalpoex sodium (Depakote)
Lamictal (new)
Surgery can help only a certain number of people. It should be considered only in a limited number of those who have epilepsy. Surgery as a treatment involves removing the part of the brain that is the focus of the seizures. It is used in cases in which either the seizures or the amount of medication that is needed to control them would disable the person. The seizures must be limited to a very small part of the brain to even consider this as an option. Surgery, as treatment for your epilepsy, would be a last resort. It would only be considered after all other avenues were explored and everything else has failed. Those patients who have undergone surgery have had there seizures stopped for periods of up to five years. Many time drugs are still needed to stop auras. The surgeries success has only been proven in 55 to 70 percent of the cases.
Letting others know about your epilepsy is important. You need to open yourself up to the people around you. Not only are there things that they can do to help you during a seizure, but you need to know that many of the things that they have heard about the condition is a myth.
Examples of this:
Myth: A person having a seizure can swallow his/her tongue.
Myth: A person having a seizure needs to be held down.
Myth: There is a way to help a person having a seizure "snap out of it."
You should make sure that you tell your family, friends, coworkers, and teachers about your condition. If your seizures are under good control, you may want to limit the people that you tell, but should always inform your family and close friends. That way if something should happen to you around them they will not be afraid and will be in a better position to help you. Sometimes a person might react negatively what you tell them, but. This reaction is the result of misunderstandings that you can clear up.
Epilepsy is unpredictable. A seizure can happen at anytime and in any place. That is why it is so important to take your medications. The correct amount of medication in your system is your number one defense against having an attack. There are certain situations that can increase the likelihood of having a seizure for some people. If you know what these are, you can avoid them and reduce the risk of having a seizure.
Stress can be a factor. We know that everyone has stress, but too much of it can cause changes in the body and therefore bring on a seizure.
You also need to be sure that you are getting enough sleep. To little sleep or an irregular sleep pattern can cause seizure activity in some. It is also important to eat properly. A well balanced diet will help to maintain good health.
For a few people, flickering lights and loud noises can be a trigger for a seizure. Two of the most common sources of flickering lights would be the television and video games. Another problem might be caused by shadow and light outdoors. In this case a good pair of sunglasses might help.
You may be one of the lucky ones and have an early warning system for a seizure. Some people have an aura just before a seizure. An aura is a strange feeling or a sensation. It might be ringing in the ears, dizziness, sick to stomach, or just about anything. If it happens every time you have a seizure, it is your aura.
For your epilepsy treatment to work the best that it can for you, you must take an active role. This means that you must take your medications and take them at the scheduled time. You must share with others so that they will know what to do for you. Learn as much as you can about your condition and what your individual triggers are. Keep a journal of what is happening and try and pinpoint your aura. Follow your doctors instructions, all of them, even if you do not like what they are.
If you do not follow your doctor's advice about medications and treatments, you run the risk of continued seizures. A serious medical complication of seizures is status epilepticus. This is a prolonged seizure that lasts thirty minutes or more or can be a series of short seizures. It is usually a medical emergency and it will always require a doctor's help. Some people with epilepsy may have this condition at one time or another. The way to avoid this is to listen to your doctor and follow his treatment plan for you.
You may want to seek the support of others. A supportive environment can be good for your well being. Take advantage of available support systems. A supportive friend or spouse can be very helpful to you. You may want to try a support group of others who are suffering from epilepsy. They will understand the best what you feel and what you are going through.
It is important to remember that all the medications, doctors, support groups, and love in the world; will not help you if you are not willing to accept your condition and take an active role.
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