Taking your epilepsy medication properly
Introduction
You may be taking one or more medicines to prevent seizures. To get the most benefit from them, you need to consistently take the right dose of the right medicine at the right time. This can be difficult, but by following a few key tips, you can do it.
Key points
- Become informed about the medicines you are taking. Learn their names, their purpose, and their expected side effects. Know how often you are supposed to take them and what dose you are supposed to take.
- Make taking your medicine as simple as possible. Plan times to take your medicines when you are doing other regularly occurring activities, like eating a meal or getting ready for bed. This will make it easier for you to remember to take your medicines.
- Take a list of your medicines with you whenever you visit your doctor. Let your doctor know if you are having problems with your medicine schedule or if you have any changes in your health that might affect your medicine needs, such as a sudden increase in seizures, weight gain or loss, unexpected or intolerable side effects from the medicine, or another medical condition.
- It may take time and careful, controlled adjustments by you and your doctor to find the combination, schedule, and dosing of medicine to best manage your epilepsy. The goal is to prevent seizures while causing as few unwanted side effects as possible. After the most effective medicine program is determined, it is important that you follow it exactly as prescribed.
What do medicines do for epilepsy?
Why is it important to take your medicines properly?
How to take your medicines properly
Where to go from here
More information about epilepsy and seizure disorders can be found in these topics:
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| Author: | Douglas Dana Monica Rhodes | Last Updated: January 22, 2008 |
| Medical Review: | Michael J. Sexton, MD - Pediatrics Theresa O'Young, PharmD - Clinical Pharmacist Steven C. Schachter, MD - Neurology Andrew Swan, MD, CCFP, FCFP - Family Medicine | |
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