Taking Your Epilepsy Medication Properly

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Introduction

You may be taking one or more medications to prevent seizures. To get the most benefit from them, you need to consistently take the right dose of the right medication 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 medications 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 medication as simple as possible. Plan times to take your medications 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 medications.
• Take a list of your medications with you whenever you visit your doctor. Let your doctor know if you are having problems with your medication schedule or if you have any changes in your health that might affect your medication needs, such as a sudden increase in seizures, weight gain or loss, unexpected or intolerable side effects from the medication, 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 medication to best manage your epilepsy. The goal is to prevent seizures while causing as few unwanted side effects as possible. Once the most effective medication program is determined, it is important that you follow it exactly as prescribed.

 What do medications do for epilepsy?

 Why is it important to take your medications properly?

 How to take your medications properly

 Where to go from here

More information about epilepsy and seizure disorders can be found in these topics:

• Epilepsy
• Seizures

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Last updated:	November 11, 2005
Author:	Monica Rhodes
Reviewed By:	Michael J. Sexton, MD - Pediatrics, Steven C. Schachter, MD - Neurology
Editors:	Kathleen M. Ariss, MS, Pat Truman