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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:
Return to topic:
What do medicines do for epilepsy?
Medicines do not cure epilepsy, but they can prevent seizures. The
medicine used to treat epilepsy work in various ways to help reduce the
abnormal electrical impulses in your brain. The specific medicines prescribed
for you depend first on what kinds of seizures you have. Your age, activity
level, overall physical condition, and other health issues, as well as the side
effects, health risks, and costs of different medicines, may also help
determine what kind of medicine is best for you.
Remember, it can take some time and careful, controlled adjustments
by your doctor to find the most effective combination, schedule, and dose of
medicine to control your seizures. Preventing seizures with as few unwanted
side effects as possible is desirable. It is important to follow your medicine
schedule exactly as prescribed.
Test Your Knowledge
-
Medicines can cure epilepsy.
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True
-
False
Continue to Why is it important to take your medicines properly?
Return to  Taking your epilepsy medication properly
Why is it important to take your medicines properly?
Antiepileptic medicines are most effective when you maintain the
proper medicine level in your body. Your doctor has set up a schedule of
medicine dosages that maintains that proper level. Even slight changes in your
medicine schedule or dosage can throw the whole system off. If you do not take
your medicines properly, you could begin (or continue) having seizures.
Taking your medicines properly can help you achieve better control
over your epilepsy. If you have lost work or driving privileges, getting
seizures under control—and keeping them under control—may help you get back to
work or back behind the wheel. Not having seizures means you can avoid the
dangers of seizures (falls, drowning, choking) and avoid hospitalizations.
Test Your Knowledge
-
Even small changes in the times that I take my
medicines can affect how they work.
-
True
-
False
Continue to How to take your medicines properly
Return to Taking your epilepsy medication properly
How to take your medicines properly
Here's how you can get started taking your medicines
properly.
Develop a medicine plan
Work with your doctor to develop a medicine plan. Factors to
consider include:
- Names of all medicines. Write down both the
prescription and generic names for your medicines. Have your doctor check the
list. You can use this list to verify that the medicines you get from the
pharmacy are correct. Get a clear explanation of what the medicine does and why
you are taking it.
- Medicine schedule. Be sure you understand how
much of each medicine to take and when to take each one. Ask your doctor if you
can simplify your medicine schedule. This may make it easier for you to
remember to take your medicines as directed.
- How to handle missed
doses. Even the most careful people miss a dose now and then. Talk with your
doctor about what you should do if you miss a dose of your medicine. Discuss
and write down what to do for each medicine. What you should do if you miss a
dose may differ from one medicine to another.
- Medicine costs. If
cost is a consideration in developing a medicine plan, ask your doctor whether
less expensive, equally effective generic brands would be appropriate for you.
For most people who take prescription medicine, taking a generic form of that
medicine is less expensive and works just as well as the brand name medicine.
But in epilepsy, the very small differences between brand name and generic
medicines may cause that medicine to no longer work in controlling your
seizures. Talk with your doctor if you are worried that a generic version of
your medicine will not work for you.1 You also may
want to ask your doctor for a 90-day supply of your medicines if it is more
economical. Compare prices between several pharmacies, and consider mail-order
pharmacies.
- Medicines to avoid. Some nonprescription medicines and
drugs may react with your prescribed epilepsy medicines. Make a list of
medicines to avoid, and check with your doctor before taking any medicines on
this list.
Get organized
Taking medicines properly means taking the right dose of the
right medicines at the right time. To be sure you are taking your medicines
properly, you may want to develop a system to keep track of when and how you
take your pills.
- Make a list of all your medicines and keep it
up to date. At every visit with your doctor, review your
master list of
medications
 (What is a PDF document?).
- Plan a daily schedule of medicines. Post your medicine schedule
in a prominent place near your medicine cabinet. Take it along when you travel.
Record your medicine schedule in
a daily planner
that has spaces for hourly entries(What is a PDF document?).
- Use a pillbox. Get a
pillbox that holds a week's worth of pills.
- Post reminders. Get sticky note pads and post reminders to take
your medicines near clocks or on the bathroom mirror to keep you on
schedule.
Taking your medicines
Keep the following in mind as you follow your medicine
plan.
- Store medicines properly. Keeping medicines
in a place that is too hot, too cold, or too humid (a place that is humid has a
lot of water vapor in the air) may decrease their effectiveness. Find out from
your doctor or pharmacist how to properly store your medicines. Always remember
to store medicines out of the reach of children.
- Watch for side
effects. Ask your doctor or pharmacist what side effects to expect. Be sure to
tell your doctor if you are having side effects from your
medicines.
- Post a list of medicines to avoid in a place where you
can refer to it whenever you need to. Always check with your doctor before
taking any additional medicines, prescription or nonprescription. This includes
any herbal pills or dietary supplements.
- Take your medicine list
with you for each visit with your doctor, and take time to review
it.
- Notify your doctor immediately if you start having more
seizures than usual. Let your doctor know if you have any changes in your
health that might affect your medicine needs, such as weight gain, pregnancy,
or another medical condition.
Test Your Knowledge
-
What tools can help me take my medicines
properly?
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A daily planner
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Sticky notes
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A master list of medicines
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All of the above
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I don't need to tell my doctor if I start having more
seizures than usual while I'm on medicine. This is normal.
-
True
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False
Continue to Where to go from here
Return to Taking your epilepsy medication properly
Where to go from here
Talk with your doctor
If you have questions about this information, take it with you
when you visit your doctor. You may want to use a highlighter to mark areas or
make notes in the margins of the pages where you have questions.
If you don't already have a medicine plan, schedule a time with
your doctor to develop one.
Return to Taking your epilepsy medication properly
References
Citations
-
Liow K, et al. (2007). Position statement on the
coverage of anticonvulsant drugs for the treatment of epilepsy. Neurology, 68(16): 1249–1250.
Credits
| Author | Monica Rhodes |
| Editor | Kathleen M. Ariss, MS |
| Associate Editor | Pat Truman |
| Primary Medical Reviewer | Michael J. Sexton, MD
- Pediatrics |
| Specialist Medical Reviewer | Theresa O'Young, PharmD
- Clinical Pharmacist |
| Specialist Medical Reviewer | Steven C. Schachter, MD
- Neurology |
| Last Updated | October 29, 2007 |
True
This answer is incorrect.
Medicines do not cure epilepsy. But they can prevent
seizures.
False
This answer is correct.
Medicines do not cure epilepsy. But they can prevent
seizures.
True
This answer is correct.
Even slight changes to your medicine schedule or dosage can
increase your risk for seizures. Consistently taking your medicine on time and
in the proper dosage provides the most effective seizure control.
False
This answer is incorrect.
Even slight changes to your medicine schedule or dosage can
increase your risk for seizures. Consistently taking your medicine on time and
in the proper dosage provides the most effective seizure control.
A daily planner
This answer is correct.
A daily planner can be very helpful in taking your
medicines properly. You can write your medicine schedule and dosages in the
planner and take it with you to work or school or when you travel. All of the
answers are correct.
Sticky notes
This answer is correct.
You can post sticky notes on your refrigerator or bathroom
mirror or near the clock to remind yourself to take your medicine. All of the
answers are correct.
A master list of medicines
This answer is correct.
With a master list of medicines, you can keep track of all
medicines you are taking, their proper dosages, their possible side effects,
and your schedule for taking them. All of the answers are correct.
All of the above
This answer is correct.
Daily planners, sticky notes, and a master list of
medicines can all help you take your medicines properly.
True
This answer is incorrect.
If you start having more seizures than normal, it may be a
sign that your medicine needs to be adjusted or that you need more medical
tests. Tell your doctor immediately.
False
This answer is correct.
You should definitely tell your doctor if you start having
more seizures than normal while you are on medicine. Your medicine may need to
be adjusted or you may need more medical tests.
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