Is it possible to get rid of epilepsy

Do you know what type of seizures you have? Some medicines work best for specific types of seizures. This information will help the doctor choose the best medicine to use. People may feel too sleepy, confused, have memory problems, or feel uncoordinated or unsteady walking when the dose is raised.

Can you afford the medicine? Is it available? Do you know how to take the medicine and can you t ake it on the schedule your doctor sets up? Medicines work only when they can be taken on a regular basis. Knowing if a person has had a good trial with a medicine depends on whether or not the person understood how to take it and was able to do it. You should see an epilepsy specialist to evaluate your seizures and treatment if You have tried at least 2 seizure medications that are the right kind for your seizure type.

If the seizure medications were tried for a long enough time at the right doses. If you were able to take the medicines regularly. You may need to spend the first night after surgery in an intensive care unit. The total hospital stay for most epilepsy surgeries is usually about three or four days. When you awaken, your head will be swollen and painful. Most people need narcotics for the pain for at least the first few days. An ice pack on your head also may help. Most postoperative swelling and pain resolve within several weeks.

You'll probably not be able to return to work or school for approximately one to three months. You should rest and relax the first few weeks after epilepsy surgery and then gradually increase your activity level. It's unlikely that you would need intensive rehabilitation as long as the surgery was completed without complications such as a stroke or loss of speech.

The outcomes of epilepsy surgery vary depending on the type of surgery performed. The expected outcome is seizure control with medication. The most common and best-understood procedure — resection of tissue in the temporal lobe — results in seizure-free outcomes for about two-thirds of people. If you remain seizure-free for at least one year, your doctor may consider discontinuing your anti-seizure medication and eventually taking you off of the drugs entirely. Most people who do experience a seizure after going off medication are able to experience seizure control by resuming drug treatment.

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This content does not have an Arabic version. Overview Epilepsy surgery is a procedure that removes an area of the brain where seizures occur. What are the side effects of medication? There may be unwanted side effects when taking medication, however these may settle as your body adjusts to them. Is there any other treatment for epilepsy?

Find out more about alternative treatments. We use cookies to improve our website and your experience when using it. Cookies used for the essential operation of the site have already been set. To find out more about the cookies we use and how to delete them, see our Privacy Policy. Children on this diet must be carefully monitored by a doctor. It works better for some types of epilepsy than others.

For adolescents and adults with epilepsy, a modified Atkins diet may be recommended. This diet is also high in fat and involves a controlled carb intake. About half of adults who try the modified Atkins diet experience fewer seizures. Results may be seen as quickly as a few months.

Because these diets tend to be low in fiber and high in fat, constipation is a common side effect. In any case, not eating processed foods can help improve your health. Learn more about how your diet can affect epilepsy ». About 15 to 35 percent of children with intellectual disabilities also have epilepsy.

Often, they stem from the same cause. Some people experience a change in behavior in the minutes or hours before a seizure.

This could be related to abnormal brain activity preceding a seizure, and may include:. Children with epilepsy may experience uncertainty in their lives.

The prospect of a sudden seizure in front of friends and classmates can be stressful. These feelings can cause a child to act out or withdraw from social situations. Most children learn to adjust over time. For others, social dysfunction can continue into adulthood. Between 30 to 70 percent of people with epilepsy also have depression, anxiety, or both.

Antiseizure medications can also have an effect on behavior. Switching or making adjustments to medication may help. Behavioral problems should be addressed during doctor visits. Treatment will depend on the nature of the problem. You might also benefit from individual therapy, family therapy, or joining a support group to help you cope.

Because you never know when a seizure will occur, many everyday activities like crossing a busy street, can become dangerous. These problems can lead to loss of independence. In addition to regular doctor visits and following your treatment plan, here are some things you can do to cope:. Uncontrolled or prolonged seizures can lead to brain damage.

Epilepsy also raises the risk of sudden unexplained death. Two types of brain surgery can cut down on or eliminate seizures. One type, called resection, involves removing the part of the brain where seizures originate.

When the area of the brain responsible for seizures is too vital or large to remove, the surgeon can perform a disconnection. This involves interrupting the nerve pathway by making cuts in the brain.

This keeps seizures from spreading to other parts of the brain. Recent research found that 81 percent of people with severe epilepsy were either completely or almost seizure-free six months after surgery. After 10 years, 72 percent were still completely or almost seizure-free.

Dozens of other avenues of research into the causes, treatment, and potential cures for epilepsy are ongoing. Learn more about the long-term outlook for people with epilepsy ». Worldwide, 65 million people have epilepsy.

That includes about 3 million people in the United States, where there are , new cases of epilepsy diagnosed each year. As many as genes may relate to epilepsy in some way.

For most people, the risk of developing epilepsy before age 20 is about 1 percent. Having a parent with genetically linked epilepsy raises that risk to 2 to 5 percent.