Taking Stock: Asking About Side Effects

Difficulty Concentrating

If having difficulty concentrating is a relatively new concern, it may be associated with the medication you are taking. If it is something that has been constant since you began having seizures, it may be related to the same conditions in your brain that are causing the seizures. Check with your doctor to see if there is anything available that might help you focus on things that are important to you.

Here are some questions you might consider asking your physician:

• Is my lack of concentration being caused by my medication?
• Am I taking an inappropriate amount of medication? Or could I be taking it incorrectly?
• Could my medication's generic version eliminate this side effect?
• Is it possible that I have attention deficit disorder or some type of mood disorder?

Treatment may improve your ability to concentrate. Sometimes, a more thorough evaluation of your ability to pay attention is needed and you may benefit from suggestions from health professionals such as psychologists or counselors or nurses on how to cope with it.

Read about other possible side effects...