When Standard Treatment is Not Enough

Many people get good to excellent results from regular use of seizure-preventing medication. Others, unfortunately, don't.

At least half of all people with epilepsy continue to have some seizures. Some of them have seizures so often that it is difficult to live a normal life.

Quality of life for people who are still having seizures is reduced in many ways. One recent survey showed people with continuing seizures are three times more likely to be unemployed as other people, and up to half reported feeling depressed at least some of the time. Career goals are changed; inability to drive is limiting in many ways.

People in this position often feel that there's not much they can do about it. They're unaware of other treatment options and assume they have to accept that their seizures fall into the category of "difficult to treat."

But that's not necessarily true.

When seizures are hard to control with the standard medications, there are other kinds of treatment that may help, if only patients knew about them and pursued them with their doctors.

In most cases, these are add on treatments - that is, they are used in addition to the epilepsy drugs. If they are successful, however, it may be possible to reduce the amount of medication that's necessary to control or reduce seizures.

Exploring new treatment options begins with a discussion with the treating physician.

Questions to explore with your doctor include:

• Are there any new drugs for epilepsy that might work for me?
• Should I see a neurologist or go to a special center for more testing?
• Do I have the kind of epilepsy that might be treated by surgery?
• Do I have the kind of seizures that might respond to VNS (vagus nerve stimulation) therapy?
• Would the ketogenic diet help me (or my child)? Who would I see to find out about the diet?

In conclusion: don't feel that having lots of seizures, or experiencing a lot of side effects, are your only options in managing your epilepsy.

There are other possibilities out there that may just be a better choice for you. Options include surgery, diet, and vagus nerve stimulation.