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Treatments for epilepsy vary from one epilepsy warrior to another. Ranging from medicine to potential surgery, there are plenty of ways to help you on your epilepsy journey. Please as always, consult with your doctor to find the best option for you.

Basic Lifestyle Changes

  1. Regular Sleep: Anyone with epilepsy should try to make sure they get adequate and regular sleep. It can possibly help reduce the likelihood of seizures.

  2. Stress Management: Living in today’s society, stress is a common thing. We should focus on techniques such as mindfulness, meditation, yoga, and counseling that can help manage stress, which is a common seizure trigger.

  3. Diet and Nutrition: Maintaining a balanced diet and avoiding excessive alcohol or caffeine can help manage epilepsy.

  4. Seizure Triggers: Identifying and avoiding personal seizure triggers (like flashing lights, certain foods, and stress) can help you figure out what is the best route to manage your epilepsy daily.

Antiepileptic Drugs (AEDs)

Most commonly used to tackle epilepsy are antiepileptic drugs. They help control seizures in about 70% of people with the condition. Here are some key points about AEDs:


Common Epilepsy Medications:

  1. Carbamazepine (Tegretol, Carbatrol): Often used for partial and generalized tonic-clonic seizures.

  2. Valproic Acid (Depakote, Depakene): Effective for a wide range of seizure types, including generalized seizures.

  3. Lamotrigine (Lamictal): Used for partial, generalized tonic-clonic, and absence seizures.

  4. Levetiracetam (Keppra): Effective for partial and generalized tonic-clonic seizures.

  5. Phenytoin (Dilantin): Used for partial and generalized tonic-clonic seizures.

  6. Topiramate (Topamax): Effective for partial and generalized seizures, including Lennox-Gastaut syndrome.

  7. Ethosuximide (Zarontin): Mainly used for absence seizures.

  8. Gabapentin (Neurontin): Used as an add-on treatment for partial seizures.

 

How Medications Work:

  • Reducing Excitability: Many AEDs work by reducing the excitability of neurons in the brain, making seizures less likely.

  • Enhancing Inhibition: Some AEDs increase the effects of inhibitory neurotransmitters like GABA, which helps calm neuronal activity.

  • Modifying Ion Channels: Some AEDs work by altering the flow of ions (such as sodium or calcium) into and out of neurons, stabilizing the neuronal membranes.


Rescue Medications: Not my favorite to talk about, but boy are they helpful! They are used to quickly stop a prolonged seizure or cluster of seizures. These include medications like diazepam (Valium) rectal gel, midazolam (Nayzilam) nasal spray, and lorazepam (Ativan) tablets or injections.

Surgical Treatments and Neuromodulation

​Surgical Treatment Options:

  1. Resective Surgery: Involves removing the part of the brain where seizures originate. Common for people whose seizures are localized to one area (temporal lobe epilepsy).

  2. Laser Interstitial Thermal Therapy (LITT): Uses laser technology to target and destroy the seizure focus with minimally invasive surgery.

  3. Multiple Subpial Transection (MST): Used when seizures originate in areas of the brain that cannot be removed safely; involves making cuts in the brain tissue to interrupt the spread of seizure impulses.

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Neuromodulation:

  1. Vagus Nerve Stimulation (VNS): Involves implanting a device that sends electrical impulses to the vagus nerve in the neck, which helps to reduce the frequency and intensity of seizures.

  2. Responsive Neurostimulation (RNS): An implanted device that monitors brain activity and delivers electrical stimulation when it detects abnormal activity, preventing seizures before they start.

  3. Deep Brain Stimulation (DBS): Involves implanting electrodes in specific parts of the brain and using electrical impulses to regulate abnormal brain activity.

Regular Medical Follow-Up


Neurologist Visits: Regular check-ups with a neurologist to monitor seizure activity and adjust treatments as needed.
EEG Monitoring: Routine or periodic EEGs to monitor brain activity and assess the effectiveness of treatments.


Epilepsy is amazing if you think about how no single case is the same. Each person's experience with epilepsy is unique, and the best treatment plan is tailored to their specific needs.

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