Talk to your doctor

After finding a doctor, you might think that you can now sit back and listen to his or her professional advice. While this may be tempting, please do not do this. Generally, you can have a great deal of trust in the treatment your doctor selects, but for those times when he or she is wrong, it is critical that you take your treatment into your own hands. If you are experiencing any side effects, whether it is mood swings, emotional changes or even physical harm, let your doctor know immediately. Living with these symptoms can not only hurt your quality of life, but could be doing more harm than you think. No matter when it occurs, let your doctor know of any seizure, regardless of severity since seizures beget seizures that means each seizure makes you more open to more seizures.

Side Effects

Anticonvulsant medications have possible side effects. Common side effects include but are not limited to:

  • Sleepiness
  • Dizziness
  • Memory Problems
  • Other Cognitive Impairment
  • Tremor
  • Constipation/Diarrehea
  • Change in metabolism
  • Problems with liver function
  • Weight gain
  • Weight loss
  • Skin rash
  • Bone marrow problems
  • Bone thinning
  • Osteoporosis
  • Fetal toxicity
  • Neural tube defects

More Information

Take control

It’s your treatment and your life, so ask a doctor any questions, tell them of any side effects, and always let them know how you are reacting to treatments. It boils down not feeling bad about asking for what you want or for telling the doctor what you need. Remember you are paying for this service! Take your treatment into your own hands, and ensure that you are getting the best treatment for yourself.

NEXT: How can caregivers and loved ones help a person with epilepsy?  Learn more on our page dedicated to Caregivers and Loved Ones.