How to Prevent Refractory Epilepsy

Epilepsy is a neurological disorder characterized by excessive neuronal and electrical activity in the brain that causes seizures. The clinical degree of epilepsy that is known as "medically refractory" is when the patient does not respond to three different drugs used to treat the condition, which would then be considered not brought under control. The causes of epilepsy are not known, so developing a strategy to prevent the disease is not possible. However, since refractory epilepsy is the clinical definition of non-responsiveness to three different medications, this degree of epilepsy can possibly be prevented by finding the correct drug or combination of drugs to bring the seizures under control. Additionally, scientists at the University of Montreal Departments of Neurosurgery have explored a method of microsurgery in the insular region of the brain to treat refractory epilepsy, which they say has been a long-neglected area in treatment and one that has shown promising results.

Things You'll Need

• Neurologist
• Anti-epileptic medication
• Vagus nerve stimulator

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Instructions

• 1

  Find a neurologist if you don't have one already. Even sufferers of mild seizures resulting from epilepsy should have a neurologist in addition to a primary care physician.

• 2

  Discuss all the treatment options available relative to your form of epilepsy. Treatment will vary depending on the severity of your condition.

• 3

  Formulate a diet with your neurologist. The Mayo Clinic cites a high fat, low carbohydrate diet known as the ketogenic diet, which is often used to help reduce epileptic seizures in children.

• 4

  Ask your neurologist about vagus nerve stimulation. The Mayo Clinic describes a vagus nerve stimulator as a device similar in form to a pacemaker that is implanted beneath the skin of the chest with wires that run to the vagus nerve in the neck that send electrical impulses to stimulate the nerve. The Mayo Clinic indicates that, although it is unclear why this method works, it can possibly result in up to a 40 percent reduction in seizures.

• 5

  Keep a record of all of your seizures and visit your neurologist regularly to discuss. Epilepsy.com recommends keeping a "seizure diary" and writing down all seizures as well as keeping in constant contact with your health care provider to discuss the frequency and severity of the seizures.