How to Control Seizures

According to the Epilepsy Foundation, 200,000 new cases of epilepsy are diagnosed each year (See References.) Epilepsy is a condition that causes electrical disturbances in the brain, better known as a seizure. There are many types of seizures, ranging from mild to severe. Some patients can control their condition easily, while some have a more difficult time. There are steps you can take to manage epilepsy.

Things You'll Need

• Doctor
• Journal
• Medication
• Vagus nerve stimulator

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Instructions

How to Control Seizures

• 1

  Your doctor is your source of treatment, so stay in close contact with him. Not every medication works for every person; in some cases, the medication is effective, the dose simply needs to be adjusted to achieve complete seizure control. The only way this can be accomplished is to keep your doctor abreast of any changes in your condition, both minor and major.

• 2

  Keep a record. This is especially helpful if you have just been diagnosed with epilepsy. Keeping a record of the amount of seizures you have, how long they last and what happens just prior to their occurrence can help immensely. Not only will this record help your doctor determine if you should have your medication dose adjusted or changed completely, it can help you identify your triggers.

• 3

  Know your triggers. Every patient diagnosed with epilepsy or seizure disorder has something specific that triggers their seizure. Common triggers include fatigue, stress and quick flashing lights. Knowing your triggers helps you avoid them, thus allowing you to manage the amount of episodes you experience more effectively.

• 4

  Take your medication. This may seem like a given, but some who go for prolonged periods of time seizure-free may begin to feel as though they no longer need their medication. Not only is this wrong, it's also dangerous. Many seizure medications take time to titrate, or build up, in your system. Once they have reached a therapeutic level, you need to continue taking them at your prescribed dose for them to remain effective. Stopping them, even for a short time, can result in a sudden drop in therapeutic levels, thus ending with a seizure.

• 5

  Ask about a vagus nerve stimulator (VSN). Some epileptics have a difficult time controlling their seizures, no matter how many medications they try. Unfortunately, there are only so many medications available. If this is the case for you, ask your doctor about the VSN. This is a device about the size of a silver dollar, which is implanted just below the skin in the upper chest. Wires are connected to the vagus nerve, which is located in your neck; electrical impulses are sent from the device to the nerve, helping to control the electrical impulses in the brain that cause seizures. The device is programmed to emit electrical impulses in timed intervals which can be adjusted as necessary. In addition, the patient is given a hand-held magnet which can stop, or reduce the severity of, a seizure in progress when brought near the stimulator.