Blog #12: When to Stop Epilepsy Treatment

(This blog was originally posted on November 2, 2011)

 

Treatment Cessation:   epilepsy that begins in the late- teens, and later, generally requires lifelong treatment with anticonvulsant (see Treatment) medications. The medical profession cannot cure epilepsy.

Epilepsy is considered to be “inactive” or “cured” under certain circumstances: no seizures for two years; the physical examination, EEG, brain scan, and pertinent laboratory blood tests are all normal. It would be prudent to ascertain that the EEG is still normal before tapering the patient off of the anticonvulsant. Before commencing the discontinuation process, patients should strongly desire to stop their medications, and they must be aware that driving privileges would again be withdrawn if another seizure occurs. Adults, whose epilepsy began after their teenage years, will frequently experience a return of seizures within weeks to years after stopping their medications; this is unpredictable. If this scenario occurs, they may then be convinced that medications will be required, most likely, for life.

 

 

Lance Fogan, M.D. is Clinical Professor of Neurology at the David Geffen School of Medicine at UCLA. DINGS is his first novel.