Seizures have occurred more than once before a person can be diagnosed with epilepsy.
Treatment is aimed at preventing epileptic seizures later in life.
For it takes time to find the dosage and combination of drugs is most effective.
Here are the drugs commonly used to treat people with epilepsy:
1. Phenytoin (Phenytoin)
Phenytoin is one of the most commonly prescribed anticonvulsant doctor, especially for the treatment of partial seizures and grand mal seizures.
Side effects that usually appears such as nausea, rash, slurred speech, confusion, insomnia, headaches, and gum disease.
The possibility of serious side effects is the emergence of suicidal thoughts, anemia, and psychosis.
Alcohol can increase the risk of a reaction and reduce the effectiveness of this drug. Avoid taking antacids at the same time because it may make it more difficult for phenytoin absorbed by the body.
2. Phenobarbital (Phenobarbital)
Phenobarbital is a barbiturate sedative that can be used to treat partial seizures and seizures thorough.
Phenobarbital can be used also to treat epilepsy in newborns. These drugs can be addictive and cause drowsiness.
In addition, these drugs can also cause unconsciousness (fainting) and memory lapses where the patients can perform actions such as talking on the phone or driving, but can not remember who did the action.
Avoid cold medicine or other medicines that may cause drowsiness while taking phenobarbital.
3. ethosuximide
Ethosuximide or Zarontin used to treat absence seizures (absence seizures). This drug can cause serious blood disorders.
Therefore, a complete blood count examination likely will be recommended to be done regularly to monitor the condition of the blood.
This drug may also cause autoimmune disease called lupus. Some side effects may include gastrointestinal discomfort including emerging, hiccups, drowsiness, irritability, and insomnia.
4. topiramate
Topiramate (Topamax) is a second-generation anticonvulsant. This drug is often used with other anticonvulsant to treat partial seizures and tonic-clonic seizures in adults and children aged 2 to 16 years.
Topiramate can cause speech problems, memory impairment, difficulty concentrating, fatigue, and loss of appetite.
Reactions or severe side effects that may arise including the kidney stones, suicidal thoughts, pancreatitis, anemia, and pulmonary embolism.
Avoid high protein diet while taking topiramate because it can increase the risk of kidney stones. It can also be used to prevent migraine headaches.
5. gabapentin
Gabapentin (Neurontonin) is used to treat epilepsy in adults and children over the age of 12 years.
It can also be used to treat partial seizures in children aged over 3 years.
Side effects that usually appears in adults include the lack of coordination, weakness, abdominal discomfort, dry mouth, runny nose, and trouble sleeping.
In children, side effects may appear that the problem of memory (memory), can lead to aggression and hostility, and difficulty concentrating.
In addition, suicidal thoughts, withdrawal (withdrawal), and renal failure is a serious side effect that could happen.
