How is Epilepsy Diagnosed?

To be diagnosed with epilepsy you need to have had more than two seizures. Anyone can have a seizure at some time in their life. If it only happens once it is unlikely to be epilepsy.

Unfortunately, there is no single test that can tell you whether you have epilepsy or not, and diagnosing epilepsy can be a complex and lengthy process. Doctors are very careful about diagnosing epilepsy. They do not want to say someone has epilepsy when there could be another disorder causing their symptoms.

To help doctors decide if someone has epilepsy they collect information about their patient's general health, ask about what happens to them when they have a seizure and look at the results of tests.

It may take many months to gather all of this information. You may need to be patient. But knowing what to expect and what tests you may need can help you understand the process better.

Being diagnosed with epilepsy can be a time consuming and complicated process. You probably have lots of questions about what is happening and why. Click here to find answers to some of the most commonly asked questions about diagnosis.

Aim of Treatment

The goal of epilepsy treatment is seizure freedom without intolerable side effects and this can be achieved for the majority of people.

It is important that you discuss how you are feeling with an epilepsy specialist. Your specialist can help determine whether you are experiencing medication side effects and how best to manage them.

Controlling Seizures

Before deciding which antiepileptic drug (AED) is the right one for you, your doctor will look at various aspects of your life:

• What type of seizures you have
• What epilepsy syndrome you have, if you have one.
• Whether you are taking other drugs. (e.g. contraceptive pill, medicines for high blood pressure or high cholesterol etc.).
• Whether you have any other health issues. For example, diabetes or high blood pressure.
• Your age and your lifestyle.

It is important that you take your medication as instructed to give yourself the best chance of controlling the seizures and being able to live your life to the full.

When you start treatment with AEDs this is what usually happens:

• Your neurologist will usually advise that the treatment starts slowly, with steady increases in the dosage of the medication. This is to allow your body to adjust to the medication and limit any side effects
• If side effects appear your doctor may decide to reduce the dose for a short time before increasing the dose again more slowly
• AEDs may be taken once, twice or three times a day, depending on the medication and are generally taken at meal-times
• You'll be asked to monitor your seizures during this time to check how well the AED is working
• If the seizures continue or the side effects become difficult to bear, your doctor may decide to change your medication
• For many people with epilepsy, their first antiepileptic drug will sufficiently control their seizures
• If you still get seizures when you take just one drug, your doctor may try giving you two different drugs together. This is called combination therapy.