How do I get off epilepsy medication?

Most doctors will consider tapering the dosage and discontinuing your seizure medicines after a seizure-free period of 2 to 4 years. If you have had only one seizure, some doctors will consider discontinuing the medicine if you have been seizure-free for 6 to 12 months.

What happens if you stop epilepsy medication?

Quitting medication suddenly can lead to a withdrawal seizure. Your doctor will lower your dose over time. Children may be completely off medication in as little as 1 month. For adults, it’s usually between 1 and 6 months, though some doctors think 3 months is the minimum.

Can epilepsy go away without medication?

It isn’t common for epilepsy to go away on its own. About 70 percent of people with epilepsy can control their seizures with medications or surgery. If your doctor recommends medication, take the recommended dosages.

Can antiepileptic drugs be stopped?

In 1994, the American Academy of Neurology published guidelines recommending discontinuation of antiepileptic drug therapy if the following criteria are met: seizure-free for two to five years, only one type of epilepsy, normal EEG findings, and normal neurologic examination findings.

Is epilepsy medication for life?

The drugs are not a cure, but seizures don’t always last a lifetime; in as many as half of people with epilepsy, the seizures may stop on their own. This means there’s a subset of people taking anti-seizure medication who don’t need it. After years without seizures, many people want to try stopping their medication.

How long does it take for seizure medication to leave your system?

by Drugs.com It can take about 44 hours for Keppra to be out of ones system. The elimination half-life of a medication is the time it takes for blood levels of the medication to be reduced by half. It takes approximately 5.5 x elimination half-life for a medicine to be out of your system.

What happens if you take medication and don’t need it?

Simply put, not taking your medicine as prescribed by a doctor or instructed by a pharmacist could lead to your disease getting worse, hospitalization, even death.

How can I become seizure free?

It’s more likely that you will become seizure free if you have: A positive response to the first 1 or 2 seizure medicines you try (a positive response means that you don’t have any more seizures while taking the medicine) No history of brain injury or abnormality. A normal neurological exam and EEG test.