Anti-seizure medications: Can I stop taking them?

I have adult-onset epilepsy. Will I eventually be able to stop taking anti-seizure medications?

- Casey / Illinois

Answer

It's possible that you could eventually stop taking anti-seizure medications. But this depends on several factors, including your age, the type of epilepsy you have and how long you have remained seizure-free.

The major risk of discontinuing medication is recurrence of seizures. However, studies suggest that more than half of adults with epilepsy who have not had a seizure in two years could stop taking medication without having another seizure.

You have the best chance of successful withdrawal from anti-seizure medications if:

• You are younger than 30 years old
• Your seizures were promptly controlled with medication
• You have only one type of seizure disorder
• You have not had a seizure for two to five years
• You have a normal neurological exam
• You have a normal electroencephalogram (EEG)

Even if you meet all these criteria, there are no guarantees that you won't have another seizure after reducing or discontinuing your medication.

It's important to keep taking your anti-seizure medications as long as your doctor prescribes them. If you stop taking your medication suddenly, you have a greater risk of having new seizures or episodes of severe, prolonged or continuous seizures (status epilepticus).

A decision about whether to stop taking medications should only be made after a careful discussion with your neurologist, weighing the potential risk of seizure recurrence against that of continuing therapy.

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