Epilepsy
Overview
Epilepsy is a condition that affects your brain and causes seizures (sometimes called fits). It cannot currently be cured, but treatment can often help manage it.
Symptoms
Usually the only symptom of epilepsy is having seizures. Symptoms of seizures can include: your body becoming stiff or floppysuddenly falling to the floorjerking or twitching movements in your bodypeeing unintentionallylosing awareness of what's around you – you may stare into space and not be able to respond normallyunusual feelings or sensations, such as strange smells, numbness or tingling, changes in your vision, or suddenly feeling scaredunusual behaviour, such as fidgeting or walking around and not being aware of what you're doing A seizure usually lasts a few seconds or minutes, and stops by itself. You might be aware of having a seizure and remember it afterwards, or you might not. Symptoms of epilepsy often start in young children and people over 50, but it can happen at any age. Epileptic seizures are different fromfebrile seizures, which can happen in children when they have a high temperature.
Causes
Epilepsy happens when the normal electrical activity in your brain changes. It's thought that epilepsy is often related to the genes you inherit from your parents, or to changes in your genes. It's sometimes caused by damage to your brain, for example after a head injury, a stroke or an infection. But for many people it's not clear what causes it.
Treatment
If you have epilepsy you'll be supported by your GP and a team of specialists. You'll have check-ups at least once a year. Your team will work with you to agree a care plan that includes details of the care and support you need. The care plan will tell your family or carers what to do when you have a seizure. The main treatment for epilepsy is medicine to prevent seizures, called anti-epileptic or anti-seizure medicine. You may also be given medicine to use as emergency treatment if you have a seizure that lasts longer than usual. A family member or carer will need to give this to you. There are different anti-epileptic medicines. The medicine recommended for you depends on the type of seizures and things like your age, sex and any other conditions you have. You may need to try different medicines to find what works for you. If you have not had a seizure for 2 years, your specialist may suggest you try stopping your treatment by gradually reducing the dose. Do not change your dose or stop taking your medicine without talking to your specialist. If you take medicines for epilepsy you're entitled to free prescriptions for all your medicines. Some types of epilepsy medicine can harm your baby if you take them in pregnancy, or if you or your partner is taking them when you get pregnant. If you or your partner are taking epilepsy medicine and there's a chance you could get pregnant it's very important to discuss your treatment with a specialist. You may need to use contraception, or you may need to switch to another medicine. For most people medicines work well to prevent seizures. Rarely, you may need other treatments. These can include: surgery on your brainputting a small electrical device under the skin on your chest to help reduce seizures (vagus nerve stimulation)a specialist diet that can reduce seizures (ketogenic diet)
Prevention
Take meds as prescribed. Avoid triggers: stress, lack of sleep, alcohol, flashing lights (photosensitive).
When to see a doctor
Call 999 if: first seizure; lasts >5 mins; injury; breathing issues; repeated seizures. See GP/specialist for diagnosis and management.