Understanding Your Care Options
Treatments
Epilepsy treatment is individual. Explore medications, specialist treatment options and questions to discuss with your healthcare team.
About this information: This webpage is subject to continuous review by Epilepsy South Central Ontario to help keep the information current. Updates to linked pages may be in progress. This material is for informational purposes only and should not be used for self-diagnosis or as a substitute for professional medical advice, diagnosis or treatment. Consult your healthcare provider about your own health and care.
Do not start, stop or change prescribed medication without guidance from your healthcare provider.
Find the Information You Need
Treatment Options
These pages introduce different approaches. Your healthcare team can explain which options are appropriate for your seizure type, health needs and goals.
Ongoing Seizure Management
Medications
Anti-seizure medications are a main treatment for epilepsy. The choice of medicine, dose and monitoring depends on the individual.
Explore medication information and discuss effectiveness, side effects and interactions with your prescriber or pharmacist.
Specialist Options
Non-Drug Treatments
Some people may benefit from surgery, ketogenic dietary therapy or neurostimulation. These require specialist assessment and may be used alongside medication.
A referral is an opportunity to explore options, not a commitment to a particular treatment.
Seizure Rescue Plans
Rescue Medications
Learn when prescribed rescue medication may be used, what a seizure rescue plan includes and how caregivers and support persons can prepare.
Rescue medication is not needed for everyone. Follow the individual’s prescribed seizure rescue plan and seek emergency help when needed.
Evidence & Safety
Complementary Medicine
Complementary approaches should not replace prescribed epilepsy treatment. Evidence and safety vary, and some products can interact with medication or affect seizures.
Explore Specialist Care
A closer look at non-drug options.
Surgery
Specialist evaluation can help determine whether an epilepsy surgery procedure may be appropriate. Benefits and risks depend on the person and procedure.
Ketogenic Diet Therapy
A medical dietary treatment requiring a trained clinical team. Do not attempt it independently as an epilepsy treatment.
Vagus Nerve Stimulation
Learn about an implanted stimulation treatment that may be considered for some people with drug-resistant epilepsy.
Still having seizures?
Ask your healthcare provider about reviewing the diagnosis, treatment and referral to an epilepsy specialist. In particular, discuss specialist assessment if adequate trials of two appropriately chosen, tolerated and used medication schedules have not achieved sustained seizure freedom.
You do not need to wait until every possible medicine has been tried to ask about specialist options.
Your Next Appointment
Questions to bring to your healthcare team.
- What are the goals of my treatment?
- How will we know whether it is working?
- Which side effects or changes should I report, and how urgently?
- What should I do if I miss a dose or cannot keep medication down?
- Could my medicines, supplements or other treatments interact?
- Do I need a seizure action plan or prescribed rescue medication?
- When should we consider specialist assessment?
Support beyond treatment.
Epilepsy South Central Ontario can help you explore available education, programs and practical support alongside your medical care.
Further reading:
ILAE: Medical Therapies ·
ILAE: Drug-Resistant Epilepsy.