Tailoring the Epilepsy Medication Dose
When a person starts a new
epilepsy medication, it is important to tailor the dosage to achieve the best results. People's bodies react to epilepsy medications in very different and sometimes unpredictable ways, so it may take some time to find the right epilepsy medication at the right dose to provide optimal control of
seizures while minimizing side effects.
Epilepsy Medication: Side Effects and Interactions
Many times the side effects determine the epilepsy medication that a person eventually will take. The specific side effects vary depending on the epilepsy medication; however, all epilepsy medications -- even the new ones -- have some side effects because they act directly on the brain.
Unfortunately, it is impossible for a healthcare provider to know which, if any, side effects people will experience for a medicine that they have never taken. A medication that has no effect or very bad side effects at one dose may work very well at another dosage. Doctors will usually prescribe a low dose of the new epilepsy medication initially and monitor blood levels of the drug to determine when the best possible dose has been reached.
The need to try different epilepsy medications in order to find the best combination to prevent seizures with the fewest possible side effects sometimes gives families the impression doctors are "experimenting" with their loved one's care. But this is the normal procedure for new patients until their seizures are stabilized.
Also, how well an epilepsy medication works may be affected by other medications a person is taking. Known as drug interaction, this relationship may involve how the drug is absorbed, metabolized, and otherwise distributed in the body. The interaction, for example, may speed up or slow down how quickly an epilepsy medication is eliminated, either making it less effective at preventing seizures because a lower level is present in the blood, or more likely to build up to toxic levels and cause side effects.
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