Epilepsy: Taking Your Medicines Properly

Overview

You may be taking one or more medicines to prevent seizures. To get the most benefit from them, you need to consistently take the right dose of the right medicine at the right time. This can be difficult. But by following a few key tips, you can do it.

• Become informed about the medicines you are taking. Learn their names, their purpose, and their expected side effects. Know how often you are supposed to take them and what dose you are supposed to take.
• Make taking your medicine as simple as possible. Plan times to take your medicines when you are doing other regularly occurring activities, like eating a meal or getting ready for bed. This will make it easier for you to remember to take your medicines.
• Take a list of your medicines with you whenever you visit your doctor. Let your doctor know if you are having problems with your medicine schedule or if you have any changes in your health that might affect your medicine needs, such as a sudden increase in seizures, weight gain or loss, unexpected or intolerable side effects from the medicine, or another medical condition.
• It may take time and careful, controlled adjustments by you and your doctor to find the combination, schedule, and dosing of medicine to best manage your epilepsy. The goal is to prevent seizures while causing as few unwanted side effects as possible. After the most effective medicine program is determined, be sure you follow it exactly as prescribed.

How to take your medicines properly

Here's how you can get started taking your medicines properly.

Make a medicine plan

Work with your doctor to make a medicine plan. Things to think about include:

• Names of all medicines. Write down both the brand name and generic name for your medicines. Have your doctor check the list. You can use this list to verify that the medicines you get from the pharmacy are correct. Get a clear explanation of what the medicine does and why you are taking it.
• Medicine schedule. Be sure you understand how much of each medicine to take and when to take each one. Ask your doctor if your medicine schedule can be simpler. This may make it easier for you to remember to take your medicines as directed.
• How to handle missed doses. Even the most careful people miss a dose now and then. Talk with your doctor about what you should do if you miss a dose of your medicine. Discuss and write down what to do for each medicine. What you should do if you miss a dose may differ from one medicine to another.
• Medicine costs. If cost is a consideration in building a medicine plan, ask your doctor whether less expensive generic brands would be appropriate for you. For most people who take prescription medicine, taking a generic form of that medicine is less expensive and works just as well as the brand name medicine. Talk with your doctor if you are worried that a generic version of your medicine will not work for you. You also may want to ask your doctor for a 90-day supply of your medicines if it costs less. Compare prices between several pharmacies. And consider mail-order pharmacies.
• Medicines to avoid. Some nonprescription medicines and drugs may react with your prescribed epilepsy medicines. Make a list of medicines to avoid. And check with your doctor before taking any medicines on this list.

Get organized

Taking medicines properly means taking the right dose of the right medicines at the right time. To be sure you are taking your medicines properly, you may want to have a system to keep track of when and how you take your pills.

• Make a list of all your medicines and keep it up to date. At every visit with your doctor, review your master list of medicines .
• Plan a daily schedule of medicines. Post your medicine schedule in a prominent place near your medicine cabinet. Take it along when you travel. Record your medicine schedule in a daily planner that has spaces for hourly entries .
• Use a pillbox. Get a pillbox that holds a week's worth of pills.
• Post reminders. Get sticky note pads and post reminders to take your medicines near clocks or on the bathroom mirror to keep you on schedule.

Taking your medicines

Keep the following in mind as you follow your medicine plan.

• Store medicines properly. Keeping medicines in a place that is too hot, too cold, or too humid (a place that is humid has a lot of water vapor in the air) may reduce their effectiveness. Find out from your doctor or pharmacist how to properly store your medicines. Always remember to store medicines out of the reach of children.
• Watch for side effects. Ask your doctor or pharmacist what side effects to expect. Be sure to tell your doctor if you are having side effects from your medicines.
• Post a list of medicines to avoid in a place where you can refer to it whenever you need to. Always check with your doctor before taking any additional medicines, prescription or nonprescription. This includes any herbal pills or dietary supplements.
• Take your medicine list with you for each visit with your doctor. And take time to review it.
• Notify your doctor immediately if you start having more seizures than usual. Let your doctor know if you have any changes in your health that might affect your medicine needs, such as weight gain, pregnancy, or another medical condition.