Managing Your Epilepsy
Self-management or how you and your family or loved one(s) manage your health and life with epilepsy will vary along your journey.
For some people it may be easy and just involve responding to seizures, staying safe, and taking medicines regularly. People whose seizures are not controlled will have many other issues to cope with. You’ll want to learn all sorts of tips and approaches at different points in your life.
Epilepsy Specific Self-management
This term refers to the information, skills, and resources you’ll need to live with seizures outside of the doctor’s office. Examples of things you’ll need to do:
- Know seizure first aid and teach others what to do.
- Know when to use rescue therapies, how to create a seizure response plan, and when to get emergency help.
- Track seizures, trends, and progress using a seizure diary.
- Take seizure medications consistently, avoid or manage side effects or drug interactions, and handle a host of other issues related to taking medications safely.
- Have a way to remember medications and avoid missed doses that can lead to seizures.
- Recognize seizure triggers and learn lifestyle modifications to lessen these.
- Assess your risks and develop safety plans.
- Be comfortable and confident in talking about epilepsy, developing relationships, and living with epilepsy.
- Find resources that will help you live as independently as possible.
Self-management for Healthy Living and Wellness
- This is important for everyone – the person with epilepsy, their family, and friends. Staying healthy and being fit affects our physical and emotional health in many ways. Epilepsy is no exception.
- Make sure you learn how other health conditions affect your wellness too. For example, sleep problems and depression or anxiety can lead to sleep deprivation or poor quality of sleep. Poor sleep can be a seizure trigger for many people. If this happens to you, it's important to address those health problems AND sleep to help you get healthy and gain better control of your seizures.
- Learn how wellness can help you manage your life with epilepsy by visiting our Wellness Institute.
- Start a list of what you can do to improve your nutrition, fitness, bone health, emotional health, and more.
- It’s never too late to start on the journey towards wellness. Keep in mind that people of different ages may have different areas to focus on so talk to your health care team about your health and wellness.
Resources
Epilepsy Centers
Epilepsy centers provide you with a team of specialists to help you diagnose your epilepsy and explore treatment options.
Epilepsy Medication
Find in-depth information on anti-seizure medications so you know what to ask your doctor.
Epilepsy and Seizures 24/7 Helpline
Call our Epilepsy and Seizures 24/7 Helpline and talk with an epilepsy information specialist or submit a question online.
Tools & Resources
Get information, tips, and more to help you manage your epilepsy.