Last night’s Hot Topics was facilitated by Natalie Morgan, APRN. We discussed why one anti-seizure medication is chosen over another, side effects of anticonvulsants and questions to ask your provider about your medication.

Here is a handout that was presented during the discussion. Below is a recap of the session from one of the attendees…

Propecia is the name of a drug to stimulate hair regrowth.  Most people who watch television have heard about it.  If hair regrowth is that important and people pay as much as they do for it, drugs that control seizures are blessings from the heavens above.  I will attest to that, the anticonvulsant part.

Unfortunately, there is not a single drug solution for seizure control.  At tonight’s Hot Topics meeting, half epileptics and the half caregivers, we were all educated on the multidimensional world of anticonvulsants.  Considerations included, types of epilepsy, the process of finding what’s right, brand versus generic, side effects and even how to handle time zone changes (i.e. travel).  It was thorough.

The simple answer to the question of “what should I take?” was, “it depends.”

There is no silver bullet medication for seizure control, nor can we expect to find one drug to be the right one for us, forever.  There are about twenty different prescription medications that may help or even worsen an epileptic’s situation, and a few more in the pipeline.  As our lifestyles and bodies change, we learn to adapt.  Medications are PART of adapting.

Medical marijuana has received a lot of press lately, even for epileptics.  The subject came up.  Could that be the silver bullet?  Maybe, maybe not.  It depends.

Last month’s Hot Topics facilitated by Dr. Eliza Olaru highlighted the importance of finding a balance between staying safe and living life to its fullest.

Here are a few highlights from the discussion:

• People who are having active seizures with loss of consciousness should not drive. Individuals with epilepsy whose seizures are fully controlled with medication (and who meet other licensing requirements) can qualify to drive after being seizure free for 6 months in the State of Hawaii, with exceptions, as reported by a physician.
• Swimming is extremely dangerous for people who are having active seizures as it can appear as though the person is treading water. Always have a buddy and let the lifeguard know of your medical condition if you decide to go in the water.
• Keep bathtub levels low, water poses a high threat.
• Keep electric appliances far away from water; use the back burners of the stove.
• A few adjustments to the bathroom environment can make it safer for people with seizures. A few participants mentioned that when they are in the bathroom, they sing to let their caregivers/parents know that they are safe.
• It is important to have a Medical ID bracelet. One participant mentioned that she does not like wearing the bracelet so she keeps a Medical Alert ID in her wallet. Here’s a link to a site where you can print out a free emergency medial ID card. Let EFH know if you would like us to print one for you!

Click here for a comprehensive list of safety tips. See you for the next Hot Topics meeting on February 12th.

Visit our old blog to read about past Hot Topics discussions.

Thanks for finding your way here – if you were following us before, we decided to integrate our blog into our new website! We hope you like it. Lots of changes are currently going on with Epilepsy Foundation Hawaii and we are looking forward to all that 2014 will hold for us.

We recently finished up Epilepsy Awareness month in November, and we had a great time getting out into the community at a variety of events and sharing information about epilepsy. Both the Governor and the Mayor both signed proclamations for Epilepsy Awareness Month!