Once Seizures controled with Meds, are you pretty much healed?

[niceguyVZ]

So once you're doing fine after taking meds OR at least much beter than before , You're pretty much healed and you should just stop the meds?

 

[Nakamova]

Nope! Anti-seizure meds work to control seizure symptoms, but they don't treat the underlying predisposition. So if you stop taking the meds, your symptoms are very likely to return. It's especially dangerous if you stop taking the meds cold turkey, since the shock to the brain can trigger seizures -- even in those who have never had them before.

It is true that a small number people who are seizure-free on medication are then able to remain seizure-free after they go off medication. But usually the medication taper isn't attempted until the person has been seizure-free for at least 2 to 5 years. And it's tough to predict who will succeed off meds and who won't. My seizures are fully-controlled by meds, but I know from experience that if I go off medication my seizures will return. (I've tapered off meds twice, under doctor's supervision). At this point, it's likely that I will be on some kind of anti-seizure medication for the rest of my life.

 

[N Sperlo]

Like Nakamova said, you would need to continue to take the medication. In many cases, some symptoms may return, and the medicine will need to be adjusted.

 

[MrE]

There are many mysteries to life...one of them being the maze we will all wander through...

and through that maze do we all find a greater sense of awareness...

and through that greater sense of awareness does suffering seem like an illusion...

and through that illusion do we believe we are healed...

 

[Shandy]

I was controlled pretty fast with medication and during my 20's did come off it for a few years seizure free but my mental health deteriorated very fast. They were started up again but didn't seem to help my mental state, yet remained free of seizures for years, until 2012, whilst on meds. Looking back on it all now, I don't know if I was having some type of seizure or mental health problem. I'm only now looking into this. I find it all very confusing.

I wish I had just carried on taking my medication. Being free of seizures and safe is my main goal now, not being med free.

Take care

 

[Bernard]

...
It is true that a small number people who are seizure-free on medication are then able to remain seizure-free after they go off medication. But usually the medication taper isn't attempted until the person has been seizure-free for at least 2 to 5 years. And it's tough to predict who will succeed ...

Yep. A bit more info on this is posted here:

http://www.coping-with-epilepsy.com...hen-seizures-have-been-controlled-years-1458/