Patient's question:
My father has had epilepsy for several years. I forcibly took him to the county hospital for examination. The doctor prescribed medication, and after taking it at home, his condition improved significantly. He has been taking the medication for nearly half a year, but recently, my mother said that my father's condition has worsened compared to before. Is it possible that the medication is no longer effective? In such cases, should the dosage be adjusted or a different medication be prescribed?What kind of assistance is needed: Are there any principles to follow when adjusting the dosage or changing the antiepileptic medication?
Doctor's answer:
Originally, the decision on appropriate antiepileptic drugs should be made, and it is best to measure blood drug concentrations to implement individualized dose adjustments based on these concentrations.2. If the original antiepileptic drug treatment is ineffective or has significant side effects, switching to another drug is necessary. The new drug must maintain its dose until seizures cease, and then the original drug should be gradually withdrawn.
3. If multiple different drugs were initially used in combination therapy, when discontinuing the original drugs, only one drug should be withdrawn at a time. At least one month should pass after each withdrawal before the next drug is discontinued. If no recurrence occurs, the second drug can then be started.