Patient's question:
I have been taking lamotrigine and sodium valproate for three years, but it still frequently flares up. Should I switch medications? Please help me consult a doctor.Doctor's answer:
Hello, in terms of efficacy, lamotrigine has a better overall efficacy than sodium valproate, but these are all based on clinical studies. Some patients experience more pronounced side effects from lamotrigine compared to sodium valproate, and the efficacy is also poorer. The specific choice of treatment medication needs to consider multiple factors, such as the patient's condition, constitution, age, and more. It's not just about choosing new or expensive drugs; it's about whether the patient is suitable for them. It is recommended to seek treatment from physicians who specialize in treating epilepsy.We recommend traditional Chinese medicine (TCM) for treating epilepsy. Modern medicine, as well as most doctors, advises taking Western medicine. However, we believe that Western medicine cannot completely cure this disease; it only controls the recurrence of the condition, requiring long-term or lifelong medication. The long-term side effects of these drugs can lead to new diseases, cause patients to lose confidence in treatment, and make the condition harder to cure.
However, Western medicine is not without its uses—it holds significant clinical importance during frequent episodes of the disease. TCM is the essence of clinical experience accumulated over thousands of years and the clinical insights of generations of physicians. It has made indelible contributions to treating epilepsy. Although some doctors now claim that TCM cannot treat epilepsy, the main reason is that they do not understand or appreciate TCM. TCM treats diseases based on syndrome differentiation and the principle of addressing the root cause, which is unmatched by Western medicine. The proven efficacy and lack of side effects of TCM make it the preferred choice for treating epilepsy.