Q&A About Epilepsy

Am I seeing the right kind of doctor?
What is a seizure?
What is epilepsy?
What is the difference between seizures and epilepsy?
How is epilepsy treated?
How will my epilepsy affect me?
How can I better manage my epilepsy?
What epilepsy research is being done?

Am I seeing the right kind of doctor?

While most general care doctors can diagnose epilepsy, epilepsy specialists like neurologist and epileptologists are the best choice when you need treatment. If you are not seeing a neurologist or epileptologist, you can find one here.

What is a seizure?

A seizure is the result of changes in the normal electrical activity in the brain. This causes different symptoms, depending on the location of the seizure and how it spreads. It can last a few seconds or several minutes. There are many types of seizures, with symptoms ranging from rapid blinking and staring (a partial-onset seizure) to losing consciousness, falling to the ground, and jerking of the muscles (a tonic-clonic, or grand mal, seizure).

What is epilepsy?

People with epilepsy experience repeated seizures. According to the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention, about 2.7 million people in the United States are affected by epilepsy. A person is only diagnosed with epilepsy after he or she has experienced two or more seizures that can’t be explained by other medical conditions like fever or withdrawal.

What is the difference between seizures and epilepsy?

Seizures are a symptom of epilepsy. Having a single seizure does not necessarily mean a person has epilepsy.

How is epilepsy treated?

Everyone’s epilepsy is different, so the best treatment depends on the individual being treated. One thing that doesn’t vary is the ultimate goal of epilepsy treatment: maximum seizure control. The most common treatment is medicine. Because epileptic seizures respond to drug treatment, successful management of epilepsy depends on early and consistent treatment. Your neurologist may prescribe one or many medicines to find the best treatment option for you. Read more about epilepsy treatment.

How will my epilepsy affect me?

Your epilepsy is as individual as you are. For some people, it’s a childhood condition that might be outgrown. For some others, epilepsy may have a significant effect throughout their lives. Seizures may restrict driving, working, and social opportunities and also affect self-esteem. But remember, you can change how epilepsy affects you. With the right epilepsy treatment, you can expect to live your life as you choose.

Most people’s epileptic seizures can be controlled. Some people end their seizures with the first medicine they try. Others will need to partner with their neurologist or epileptologist to find the right dosage and combination of medicines. Epilepsy medicines are helpful for many people, while some will need to have the specific source of their seizures surgically removed.

How can I better manage my epilepsy?

The more you take control, the better you can help manage your epilepsy.

Understand your epilepsy, including your seizure type.
If you’re not achieving seizure control with your current medicine, make sure to talk to your neurologist or epileptologist about all available treatment options.
Fill out a medical history and seizure calendar, so you can become involved in your medical care.
Learn how to communicate well with your doctor and his or her staff.
Bring your epilepsy medicines to each neurologist visit.
Take your epilepsy medicine regularly. Linking this to a routine may be helpful (when you brush your teeth, prepare for bed, etc). There are also devices that can help—like a watch that beeps when your dose is due.
Get enough sleep—lack of it can bring on epileptic seizures.
Keep following up with your doctor. If you are having seizures or are having difficulty with side effects, you may need to change your epilepsy medicine or dose.

What epilepsy research is being done?

Scientists continue to develop new and better epilepsy medicines. They study how the chemicals that carry impulses from one brain cell to another interact with cells that control nerve activity. Researchers are also working to identify genes that may influence epilepsy. This information could allow doctors to prevent epilepsy or to predict which treatments will work best. Magnetic resonance imaging (MRI) and other brain scans are also being improved for even better, more accurate epilepsy diagnosis.

Remember that current epilepsy treatment options offer the possibility of seizure control for most people. Be sure to talk to your doctor about available treatments.

Next: Live Well With Epilepsy

Save Now on VIMPAT

Get 14 days for free and
save up to $30 on each of
your next 12 prescriptions.

Enroll Today

Epilepsy Independence Can Be Possible

Vimpat Advantage will help
you get there.

Enroll Today

Over 800,000 people taking epilepsy medicine are still having seizures. Now there's hope for seizure control. Now there's Vimpat.

Indication

Vimpat^® (lacosamide) is a prescription medicine that is used with other medicines to treat partial-onset seizures in people 17 years of age and older with epilepsy.

Important Safety Information

Vimpat is generally well-tolerated, but may not be for everyone. Ask your healthcare provider if Vimpat is right for you.

Warnings and Precautions

Antiepileptic drugs, including Vimpat, may cause suicidal thoughts or actions in a very small number of people, about 1 in 500. Call your healthcare provider right away if you have new or worsening symptoms of depression, any unusual changes in mood or behavior, or suicidal thoughts, behavior, or thoughts about self harm that you have never had before or may be worse than before. Do not stop taking Vimpat without first talking to your healthcare provider. Stopping Vimpat suddenly can cause serious problems.

Vimpat may also cause you to feel dizzy, have double vision, feel sleepy, or have problems with coordination and walking. You should not drive, operate machinery or do other dangerous activities until you know how Vimpat affects you.

Vimpat may cause you to have an irregular heartbeat or may cause you to feel faint. Call your healthcare provider if you have a fast, slow, or pounding heartbeat, shortness of breath, feel lightheaded, or if you fainted or feel like you are going to faint.

Vimpat is classified as a federally controlled substance (C-V) due to a low potential for abuse. Keep your Vimpat in a safe place and do not give it to anyone else.

In rare cases, Vimpat may cause a serious allergic reaction that may affect your skin or other parts of your body such as your liver or blood cells. Call your healthcare provider right away if you have a skin rash or hives, fever or swollen glands that do not go away, shortness of breath, swelling of the legs, yellowing of the skin or whites of the eyes, or dark urine.

Vimpat oral solution contains aspartame, a source of phenylalanine.

Common Adverse Reactions

The most common side effects with Vimpat are dizziness, headache, nausea, and double vision. To report Suspected Adverse Reactions, contact UCB, Inc. at 866-822-0068 or FDA at 1-800-FDA-1088 or www.fda.gov/medwatch.

Please see additional patient information in the Patient Medication Guide. This information does not take the place of talking with your healthcare provider about your condition or your treatment.

VIMPAT (lacosamide) tablets injection

Print
E-mail

*Indicates a required field

Recipient's Name*

Recipient's E-mail Address*