There have been several concerns about epilepsy therapy. The drugs are very powerful (although it can be argued that they have to be), and we're aware of quite a few people dying while on the drugs. The other problem is that epilepsy is often wrongly diagnosed, and the patient doesn't have the condition at all.
Now there's a new worry. A new study has revealed that nearly half of patients taking epilepsy drugs continue to have seizures. In other words, the drugs don't work. (NB: Drugs that don't work still come with the nasty side-effects, like death).
The study monitored the seizure rate among 1,652 patients. Of these, one in three had 'severe' epilepsy, and the rest had a milder form. Despite this, all the patients were taking up to seven different drugs to control the seizures.
Many of those on drugs could have their seizures controlled by other forms of medical care, the researchers suggest.
(Source: Seizure. Online: www.harcourt-international.com/journals/seiz/)