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UPDATED: Wed, 04/22/2009 - 11:19am

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Home › All About Epilepsy & Seizures › Types of Seizures › Special Categories › Refractory Seizures

Conclusion

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Refractory (uncontrolled) epilepsy is a heavy burden. A physician needs to make certain that the diagnosis of epilepsy is correct and that the proper medicines are being used in the best way for that person. The individual with epilepsy needs to look at things they can do to better control their seizures, such as remembering medicines, staying generally healthy, getting good sleep, minimizing stress and avoiding seizure-precipitating conditions. Non-drug therapies, such as epilepsy surgery, vagus nerve stimulation or experimental clinical trials, may be good options for some patients. But even when all seems hopeless for control, 5% of people (1 out of 20) with refractory epilepsy getter better each year. There are always grounds for hope. The biggest hope is for new therapies to prevent and cure epilepsy, a key mission of this website, and its parent organization The Epilepsy Therapy Project. If you can, support this cause please contact us (17).

Citations
  1. Quarterly Journal of Medicine 1999, volume 92, pages 15–23.
  2. http://www.epilepsy.com/node/978914
  3. Perucca, Epileptic Disorders 2005; volume 7, supplement 1, pages s14-s21
  4. http://www.epilepsy.com/epilepsy/seizure_medicines
  5. New England Journal of Medicine 1985, volume 313, pages 145–151
  6. New England Journal of Medicine 2000, volume 342, pages 314-9
  7. http://professionals.epilepsy.com/page/Correct_AED__but_inadequate_treatment.html
  8. http://www.epilepsy.com/epilepsy/medication_compliance
  9. http://www.aesnet.org/go/find-a-dr/epilepsy-com
  10. http://www.naeclocator.org/locator/default2.asp
  11. http://www.epilepsy.com/node/283
  12. http://www.epilepsy.com/node/978892
  13. http://www.epilepsy.com/node/307
  14. http://www.epilepsy.com/epilepsy/dietary_therapies
  15. http://www.epilepsy.com/clinical_trials
  16. Callaghan et al. Annals of Neurology 2007, volume 62, pages 382–389
  17. http://www.epilepsy.com/etp/donation

Topic Editor: Robert S. Fisher, MD, PhD
Last Reviewed: April 21, 2009


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