Conversations With Your Specialist
Treating epilepsy is complicated and it can take some time to establish what type of seizures you're having and the most suitable medication. Your relationship with your epilepsy specialist is key to getting the best care for your epilepsy. Throughout this process your specialist relies on you to tell him or her how you feel, the number and type of seizures you are having and the treatment side effects you are experiencing.
Go to your doctor, make a list of what you want to know because usually when you are in front of the doctor you forget to ask the question and it’s when you leave that you think, 'Oh gosh, I forgot to ask this.'
Jenny, Belgium
Most people with epilepsy should be able to get good control of their seizures with the appropriate medication. Many even find their seizures stop altogether. By working with your epilepsy specialist, this will hopefully be possible for you, although of course, there are no guarantees. But, by giving your specialist a full account of your experiences, you are helping your doctor understand your epilepsy. In turn, this will help your doctor give you advice that is individually tailored to your needs. Together you can review your treatment and make changes that could improve the management of your epilepsy.
One of the most important things you can do is to spend some time reviewing what's been happening to you before you see your doctor. If you have been keeping an epilepsy diary it's useful to make sure this is up to date. Look through the diary and see if anything has changed - are you getting more seizures than you used to? Have your symptoms changed in any way? Have you had any new problems with side effects from your treatment? Write down any observations and questions you have for your doctor.
If you'd like more help in preparing for an appointment with your specialist you can download the How to talk to your doctor booklet.
Join the Live Beyond Epilepsy™ programme, and receive information about epilepsy, and hear from others about why they think it's important to be as open as possible, when talking to your doctor.
