Getting the Right Treatment for Your Epilepsy

Does your epilepsy medication make you feel drowsy or nauseated, or even worse, fail to control your seizures? Treatment approaches that work well for one patient aren't necessarily the best choices for other patients. Your Winchester VA neurologists at Winchester Neurological Consultants offer treatments tailored to your condition and needs.

How to find the best treatments for you

Epilepsy doesn't just cause seizures but may increase your risk for depression and anxiety, mood and memory issues, fertility problems, learning disabilities, and migraines. The disorder can affect every area of your life from your social life to your ability to drive or work.

Treating epilepsy and the complications and challenges that can occur if you have the disorder requires a comprehensive treatment method and consultations with a variety of medical professionals. Fortunately, epilepsy centers offer access to a team of experts that includes neurologists, nurses, dietitians, pharmacists, epileptologists, and neurosurgeons. This includes the office in Winchester VA.

Your team will consider your lifestyle, the type of seizures you have, the medications and treatments you've tried before, and your general medical history when making treatment recommendations. During your visit to the Winchester epilepsy center, you'll also discuss your treatment goals. In addition to preventing seizures, you may also want to increase your energy level or improve your ability to focus at work or school.

Treatments may include:

  • Medications: Your treatment may involve one or two anti-seizure medications. Your doctor will weigh the effectiveness of the medication with possible side effects before prescribing medications.
  • Dietary Changes: The foods you eat may play a role in your seizures. Some people who have epilepsy benefit from following certain diets, including the Low Glycemic Index Diet, Modified Atkins Diet, or Keto Diet.
  • Therapy: Cognitive behavioral therapy, relaxation therapy, and other therapies can help you cope with your condition and make changes that will improve your life.
  • Vagus Nerve Stimulator (VNS): Implanted under the skin in your chest, the VNS device sends mild electrical impulses to the brain via the vagus nerve. These impulses prevent seizures.
  • Clinical Research Trials: When you're a patient at an epilepsy center, you may be eligible to participate in research trials to test the latest epilepsy treatments.
  • Surgery: Surgery might be recommended if you don't notice an improvement in your symptoms after trying other treatments.

Are you unhappy with your current epilepsy treatment? Call your neurologists in Winchester VA at Winchester Neurological Consultants at (540) 667-1828 to schedule your appointment.

Winchester Neurological Consultants

Office Hours

DOORS OPEN AT 8:15AM

Monday:

8:30 am-5:00 pm

Tuesday:

8:30 am-5:00 pm

Wednesday:

8:30 am-5:00 pm

Thursday:

8:30 am-5:00 pm

Friday:

8:30 am-5:00 pm

Saturday:

Closed

Sunday:

Closed