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| Some forms of epilepsy go away on their own. This is mostly true in children. In fact, the prognosis for most people with epilepsy is excellent. With treatment, up to 70% of people with epilepsy will become seizure-free. |
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| The reality of seizure freedom |
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| Many people with epilepsy have a very good chance of becoming seizure-free: |
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About 75% of patients with epilepsy will eventually stop having seizures |
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This will happen for more than half of these people within a year of diagnosis |
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| People with seizures that are not controlled early (soon after diagnosis) are less likely to become free of seizures: |
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If seizures are not controlled at 1 year—60% become seizure-free |
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If seizures are not controlled at 4 years—10% become seizure-free |
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If seizures are not controlled at 10 years—5% become seizure-free |
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| Will it happen for you? |
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| Although you can't know for sure, people are more likely to become free of seizures when they: |
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Are young when epilepsy starts |
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Are young when diagnosed |
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Have generalized seizures |
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Have a normal exam from a neurologist |
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Have epilepsy with an unknown cause |
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| Stopping your medication |
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| If you become seizure-free, you may want to consider stopping your epilepsy medications. You should always check with your doctor first. Here are predictors of a successful withdrawal: |
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You take only 1 medicine |
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Your medicine is low dose |
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You had few seizures before you gained control |
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There was a brief time between when your seizures began and when you gained control |
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Your epilepsy began at a young age |
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| The risk of relapse after a person stops taking epilepsy medicine is 25% at 1 year and 29% at 2 years. There is some evidence that partial or secondarily generalized seizures have a higher relapse rate than primarily generalized seizures. |
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| Epilepsy that resists treatment |
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| People with epilepsy may have repeated seizures even after trying many treatments in
different combinations. This is called refractory epilepsy, and it happens to 25% of people with epilepsy. |
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