What are the common side effects of AEDs?

Author

James Holden

Published Mar 18, 2026

What are the common side effects of AEDs?

Common side effects of AEDs include:

drowsiness.
a lack of energy.
agitation.
headaches.
uncontrollable shaking (tremor)
hair loss or unwanted hair growth.
swollen gums.
rashes – contact your GP or specialist if you get a rash, as it might mean you're having a serious reaction to your medicine.

People also ask, what are the most common side effects of anti seizure medications?

Some common side effects that may occur in the first few weeks of taking seizure medicines include feeling tired, stomach upset or discomfort, dizziness, or blurred vision. Some of these may not occur or are tolerated okay if the medication is started at a low dose and increased slowly.

Secondly, is AED therapy lifelong? Starting on an AED often implies continuous daily medication for many years, which is sometimes lifelong. Therefore, this should be strictly initiated for those with an unacceptably high rate of seizure recurrence or high risk of seizure injury.

People also ask, what are the side effects of antiepileptic drugs?

Those most frequently observed include sedation, fatigue, dizziness, coordination disturbances (ataxia, dysarthria, diplopia), tremor, cognitive deficits, mood alterations, behavioural changes and sexual disorders (loss of libido, erectile dysfunction).

Which anticonvulsant has the least side effects?

oxcarbazepine (Trileptal): Slightly different from carbamazepine, it is at least as effective, and may have fewer side effects, except for more risk for low blood sodium (hyponatremia).

What is the safest seizure medication?

"[Lamictal] seems to be the winner," Marson says. The second trial looked at 716 patients newly diagnosed with generalized epilepsy. It compared the older drug valproic acid (in the U.S., Depakote is the most popular member of this drug family) to Lamictal and Topamax.

Can you still have seizures when on medication?

Overall, about 7 out of 10 people with epilepsy have no more seizures when they use medication. But this also means that the medication doesn't help enough in about 3 out of 10 people. They still have seizures regularly despite trying out different treatments.

What do seizures do to the brain?

A seizure is a sudden, uncontrolled electrical disturbance in the brain. It can cause changes in your behavior, movements or feelings, and in levels of consciousness. If you have two or more seizures or a tendency to have recurrent seizures, you have epilepsy. There are many types of seizures, which range in severity.

What foods can trigger seizures?

Stimulants such as tea, coffee, chocolate, sugar, sweets, soft drinks, excess salt, spices and animal proteins may trigger seizures by suddenly changing the body's metabolism. Some parents have reported that allergic reactions to certain foods (e.g. white flour) also seem to trigger seizures in their children.

What is the newest seizure medication?

The newer drugs are: gabapentin (Neurontin), lamotrigine (Lamictal), topiramate (Topamax), tiagabine (Gabatril), levetiracetam (Keppra), zonisamide (Zonegran), oxcarbazepine (Trileptal) and pregabalin (Lyrica). A ninth drug, felbamate (Felbatol), is now rarely used because of potential for serious side effects.

Do seizures damage brain cells?

Seizures, particularly repetitive seizures, cause substantial brain damage in highly susceptible areas, such as parts of the hippocampus, entorhinal cortex, amygdala, thalamus and other limbic structures; however, neuronal death after seizures can be more widespread and is generally quite variable (e.g., [24, 77]).

What are the side effects after a seizure?

The following signs and symptoms occur in some but not all people with grand mal seizures:

A scream. Some people may cry out at the beginning of a seizure.
Loss of bowel and bladder control. This may happen during or following a seizure.
Unresponsiveness after convulsions.
Confusion.
Fatigue.
Severe headache.

Can having seizures affect your memory?

Any type of epileptic seizure could potentially affect your memory, either during or after a seizure. If you have lots of seizures, memory problems might happen more often. Some people have generalised seizures that affect all of the brain.

Does epilepsy ever go away?

While many forms of epilepsy require lifelong treatment to control the seizures, for some people the seizures eventually go away. The odds of becoming seizure-free are not as good for adults or for children with severe epilepsy syndromes, but it is possible that seizures may decrease or even stop over time.

What is the most common epilepsy drug?

For partial seizures, common first-line medications include carbamazepine (Tegretol), phenytoin (Dilantin), Oxcarbazepine (Trileptal) and, especially in children, ethosuximide (Zarontin). Additionally, phenobarbital is often the medication of choice for seizures in very young children.

What are long term effects of epilepsy?

Status epilepticus is an especially dangerous epilepsy complication because it can cause permanent brain damage. Death is also a possibility. Weight gain: Certain antiseizure medications can make weight loss and management more challenging. Being overweight can then increase your risk for other chronic health problems.

What triggers epilepsy?

Triggers are situations that can bring on a seizure in some people with epilepsy. Some people's seizures are brought on by certain situations. Triggers can differ from person to person, but common triggers include tiredness and lack of sleep, stress, alcohol, and not taking medication.

What causes seizures in adults for the first time?

Anything that interrupts the normal connections between nerve cells in the brain can cause a seizure. This includes a high fever, high or low blood sugar, alcohol or drug withdrawal, or a brain concussion.

What happens if you take too much epilepsy medication?

Too much medication can surprisingly, sometimes also cause an increase in seizures. It is important, therefore that the same amount of drug is taken each day. If a tablet is forgotten it should be taken immediately it is remembered and the next dose should be taken at the usual time.

What do antiepileptic drugs do?

Antiepileptic medications work in different ways to prevent seizures, either by decreasing excitation or enhancing inhibition. Specifically, they act by either: Altering electrical activity in neurons by affecting ion (sodium, potassium, calcium, chloride) channels in the cell membrane.

Which type of pain can anticonvulsants help?

Anti-seizure medications (anticonvulsants) were originally designed to treat people with epilepsy. But the nerve-calming qualities of some of these medications can also help quiet the burning, stabbing or shooting pain often caused by nerve damage.

Can epilepsy be cured?

There's no cure for epilepsy, but early treatment can make a big difference. Uncontrolled or prolonged seizures can lead to brain damage.

Can AED cause seizures?

A seizure increase during intoxication with AED is a rare phenomenon, thus, it is not directly related to this condition. An incorrect choice of drugs in the treatment of an epileptic syndrome or seizure type may provoke seizures (as for example the provocation of absences due to carbamazepine or phenytoin).

What is a seizure called if it begins as a focal seizure then spreads to the whole brain?

A seizure that starts in one area of the brain, then spreads to both sides of the brain as a tonic-clonic seizure is called a focal to bilateral tonic-clonic seizure. This term replaces secondarily generalized seizure. They usually last 1 to 3 minutes, but it may take a longer for a person to recover.

What is a low seizure threshold?

If you have a low seizure threshold, your brain is less resistant to seizures. So you are more likely to suddenly start having seizures for no obvious reason than someone with a high seizure threshold.

What is status epilepticus?

You may have status epilepticus if you have a seizure that lasts longer than 5 minutes, or if you have more than 1 seizure within a 5-minute period, without returning to a normal level of consciousness between episodes. This is a medical emergency. It may lead to permanent brain damage or death.

Can UTI cause epilepsy?

Definite association between seizures and UTI was found in 16(7.6%) who were afebrile. VUR was diagnosed in 1/3 of the cases.

What is the most expensive seizure medication?

Trokendi XR is covered by some Medicare and insurance plans. Ethosuximide (Zarontin) is an expensive drug used to control seizures in certain types of epilepsy. This drug is less popular than comparable drugs. It is available in brand and generic form.

Is coffee good for epilepsy?

Moderate doses of caffeine may benefit patients with epilepsy, whereas high doses – four cups of coffee per day or more – may increase seizure susceptibility, said Julie Bourgeois-Vionnet, MD, of the department of functional neurology and epileptology at Hospices Civils de Lyon in France.

What should you not take with Keppra?

Common medications that may interact with Keppra include:

antidepressants, such as SSRIs (eg, escitalopram, fluoxetine) and monoamine oxidase inhibitors, such as isocarboxazid, selegiline, or tranylcypromine.
antiepileptics, such as carbamazepine and phenytoin.
benzodiazepines, such as diazepam, oxazepam, and temazepam.

Can a seizure be caused by stress?

Pseudoseizures, also called psychogenic nonepileptic seizures (PNES), are seizures that occur as a result of psychological causes, such as severe mental stress. Treating the underlying psychological cause can often help to reduce the number of seizures or prevent them happening.

How can seizures be prevented?

Seizure Prevention Tips

Get plenty of sleep each night — set a regular sleep schedule, and stick to it.
Learn stress management and relaxation techniques.
Avoid drugs and alcohol.
Take all of your medications as prescribed by your doctor.
Avoid bright, flashing lights and other visual stimuli.

What medicines cause seizures?

Several case series have identified a variety of drugs and other substances associated with seizures 3, 4, 5, 6, 7, 8. Antidepressants, diphenhydramine, stimulants (including cocaine and methamphetamine), tramadol and isoniazid account for the majority of cases.

When should seizure medication be stopped?

Most doctors will consider tapering the dosage and discontinuing your seizure medicines after a seizure-free period of 2 to 4 years. If you have had only one seizure, some doctors will consider discontinuing the medicine if you have been seizure-free for 6 to 12 months.

Can Xanax stop a seizure?

Tegretol (carbamazepine) and Xanax (alprazolam) are used to treat seizures. Tegretol is also used to treat nerve pain such as trigeminal neuralgia and diabetic neuropathy and to treat bipolar disorder. Xanax is primarily used to treat panic attacks and anxiety disorders.

Do anticonvulsants cause sedation?

MIAMI BEACH – Some antiepileptic drugs cause more sedation than do others, according to a study presented at the annual meeting of the American Academy of Neurology. Sedation is a common side effect of antiepileptic drugs (AEDs).

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