Epilepsy Prognosis
When a patient has been seizure-free for several consecutive years, it may be possible to discontinue medication, depending on the patient's age and the type of epilepsy. This is only done under the supervision of a physician. As many as three-quarters of adults who have been free of seizures for 3 years remain seizure free after discontinuing drug therapy. More than one-half of children can stop medication without developing seizures.
The prognosis is not as encouraging for those who have a known focal brain injury, take more than one antiepileptic drug, have a family history of epilepsy, experience partial seizures, or continue to have abnormal EEGs while on medication.
