Nancy's physician will schedule regular checkups. The visits may include follow-up EEGs and blood testing to monitor her serum AED concentrations. A CBC count, platelet count, and liver function testing may also be required, depending on the AEDs prescribed. If her condition isn't well controlled, however, she should avoid activities where a sudden loss of consciousness would be dangerous. Each state has its own regulations for issuing licenses to people with seizure disorders.
Information is available through the department of motor vehicles.
Advise Nancy that too little sleep or too much alcohol can trigger seizures in some people. Less frequently, seizures are triggered by flashing lights such as those of the sun shining through waving trees or by the flickering of a computer or handheld computer games. But preconception planning is crucial. Some AEDs can cause fetal anomalies such as cleft lip and palate, as well as defects in the fetus's heart and other body systems, including spina bifida. Warn her that abruptly stopping the AED could also harm the fetus by allowing prolonged seizures to occur.