A few epileptics may get irritability, nausea, a rash, or clumsiness from their medication but a reduced dose or switching to another effective anticonvulsant will usually get rid of the side effects. Some drugs need regular blood tests. In the elderly it's often helpful to count out a week's supply and store it in a special container marked for the days of the week that can be bought in any drug store. When traveling you should carry a copy of your prescription. The sooner treatment is started the more likely are fits to be eliminated.
Surgical treatment is available for a very few with locatable scars that can be removed.
Ensure, isocal, and other nutritional supplements in the nursing home may interfere with dilantin absorption due to complexing with calcium salts. Phenobarbitol does not complex. It is 10 times as common as multiple sclerosis. The incidence of epilepsy is highest in childhood and lowest in early adult life. It rises again in the elderly.