Can anticonvulsants increase the risk of suicidal thoughts or behavior?
Drugs used to treat epilepsy double the risks of suicidal thoughts and behavior, though the relative risk is small: 0.43 percent for those on drug therapy, versus 0.22 percent for those taking a placebo. Patients taking these medications should be watched for sudden behavioral changes, drug regulators have said. To learn more, see this article: F.D.A. Finds Increase in Suicide Symptoms for Patients Using Seizure Medications What is the ketogenic diet? Now an established form of treatment for some children with epilepsy, the ketogenic diet is a restrictive eating plan involving high levels of fat and minimal levels of carbohydrates and protein. It forces the body to burn fat for energy rather than burning glucose, a mechanism that reduces seizures in two out of three patients who try it. The diet can interfere with some medications and must be medically supervised by an experienced epilepsy team. Researchers are also investigating whether the high-protein, low-carbohydrate Atkins diet m
