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Treatment with epilepsy medication (anti-seizure medication)
Medication for epileptic seizures prevents and reduces the risk of further seizures. 2/3 of people with epilepsy respond well to medication and have few problems with seizures.
Bring a printout of your up-to-date medication list from your GP when you attend your appointment with the neurologist.
During
We assess each patient individually when choosing the appropriate medication for your epilepsy.
There are several things we need to consider when choosing medication:
what type of epilepsy you have
age
other medical conditions or medications
what stage of life you are at (for example, whether you are at an age when you could have children)
weight
What should you do if you forget a dose of your medication, vomit or have diarrhoea?
Here is some general advice on what to do. Please note that your doctor may have given you other instructions tailored specifically to you.
Missed morning dose, discovered before lunch:
Give the dose immediately. Give the evening dose at the usual time.
Missed morning dose, discovered after lunch:
Give only the evening dose at the usual time.
Missed evening dose, discovered the next day:
Give only the usual morning dose.
If an adult misses a dose of epilepsy medication, it is recommended that they take it as soon as possible, even if this means taking it together with the next dose. Individual circumstances should be taken into account.
Vomiting within 30 minutes:
Give another dose.
Vomiting after 30 minutes to 2 hours:
Regular tablets: Give half the dose
Liquid medicine: Do not repeat the dose.
Extended-release* or enteric-coated tablets: Repeat the dose. (*Extended-release tablets may also be labelled “retard” or “long”)
The medication is still absorbed into the body through the bloodstream: Do not take an extra dose.
After
You must have follow-up appointments with a neurologist as long as your seizures are not well controlled.
Once you have been seizure-free for one to two years, follow-up with your GP may be appropriate.
Blood tests are commonly taken to measure the amount of medication in your blood, along with other blood tests, as part of follow-up for epilepsy medication so that your treatment can be adjusted to suit you.
Please note
When you receive anti-seizure treatment, you may experience tiredness, effects on the liver and skin rashes.
If you develop a severe skin rash, stop taking the medication and contact your neurologist, GP or out-of-hours medical service as soon as possible.
If you have been seizure-free for one year while taking the same medication, you can usually hold a driving licence and drive a car.
If you are planning or wish to become pregnant, contact your neurologist to ensure that your treatment is followed up in the best way for you. If you become pregnant without having contacted your neurologist first, you should get in touch to have your treatment assessed and discuss your follow-up.
Last professionally updated 25.09.2024.
Contact
KristiansandDepartment of Children and Young People
You can reach our locations by public transport. Visit Agder public transport to find your route:akt.no
You may be entitled to reimbursement of necessary expenses when travelling to and from your place of treatment.
You should generally use public transport, and you must pay a co-payment. To be reimbursed for travel expenses you have paid, you must complete a travel expense claim form and send it toPatient travel.
Practical information
At the hospital pharmacy in Kristiansand, you can fill prescriptions and buy pharmacy products.
You will find us on the first floor of the main building, near the entrance. Open weekdays from 08:30 to 16:30.
Is the appointment inconvenient? If you receive your appointment letter digitally on helsenorge.no, you can now send a direct message to the department you are visiting if you need a new appointment time. You must be a registered user of helsenorge to access the service. You can also contact the department where you have an appointment or call the switchboard at:38 07 30 00
Children and young people are affected when someone in the family is ill and need to understand what is happening. You may be a patient, a relative, or a parent of sick children with siblings. At the hospital, we will help ensure that the children and young people in your family are well cared for.
Arendal: 17:00–19:00 on weekdays 14:00–16:00 and 18:00–19:00 on weekends and public holidays
Flekkefjord: 14:00–15:00 and 18:00–19:00 Maternity ward: 17:00–19:00 (siesta/no visitors: 14:00–16:00)
Kristiansand: 17:00–19:00 on weekdays 14:00–16:00 and 18:00–19:00 on weekends and public holidays
Postnatal ward: 16:00–18:00 every day for the newborn’s healthy siblings.
Most inpatient wards in Kristiansand have a small collection of books that patients and relatives can borrow. Contact your department for more information and assistance.
Many people want to bring flowers when visiting a patient in hospital, but due to allergies and the risk of infection, several of our departments are flower-free. If you wish to bring the patient a gift, we appreciate you choosing something other than flowers.
Some patients are also allergic to perfume or perfumed creams. We ask you to bear this in mind.
Many patients and relatives wish to take photos/videos or blog about their time in hospital. This is of course permitted, as long as you respect the privacy of other patients and staff.
Here are a couple of good tips on using social media for patients and relatives:
Be considerate of others. You must have consent if you want to take photos or videos of patients or staff. All patients are entitled to privacy while in hospital.
Parents/guardians decide whether you may take photos of children or post photos of their children online. Parents should consider what is best for the child. Once the child has turned 12, their views must be given considerable weight. Once the child has turned 15, they decide for themselves whether they are comfortable being photographed and whether the photos may be published.
Remember that staff must also give permission if you want to publish photos you have taken of them.
You should remove content you have published if the person concerned asks you to. If someone has posted photos of you online without permission, you can ask them to delete them. If they do not listen, you can contact:www.slettmeg.no.
Audio recording It is not illegal to record conversations in which you participate for private use. However, publishing and sharing requires the consent of the person you are speaking with. Secretly recording conversations in which you do not participate is illegal.
Our hairdresser is located on the third floor of the hospital's main building and is open to everyone. If needed, the hairdresser can come to the department. The hairdresser also fits wigs. Opening hours are Monday, Wednesday and Thursday from 09:00 to 16:00. Book an appointment:94 81 59 01
Have you worked in healthcare or received healthcare outside the Nordic countries in the past year?
This may include, for example, a hospital stay, extensive outpatient treatment or a visit to the dentist. In that case, your GP must test you for bacteria that are resistant to antibiotics (such as MRSA).
Ask your GP to send you the test results before your appointment with us, and bring them with you when you come to the hospital.
For day visits or hospital stays, please bring the following to the hospital:
Bring indoor shoes, a change of clothes and toiletries
Bring your regular medication. It may take time to obtain equivalent medication from the pharmacy.
Bring a list/overview of your regular medications
Medical equipment for daily use
Sometimes we need a room for rest and reflection. We have three such rooms available for you and your relatives. The rooms are open to everyone, regardless of their outlook on life or faith.
In Arendal, the hospital’s quiet room/chapel is on the basement floor of the main building. In Kristiansand, the room is on the first floor of the main building, north entrance. Both rooms are open 24 hours a day. In Flekkefjord, the chapel is by the parking lot, to the left of the main entrance.
It is also possible to hold a memorial service in the chapel in the event of a death. To arrange this, contact the hospital chaplains.
Eg Church in Kristiansand is open on weekdays from 08:00 to 18:00 for those who would like a place for quiet and reflection. Open from 10:00 to 18:00 at weekends.
Kiosk You’ll find the kiosk on the first floor, in the lobby of the main building at Eg.
Opening hours: Monday–Friday: 08:00–20:00 Saturday and Sunday: 09:30–20:00
The kiosk sells, among other things, newspapers, magazines, fruit, chocolate, biscuits, ice cream, soft drinks, flowers, cards and various gift items.
Cafeteria The “Kilden” cafeteria is located alongside the kiosk and has the same opening hours.
The cafeteria serves, among other things, rolls, baguettes, salads, cakes, hamburgers and hot dogs.
If you have a serious illness that requires treatment or follow-up over a period of time, you may be entitled to an attending physician in the specialist health service.
The attending physician scheme in the specialist health service is intended to ensure that your follow-up as a patient is better, safer and more effective. Having an attending physician is a patient right and an obligation for the specialist health service.
The attending physician’s responsibilities
The attending physician has a particular responsibility for following up with you during treatment or follow-up in the specialist health service. The attending physician’s responsibilities are to:
be your regular medical contact throughout your entire course of care
be involved in your treatment or follow-up
keep informed about the status of your treatment
help ensure that your course of care proceeds as planned
contact the relevant staff/treatment unit if there are challenges with your course of care
inform you and your relatives
be available to you and healthcare professionals for medical questions
We encourage everyone to use their mobile phones considerately and be mindful of other patients. It is important to put your phone on silent at night, and on silent or vibrate during the day. To avoid disturbing other patients, it is a good idea to leave the room if you need to have a long conversation.
Parking at Sørlandet Hospital is subject to a fee Monday to Friday from 08:00 to 20:00. Anyone wishing to park on hospital grounds must follow the signs and instructions on the payment machines.
At the hospitals in Arendal and Kristiansand, you can pay for parking using EasyPark (mobile app) or by card at other locations. Check the signs for payment options and time limits.
At the hospital in Kristiansand, you can register your parking using the EasyPark app, at the payment machine where you park, or on the Flowbird website.
At the hospital in Arendal, cameras read vehicle registration numbers as vehicles enter and exit the parking garage through the Autopay service. Follow the signs and read the instructions.
Pay at the payment machine
If you have not created a profile onAutopay.io, you can pay at the machine by the main entrance. Enter your vehicle’s registration number. You can pay by card.
Pay automatically
Register as a customer with your vehicle registration number and bank card at www.autopay.io. Once registered, you will be charged automatically every time you park in the garage.
At certain times, for example when there is a lot of snow, it can be difficult to find a parking space. We therefore recommend allowing plenty of time.
For electric cars:
Electric cars pay a fee from the first hour.
Need to charge your car? Not all our hospital sites have charging stations, and those that do have a limited number. You should therefore not count on being able to charge your car while you are at the hospital as a patient or visitor. You can see all charging stations here:
Blood donors park free of charge at the hospital. For more information, contact the blood bank.
Parents/guardians of children (under 18) with a hospital stay of more than 14 dayscan park for free during the child’s subsequent stay. This also applies if the child’s stay begins at another hospital. Contact the hospital department for more information.
A valid disability parking permit entitles you to free parking in designated spaces Contact the Service Desk to register your disability parking permit. Vehicles displaying a disability parking permit are exempt from time limits unless otherwise stated on the sign.
Parking for expectant mothers in Kristiansand Parking is free for expectant mothers outside the Women’s Department at the hospital in Kristiansand. The maximum parking time is 2 hours.
Smoking can cause discomfort to others. Thank you for being considerate and helping Sørlandet Hospital maintain a smoke-free environment.
The Service Desk in Kristiansand is located right by the main entrance. You can contact us here with questions about your appointment at the hospital.
Opening hours: Weekdays: 07:30–21:00. Saturdays, Sundays and public holidays: 08:00–21:00.
Need someone to talk to? Our hospital chaplains have extensive experience supporting people in different life situations. They meet you on your terms, regardless of your faith, beliefs or outlook on life. Hospital chaplains are available around the clock, all week, for patients, relatives and staff.
Would you like to get in touch? Ask hospital staff for help, or call the switchboard on 38 07 30 00.
The hospital chaplains can also put you in touch with other faith and belief communities.
If you need an interpreter, please notify the hospital well in advance of your appointment. Interpreter costs are covered by the health service.Helsenorge.no
All visitors can use the hospital’s free wireless internet.
Look for HSO-Gjest on your network and follow the instructions to log in.
If you cannot find the network, you are in an area that has not yet been covered.
If your child has been exposed to chickenpox or has chickenpox, please contact us. The scheduled appointment/admission must then be postponed. This also applies if you are visiting the children’s and adolescents’ department. Chickenpox can be dangerous for some of our patients.
TEST VERSION
Machine-translated copy of sshf.no for testing only. Not official information.
