First visit

• What to expect: the doctor will obtain as much information as necessary to understand your case so he/she can treat you in the best possible way. The information is better obtained if the patient is accompanied by someone who is familiar with the history and has witnessed the seizures. This is important since many times the patient has no recollection of parts or the entire seizure.

• What to bring: all previous medical records, all testing done before, all bottles of medication and someone who has witnessed the seizures and is familiar and close to you

• What are the questions to ask?
  - Do I have epilepsy?
  - What type of epilepsy I have?
  - Will I need further testing in order to clarify the previous questions?
  - Why do I have epilepsy?
  - Do I need to do something in particular to avoid seizures?
  - What needs to be done when I have a seizure?
  - What are the treatment options and potential complications of each one?
  - What services does your program offer if I have to call after hours?
  - What support services are available in your group?
    * Support groups
    * Memory treatment
    * Therapy
  - What do I tell my family and friends?
  - What do I tell my employer?
  - How is this going to affect my quality of life?
    * Driving
    * Working
    * Relationships
    * Children