Anti-seizure medications can treat absence seizures. Finding the right medication involves trial and error and can take time. Your doctor may start with low doses of anti-seizure medications. They may then adjust the dose based on your results.

Some examples of medications used to treat absence seizure are:
ethosuximide (Zarontin)
lamotrigine (Lamictal)
valproic acid (Depakene, Stavzor)

Pregnant women or women who are thinking of becoming pregnant shouldn’t take valproic acid because it increases your risk for birth defects.

Some activities can be dangerous for people with absence seizures. This is because absence seizures cause a temporary loss of awareness. Driving and swimming during an absence seizure might cause an accident or drowning. Your doctor may restrict your activity until they’re certain your seizures are under control. Some states also may have laws about how long a person must go without a seizure before getting back on the road.

Those who have absence seizures may wish to wear a medical identification bracelet. This helps others know what to do in case of an emergency. People also may want to educate loved ones on what to do if a seizure occurs.