Epilepsy. to be or not to be medicated?

My 16 year old son has epilepsy "seizures on awakening" with daily myoclonic jerks. He has tried three different medications that either didn't actually work or the side effects were too bad. He also is a freerunner, piano player, sax player, guitar player and an A student. At this point, he chooses not to take medication because he is worried that it will affect his physical ability and academic career as the medication once did. Does anyone else have active epilepsy and choose not to take medication?

I should mention since I think everybody is getting the wrong idea. His neurologist supports his decision as the medications he did take either didn't work, or turned him into a zombie. My question is simply whether or not any other people have found success with just living with it.

Years ago I suffered grand mall seizures. These are similar to epilepsy. After several I discovered that they cause permanent brain damage. Enough and you will really notice a difference. I was a civil engineer and suddenly couldn't do 5th grade math all because of these seizures. Have his doctor try different meds with less side effects. These are better than having damage.

I don't know what your son has tried in the past but there are other antiseizure meds and there may be other options.

Click on this link: http://www.epilepsy.com/ and look the section on treatment. It may give you some useful ideas.

Dilatin should help when taken a little each day without any side affects, when I quit taking medicine I end up having an attack at the worst time

My little sister has epilepsy and her meds haven't effected her physically. It has stopped the seizures though.

I suggest talking to your Dr on trying another med. If he comes off the medication he is highly at risk of something worse than not being able to play sax, guitar,piano or be an A student. I was always really good at my work and still am. I never came off the medications because of what may happen. I can still do the things I always done before I had epilepsy and do it just as well if not better.