An epilepsy sufferer is backing a campaign by a Yeadon charity which is urging people with the neurological condition to take control.

Jo Smith, 33, of Daisy Hill, Bradford, says the Epilepsy Action campaign Take Control encourages sufferers to help doctors to help them manage the condition and reduce side effects.

The campaign aims make people aware that things change constantly in health care and medicine and it may be that a newer drug could provide better control of seizures.

As part of the campaign pharmacies are being urged to make available an easy to use seizure diary to customers via counter dispensers.

Once completed the diaries can provide valuable information for establishing the best epilepsy treatment and help people with epilepsy to work with their doctor towards a better quality of life.

The scheme is being piloted in Yorkshire and Lancashire.

Jo, a mother-of-one, was diagnosed with epilepsy 13 years ago, experiencing her first seizure shortly after a close friend died. Her seizures were so bad they led to memory loss and the drugs she was prescribed led to terrible side effects.

But since changing her medication things have improved.

She was taking 600mg of Tegretol twice daily and 40mg of Topiramate twice daily, but she introduced Keppra to replace Topiramate and her seizures have lessened.

She said: "It has taken years to get to this stage but it has been worth it. The side effects of some of the drugs were worse than the seizures. I was tired and had double vision every day.

"I have tried about 80 per cent of medicines and now I have found a combination that suits me and in the last year I have only had three or four seizures and they are all at night. This campaign shows it is up to the patient to stand up for themselves."

A spokesman for Epilepsy Action said: "We are urging people with epilepsy to take more control of their epilepsy symptoms, their treatment side effects, the support resources available, rights to better treatment and services and their future.

"Epilepsy is the most common serious neurological condition affecting one in every 131 people in the UK. The goal of epilepsy treatment is to achieve freedom from seizures, or if this is not possible, to reduce the number of seizures and their severity."