Antiepileptic　drugs　are　the　preferred　treatment　approach　for　epileptic　patients.　However,　informal　treatment　is　important　for　intractable　epilepsy.　In　this　study,　500　epileptic　patients　were　recruited　from　the　General　Hospital　of　Beijing　Military　Area　Command　of　Chinese　PLA　during　the　period　of　October　2009　to　January　2012.　These　involved　patients　that　had　been　medically　treated　for　at　least　1　year.　Information　on　the　initial　treatment　and　changes　to　treatment　regimens　for　each　patient　was　collected　through　questionnaires.　The　survey　results　showed　that　52.3%　of　the　epileptic　patients　searched　for　treatment　after　the　first　seizure,　and　the　mean　numbers　of　seizures　was　12.8;　59.8%　of　the　epileptic　patients　were　diagnosed　at　the　first　visit,　and　the　mean　onset　time　was　17　months　after　the　first　seizure.　After　diagnosis,　patients　were　treated　for　an　average　of　20　days,　and　the　median　time　was　1　day.　Formal　anti-epileptic　drugs　were　selected　as　the　first　treatment　regimen　by　67.8%　of　patients,　and　77.5%　of　these　drugs　were　monotherapies.　The　mean　and　median　numbers　of　seizure　were　respectively　36.9　and　3.0　times　before　the　first　regimen　was　changed.　The　regimen　was　changed　within　the　first　6　months　by　46.6%　of　patients,　and　after　the　first　and　second　years　of　treatment,　the　proportions　increased　to　54.0%　and　71.8%,　respectively.　In　total,　78.5%　of　the　regimens　were　changed　to　informal　treatments.　The　informal　treatment　of　epilepsy　in　China　is　common,　being　initiated　by　either　patients　or　physicians.　Enhancing　epileptic　treatment　services　in　hospital,　improving　physicians＇　professional　quality,　and　strengthening　health　propaganda　may　promote　the　normalization　of　drug　treatment　of　epilepsy　in　China.