New to Keppra, need some help!! - Epilepsy Message Board

Kramer_DU · 04-26-2005, 01:41 PM

So my neuro just added keppra to my list of meds for my partial complex siezures. I was reading up on this drug and some of these side effects are starting to worry me. I got these side effects off of fda.gov

sleepiness or feeling tired
weakness
difficulty coordinating muscles normally, (e.g., abnormal walk)
aggression, anger, and irritability
agitation, anxiety, and other mood changes
decreased ability to cope with daily life events
feeling depressed or worsening depression
thoughts of suicide

I'm kind of worried about the last 5. Have any of you who take Keppra experienced any of these?
Well I'm of to go get this med. Hope it finally puts an end to these damn things!!!

dragonprincess · 04-26-2005, 02:23 PM

Hi , I've been on Keppra for 3 years now and yes HAVE gotten most of these symtomes but they left on out loss of appatite . Well i'm preganat now about 31 weeks which helped my eating habeits for know but befor the baby i went form 168 to 103 in less then 5 months not good could not eat.But it's dirrent for every one .The sleepyness goes away after about 3 to 4 weeks . My self I'm going to try and get off it after the baby . It did help for about year and a half then my seizurs started to chang become different . If you want to ask me more feel free to

.It does work great for some people .

buliem · 04-26-2005, 06:53 PM

My 10 year old takes Keppra for generalized seizures along with depakote. The addition of the Keppra was the one thing that got his grand mals (tonic clonics) to stop. It does make him a little hyper and irritable at times but we are dealing with it. I haven't seen depression since he first started it. For us it has been a wonder drug. Patrick is going on 2 months seizure free. Since we were able to cut back a bit on the depakote he's better able to function. Before the Keppra he was still having grand mals (at least a couple a month) and was falling asleep at school from too much depakote.

Good luck. If you do experience some side-effects I think they should lessen over time. Of course thoughts of suicide can never be taken lightly. However I think that is a pretty rare side effect.

Travis from MN · 04-28-2005, 08:59 AM

The FIRST question would be are you experiencing any of those?

Keppra is, compared to a LOT of the drugs, rather neutral for the sideFX.

I have been on 7 or 8 drugs, so I have had my fair share of experiences on different drugs and drug interactions.

Don't get ahead of yourself. Having the drug sheet is to be warned **IF** those appear. not to expect those.

Sleep problems are common, they tend to go away within a month. "Kepp-rage" is another problems that has been reported. Best way to classify it is anger outbursts, hard to control. sometimes it can swing to tears/crying.

Just don't get ahead of yourself if you are NOT having problems on Keppra.

I'm at 3000/day and only had problems when they tried me at 4000. All was fixed when I was dropped back to 3000.

--Travis

Eilidh1 · 04-29-2005, 03:57 PM

Hellooo Kramer.

I've been on Keppra (with Lamotrigine) for nearly a year now - I'm on 3000mg per day. I too have tried lots of drugs which either had horrid side effects or just didn't work. Concerning nasty FX, Epilem was the worst for me - major depression, which was sorted as soon as i came off it. Although Keppra isn't controlling the seizures, I have NO nasty FX at all now - I feel like I've got my life back. I'm back to my normal weight, have a glow on my cheeks and the sparkle back in my eyes

. When I first started taking Keppra I got mad half hours where I would go hyper (much to the amusement of myself and my friends) but I don't even have them anymore. But they're not really doing their job, so I'm going to have to up the Lamotrigine or add some Topirimate. But everyone's different - thankfully I'm no longer depressed, but what works for one person may not work for another. It's just a case of trial, fingers crossed and error.

Good luck!
Eilidh
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