Keppra levels - Epilepsy Message Board

Travis from MN · 09-15-2005, 02:23 PM

Just recieved my levels back... Big jump in my result on Keppra.

It had been hanging around what had been thought(?) as the top for Keppra (42, 25, then back to 35. Now last weeks test nearly DOUBLED to 63.7.

Keppra's cieling I had been told was 45; unless that has been changed. I couldn't find a concrete level range in their FDA release dated 9-2005.

My Kepp dose has not been changed. I'm still at 3000/day.

Topa is now up in levels. We had problems with those levels before in the 4's, then 2's, now up to 10.5 (at 400mg/day now; previous results I was at lower doses)

TegXR oddly enough increased 0.2 for the first time in 2 years. It had remained constant at the same level.
Free level remained the same however with Teg.

SO THE QUESTION is.... has anybody had Kepp levels come back that high??

Doc doesn't seem worried.

I don't feel toxic as I did when I was on 4000 of Kepp.

Thanks for letting me explain and partially vent.

--Travis

frickin · 09-17-2005, 05:56 AM

I've been on Keppra for @ least 3 years & have never had the level checked on it. Neuro. said they don't need to unlike most drugs that need to stay on a level. I too take 3000mg a day. Go figure.

buliem · 09-17-2005, 11:51 PM

My son is on Keppra and he's never had his levels checked either. Funny as they always check his depakote levels and it(depakote) wasn't controlling his seizures alone. He's only on 1000 mg of Keppra so maybe that's why. That and it's an add on med.

Travis from MN · 09-19-2005, 01:59 AM

They have always checked my Kepp; Odd that not all Dr's do.

I DID after about 90 minutes of deep digging find a few gold nuggets.

ONE: No current range update for keppra; but the posted notes on med sites varied! My old notes for acceptable were 20-45 for a patient at 3000mg/day. the accepted low end was 10 on my one blood work sheet.

TWO: The range is patient dependent. That was in multiple writings I found somewhere in that 90 minutes of miss miss miss miss and try to find data.

-
So my conclusion (NOT FROM A BOOK) after all the digging; Keppra is unlike the other meds that they tend to strictly adhear to the ranges of for therapy. They seem to be flexable as long as the patient isn't toxic based on blood levels. Keeping within the dose parameters of course.

In otherwords; you don't have to fall between the numbers always to be ok. Illistrating using my previous med (Dilantin) it's range is 10-20. With THAT med I needed to be in "the zone" (mid teens) or I'd either be toxic if I was in the low 20's; or lower (below 10) would allow seizures.

I *know* how I'd feel if my Keppra dose was excessive. I don't feel like that. They had me on 4000/day before (2000/BID) at that dose I had problems on Keppra.

I'm just one of those people that need information. I know where my levels come out at; I know the ranges of acceptable for my meds. Call me safe or call me obsessive. I like being informed for my own safety.

--Travis