Community Forum Archive

The Epilepsy Community Forums are closed, and the information is archived. The content in this section may not be current or apply to all situations. In addition, forum questions and responses include information and content that has been generated by epilepsy community members. This content is not moderated. The information on these pages should not be substituted for medical advice from a healthcare provider. Experiences with epilepsy can vary greatly on an individual basis. Please contact your doctor or medical team if you have any questions about your situation. For more information, learn about epilepsy or visit our resources section.

From Keppra to Klonopin..help!

Mon, 03/31/2008 - 11:41

I had been taking keppra for about 3 weeks at a relatively low dose, but i was suffering from depersonalization (rare side effect) i started having panic attacks and kept thinking i was about to have a seizure at all times.

so my doctor switched me to klonopin...and i hate it so far! i just need to know if these side effects pass.

i completely sedated, i can barely walk. my pupils are completely dilated and i am so incredibly dizzy it's unbarable. i feel as if i'm going insane. my hearing will completely blank out for a second, come back, then blank out again. this happens quite often at night, and i'm worried its some new type of seizure.

if theres anyone with any experience with this drug...please help! i feel like everytime i take the pill its like taking poison! i have been on it for four days now.

Comments

Re: From Keppra to Klonopin..help!

Submitted by cleo25 on Thu, 2008-04-10 - 14:31

Leslie,

I've used Klonopin for 10+years, but for other health reasons. I remember when I first started taking it, it knocked me out. I was dizzy, tuned out, my attention span was very short making driving difficult, and I stopped giving a darn about... well just about everything.

These side affects do not go away, you mostly just get use to them and compensate for the side affects.  The first thing I would suggest is to talk to your doctor about the dose and how often you should take the medication. It has a long life but I took smaller doses several times a day.

Klonopin causes short term memory problems so doing simple things like remembering a 10 digit phone number until you can write it down might be difficult. So you have to hit repeat on voice mail to get it all. When I had to take notes at a meeting I always used a recorder to compensate for the "missing" piece in my notes. 

You will also need to be very careful operating any kind of equipment or doing anything that requires good balance (be careful and work at paying close attention when using a lawn mower and stay off the roof of your house!) You can improve your balance by exercising. The stronger your core is the easier it is to balance, and practice makes perfect.

Best of luck

cleo

 

Leslie,

I've used Klonopin for 10+years, but for other health reasons. I remember when I first started taking it, it knocked me out. I was dizzy, tuned out, my attention span was very short making driving difficult, and I stopped giving a darn about... well just about everything.

These side affects do not go away, you mostly just get use to them and compensate for the side affects.  The first thing I would suggest is to talk to your doctor about the dose and how often you should take the medication. It has a long life but I took smaller doses several times a day.

Klonopin causes short term memory problems so doing simple things like remembering a 10 digit phone number until you can write it down might be difficult. So you have to hit repeat on voice mail to get it all. When I had to take notes at a meeting I always used a recorder to compensate for the "missing" piece in my notes. 

You will also need to be very careful operating any kind of equipment or doing anything that requires good balance (be careful and work at paying close attention when using a lawn mower and stay off the roof of your house!) You can improve your balance by exercising. The stronger your core is the easier it is to balance, and practice makes perfect.

Best of luck

cleo

 

Re: From Keppra to Klonopin..help!

Submitted by LeslieM90 on Thu, 2008-04-10 - 18:48

well great news (in a way) it turns out that i really just still have mono and that is why i feel so awful all of the time! so i am just taking off school.

 

i have also switch to a very low dose of trileptal now and that is the only medication for seizures that i take.

 

thanks everyone!! the klonopin was a great night time relaxer but too much for the day!

well great news (in a way) it turns out that i really just still have mono and that is why i feel so awful all of the time! so i am just taking off school.

 

i have also switch to a very low dose of trileptal now and that is the only medication for seizures that i take.

 

thanks everyone!! the klonopin was a great night time relaxer but too much for the day!

Re: From Keppra to Klonopin..help!

Submitted by whitetigrus on Fri, 2008-04-11 - 16:59

Happy to hear that leslie!  I'm glad that you only have mono type seizures, wish I did! 

Best of luck to you for your future and if you decide to go to college good luck with your studies!

Common sense is not so common!

Happy to hear that leslie!  I'm glad that you only have mono type seizures, wish I did! 

Best of luck to you for your future and if you decide to go to college good luck with your studies!

Common sense is not so common!

Sign Up for Emails

Stay up to date with the latest epilepsy news, stories from the community, and more.