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drowsinessworse with Keppra
Sun, 03/30/2008 - 23:51Hi everyone- I am new to this forum and I hope somebody can give me some insight. I have been on dilantin for 26 years and now my new neurologist is having me switch to Keppra. I am still waiting for the results of my bone density scan. My biggest problem is the drowsiness and I haven't even started my full dose yet. I can barely make it through the day without caffeine in my system. I started drinking coffee the same year I started on dilantin because I couldn't stay awake in school. It didn't help that my first class of the day was physics! Anyways, I have to drink twice as much coffee in order to function normally and I want to know if anyone has had side effects that persisted after going off there original medicine? Any advice in combating drowsiness while on AED? Thanks, nancy
Comments
Re: drowsinessworse with Keppra
Submitted by catsamu on Thu, 2008-04-03 - 11:33
Keppra is the only med I take for seizures; 1000mg twice a day.
My neuro told me that Keppra would make me sleepy, but it's strange--Keppra actually keeps me from falling asleep, and having that "can barely move" feeling. Maybe it's because my particular kind of seizures *are* like falling asleep, and Keppra counteracts that. I never have that debilitating grogginess and head-snapping "micosleep" type things that I had for so many years without knowing what it was.
Deb
Keppra is the only med I take for seizures; 1000mg twice a day.
My neuro told me that Keppra would make me sleepy, but it's strange--Keppra actually keeps me from falling asleep, and having that "can barely move" feeling. Maybe it's because my particular kind of seizures *are* like falling asleep, and Keppra counteracts that. I never have that debilitating grogginess and head-snapping "micosleep" type things that I had for so many years without knowing what it was.
Deb
Re: drowsinessworse with Keppra
Submitted by Geosmallz6 on Wed, 2008-04-02 - 20:27
Hello Nancy,
Sorry to hear about your side-effects with Keppra. My neuro wanted me to try Keppra...after about 4 weeks, we decided that it was not the med 4 me. I could barley move I was so tired...literally. At first, I just thought it was the side-effects of beginning a new drug, but they didn't get better; they became more intense as the doses increased.
Have you talked to your neuro about your side-effects? Have you talked to your doc about other possible meds?
Is this only med you are taking for your E? My doc added the Keppra to the Tegretol-XR that I was (and still am) taking as adjunvtive therapy...Keppra is an "add-on" med used with other AED's. http://www.keppra.com/pc/home/default.asp
I hope it all works out for you and you are feeling back to normal soon.
Geosmallz
Hello Nancy,
Sorry to hear about your side-effects with Keppra. My neuro wanted me to try Keppra...after about 4 weeks, we decided that it was not the med 4 me. I could barley move I was so tired...literally. At first, I just thought it was the side-effects of beginning a new drug, but they didn't get better; they became more intense as the doses increased.
Have you talked to your neuro about your side-effects? Have you talked to your doc about other possible meds?
Is this only med you are taking for your E? My doc added the Keppra to the Tegretol-XR that I was (and still am) taking as adjunvtive therapy...Keppra is an "add-on" med used with other AED's. http://www.keppra.com/pc/home/default.asp
I hope it all works out for you and you are feeling back to normal soon.
Geosmallz