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Side Effects for Keppra & Can you drink alcohol??
Mon, 02/05/2007 - 02:58Topic: Medication Issues
Hi, I'm 27 and had two grand mal seizures in the past month. I don't remember anything and am pretty much out cold for 30 min afterwards, and disoriented for the remainder of the day. All my tests have come back negative and my doc has put me on 1500 mg of Keppra a day. It's only been a couple weeks, but I've noticed that I get fatigued much quicker, I've lost my appetite, and my short term memory is shot. Are these the same side effects everyone else has?? Has Keppra worked well for you?? Also, I've read all the medical forms on it and talked to the doc some, but does being on the meds mean that I need to cut out alcohol 100%? I don't really drink a lot, but would occasionally like to still have wine every now and then, but I'm not sure if I should be concerned with any possible interactions. I'd like to hear other's experiences.
Thanks.
Comments
Re: Side Effects for Keppra & Can you drink alcohol??
Submitted by michele89 on Thu, 2008-06-19 - 00:10
I have had epilepsy for 6 years now and am just starting Keppra. It is hard to answer your question because epilepsy is different for everyone. Personally I have horrible memory and get headaches frequently. For me it isnt the medicine as much as it is the seizure itself. A seizure is an extremely traumatic event that happens in your brain and as a result your brain suffers. The better control you have of the seizures, the better your memory can be. When it comes to drinking, it is also different with everyone. I used to be on Tegretal which explicit says you should not drink. I did anyway because I was a dumb teenager. Out of the 13 seizures I have had, none of them have been a result of drinking. Drinking doesnt help and you shouldnt do it, but the problems i had, I still would have had whether or not i drank. Unlike many other antiepileptic med Keppra is synthesized in the liver but as i said drinking will not help you. Drinking now and then is fine but i wouldnt recommend getting hammered regularly.
Re: Side Effects for Keppra & Can you drink alcohol??
Submitted by nicci22 on Mon, 2008-08-25 - 23:11
IF YOU GO TO KEPPRA.COM IT SPECIFICALLY SAYS... UNDER THE "BENEFITS OF KEPPRA" THAT IT "IS NOT BROKEN DOWN IN THE LIVER".
Re: Side Effects for Keppra & Can you drink alcohol??
Submitted by dottie01 on Thu, 2012-09-06 - 17:46
I spend about 7 years on Lamictal. It almost worked well, no problems with alcohol. I switched to KEPPRA about 18 months ago. The good news is absolutely siezure free since then. I'm also a really cheap drunk, now. 2 or 3 anythings and its nap time.
It also flipped a switch on my sex drive. From FULL ON to FULL OFF. This was immediate. Anybody else have this reaction?
I spend about 7 years on Lamictal. It almost worked well, no problems with alcohol. I switched to KEPPRA about 18 months ago. The good news is absolutely siezure free since then. I'm also a really cheap drunk, now. 2 or 3 anythings and its nap time.
It also flipped a switch on my sex drive. From FULL ON to FULL OFF. This was immediate. Anybody else have this reaction?