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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 kspj774 on Wed, 2008-10-08 - 18:09
I just got back from my neurologist today..I was diagnosed 3 years ago with hydrocephalus, given a shunt  2 years ago, started having noticable seizures not long after..well we "started" noticing more i should say...though they were focal-type.  I might add, I'm 34 years old now, so the docs are finding this odd.  The seizures are now moving into a partial-complex seizure and some are a little convulsive.  Before all this hydrocephalus and seizure stuff i was an EMT, so I got to see all kinds of seizing!!!  Anyhow, I've been through the round-abouts on meds in these last 3 years, they have tried just about everything, my family has history of bi-polar, my sister is very schizophrenic, so there are some I ask them to refrain from.  The latest round and mix, that seems to be helping. Is 400 mg of Topamax AM/PM split  3000 Keppra AM/PM split  ( I know holy crappola huh)  and it wasn't kicking them I was still having 4 to 6 a week, so today andit made me shudder, they added that Klonopin to the mix .5 mg which is twice a day!  Talk about knockin a girl on her ass...I also take Propranolol, which works well for those of you who have chronic jitters and can't hold a glass or pen/pencil.  Very little side effects.  And I'm supposed to take Ambien too!!!  I get bad headaches from the hydro at times, on those moments, its a demerol and my room is turned into a cave, but I'm getting the feeling, I'm going to be a bear and in hibernation soon.  The Keppra and Top didn't have a mood issue as far as anger, but it made my TOLERANCE very low. I had to learn to walk away or hang up the phone and say, I'm going to my Kelly space, you are best to stay away.  Meditation, though it sounds silly, its key, not OM OM OM...just cllose your eyes, find your Peter fricken Pan happy place...think of it, imagine as many things about it as in as much exact detail...to the sand and the feel between your toes, counting the waves as they hit...block out the world...I do this for my daughter she is border bi-polar and I have her imagine writing in a journal, actually picking up a pencil and writing in her mind...it works...anyhowI have myspace if you all go there you can visit and see my pictures, I got some recent beach scenes of my vacation myspace/kelly774 if you need scenery advantage...go seizure folks whoot whoot we all need shoulders...and pillows!!!

Re: From Keppra to Klonopin..help!

Submitted by flspunk70 on Sun, 2009-03-01 - 04:27

I just wanted let you know you are not going insane. The panic attacks I had got worse day-by-day my sister called the dr and had me pulled of Keppra after aweek.The .5 Klonopin , dizzy, sedated, not thinking straight. very forgetfull, All the norm  for most of this junk....on top of the Klonopin, 200mg am/pm Topamax,     nabumetone 750mg am/pm,         warfarin 10mg/ pm,  Zonegran 300am/pm,neurontin300mgam/pm and the list goes on and on   talk to your Dr about ajusting your morning pill or pills. 1/2  am  1/2 noon 1 at bed. you may not so out of it. goood luck!!!!!!!!!! we all need it!!!!

I just wanted let you know you are not going insane. The panic attacks I had got worse day-by-day my sister called the dr and had me pulled of Keppra after aweek.The .5 Klonopin , dizzy, sedated, not thinking straight. very forgetfull, All the norm  for most of this junk....on top of the Klonopin, 200mg am/pm Topamax,     nabumetone 750mg am/pm,         warfarin 10mg/ pm,  Zonegran 300am/pm,neurontin300mgam/pm and the list goes on and on   talk to your Dr about ajusting your morning pill or pills. 1/2  am  1/2 noon 1 at bed. you may not so out of it. goood luck!!!!!!!!!! we all need it!!!!

Re: From Keppra to Klonopin..help!

Submitted by Furtive on Sun, 2009-03-01 - 15:03
I was on Klonopin for a few months back in 1995 for non-E problems. Worst stuff I've ever been on, it turned me into a zombie. I took myself off it and never saw that psychiatrist again. Good luck, and talk with your doc about the side effects.

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