How Long to Feel the Side Effects of Keppra?

Re: How Long to Feel the Side Effects of Keppra?

Submitted by littlelulu on Sat, 2008-12-13 - 20:03

I was taken off Topamax (3000mg) a day and put on Keppra due to kidney stones and I immediately noticed the side effects...from dizziness, nausea, weight loss and loss of appetite, headache, tiredness, hair loss, just feeling totally off balance, mood swings...it was awful. Then I had 2 breakthrough seizures and my Neuro added the generic Tegretol...I again had 2 more seizures and that's when he recommended that I check into the Epilepsy monitoring unit for 5 days. Oh, also with my morning pills I take 100 mg of folic acid and 100 mg of B6 and have noticed a huge difference in mood. With the generic tegretol I've noticed alot of side effects also...most of them the same as the Keppra but I've been on it for about 4 weeks now and I'm still having alot of them..so I'm curious as to when they are going to go away.

I'd like to come off both Keppra and the Tegretol and find a medication that doesnt cause me breakthrough seizures and something that has less side effects. Because of all of this I've been on STD at work since 10/11/08...I'm hoping for results from the Epilepsy Monitoring Unit. I check in this Tuesday for 5 days...cross your fingers for me.

thanks

LuLu

Re: How Long to Feel the Side Effects of Keppra?

Submitted by arctix83 on Sun, 2008-12-14 - 13:22

I really hope you don't get any side effects! If you do, maybe they'll be short, just know they may last a while, n> couple weeks, as they have for me.

Here's a little bit about the side effects I've had while on Keppra (1-2g/day for ~3 yrs). 

When I first started taking Keppra 3 yrs ago, I had no side effects going on it: 1500mg/day, 22 yrs old, healthy, athletic. Went off of Keppra and took lamictal for a year. Side effects from it weren't good so I went back to Keppra. I'm now 25, still healthy but at 2g Keppra/day, I felt horrible ~ 2 months. Muscle aches, like the feeling of lactic acid build up in my arms and legs, almost constant dizziness, slight mood depression and headaches. Went for 4 day hospital monitoring. Apparently I'm having epileptic and psychogenic seizures. Now I'm down to 1g Keppra per day. I feel less dizzy and I'm in a much much better mood, but my body is absolutely exhausted. I'm wondering if I'm exhausted from coming off the meds, or I'm still feeling side effects from the meds. 

Re: How Long to Feel the Side Effects of Keppra?

Submitted by George R on Tue, 2009-02-24 - 19:07

Well, it's about like asking the question, "How long do you think the Earth's going to be around?". That is, the side reactions and up's-and-down's of this costly pill pretty much depend on the taker's body, mind, lifestyle and chance itself. I began taking 3000mg of Keppra each day, almost from the day it was available, over 8 years ago. And what I noticed right away was that I could get "bitchy" (got to use the proper word here) and discontented without planning. On a line in a supermarket, while waiting for a subway at rush hour, finding the washing machines in my basement all in use. Sure, everyday run-ins, but the Keppra did (and still does) make me "crabby with a capital K now and then. If it weren't for all the reading I've done about this pill (via my pharmacy's print-out, research of my own, and articles on line) I'd be unnecessarily worried. However, Keppra does cut down my number and intensity of seizures, and I'm still taking it...and paying 'way more for it these days. And I'm down to 2250mg per day. Sure keeps me off spending extra on fattening food treats!