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Keppra and depression
Wed, 06/10/2009 - 15:08This topic may already be addressed on this site. If it is, I apologize. I'm new to epilepsy.com, and have a quick question regarding keppra and antidepressants.
I'm a 23 year old female and have been medicated for epilepsy for about 5 years. I've been taking keppra for about 2 1/2 years and it has worked wonders for me. I suffered from nocturnal grand mal seizures and have only had 2 since I began taking keppra. Since taking keppra I have felt emotionally stunted. Life is bland, and I have no motivation to do or accomplish much of anything. The longer I'm on the drug, the more I realize that I'm truly missing out on being my "old" self. I don't want to stop taking keppra because it really has controlled my seizures. I talked to my neuro about the depression and she offered to refer me to someone for depression/medication/etc. I'm wondering if anyone who takes keppra is also on an antidepressant? Which one? Has it helped? Etc. Thanks so much.
-jenny
Comments
Re: Keppra and depression
Submitted by ejackson on Sun, 2009-06-14 - 02:06
Re: Keppra and depression
Submitted by ejackson on Sun, 2009-06-14 - 02:12
I started on Keppra xr in late april 2009 - since that day, i have had difficulty rising out of bed and I have not returned to the gym. By coincidence I was referred to a new family doctor who has a holistic perspective on western and eastern medicine. He had me take a baseline of bloodwork - he was very thorough. The end result was that I had been on Keppra for about 5 weeks and he discovered I had a low level or vitamin d deficiency.
When I started on keppra, I was taking a powerful folic acid b6 b12 combo and aloe vera and flaxseed oil. I also take a basic multi vitamin - apparently, living in southern california and all of the above does not offer enough in my diet. Recently, I started on a vitamin d3 supplement to see how that goes. Energy seems to be a bit better but I am waiting another month to draw for vitamin d again. (this was my doctor's recommendation.) I return to my nuero in a few weeks and I will share with him. Not sure that will matter - I do miss feeling myself.
Has anyone else tested for vitamin d on keppra?
Hikerchic
I started on Keppra xr in late april 2009 - since that day, i have had difficulty rising out of bed and I have not returned to the gym. By coincidence I was referred to a new family doctor who has a holistic perspective on western and eastern medicine. He had me take a baseline of bloodwork - he was very thorough. The end result was that I had been on Keppra for about 5 weeks and he discovered I had a low level or vitamin d deficiency.
When I started on keppra, I was taking a powerful folic acid b6 b12 combo and aloe vera and flaxseed oil. I also take a basic multi vitamin - apparently, living in southern california and all of the above does not offer enough in my diet. Recently, I started on a vitamin d3 supplement to see how that goes. Energy seems to be a bit better but I am waiting another month to draw for vitamin d again. (this was my doctor's recommendation.) I return to my nuero in a few weeks and I will share with him. Not sure that will matter - I do miss feeling myself.
Has anyone else tested for vitamin d on keppra?
Hikerchic
Re: Keppra and depression
Submitted by shoefer on Sun, 2009-06-14 - 00:18
Hi-
I was taking Cabatrol and Lamictal with no results for my partial complex siezures. A new Dr. tapered me off Lamictal and replaced it with Keppra. It was OK at first but things got BAD in a hurry. It caused a lot of fatigue and apathy then caused horrible anxiety. I switched back to Lamictal. I will never, ever, try Keppra again.
Steve
Hi-
I was taking Cabatrol and Lamictal with no results for my partial complex siezures. A new Dr. tapered me off Lamictal and replaced it with Keppra. It was OK at first but things got BAD in a hurry. It caused a lot of fatigue and apathy then caused horrible anxiety. I switched back to Lamictal. I will never, ever, try Keppra again.
Steve