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Keppra is bad
Mon, 08/03/2009 - 00:19I've been prescribed 1000mg Keppra to be taken twice daily.
Here are my side effects:
crippling morbid depression, uncontrollable anger and irritability - i have never in my life felt so depressed that i've wanted to kill myself until taking this medication. i've always been pretty upbeat, if a little irritable due to some minor everyday life stress like paying the bills. Now, i need to focus all of my daily attention just to suppress the suicidal thoughts and anger, like i'm a ticking time bomb waiting to explode. My neurologist says it should level off after 4 or5 weeks and then i'll feel "normal". Yeah, as if feeling like i want to die constantly is "normal".
loss of appetite and nausea - i have to force myself to eat because i don't get the urge anymore. if i don't eat, i get headaches from low blood sugar. Before taking the medication, i was a serious foodie, to the point of seriously considering being a chinese restaurant critic. Now, i can't even look at a pb&j sandwich without feeling sick to my stomach. My neurologist says i'm 75 pounds overweight anyway so its good for me to lose some weight. Feh. I'd rather have seizures than lose my love of food.
extreme sleepiness - i'm napping 5-6 hours in the afternoon, as well as sleeping my normal 7-8 hours at night. Tell me how 14 hours of sleep a day can possibly be good for you? My neurologist says not to talk to him about it until i have a sleep study done for sleep apnea. Bogus. I've never needed more than 6-7 hours sleep a night ever in my life until taking this blasted medication.
Those are the 3 major ones. I found that taking a multivitamin with b-supplements helped for about 2 days, then kind of just stopped working.
Anyone else wanna post their Keppra side effects? Maybe after a while, someone will listen.
Comments
Re: Keppra is bad
Submitted by apavardchg on Tue, 2009-08-04 - 08:24
Keppra is my first and only AED medication. I do not know the side effects of other drugs. In fact, it took me a while to get use to. I start with low dose and they increase it overtime. I need to sleep a lot - 8h per night and 2h nap. Now I can manage without nap or a short one. Before, my diagnosis, 2 years ago, I was already a good sleeper. So if my body need a little more, why not.
Now I am on 1000mg twice a day. My appetite decreased a little but I am back on track. For your diet, maybe you can try different types of food. Sometimes it is a specific type that your body is rejecting. For instance, I am living in India (for a year). I cannot stand Indian food anymore. I have to find non spicy food. In brief, you could switch your diet to find your love for food. Your body is telling you something, try to listen to it.
I am from time to time depress but I cannot say it is a direct cause to the medication. I always been like that. It is my personality.
One thing that I just started is Yoga. It seems to focus and quiet my mind. I like it a lot. And it gives me a push. So you should try to find an activity that you like and see if it helps.
Not everyone is reacting the same way. Give a try and maybe ask for a second opinion.
Keppra is my first and only AED medication. I do not know the side effects of other drugs. In fact, it took me a while to get use to. I start with low dose and they increase it overtime. I need to sleep a lot - 8h per night and 2h nap. Now I can manage without nap or a short one. Before, my diagnosis, 2 years ago, I was already a good sleeper. So if my body need a little more, why not.
Now I am on 1000mg twice a day. My appetite decreased a little but I am back on track. For your diet, maybe you can try different types of food. Sometimes it is a specific type that your body is rejecting. For instance, I am living in India (for a year). I cannot stand Indian food anymore. I have to find non spicy food. In brief, you could switch your diet to find your love for food. Your body is telling you something, try to listen to it.
I am from time to time depress but I cannot say it is a direct cause to the medication. I always been like that. It is my personality.
One thing that I just started is Yoga. It seems to focus and quiet my mind. I like it a lot. And it gives me a push. So you should try to find an activity that you like and see if it helps.
Not everyone is reacting the same way. Give a try and maybe ask for a second opinion.
Re: Keppra is bad
Submitted by gabi.goo on Tue, 2009-08-04 - 23:31
sounds the same to me as zonegran. i felt the same i couldn't look a food without feeling sick, i lost over 50 pounds. i slept all day, i went to school just so i could go, but then i'd fall asleep when i hit the desk. i felt depressed, i wanted to commit suicide. its was crazy, but i dealt wth it bc that was the only mediacation at the time that was controlling my seizures.
anyhow, i know that i went on this rant about a different med, i just heard so many good things and bad things about it. i just hope everything works out with you and this medication.
i think you should really go talk to your doctor about whats happening.
i wish you luck with you being sz free.
sounds the same to me as zonegran. i felt the same i couldn't look a food without feeling sick, i lost over 50 pounds. i slept all day, i went to school just so i could go, but then i'd fall asleep when i hit the desk. i felt depressed, i wanted to commit suicide. its was crazy, but i dealt wth it bc that was the only mediacation at the time that was controlling my seizures.
anyhow, i know that i went on this rant about a different med, i just heard so many good things and bad things about it. i just hope everything works out with you and this medication.
i think you should really go talk to your doctor about whats happening.
i wish you luck with you being sz free.
Re: Keppra is bad
Submitted by AmyG on Mon, 2009-08-03 - 21:40
I was on it last year- right after having my first seizure at 30 yrs old. I know it is used because it is in your system in 24 hrs-- but I had to get off it-- I went insane- it is called the rage drug.... I felt my blood liter4ally boiling over things such as my BF having the remote. I told me neuro to take me off- and I started on Lamictal- but have had 3 seizures since then :-(
It is frustrating!
I was on it last year- right after having my first seizure at 30 yrs old. I know it is used because it is in your system in 24 hrs-- but I had to get off it-- I went insane- it is called the rage drug.... I felt my blood liter4ally boiling over things such as my BF having the remote. I told me neuro to take me off- and I started on Lamictal- but have had 3 seizures since then :-(
It is frustrating!