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drowsinessworse with Keppra

Sun, 03/30/2008 - 23:51

Hi everyone- I am new to this forum and I hope somebody can give me some insight. I have been on dilantin for 26 years and now my new neurologist is having me switch to Keppra. I am still waiting for the results of my bone density scan. My biggest problem is the drowsiness and I haven't even started my full dose yet. I can barely make it through the day without caffeine in my system. I started drinking coffee the same year I started on dilantin because I couldn't stay awake in school. It didn't help that my first class of the day was physics!  Anyways, I have to drink twice as much coffee in order to function normally and I want to know if anyone has had side effects that persisted after going off there original medicine? Any advice in combating drowsiness while on AED? Thanks, nancy

Comments

Re: drowsinessworse with Keppra

Submitted by ralucasima on Thu, 2010-08-26 - 03:59
Hello! My uncle of Campina suffers general epilepsy from14 years, and I want all my heart to him and help him and others that I know everything I can do not to have seizures. Can you give me a tip what I can do, or if there is a cure for something.

Re: drowsinessworse with Keppra

Submitted by Matt74 on Sat, 2010-08-28 - 15:26
I think Caffeine just makes it worse. It might wake you up for a little bit, but then you crash later. You have to drink more and more because you build up a tolerance. Caffeine can also make seizures worse. The thing is that the meds make you feel bad, and although you can counteract this for a short while with caffeine, you are actually more tired when the effect is over. I just decided that I am going to feel bad sooner or later and I have to deal with it. If you stop drinking caffeine for a while you might find that you actually have more energy, because your energy level stays level rather than fluctuating up and down. When you drink a lot of caffeine you need it to feel good, but when your body is used to getting along without it, you feel better without it.

Re: drowsinessworse with Keppra

Submitted by dart on Sat, 2011-05-21 - 12:38

 All fellow Keppra club members,

Perscribed Keppra 1000 mg twice daily.  Got an almost immediate positive effect from medication.  Felt bettter right away.  General Mood improvement for first two weeks.  Effectiveness of  Keppra seems to have declined slightly (only compared to initial very high mood improvement for first week or two).  I have been on Keppra now for 1.5 months, I assume that I am likely at a nominal reaction level now that my body has adjusted to medication.  Initially had the dizziness that was indicated on the medication for about 2 weeks but that subsided as well.  Still some mild equillibrium issues but mostly I have what everyone else here has talked about - fatigue or tired symptoms, similar to .5 mg's of Xanax that I took.  My fatigue is manageable sometimes worse than other times but always seems to be a bit of sleepyness present.  Has controlled my seizures (diagnosed with Complex partial temporal lobe). 

Sometimes have feeling of elevated brain excitement that lasts 2-4 seconds (twice in last 2 months) but never develops into a seizure episode (manageable does not affect ability to function).  

Most notable result of Keppra was that my mood improved almost immediately and it has declined slightly but overall still better mood than before diagnosis.  Drowsy for certian though.

Keppra seemed to have a positive effect on my depressive mood problem.

Dart

 All fellow Keppra club members,

Perscribed Keppra 1000 mg twice daily.  Got an almost immediate positive effect from medication.  Felt bettter right away.  General Mood improvement for first two weeks.  Effectiveness of  Keppra seems to have declined slightly (only compared to initial very high mood improvement for first week or two).  I have been on Keppra now for 1.5 months, I assume that I am likely at a nominal reaction level now that my body has adjusted to medication.  Initially had the dizziness that was indicated on the medication for about 2 weeks but that subsided as well.  Still some mild equillibrium issues but mostly I have what everyone else here has talked about - fatigue or tired symptoms, similar to .5 mg's of Xanax that I took.  My fatigue is manageable sometimes worse than other times but always seems to be a bit of sleepyness present.  Has controlled my seizures (diagnosed with Complex partial temporal lobe). 

Sometimes have feeling of elevated brain excitement that lasts 2-4 seconds (twice in last 2 months) but never develops into a seizure episode (manageable does not affect ability to function).  

Most notable result of Keppra was that my mood improved almost immediately and it has declined slightly but overall still better mood than before diagnosis.  Drowsy for certian though.

Keppra seemed to have a positive effect on my depressive mood problem.

Dart

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