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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 Dragool on Mon, 2009-01-12 - 15:24
I'm 21 years old and have taken Keppra since June, Urbanyl since October and Zonegran since December. I am tired all the time. I drink coffee everyday and even nap most days. I feel like I'm missing out on my own life. I'm tired almost all the time. All of my friends are out partying while I have to take a nap and drink lots of coffee before heading out, and sometimes I can't even make it because seizures keep me home! I'm sick of being tired and my seizures are not fully controlled. I do know that Depakote made me a lot more drowsy and am thankful that I am not on that. That is my last resort I think.

Re: drowsinessworse with Keppra

Submitted by Geo_3 on Tue, 2011-03-15 - 09:38

hey

 i have only just found this website now 2 years later and not to sure if you will get this messgae, but im 21 too, ive have only just started using keppra and im tried all the time, every time i get home from work i have to sleep and dont wake up till like 3 in the afternoon!

can you tell me if it now works for you?, i went out drinking the other quite alot and didnt no that you cant drink on keppra as i have just started only been on them around 4weeks and i thought i had been spiked ovbilsloy it was a seizure, as mine a quite mild. but would realy like to get them under control as im going traveling in october.

would love it if you could give me some advice. thanks.

hey

 i have only just found this website now 2 years later and not to sure if you will get this messgae, but im 21 too, ive have only just started using keppra and im tried all the time, every time i get home from work i have to sleep and dont wake up till like 3 in the afternoon!

can you tell me if it now works for you?, i went out drinking the other quite alot and didnt no that you cant drink on keppra as i have just started only been on them around 4weeks and i thought i had been spiked ovbilsloy it was a seizure, as mine a quite mild. but would realy like to get them under control as im going traveling in october.

would love it if you could give me some advice. thanks.

Have you tried Vitamin B6 with your Keppra?

Submitted by juperee on Tue, 2009-01-13 - 19:52

Sounds like an old wives' tale, but give it a whirl. Take a Vitamin B6 supplement with your morning dose of Keppra and see if it takes the edge off the Keppra sideeffects. Worked wonders for me, and I was skeptical, so I don't think it's a placebo effect. :)  

There are so many people who swear by the Keppra + B6 thingy that there have even been scientific studies done on it, and they corroborate the effectiveness.

Also,  be patient. Your brain will take four or five weeks to adjust to medication changes, so don't judge Keppra too quickly, and also don't rush the dose increases. I went from 250mg to 1000mg 2x daily slowly over the course of 2 years.

Sounds like an old wives' tale, but give it a whirl. Take a Vitamin B6 supplement with your morning dose of Keppra and see if it takes the edge off the Keppra sideeffects. Worked wonders for me, and I was skeptical, so I don't think it's a placebo effect. :)  

There are so many people who swear by the Keppra + B6 thingy that there have even been scientific studies done on it, and they corroborate the effectiveness.

Also,  be patient. Your brain will take four or five weeks to adjust to medication changes, so don't judge Keppra too quickly, and also don't rush the dose increases. I went from 250mg to 1000mg 2x daily slowly over the course of 2 years.

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