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Lamictal and Keppra

Wed, 12/22/2010 - 19:26
I am currently on Keppra and have been on it for almost a year. I am having side effects that are affecting my daily life. I am very depressed and get dizzy spells and lately I have been have heart palpitations. My doctor is switching me to Lamictal and I am supposed to start it tomorrow. I have to continue to take Keppra for another two weeks with my Lamictal and then stop taking the Keppra. I am really nervous about taking both these meds at the same time. Any advice?

Comments

Re: Lamictal and Keppra

Submitted by pollyvt on Thu, 2011-10-06 - 16:43
Good luck on the Lamictal. I've been on it for 12 years and it's been a good drug with respect to physical side-effects. I experienced sleep issues and anxiety and personality changes, but no other discomfort. My doctor was able to lower the dose which helped manage the emotional side effects.

Re: Lamictal and Keppra

Submitted by MyssRaven on Thu, 2012-04-12 - 01:04

I don't know if my comments are adding anything different, but maybe can be used as conformation. Keppra was my first medication. It was not good for me. It made me extremely tired, depressed, and my friends told me it effected my memory and over all person in a negative way.

 I've been on Lamictal for a while. I'm not sure if it is helping my seizures because I'm still having them. I'm also on Topamax. I think my seizures are being cause by my being tired and stress but as of now I'm officially undiagnosed. Regarding medication, I like Lamicatal. It is a stimulant. I take 2 doses. One in the morning and I try to take the second in the early afternoon. I know it is going to keep me awake. I'm not jittery, like I drank too much coffee--I'm just Awake. If I've taken it too late, sometimes I'll clean my house, watch a movie, or talk to a friend, but it doesn't stress me out. If I stay up too late I'm still tired the next day, so it's logical for me to take it on time. I'm trying to get  more sleep so I want to be consistent with my medication but sometimes my work schedule doesn't allow me. I do worry that I will be taken off Lamictal, not because I'm addicted to the stimulant nature, but because I remember how badly Keppra made me feel and I don't want to experience that again.

I don't know if my comments are adding anything different, but maybe can be used as conformation. Keppra was my first medication. It was not good for me. It made me extremely tired, depressed, and my friends told me it effected my memory and over all person in a negative way.

 I've been on Lamictal for a while. I'm not sure if it is helping my seizures because I'm still having them. I'm also on Topamax. I think my seizures are being cause by my being tired and stress but as of now I'm officially undiagnosed. Regarding medication, I like Lamicatal. It is a stimulant. I take 2 doses. One in the morning and I try to take the second in the early afternoon. I know it is going to keep me awake. I'm not jittery, like I drank too much coffee--I'm just Awake. If I've taken it too late, sometimes I'll clean my house, watch a movie, or talk to a friend, but it doesn't stress me out. If I stay up too late I'm still tired the next day, so it's logical for me to take it on time. I'm trying to get  more sleep so I want to be consistent with my medication but sometimes my work schedule doesn't allow me. I do worry that I will be taken off Lamictal, not because I'm addicted to the stimulant nature, but because I remember how badly Keppra made me feel and I don't want to experience that again.

Re: Lamictal and Keppra

Submitted by StrangeMagic on Thu, 2012-04-12 - 21:52

Thank God you're coming off the Keppra.  It was the worse!  I switched to Keppra because Topamax really dumbed me down.  I still don't feel as if I've recovered from what I refer to as "my topamax years".

I was incredibly depressed on Keppra.  Depressed to the point where I wanted to kill myself.  I told my doctor who said it was a side effect and he weened me off the Keppra gradually while slowly putting me on Lamictal.  He cannot take you off the Keppra completely or you could seize.  That's why he weens you off one while increasing your dose on another.

I've been on Lamictal for over 4 years and it's the best medication I've been on.  Problem is I suffer hair loss from it but, fortunately, I have a lot of hair so it's not too bad.

Thank God you're coming off the Keppra.  It was the worse!  I switched to Keppra because Topamax really dumbed me down.  I still don't feel as if I've recovered from what I refer to as "my topamax years".

I was incredibly depressed on Keppra.  Depressed to the point where I wanted to kill myself.  I told my doctor who said it was a side effect and he weened me off the Keppra gradually while slowly putting me on Lamictal.  He cannot take you off the Keppra completely or you could seize.  That's why he weens you off one while increasing your dose on another.

I've been on Lamictal for over 4 years and it's the best medication I've been on.  Problem is I suffer hair loss from it but, fortunately, I have a lot of hair so it's not too bad.

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