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Anyone on Lamictal AND Keppra?
Thu, 11/20/2008 - 10:50Just come back from seeing my doctor (not 100% happy with how the appointment went, and was basically told despite my last EEG being 13 years ago, which they have lost the results to, it's gonna be hard to get me another one because of restrictions put on referals due to funding! I'm in the UK, incidentally), and I have been put on Keppra as well as my current med, Lamictal.
I'm on 150mg Lamictal in the morning, and 100mg at night. And we're starting off the dose of Keppra slowly, obviously.
So...my question is to anyone taking both - how do you find it? What about side effects? Lamictal, for me, contrarily, has increased my appetite, and I'm deathly scared of Keppra adding to this.
Any input would be fab. Thanks guys!
Comments
Re: Anyone on Lamictal AND Keppra?
Submitted by carden on Tue, 2012-06-12 - 15:35
I have been taking Lamictal and Keppra now for 5 years after 25 years on Dilantin. Later Lamictal was added but I was still having breakthroughs. Doctor said he suspected the Dilantin was no longer working so removed and added Keppra. I have been seizure free for that entire time. Longest itime in my entire life. I obviously swear by it. I take a higher dose than most, 3 times a day. What I am dealing with, currently, is a change of prescription companies with my health provider. They are refusing Lamictal and will only cover generic. Why would I do that? Why would my health care provider allow that? Would they rather I hurt myself or someone else and have to pay for hospital care or worse? I can't figure... One warning... Lamictal is INCREDIBLY expensive. If I were to pay out-of-pocket for mine it would be over $600 a month.
Again, sorry for going off, the combo has work well for me.
I have been taking Lamictal and Keppra now for 5 years after 25 years on Dilantin. Later Lamictal was added but I was still having breakthroughs. Doctor said he suspected the Dilantin was no longer working so removed and added Keppra. I have been seizure free for that entire time. Longest itime in my entire life. I obviously swear by it. I take a higher dose than most, 3 times a day. What I am dealing with, currently, is a change of prescription companies with my health provider. They are refusing Lamictal and will only cover generic. Why would I do that? Why would my health care provider allow that? Would they rather I hurt myself or someone else and have to pay for hospital care or worse? I can't figure... One warning... Lamictal is INCREDIBLY expensive. If I were to pay out-of-pocket for mine it would be over $600 a month.
Again, sorry for going off, the combo has work well for me.
Re: Anyone on Lamictal AND Keppra?
Submitted by semason on Thu, 2012-05-24 - 20:42
I'm 43, and have been on Lamictal and Keppra for a few years, along with Zonegran (Zonisamide), although it's really Epanutin (Phenytoin) that has prevented grand mal seizures in me for several years now (although strange Jacksonian motor seizures sometimes occur in bed nowadays starting from the left hand & moving up to the head). There are several simple partial seizures per week (for about 45 sec), triggered by stress, tiredness, or noisy environment (e.g. several conversations). Complex partial seizures occur a few times per year. As for the 4drugs, it's hard to know which causes what side effects. The Lamictal dose is 175mg morning & evening, & Epanutin is currently 1000mg morning & 1250mg evening. I suspect that the Keppra adds to my sensitivity, so that I can be provoked to lose my temper quite easily. All probably cause tiredness, & something makes it hard to concentrate (thought is distracted when reading), and memory has been affected for years (it's hard to remember names or words or what I've done in the week, and I often can't recognize people who remember me well and used to know me as a friend). It helps to think positively, though, and not worry. I have still managed to get certificates in recent years (e.g. ECDL, TESOL), & remember childhood, but hardly anything of the Medicine I had to quit studying 20 years ago & little of the subsequent Physiology degrees (those were before Lamictal & Keppra). Thankfully, disease hasn't prevented me from things like sometimes playing the piano / organ for church services or friends, but medication has prevented me from travelling to teach abroad long-term.
Best wishes
I'm 43, and have been on Lamictal and Keppra for a few years, along with Zonegran (Zonisamide), although it's really Epanutin (Phenytoin) that has prevented grand mal seizures in me for several years now (although strange Jacksonian motor seizures sometimes occur in bed nowadays starting from the left hand & moving up to the head). There are several simple partial seizures per week (for about 45 sec), triggered by stress, tiredness, or noisy environment (e.g. several conversations). Complex partial seizures occur a few times per year. As for the 4drugs, it's hard to know which causes what side effects. The Lamictal dose is 175mg morning & evening, & Epanutin is currently 1000mg morning & 1250mg evening. I suspect that the Keppra adds to my sensitivity, so that I can be provoked to lose my temper quite easily. All probably cause tiredness, & something makes it hard to concentrate (thought is distracted when reading), and memory has been affected for years (it's hard to remember names or words or what I've done in the week, and I often can't recognize people who remember me well and used to know me as a friend). It helps to think positively, though, and not worry. I have still managed to get certificates in recent years (e.g. ECDL, TESOL), & remember childhood, but hardly anything of the Medicine I had to quit studying 20 years ago & little of the subsequent Physiology degrees (those were before Lamictal & Keppra). Thankfully, disease hasn't prevented me from things like sometimes playing the piano / organ for church services or friends, but medication has prevented me from travelling to teach abroad long-term.
Best wishes