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Keppra,side effects and behavior issues
Mon, 12/17/2007 - 20:43My daughter is 8 yo and was diagnosised with Benign Rolandic Epilepsy this summer. The neuro put her on Keppra 100mg and I was told of the side effects of sleeplessness,agitation,agression etc. Since we started this medication the things my daughter use to enjoy and look forward to she will almost have like a panic attack when it comes to the event. She has spent at least 1-2 days a week in the principal's office and even calls from girl scout meetings that she can't be controlled and won't listen anymore. She is not the same child since using this medication. I am at my wit's end on what to do. Is anyone else having issues like this since starting medication, esp Keppra? Did you say anything to the neuro regarding this and what did they say? Any comments,etc is GREATLY appreciated!
Lori
Comments
Re: Keppra,side effects and behavior issues
Submitted by mpmedia on Sun, 2013-05-05 - 17:26
Re: Keppra,side effects and behavior issues
Submitted by patienceandperseverance on Wed, 2013-05-08 - 15:46
I have partial seizures and have been on Keppra for 3 years now. It was a tough transition for me. Tegretol worked well for over 20 years until it gradually quit working. Finding a new anticonvuslant was tough. Lots of trial and error that I'm sure you can all relate to. After going through Keppra (gave me insomnia), Topomax (made me euphoric), Lamictal (gave me myoclonus and made me severely depressed), Zonagran (made me severely depressed), Trileptal (didn't help), I tried Keppra again. We mixed it with clonazepam (which was horrible to get off of a year later) and Neurontin so I could sleep. I eventually ended up on a pretty low dose of Keppra XR (1000 mg) that I take early in the morning, a high quality vitamin B complex, and 300 mg Neurontin in the morning, 100 mg Neurontin in the afternoon, and 100 mg Neurontin at night. 1500 mg Keppra (which I had been on) made me so agitated they gave me an EKG to make sure I wasn't having a heart attack. I am naturally an anxious person, and the Keppra pushed me over the edge. I was incredibly anxious and wanted to crawl out of my skin. That made me respond with anger. I'm 135 lb, and the doctor figured I could try 1000 mg Keppra. It works like a charm, but I have to have the B complex and Neurontin. The neurontin makes me a little stupid, but it eliminates the panic that the Keppra causes. Having had seizures since 1984, I can tell you, without a doubt, that brand name vs. generic DOES matter. I have a great pharmacy. They made sure that my generic always came from the same lab. It didn't matter. One month it would work, two months later it wouldn't. We'd switch to another manufacturer, and go through the same thing. I'm not saying that brand name is perfect, but it is (in my experience) more consistent than generic. Clearly my dose is close to the minimum that will work for me, so when the medication is at all light on the active ingredient, I can feel it. Hang in there. Try the B complex. Perhaps an add on of something calming like Neurontin might work. I have found that as long as the Keppra is controlling the seizures, it's probably worth trying to find something that will make it tolerable. An effective anticonvulsant can be hard to find.
I'll pray for you!
I have partial seizures and have been on Keppra for 3 years now. It was a tough transition for me. Tegretol worked well for over 20 years until it gradually quit working. Finding a new anticonvuslant was tough. Lots of trial and error that I'm sure you can all relate to. After going through Keppra (gave me insomnia), Topomax (made me euphoric), Lamictal (gave me myoclonus and made me severely depressed), Zonagran (made me severely depressed), Trileptal (didn't help), I tried Keppra again. We mixed it with clonazepam (which was horrible to get off of a year later) and Neurontin so I could sleep. I eventually ended up on a pretty low dose of Keppra XR (1000 mg) that I take early in the morning, a high quality vitamin B complex, and 300 mg Neurontin in the morning, 100 mg Neurontin in the afternoon, and 100 mg Neurontin at night. 1500 mg Keppra (which I had been on) made me so agitated they gave me an EKG to make sure I wasn't having a heart attack. I am naturally an anxious person, and the Keppra pushed me over the edge. I was incredibly anxious and wanted to crawl out of my skin. That made me respond with anger. I'm 135 lb, and the doctor figured I could try 1000 mg Keppra. It works like a charm, but I have to have the B complex and Neurontin. The neurontin makes me a little stupid, but it eliminates the panic that the Keppra causes. Having had seizures since 1984, I can tell you, without a doubt, that brand name vs. generic DOES matter. I have a great pharmacy. They made sure that my generic always came from the same lab. It didn't matter. One month it would work, two months later it wouldn't. We'd switch to another manufacturer, and go through the same thing. I'm not saying that brand name is perfect, but it is (in my experience) more consistent than generic. Clearly my dose is close to the minimum that will work for me, so when the medication is at all light on the active ingredient, I can feel it. Hang in there. Try the B complex. Perhaps an add on of something calming like Neurontin might work. I have found that as long as the Keppra is controlling the seizures, it's probably worth trying to find something that will make it tolerable. An effective anticonvulsant can be hard to find.
I'll pray for you!
Re: Keppra,side effects and behavior issues
Submitted by wyboemail on Mon, 2008-07-28 - 16:37
Lori,
My 10 year old son has been on Keppra for a year and a half now. He takes 250 mg in the am and 500 in the pm to control his seizures from BRE. We also give him Vitamin B Complex to help with the side effects and it seems to help a lot. We give him one pill in the am with breakfast. We have started giving him coromega fish oil as well for his brain function. The keppra caused some stomach problems so we give him aloe vera juice for that. Magnesium in the pm for relaxation and better sleep. My son also has panic like attacks. Today he is with my wife at her place of work which he always enjoys and he is having these bouts of panic. Thinks he has to vomit or have BM. Sweaty, and agitated. Stomach ache and just uncomfortable. This happened quite a bit at the movies theatres as well and in noisy restaurants and my daughters basketball games a couple times. I feel so sorry for him. Please email with anymore info you may have. wyboemail@yahoo.com
Curt
Lori,
My 10 year old son has been on Keppra for a year and a half now. He takes 250 mg in the am and 500 in the pm to control his seizures from BRE. We also give him Vitamin B Complex to help with the side effects and it seems to help a lot. We give him one pill in the am with breakfast. We have started giving him coromega fish oil as well for his brain function. The keppra caused some stomach problems so we give him aloe vera juice for that. Magnesium in the pm for relaxation and better sleep. My son also has panic like attacks. Today he is with my wife at her place of work which he always enjoys and he is having these bouts of panic. Thinks he has to vomit or have BM. Sweaty, and agitated. Stomach ache and just uncomfortable. This happened quite a bit at the movies theatres as well and in noisy restaurants and my daughters basketball games a couple times. I feel so sorry for him. Please email with anymore info you may have. wyboemail@yahoo.com
Curt