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drowsinessworse with Keppra
Sun, 03/30/2008 - 23:51Hi 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 ral on Thu, 2013-10-03 - 10:51
i'm the counterpoint. i prefer the siezures to the side effects of keppra when i was on it as well as many other drugs. hope you find what's right for you.
i'm the counterpoint. i prefer the siezures to the side effects of keppra when i was on it as well as many other drugs. hope you find what's right for you.
Re: drowsinessworse with Keppra
Submitted by CJ89 on Mon, 2012-09-17 - 04:56
I've been on Keppra for about 8 years now. I take 3500mg/day, but am also on 500mg/day of Lamotrigine, so the two together make me ridiculously drowsy & I'm still having fits. To make matters worse, I've had to start taking a small dose of Frisum am & pm, for the time being, so I can barely stay awake!
Quite common with taking Keppra or Lamotrigine is small hair loss, which is only really noticeable when washing or brushing your hair. It doesn't come out in clumps luckily - though all medication effects people in different ways.
Keppra for me I believe is the strongest drug out of the three that I'm on (with little side effects that are managable), but could be worse off for others.
I tried Topiromate for a while, but my speech started becomming slurry & it was difficult to process my thoughts into actions as quick as i usually would. The tingling around my mouth was wierd to say the least.
Keep on with the Keppra unless something drastic happens & certainly try an acitivity that keeps you concentrating, for example I'm an instructor at Sea Cadets, so my thoughts are always on the go!
CJ
I've been on Keppra for about 8 years now. I take 3500mg/day, but am also on 500mg/day of Lamotrigine, so the two together make me ridiculously drowsy & I'm still having fits. To make matters worse, I've had to start taking a small dose of Frisum am & pm, for the time being, so I can barely stay awake!
Quite common with taking Keppra or Lamotrigine is small hair loss, which is only really noticeable when washing or brushing your hair. It doesn't come out in clumps luckily - though all medication effects people in different ways.
Keppra for me I believe is the strongest drug out of the three that I'm on (with little side effects that are managable), but could be worse off for others.
I tried Topiromate for a while, but my speech started becomming slurry & it was difficult to process my thoughts into actions as quick as i usually would. The tingling around my mouth was wierd to say the least.
Keep on with the Keppra unless something drastic happens & certainly try an acitivity that keeps you concentrating, for example I'm an instructor at Sea Cadets, so my thoughts are always on the go!
CJ