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keppra withdrawal
Sun, 04/30/2006 - 08:48Topic: Medication Issues
Hi
I am in the process of withdrawing keppra and nothing to introduce. I am just curious if there is anyone on this site who has already done been through it and what sort of side effects did they have during the process?
All advice welcomed and thanks in advance.
Teri
Comments
Re: Re: Re: Re: keppra withdrawal
Submitted by pinkangel_82 on Thu, 2006-06-08 - 05:37
Hi Stamp
Thanks for your email.
I am still reducing my keppra and I am down from 3000 mg to 750 mg so far. The withdrawal symptoms have been a nightmare for the last four months. I reduced 250 mg last night but I seem to feel alot better today. Someone in the posts asked if keppra gave headaches and I had very bad headaches every day with keppra and towards the end I was just wanting to sleep all the time so I knew something wasn't right. Keppra also gave me stabbing pains occasionally in my right eye, but got more frequent which now have completely stopped. Luckily, at that time I had my first ever visit with a Epilepsy Nurse and I explained the situation to her and she agreed to switch me off keppra. In six weeks time I should be off keppra completely so I can't wait as it's been such a long process, but had to be done correctly. The testing time for me will really be when I am off keppra completely and if the seizures start up again.
Keep in touch and take care
Teri
Re: Re: Re: Re: Re: keppra withdrawal
Submitted by pinkangel_82 on Thu, 2006-06-08 - 06:06
Hi Natalya
I haven't heard from you in ages. Just wondering how you are keeping and how things went when you visited your Neurologist? I have an appointment to see mine next week too for my yearly check-up.
I have never taken Depokate so I don't know what that AED is like. Topamax seems to be working well for me at the moment apart from its giving me more hairloss than usual (not big chunks, just more than normal) and weight loss, but I aren't complaining there. I don't know if the depression is from the withdrawal of keppra or the topamax yet.
Look forward to hearing from you.
Take Care
Teri
Re: Re: Re: keppra withdrawal
Submitted by Katrina on Wed, 2006-06-07 - 02:20
Dear Dee, I sincerely hope that your eyes are better. As I've reduced my Keppra, I haven't had eye trouble like that. If anything, I can see more clearly. It feels like I'm that kid who just got glasses and can see the chalkboard. But, I'm being eased off Keppra gradually, I think it'll be two months before it's out of my life. I've gone from 500mg a day, to 250mg. When I started Keppra three years ago, I became severely depressed and when we realized that the constant tears were due to it, I was taken off it immediately. Two days later, I had 17 seizures. We then, put me back on Keppra, a reduced amount, and then added Topomax, which also was a bust. That messed me up in much the same way Keppra did you: no sleep, appetite problems, tiredness, but I also got blurred vision. Eventually, Lamictal evened out the Keppra's depressive effect. So that's been some of my experience with Keppra. Do you think that your body may need a little Keppra to straighten itself out, I mean, ask your Dr., but perhaps 50mg morn & night, and from there, easing off it completely. I wish I had the answer. Let me know how you you're doing. K