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High Keppra Dose
Wed, 06/28/2006 - 19:21Topic: Medication Issues
I saw my neuro monday and she really thinks that my dosage of Keppra should be increased from 3000mg to 4000mg. I noticed that this is a Very high dose and just wanted to see if anyone is on this high of a dosage and if so any differences in taking a dose SOOO high? My neuro said that ppl take as much as 5000 mg but everything i've seen thus far says that 3000 mg is the max out, so if anyone can help me out i'd be soo glad?!?!
~Cass
Comments
Re: Re: High Keppra Dose
Submitted by tuesdays_jupiter on Sun, 2006-07-09 - 21:25
Andy thanx for the response and the question, education major-LOVE QUESTIONS! The answer is that I take only Keppra as monotherapy (i suspect that maybe my neuro is submitting my case as study in the FDA approval of K as a solo AED). I had sz for a year or more before being diagnosed and treated. So all in all I've been on Keppra for almost two years (DEC 2004). But since being medicated my sz are different and less frequent, but progressivly worse. I started out on 1000 mg and was on that until around April 2005, then was increased to 2000 mg. November 2006 I was placed on an incresed 3000mg, which i've been on since. The longest I've gone without a sz since 2004 is 4 months, which is drastically better than the up to 5 a day i was having before. But I seem to be building such a volatile tolerance (as you said) to Keppra and my neuro is asking questions like 'have I been blacking out' and 'have I been falling down with the sz'. I have SPE with a weird focal point-on the cusp of several brain areas. I really like Keppra, but if I would benefit from an increased dosage OK but if I should react better to a cocktail w/ say lamictal or something....I really am concerned that maybe my research or understanding is off kilter----sorry hope i did not lose ya in all that!?!? I've been at 2000 like you and am kinda immune to it now, but 4000 mg sounds just outraegeuos, b/c even the drug company (whom my medication is through) won't fill my script for the 4000 only 3000, so i would (or will) have to pay the $168 out of pocket for the other 1000 mgs. I just want to know what this high dosage entails, like side effects and other potentials dangers?
Sunshine and Daisies,
~Cass
"There is no exquisite beauty without some strangeness in the proportion" -Edgar Allen Poe
Re: Re: Re: High Keppra Dose
Submitted by fzMousie on Mon, 2006-07-10 - 06:10
I found your post interesting.
I am also on Keppra as a monotherapy, and I don't know if my case is being followed by anyone other than my neurologist. He seems to think very highly of Keppra.
I am currently on 1000mg and it is making me VERY tired. I have also been a little grouchier than normal, but there could be any number of factors influencing that.
I'm being upped to 1500mg at the end of the month, and I am a little nervous about that. Like you, my seizures have gotten different and I have had more anxiety attacks since I started on the higher dose. I am extremely jumpy and nervous. I am following my daily reactions very closely.
Re: High Keppra Dose
Submitted by andy m on Sat, 2006-07-08 - 14:58
Hi there Cass, First thing is do you take any other meds besides keppra? I take 2000mg Keppra, 2000mg Epilim and 20mg Clobazam a day so if you add them up its a heck of a lot but then again I have never felt better. Another thing to remember is tolerance varies wildly from person to person so 1000mg could do for one person what the 3000mg is already doing for you. Having said all of that when I initially started taking my dosage i was told i was on the max UK daily dosage of keppra, then again it was still very sparingly used in the UK at the time so as time has gone on the max dose has risen as the drug companies, specialists etc. have had time to see its effect better. Andy