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Problem with Keppra
Sun, 10/21/2007 - 22:43Topic: Medication Issues
Hi All, I started Keppra a week ago. After first dose I was confused and unsteady while standing or walking. I also cry often which is so unlike me. I have never been a sad or unhappy person but now I cry at the drop of a hat! I don't trust myself to make decisions while taking Keppra. Talked to the neuro on Friday as I am trying to return to work. I told him how this med was affecting me. He stated, as before, "Keppra has no side effects, stop thinking about it so much". In my work I have close contact with geriatric residents and sound judgement is a must. My question to you is how long did it take you to tolerate this med (if ever?)Did you find any tricks to help you along such as with food?Anything that may help.I want to return to work on a part-time basis.I am a nurse in a small nursing home/rehab center and quick thinking while on the run is required.At this time I find that I no longer have the qualities that allowed me to be good at what I love to do.I have little or no experiance with AED,any advice?
Comments
All the side effects you
Submitted by catsamu on Mon, 2007-10-22 - 10:51
All the side effects you mention can be from Keppra. Google the information and they'll all be listed. A lot of side effects can disappear within a week or two of starting the med. My doctor put me on Keppra because he said it has the fewest/mildest history of side effects among the AEDs.
I take 2000 mg. of Keppra a day, and I don't have any side effects. I did have one day when I started a dose increase that I had a ridiculous over the top emotional meltdown, but it only happened once. A couple of times I got words mixed up, but all this was temporary. Actually, I do have one side effect--I feel the effects of drinking with a much smaller amount of alcohol than I used to before starting on Keppra. Not altogether a bad thing...
Give it a little time. If they don't clear up, then maybe you can switch meds.
Deb
Re: Problem with Keppra
Submitted by bex on Tue, 2007-10-23 - 13:49
Dear Mom205, sorry to hear your having probs with the Keppra aswell.
I was on it for about 5 weeks and as the dose got stronger (I went up to 1000mg) I just got worse and this wasn't even the max dose for me suggested by the neuro. I was on Topomax aswell at 300mg. I was also in tears at the dop of a hat, felt like I couldn't think, lost my apetite completely and my hairloss (which I had previously with topomax) got worse and in the end I had to come off it. I generally felt an unhappy person which isn't me. I just couldn't tolerate the side affects. With the food try and eat little and often, although it made me feel really sick when I was increasing. I agree with the comments below you do have to give these meds time to adjust in your system. This was my 5 or 6th combo and I've had 4 months off work before because of the meds but the Keppra really didn't agree with me. Best wishes and good luck. Bex
How r u doing now?
Submitted by whitetigrus on Sun, 2007-11-25 - 21:18
Have the side affects gotten any better or worsened? The reason that I'm asking is because I just got taken off of Keppra yesterday because I'm experiencing hallucinations, deep depression, aggitation, rage, I can't stop crying, I can't think right, I walk like a drunk, I talk all screwed up, my hair is falling out, I can keep on going but I'll stop there I think that you get the picture. I'm also taking Topamax, Klonopin, Lexapro, and Flexeril. Let me know if this helps.