Community Forum Archive

The Epilepsy Community Forums are closed, and the information is archived. The content in this section may not be current or apply to all situations. In addition, forum questions and responses include information and content that has been generated by epilepsy community members. This content is not moderated. The information on these pages should not be substituted for medical advice from a healthcare provider. Experiences with epilepsy can vary greatly on an individual basis. Please contact your doctor or medical team if you have any questions about your situation. For more information, learn about epilepsy or visit our resources section.

Keppra Rage

Mon, 09/20/2010 - 20:31

Topic: Living With Epilepsy - Adults

I am desperately seeking advice. I am engaged and my fiance has epilepsy. We have been together 5 years, and in the past couple of years since he started taking keppra, he has drastically changed. Most of the time, he is his normal self, the person I love, but he often gets extremely irritated and freaks out, yelling and cursing, not just at me, but at other people as well. He seems to have no ability to cope with the slightest issues that would roll of most people's back without so much as a second thought. Even worse is that every so often (once a month or so) he flies into these uncontrollable rages that absolutely terrify me. We will be having a normal conversation, both in great moods, and suddenly he is kicking walls and throwing things with a blank stare like he isn't even really there. It really scares me and this never happened before the keppra. He isn't honest with his doctor about the side effects because he is too afraid to get off keppra and try something else because he thinks it will trigger seizures during the transition. Does anybody else have experience with this? If so, has anything worked? I got him to try adding B6 vitamins but it made no change. I want to get him help because I know it isn't really "him" when he goes into these fits, but I am at my wits end...Please help!

Comments

Re: Keppra Rage

Submitted by sgh0402 on Tue, 2010-09-21 - 18:43

Wow, Marty. Impressive words. I do sometimes have a hard time living in "the moment" and worrying too much about the future. I guess it is because I have worked really hard to get where I am and keep my life in order so I'm always trying to keep everything together so that I have the future that I want. I love my life the way it is and I am at a very stable point in my life.. I'm 25 with a solid career, completed a bachelors and masters, I own my own house...Ben (the fiance) doesn't have all of that yet because he is still in school and working towards the career he wants for himself. It can be hard for me sometimes to remember the anxieties that go along with being in school and figuring out your plans, so I think I need to be more understanding. I can't imagine how scary it would be to be prepping for things like the bar exam and not being able to remember things like you used to...that being said, I am not big on excuses. He needs to realize what a good person he really is and how much he does have going for him and make the changes needed to get back on track. I guess my role in this is to just be supportive and yet still be firm that this has to be done. I know you can't force change on someone but I do think when people are presented with a choice, it can prompt them to do what needs to be done. I know what I want the outcome to be, but you are right that I need to focus on today and don't hold on so tightly to the future...after all, I never would have dreamed I would be where I am and doing what I do, but here I am and it is great...I guess surprises can be good!! :)

!)!)

Submitted by Dutchee on Tue, 2010-09-21 - 11:39

I did take Keppra 6 months. I recognize the rage and furies, but I also had such bad memory loss (and much more side effects, see 'my story') that the neuro and I agreed to stop the Keppra.. When the anger 'comes' it really does feel like it is not me being so angry, but someone else. My husband and children wanted me to stop, it wasn't me anymore in my body.. . I stopped within three days, this was very quick, but my memory lasted for 5 minutes than, so it really was very bad. I did not have more seizures while stopping. Now, I am off meds fore three months (my liver failed!) and I still do not have more seizures than while I was on the Keppra. I also used Lamictal and Trileptal before Keppra. Now I just stop my seizures with Stesolid and Rivotril and I am happy with that at this moment. Do't get me wrong, my (partial) seizures are so bad that my muscles get torn apart in all parts of my body, but I fortunately recognize the symptoms of the moments I might have a seizure, so for me it is easy to take meds just before it starts.. . I realize that in time I will have to get meds again, but I will not let them run my life for me, I will be myself and not some medicine talking and walking.. . Your husband could ask for other meds, there are so many.... Love from Holland and goodluck!

Re: Keppra Rage

Submitted by p59 on Thu, 2010-09-23 - 17:36

I had the same thing when I was on Keppra but when I started antidepressants I started to normal out again. You may want to look into that. I have been weaned off of Keppra and am now on Depakote and had no adverse effects during the transition.

Neil

Sign Up for Emails

Stay up to date with the latest epilepsy news, stories from the community, and more.