Keppra Rage

Re: Keppra Rage

Submitted by 3Hours2Live on Sat, 2011-02-12 - 02:10

Hi Sgh0402, Regular Keppra has came the closest to working from the first day I started taking it. Since I usually get plenty of warnings of impending secondary tonic-clonics, regular Keppra's short half-life (how fast it works and how fast it leaves) is a real advantage to me in taking a larger dose of Keppra at the warning, while avoiding intoxicating levels in between periods of warning. My first trial with Keppra stopped my tonic-clonics, but the moderately frequent emotional side-effects were a problem, and the Keppra was stopped (I was switching between Dilantin and Keppra). When I read that Keppra's emotional side-effects could be prevented with a very slow titration (a slow build-up to an effective dose level), I decided to try Keppra again, and this time, no emotional side-effects. Other medical articles have reported that some effects of many classes of drugs will not return after discontinuation of use, then very slow reintroduction of use (with many tranquilizers and some AEDs, the good effects are lost, but maybe with Keppra, the bad effects are lost, at least for me). I've been taking only regular Keppra for a couple years, with no other medicines after stopping Dilantin over concerns of bone-loss. Keppra has stopped my secondary tonic-clonic seizures for about 23 months now, and the worst possible side-effect is a much greater sensitivity to irritants in the air irritating my lungs and making me cough. While my partial seizures over-all are about at the same frequency as with no AEDs, Keppra has made my ecstatic partial seizures more numerous than my adverse and/or bland partial seizures. With long-term epilepsy (I'll have had epilepsy for 58 years my next birthday), partial seizures seem to minimize "Forced Normalization". And once out of adolescence, despite AEDs, the Geschwind Syndrome is irreversible with TLE no matter what. Behavioural conditioning from epilepsy is a learned repertoire from the environment, and is no more of an internal impairment than speaking English as a native tongue is an internal impairment, but separating the learned parts from the visceral/emotional effects of AEDs/seizures, is difficult, though with Limbic based emotions, I use Pavlovian conditioning to manipulate the balance from the left-side versus the right-side of the Limbic System. Taking Keppra regularly, Keppra lost effectiveness in minimizing my migraines, even if I take a larger dose at the first stages of migraines. Keppra also seems to have increased my sensitivity to smells as triggering painless migraines that relent before fully developing if I get away from the smell quickly enough. Sometimes, about 90 minutes after a larger dose, Keppra causes minor "hot-flashes". Tadzio

Re: Keppra Rage

Submitted by princessjujuba on Sat, 2011-02-12 - 10:32

i just started keppra and ive been really tired. i also got this eye flicking thing. As for my mood i think its changed for the good because i used to be very quiet and its helped me to come oout a little more to say what im thinking there is the occassional mood swing where i flip my shit. But seeing your situation i would say talk to his doctor and tell them whats up. Tell them about the violent behavior and everything. Try a new medication.

Re: Keppra Rage

Submitted by flanders on Mon, 2011-02-14 - 23:14

Hi,

 I have been on Keppra for awhile now and it does change you. I can tell you that I feel it has not helped me and I had my doctor wean me off of it and I am now on Lamictal. The Lamictal side effects are being tired alot, maybe some moodiness but nothing like your fiance is experiencing now. I know you are frustrated and at your wits end but you love him and know that he is in there somewhere, I would stick it out and have him change his meds. Yes he will take some seisures changing over but he will not have the side effect he is having now and will be much happier in the long run and both of you can get back to your lives again.  I have had seisures since I was 2years old and have been on every medication out on the market and I will tell you all of the medicaitons have bad side effects and Keppra is not the med for him.  If there is anyway to get him to try a new one even if it means talking to his family so you have someone on your side and are not the only one confronting him about it that may help. Good luck and I hope things work out for you. Think positive... :)