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just started keppra
Thu, 02/10/2005 - 20:40Topic: Medication Issues
Diagnosed this past year with complex partial seizures. Doc put me on Topomax and I felt like sleeping ALL of the time. He then tried me on lamictal and I had an allergic reaction. They put me on keppra.Any advice, please?? I'm on 500mg twice a day. I've been on it for 3 days. With the seizures and changing of medication, I feel a huge loss of control with my life. Any advice would be appreciated.Michele
Comments
RE: RE: just started keppra
Submitted by waistfull on Mon, 2005-01-24 - 14:23
I am back to the doctor's office today for a NEW medication since I'm allergic to all the other ones. I had wished keppra would work, but I'm allergic to that one to. I hope they have a large variety, because it seems like I'm allergice to most.Thanks,waistfull
RE: RE: RE: just started keppra
Submitted by Gretchen on Mon, 2005-01-24 - 17:05
The first (of 6) times I took Keppra I went all the way up to 3000 mg, top dose, and it totally obliterated my jerking. I quit taking it then because I had physician samples getting up to the 3000 mg, no health ins., we were barely scraping by without me working, my husband had just had heart surgery so not working either and the Keppra was too expensive. So I had to jump off. It didn't help any of my other sz's What's odd to me too is that the month I was on it at a high dose and it stopped my jerks then went off? My jerks came back but were far different than they were before. That was about 4 years ago.Since I'm intolerant so far to all but one AED, when my jerks are getting out of control my doctor places me on a short course of Keppra, taking me up to 3000 mg in about 3 weeks, for a total of 6 weeks if I can stand it. The last 3 times I did that? I had extreme black hole, nearly suicidal feeling depression and had to be taken off of it very quickly, and couldn't make it for that 6 week planned period. The depression always lingers for about 3 weeks after I'm off of it. I didn't relate it to the Keppra the first time, didn't report it. Then I read others were experiencing this severe depression also, talked to my doctor about it and he confirmed severe depression can occur on Keppra, usually in the higher dose ranges. It seems to me each time I've had to go on it for short courses now that depression worsens each time or it could be too I dread it so much I'm depressed worring about becoming so depressed! Make sense? Anyway my doctor has decided I shouldn't be subjected to that again. Boy, do I agree!
RE: just started keppra
Submitted by gsness on Mon, 2005-01-24 - 12:36
Hi waistfull!I had Keppra added to my Tegretol/Clonazepam regimen to help control my night seizures. My first dosage was 1,500 mg/day at night. That caused terrible vision experiences (hallucinatory) that really messed me up. We reduced the dosage to 1,000 mg/day and everything settled down. It proved very effective in controlling the night seizures (for the most part).Be certain to read the package insert for Keppra VERY CAREFULLY and talk with your doctor so you know what to watch for as some of the more unusual side effects. It has been known to cause serious mood and emotional disturbances in some people. My neuro made me check in by phone every three days during the initial two-week period while on Keppra. But I've had good luck with it since we reduced the dosage to the appropriate level.Blessings and good luck!gsness