Levetiracetam User Reviews & Ratings

• Cleo
• March 18, 2021

Keppra (levetiracetam) for Seizures "Seven years ago my neurologist put me on Keppra because nothing else had worked to date in controlling my seizures. I gained 100 lbs in a year and had anger blowups. I would not give this drug to an enemy."

• HCooper
• Taken for 1 to 2 years
• October 2, 2023

Keppra (levetiracetam) for Seizures "After reading all of the horrible reviews on this website, I was terrified of taking this pill after having my first seizure. I was so scared to start the medicine as I was afraid it was going to change the happy, positive person that I am. After taking this medicine (500 mg) for a year and a half, I'm happy to report that I am still the same happy, upbeat person while no longer having seizures. When I first started taking the medicine, I was super tired for the first few weeks but that’s it! So happy it ended up being better than expected!"

• RJano
• Taken for 2 to 5 years
• May 23, 2019

Keppra (levetiracetam) for Seizures "over 2 years in now and Keppra is keeping my seizures away but the 2500mg a day has made me a different person for sure . -don’t feel excited to socialize as much. -feel fatigued a lot , can easily dose off if not doing anything that requires my attention. -old memories can bring on strong emotions that normally wouldn’t before and memory is not nearly as strong as it was , constantly setting myself reminders for things i should easily remember."

• Divorce...
• Taken for 1 to 6 months
• January 23, 2019

Keppra (levetiracetam) for Seizures "This is the most horrible medication I have ever taken. My usual personality is calm, reasonable, optimistic, positive etc. Well not with this medication. My husband and I have been married for 43 years, we have had our ups and downs but never thought of divorce. With this medication my husband stood by me. What we went through was uncontrollable everything, crying, screaming, unreasonable, and just plane hysteria. He was a saint, I on the other hand I was totally out of control and could not stop myself no matter how hard I tried."

• Bongo...
• Taken for 10 years or more
• March 1, 2024

Keppra (levetiracetam) for Epilepsy "Between 1986 until 2003 I had intractable tertiary epilepsy due to a brain injury I incurred when I had a brain abscess in 1980. Intractable tertiary is neurospeak for 'Don't know what to do with him!'. I tried lots of different AEDs but nothing worked. That is until Keppra came along in 2003. It was my 'golden bullet'. The drug that cured me. From having more than 30 seizures per week, I went down to 0 seizures per week. Never had anything since. I now take a cocktail of 3 AEDs per day but have lived a 'normal' life since then. Never experienced any emotional changes. This drug is wonderful. I am not an employee of the manufacturer, just an ordinary guy with epilepsy. We are all different and that is my experience."

• Scott
• Taken for 10 years or more
• September 26, 2020

Keppra (levetiracetam) for Epilepsy "When first put on keppra, things seemed to be fine. But over time, when I had my annual neuro appointment and I’d tell them of any seizures I’d had that year, they’d up the keppra dosage. And the more keppra I took, the more seizures I had. I didn’t realize that till later. At one point I was on 4000mg (?too much?) of the XR version daily. That’s when I figured that the keppra was the culprit to more frequent seizures. And the after effects of a seizure while on that dosage lasted for days. They were major depression, headache and minor after shocks like another seizure was going to happen. In the past three years I’m working my way slowly off this drug. Now no longer on the XR version, just regular immediate release pills. On 500mg a day. I have less seizures. And if I do, I recover from them within an hour or so. One more thing. On the Keppa XR, keppra rage was no joke. I’d be fine. The out of the blue, just all hateful and mad for no reason. Any little thing would set me off."

• Nelly
• Taken for 6 months to 1 year
• August 1, 2019

Keppra (levetiracetam) for Seizures "Absolutely horrible experience. I was prescribed this after having a breakthrough seizure as part of trying new meds. On Keppra my personality changed 100%. I was despondent, hated life, had no motivation and cried at the drop of a hat. Finally, I knew it was time to go to the doctor to transition off when I hit such a low low. Also started hearing voices. Never once did such dark thoughts occur to me until this-I imagine this is what it’s like to be possessed."

• Winniw
• Taken for less than 1 month
• March 16, 2021

Keppra (levetiracetam) for Seizures "This drug is horrific and should not exist and any doctors who prescribe it/refuse to take their patients off of it when asked are just awful. My mum was put on this and within 2-3 days of starting it she went from being a happy relaxed person to having multiple panic attacks a day which continued in severity as the longer the drug was in her system, she also started having very negative thoughts eventually resulting in her giving up her will to fight her underlying disease (which she was actually improving a lot). She passed away 3.5 weeks after starting keppra."

• Guscr...
• Taken for 1 to 2 years
• January 24, 2019

Keppra (levetiracetam) for Seizures "I have been using Keppra now for over a year. I have had no side affects from it whatsoever, maybe occassionally my short term memory is not 100% but apart from that I am amazed at it. Compared to the drugs I was taking as a child Keppra has kept me seizure free for over a year now."

• Jenna...
• Taken for 5 to 10 years
• February 23, 2016

Keppra (levetiracetam) for Seizures "I've been on every seizure medication invented. Keppera or genetic Levatiraacetam is by far the worst one I've been on. The side effects have ruined my life. I gained over 45 pounds the first year on it. I am now almost 70 pounds heavier than I was before I started taking the medication. I can't work anymore because I have severe depression, anxiety & insomnia. I tell people off for the craziest things & am super paranoid all the time. Despite the that I take antidepressants, anxiety & sleeping meds. I used to be a terrific nurse, winning awards & receiving all kinds of gratitude. Now I can no longer do anything. I am terrified to leave the house, take a shower, clean or go anywhere. I have no life, I just exist. Can't wait to get off this!"

• namor
• December 3, 2023

Keppra (levetiracetam) for Epilepsy "Been on Keppra 10 years and I don't have any of the side effects others have. My weight gain is my own fault, i.e., love cheesecake. No anger issues. I am 64 and have been on these pills for 40 years. Not sure about everyone else, but it has helped me."

• Renat...
• November 20, 2013

Keppra (levetiracetam) for Seizures "I had surgery for a benign brain tumor over 8 yrs. ago; Gamma Knife radiation surgery 3 yrs. ago. The Gamma Knife surgery left me with scar tissue that caused me to have my first partial seizure. This required me to remain on seizure medication, levetiracetam. To prevent recurrent seizures, I was on a dose of 1,000 mg./ 2x's day. I was on this dosage for over 2 yrs. No seizures, but side effects crept up slowly: bad memory loss, difficulty finding words, fatigue, weight gain. Then, the intolerable ones: deep depression, mood swings, crazy flip-out anger. It just kept getting worse, until I couldn't wait to get off of it! My doctor called it the "Keppra Rage". I guess this is well- known side effect that I could not tolerate."

• Sarai...
• Taken for 1 to 6 months
• May 12, 2017

Keppra (levetiracetam) for Seizures "Although this drug has paused my seizure activity, I feel like a different person. The first month my mood swings were unreal and almost indescribable. I'd wake up so happy in the morning and be depressed by around 4-5pm. I was and still am fatigued all the time, and little things like walking up the stairs make me out of breath. I also let little things annoy me and unfortunately take it out on the people around me. I have lost 10 pounds since I've started this medication, I have no desire to eat even though I know my body needs food. I feel like Dory from Finding Nemo and it makes me embarrassed at times. My friends will tell me something and I'll completely forget what they said and ask them about it a few minutes later."

• Ponyo
• March 20, 2013

Keppra (levetiracetam) for Seizures "I'm French and am 28 years old. I had my first seizure in 2009. My neurologist gave me Lamotrigine for 2 years, from 100mg daily at the beginning to 400mg at the end. The frequency of seizures has been reduced but I still had some. I arrived in USA in 2011 and my new neurologist prescribed me Keppra because I wanted to have a new medication, more efficient. I take 500mg twice daily. I don't have any seizure since I started this medication, so more than one year now. I'm very satisfied so far, but of course I have side effects and it's sometimes very difficult to deal with. I'm very tired all day long, I need to sleep at least 8 hours every night. I'm like bipolar, sometimes euphoric, sometimes very depressed. I'm a different person now."

• Kris
• April 9, 2015

Keppra (levetiracetam) for Seizures "I hate this medication! Yes it controls my seizures but it makes me a horrible human being. It causes me to be mean, moody, and angry.I would almost rather have the seizures than have these horrible side effects. next neurologist appointment I am begging for a different medication. And not dilantin or gabapentin either. Both those have given me nasty side effects as well.but what works for one does not necessarily mean it will work for another. Good luck to those of you who are taking this medication. I pray that the side effects are not as bad for you as they were for me."

• Bano
• Taken for 6 months to 1 year
• January 3, 2020

Keppra (levetiracetam) for Epilepsy "Worst drug ever in my opinion!!! Here were my side effects- irritability, paranoia, anxiety, nausea, loss of appetite, numbness and tingling in my arms and legs, it would make my aura seizures come more often than they normally would without medication, felt dizzy and light headed, which would worsen during an aura seizure. Made me get aura seizures when I was still asleep and it would wake me up! Made me feel suicidal also. I took the medication for about six months and have had more than enough of it. Was tired each day I could barely get up to do normal things, even to cook. I decided to wean off myself, I decreased dose to half a tablet in morning, hoping it would stop at the very least my aura seizures in my sleep, but it didn’t help. I then thought after a few months- enough is enough. After taking half a tablet in morning for few months I stopped taking it completely. Never felt better. Wouldn’t go back on it if my life depended on it."

• Norbryn
• Taken for less than 1 month
• November 19, 2014

Keppra (levetiracetam) for Seizures "I'm 25 had my first seizure at 24 and have now had my 4th seizure 11/11/14. I went against the doctor with taking medication as I had and EEG done and came up clear so thought it wouldn't be to serious. However now having 4 seizure I've started taking Keppra twice a day. I haven't been tired by the medication and still able to work well. However I'm starting to be early angered and annoyed and moody. What I would normally get swept under the carpet is now agitating me. I'm not enjoying it as I feel like being left alone and in my own space. "

• Anonymous
• Taken for 1 to 6 months
• September 28, 2016

Keppra (levetiracetam) for Seizures "Worst drug I have ever taken. Been on it for 4 weeks. Not even sure I had seizure to begin with. All tests, MRI and EEG were negative. Trying to wean myself off. Dizzy, headache, depressed, severe mood swings, angry then lethargic. Sorry I ever went to doctor."

• Kent
• Taken for 10 years or more
• October 17, 2018

Keppra (levetiracetam) for Seizures "I have been on this medication almost since it was introduced, being on other medications that stopped the seizures but had to have blood test every 6 months for liver function, those ones that didn't stop my seizures. Keppra has stopped all my seizure activity with little or no side effects after being on it for the first year. Occasionally I feel the emotional effects of depression, and mood swings but am able to mentally talk myself out of the negative mental state, change the emphasis of what is causing the irritability, and changing my environment ( getting out and socializing, viewing nature, what ever it takes). Overall Keppra holds my seizures from occurring, with minimal effects."

• falis...
• Taken for 2 to 5 years
• February 22, 2013

Keppra (levetiracetam) for Seizures "I am so glad I found this forum! My husband was on Dilantin and it was working well but a few years ago his Dr switched him to Keppra because it was newer. He started having severe depression and mood swings to a point where they diagnosed him with Bipolar. The depression has been getting worse and worse to a point where we almost hospitalized him because I was afraid he may hurt himself. Today I spoke with his mental health provider and asked about trying Depakote and decided to come home and research if he could take both. After reading the reviews I am 100% convinced that it is the Keppra causing his depression and I am taking him to the Dr Monday to have him put back on Dilantin!"

• Mommy
• Taken for 1 to 6 months
• March 10, 2020

Keppra (levetiracetam) for Seizures "My 10 year old daughter began on keppra 1000mg per day to control her Rolandic epilepsy. The first four weeks were awful, she was aggressive and scary. I needed extra help to stop her attacking her siblings. HOWEVER this calmed down after 4-6 weeks and she I now back to normal. Seizure free (so far) 4 months later. Her mood is back to normal. I would encourage parents to persevere through the first few weeks as it was AWFUL but has improved immensely."

• Ronakm
• December 16, 2015

Keppra (levetiracetam) for Seizures "I had my first seizure in 04/04/14 whilst driving and they found that I had epilepsy. The neurologist put me on keppra. It is by far the best drug I've had to take. Initially it was a pain as I was always angry, depressed because I lost my Driving Licence and tired all the time. All I wanted to do was sleep. However, once it took this medication after 6 months, the side effects wore off and I was getting back to my old self again. Happy and all that. I once forgot to take my tablets for 2 days. I had a seizure. Biggest mistake I've made. I always remember to take my tablets now. I'm fit free now. Please take your tablets. They do help."

• Socce...
• July 15, 2014

Keppra (levetiracetam) for Seizures "My 8 year old was put on Keppra for complex partial seizures. Except for some initial tiredness in the first two weeks she has had no side effects. She takes 250mg twice a day. She even won her age group in a 1mile race two weeks ago and her competitive soccer team won their soccer tournament this weekend thanks to some of the goals she scored. I have noticed no difference in her school work or personality. I am so thankful for this medicine that my daughter can continue her active life seizure free."

• NDfan
• Taken for 1 to 6 months
• April 30, 2013

Keppra (levetiracetam) for Seizures "46 yr old male. Over 3 month period experienced 3 auras and finally the first seizure in January '13. Prescribed Keppra by neurologist. 500mg x2 daily. Not a hint of seizure activity since being placed on this medicine. However, I do experience some tiredness (mild). Otherwise leading a very normal life style."

• Mtusa
• November 11, 2017

Keppra (levetiracetam) for Seizures "I dont like using keppra at all. Since the start of using keppra, I keep on having suicidal thoughts everyday which I don't want to have. Keppra is making my life worse than ever. My mood is changing every minute. It has impacted my schoolwork so much. I have trouble remembering things and being happy. Sometimes I cry so hard and say to myself "I can't take this drug anymore". My self esteem is getting very low everyday. This drug is destroying my relationship with my friends and family. I just want to be able to tell them and my school what my feelings are and not pretend to put a mask of happiness over my face."