The following information is NOT intended to endorse drugs or recommend therapy. While these reviews might be helpful, they are not a substitute for the expertise, skill, knowledge and judgement of healthcare practitioners in patient care.
Keppra (levetiracetam) for Epilepsy: I took Dilantin for over 20 years and always felt tired. I regularly had seizures 2-3 times a year while taking this medicine. My doctor took me off Dilantin and I transitioned to Levetiracetam (Keppra) because long term use of Dilantin can promote osteoporosis. I have been seizure free ever since and experience no side effects. I also feel more energy as a result of getting off Dilantin.
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Keppra (levetiracetam) for Epilepsy: I started on Keppra before I got pregnant, I was on a large dose of Epilim, and it would not be safe for me to be pregnant on such a large dose therefore my neurologist reduced my Epilim dose to 500g twice a day and introduced Keppra 500mg twice a day. Thankfully my son was born healthy. Next week I am planning to start to come of Epilim gradually due to constant tiredness, irritability and agitation that is made worse from being on two medications. Will just be on Keppra, hope it works as I have been seizure free for 2 1/2 years. I have juvenile myocolonic epilepsy, and I have had epilepsy for 14 years but have only been controlled for 2 1/2 years Lamictal was a waste of time.
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Keppra (levetiracetam) for Epilepsy: I HAVE HAD EPILEPSY SINCE AGE 13. MY DOCTOR PUT ME ON KEPPRA AND LAMICTAL XR. IT'S ONLY BEEN A WEEK AND I HAVE A LOT OF THE SAME SIDE EFFECTS YOU ALL ARE GETTING SO I CALLED MY DOCTOR AND I'M GOING BACK TO SEE HIM NEXT WEEK.
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Keppra (levetiracetam) for Epilepsy: I started having seizures when I was 16 (I'm now 23), with no past family history. The cause of them are still unknown, and without medication I have one every 4-5 months while sleeping. My first anti-epileptic medication was Lamictal from which I suffered a severe rash. I started Keppra (500mg 2x daily) and haven't had a seizure since taking it (knock on wood). After two years of treatment, I came off from Keppra and had a seizure after 5 months without the medication. I'm back on it, and have been seizure-free for almost two years now. I do have side effects from Keppra though. I'm tired a lot, have mood swings, experience bouts of insomnia, headaches, and dizziness. Overall the medicine works well, but obviously would like to be off it.
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Keppra (levetiracetam) for Epilepsy: I have been epileptic since I was 5 years old. Now I am 24 years old. I started taking Keppra 2 years ago. In the beginning I was so tired and sleepy- nearly lethargic. That wore off after the first 3 months of being on Keppra. Since I have been on Keppra for over two years I only have had 1 seizure and it was because I missed a dose. But sometimes I think there are other side effects due to Keppra such as lack of concentration, frustruation, irritable and anger.
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Keppra (levetiracetam) for Seizures: My 19 year old daughter started having gran mal seizures 3 years ago and was started on Keppra. She was started at 500mg/day and is now at 1000mg/day. Since starting, her seizures have been kept about 95% at bay. She still has an occasional mild seizure (2 in the past year), and they haven't been nearly as intense or as long as before starting Keppra. I'm very pleased and I know she is relieved. The only side effect I've noticed is some constipation. I haven't seen any negative changes in her demeanor.
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Keppra (levetiracetam) for Seizures: I am an 18-year old who has been having seizures for the last three years or so. Keppra helps me a lot. I just wanted to say, for those women who have mood swings and anger issues due to this medicine, talk to your doctor about going on prenatal vitamins, such as Vinate a-z. I became the meanest person I had ever met, but after I was put on Vinate, I went back to normal the day I started taking it.
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Keppra (levetiracetam) for Seizures: I am currently on Lamictal and Keppra. I've been through lots of changes in medicine since pregnacy and had brain surgery on the injured part of the the brain due to being in a coma as a child. I'm still having seizures, not as often but when they hit they hit in numbers not just one! I want more options and no more surgery! And I and my family want the mood swings, anger, agitation, and racing thought to be gone!
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Keppra (levetiracetam) for Seizures: This has been my life saver. I've been on this for 7 years or more. I take 4500mg a day along with 600mg Lamictal a day. With each increase I have better control but this knocked me out when increased in larger increments. People say I look tired but I'm so used to it I don't notice. Unfortunately I can't think straight. My reading, comprehension, learning is shot. I've been trying college for years, each increase brings better control. I wish I could stop the medication for a few days to see if there is another world out there but my brain gives me an unfortunate reminder if I'm late.
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Keppra (levetiracetam) for Seizures: I was placed on Keppra in January 2009 by an emergency room physician after a reported seizure, which had no professional diagnosis. A neurologist whom I saw post emergency kept me on the medication as I reported no side effects. I had what I now believe to be a fainting spell related to an atrial fibrillation condition of my heart and a strenuous run, without a "cool-down". I am pushing to get off this drug, as I experience dizziness, light-headedness, sleepiness and somnolence, fatigue and exhaustion most of the time. I am a 2008 Herat Valve transplant recipient and on diuretics and blood thinners, both required to avoid congestive heart failure and embolisms(artificial valve).
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Keppra (levetiracetam) for Seizures: I have been taking 2000 mg of Keppra a day for about 8 years now. I think that it is working good. I even took it when I was pregnant and thank goodness my baby came out fine. Think that there needs to be other information for woman who may want to have a child but are afraid to have a child due to seizures.
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Keppra (levetiracetam) for Seizures: I have tonic-clonic seizures due to a malignant tumor in my frontal lobe. I was prescribed phenytoin, which controlled the seizures but my doctors could not get my blood levels stable so I was constantly oscillating from sub-therapeutic to toxic. After 6 months of trial and error with no success, I was switched to Keppra. Keppra failed to control the seizures and I became hyperactive, easily agitated, and began having suicidal thoughts. My doctor made me switch back to phenytoin. The FDA recently required the manufacturer of Keppra to change the warning label to include these as known adverse reactions in some patients.
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Keppra (levetiracetam) for Seizures: I have a Neuro shunt and was put on Keppra before the shunt operation (hydrocephalus). I have noticed the regular Keppra works just as well as the more expensive Keppra XR.
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Keppra (levetiracetam) for Seizures: I was on Keppra for a year and unfortunately I kept having seizures. My doctor added Topamax to Keppra and it helped but I was still having seizures about every other week. I finally decided to go off Keppra and increase the Topamax dosage and I have been seizure free for over two months.
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Keppra (levetiracetam) for Seizures: Had my first seizure this year, put on Keppra a month later. Stopped the seizures, but makes me sleepy all the time. I have mood swings, depression, irritable and get frustrated easily. Tried to talk to my neurologist, but was told the only side effect Keppra has is being tired. Too scared to ask if I could try anything else because this is supposed to be the safest drug available.
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Keppra (levetiracetam) for Seizures: I find that Keppra has reduced my seizures - Grand Mals - but I occasionally lose the ability to reason, wonder where I am. It also has considerably increased my weight. I am on Lamictal also. There is the odd mood swing but I attribute that to Lamictal. My headaches are just about the same. No significant change in using it. I've been on it five years now.
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Keppra (levetiracetam) for Seizures: I have been taking keppra for about four years now. I have had no negative side effects or weird stuff that happens to those on keppra. I plan on taking 2000mg daily so hopefully I will not have any seizures.
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Keppra (levetiracetam) for Seizures: My son sneezes everytime after he has his Keppra liquid form. He has also gained weight and his abdomen is significantly larger. His face has a redness to it which then turns into a little heat like rash, peels and then goes away after a few days. He has been on it for about a year and a half. His behavior has also been more labile.
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Keppra (levetiracetam) for Seizures: It stopped seizures but I have gained 3 pounds a week. It has totaled 50 pounds. I hate it. It is destroying my life causing my thyroid and endocrine system to go haywire and I just want to get off of it. My endocrinologist wants to have me taken off immediately as my pancreas does not produce insulin and the weight gain is dangerous.
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Keppra (levetiracetam) : Been on Keppra since 12-2008 after having my first and hopefully last seizure in my sleep. It was horrible I hear. I was hospitalized for a week not knowing what happened or where I was for 3 days. The doctor said it was just a bad seizure. So far after being on Keppra I don't know if it's to soon to tell if it's working or not but I will continue to take it (very mild side effects).
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Keppra (levetiracetam) for Seizures: I'm 17 years old and have been taking Keppra for three years now. Keppra has stopped my seizures except on 3 occasions where I missed a dose. Although it works very well I have been experienceing some side affects including moodiness, iritability, anger, rage, confusion and hallucinations. Although I have side effects, I like the overall results of being a well kid.
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Keppra (levetiracetam) for Seizures: Keppra works great for me. Been on it since August 2008 and
my seizures have been under control. I am a 74 year old male
had two strokes with scar tissue causing seizures
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Keppra (levetiracetam) for Seizures: I have tonic clonic epilepsy. It totally controls my seizures. I haven't had any since I've been taking it - for about two years now.
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Keppra (levetiracetam) for Seizures: I had my first gran-mal seizure over 1 year ago, have no reason for why I had a seizure but I was put on Keppra the same night. In the beginning I was VERY tired and had alot of anxiety so they gave me Lexapro along with it. I feel great, no feeling like I'm going to pass out and no more racing thoughts in my head.
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Keppra (levetiracetam) for Seizures: Really is a wonder drug. It almost got rid of all my seizures but they are back again due to a trigger. It kept them away for 3 months, which is a miracle for me. I would get seizures every day for months. It was miserable. Plus this stuff hasn't given me awful side effects like many other anti-convulsant medicines.
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Keppra (levetiracetam) for Seizures: I had brain surgery in December 1996. A tumor was found in the middle of my brain. I had been having blackouts for 16 years before they could find it. I had been on Dilantan before the surgery. It worked but the doctor said Keppra was much better so I was put on Keppra after the operation and haven't had a black out since.
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Keppra (levetiracetam) for Seizures: I was put on Keppra as a safer choice while being pregnant. While Lamictal has more studies done I was allergic to it. I have loved being on Keppra. I was drowsy at first but that side effect went away but now I need to decide whether to breast feed or not. So many places say not to I am wondering if anybody has any advice.
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Keppra (levetiracetam) for Seizures: I have been taking Keppra for 3 years now. I used to take Lamictal and felt crazy during that time. I used to feel sleepy and at first I couldn't wake up in the morning when I started taking Keppra, but now I am happy to be on it. My biggest issue with Keppra is the rising cost and the fact that my body gets used to it so I have to increase my dose.
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Keppra (levetiracetam) for Seizures: My epilepsy began when I was 7 years old and I've always been treated with multiple drugs because seizures didn't stop. I've been using keppra for 3 weeks and haven't had any seizures. I'm so happy with this drug. The only side effect I've felt is I get a bit sleepy after taking the pill. I surely recommend it.
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Keppra (levetiracetam) for Seizures: I have juvenile myoclonic epilepsy. I was taking lamotrigine for 4 years and it wasn't having much of an effect. I asked if there was anything else, I was given Keppra. I felt an almost instant change. I had no more funny feelings in my head, no twitching in the mornings. I felt much safer and that lead to me being much happier. I can stay out later. I've had no seizures since taking this and. I recommend it.
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Keppra (levetiracetam) for Seizures: I have been taking Keppra for 4 1/2 years, after head trauma from an auto accident caused me to have a seizure while in hospital. I have experienced some minor occurances of side effects, but nothing compared to the problem I experienced while taking Dilantin, which caused me to lose my ability to reason, and to express myself, i.e. Dilantin made me an apparent idiot. My greatest annoyance with Keppra is the rise in cost- 46% over these past 4 1/2 years.
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Keppra (levetiracetam) for Seizures: Keppra has been a difficult drug for me. I have had mood swings. Also have mouth sores, no sleep, anger and agitation.
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Keppra (levetiracetam) for Seizures: I have been taking Keppera for 6 yrs now. It has helped my gran-mal seiuzres out some what. My doctor has tried me on so many other seizures meds along with this one. I have experince mood changes all kinds of others. but this is the only seizure med that keeps them calm down. Not kept away but calmed down enough to were I can have some what of a life.
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Keppra (levetiracetam) for Seizures: My daughter is now Six years and she began taking Keppra at age 3 after the severe seizure she had that set her in a coma. She has many behavioral issues with KEPPRA as a down fall but it has maintained control of the gran-mal seizures. So, we give it a chance for the simple reason of the Seizure Free time.
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