Brivaracetam and Anger: What Users Say

• Lil...
• Taken for 1 to 6 months
• January 4, 2021

For Seizures "I wish my Dr told me this was a controlled substance. I feel horrible on it, and I feel even worse than horrible trying to get off. Tinnitus, depression, anger, irritability, panic attacks, sadness, and now in withdrawal add severe insomnia. I can't wait to get off and rest my brain. Keppra worked. This drug is nothing like it for me. And so much harder to get off than any other anti-epileptic medication I have taken."

• Sus...
• December 31, 2019

For Epilepsy "I first started Keppra after having a status event that caused me to be placed in a medically induced coma to stop the seizures. Once I started Keppra, it worked immediately and stopped all seizure activity. However, after being on it for a few months, the rage and hostility started and wrecked havoc on my family. So, my doctor had me try Briviact, which again has worked to control the tonic-clonic seizures. However, instead of hostility, rage, and total apathy, I have begun to experience extreme sadness/depression. I just feel really flat and nothing excites me. But, because it controls the tonic-clonic seizures-free 35 months now-I will stay with Briviact unless sadness, etc. becomes intolerable. Overall, 6."

• Sus...
• December 31, 2019

For Epilepsy "I first started Keppra after having a status event that caused me to be placed in a medically induced coma to stop the seizures. Once I started Keppra, it worked immediately and stopped all seizure activity. However, after being on it for a few months, the rage and hostility started and wrecked havoc on my family. So, my doctor had me try Briviact, which again has worked to control the tonic-clonic seizures. However, instead of hostility, rage, and total apathy, I have begun to experience extreme sadness/depression. I just feel really flat and nothing excites me. But, because it controls the tonic-clonic seizures-free 35 months now-I will stay with Briviact unless sadness, etc. becomes intolerable. Overall, 6."

• Tim...
• August 23, 2020

For Epilepsy "Briviact is horrible. I have side effects of high levels of irritation, moodiness, and anger. This medicine is causing kidney issues. I am going to the restroom more than I have in my life. It's causing inflammation. I am only 39, so I am able to tolerate. I heard it's a new medicine, and my doctor experimented with me. I feel terrible on this med."

• Con...
• Taken for 1 to 6 months
• March 11, 2023

For Epilepsy "This is a second-hand observation concerning Briviact. This comes from a devoted parent who has fought seizures alongside my now 20-year-old son. He was first diagnosed with a generalized seizure disorder at 13 years old. After years of testing and multiple trials of drugs, none of which he totally responds to, we were told that he has a mutated SCN3A gene which doctors believe to be responsible for his epilepsy. He has anywhere from 1 to 3 seizures a week, and if he goes longer without one, then his body goes into a frenzy and he has up to six seizures in one day! He started Briviact (alongside his other meds) back in October of 2022. We immediately noticed a difference, he was basically like a zombie. He hardly spoke, stared off into space, had a low appetite, and had to be coached on how to bathe and care for himself. This lasted for weeks. He went two months without a seizure, but then it got worse! Aggression, depression, etc. We decided to have the doctor take him off. Controlled seizures, yes, but awful moods."

• Bri...
• Taken for 1 to 6 months
• February 2, 2022

For Seizures "I was on 1500 mg of Keppra every day after a seizure, which happened a year after brain surgery (I was on 500 mg after the surgery) to remove a benign tumor. I had major depression and irritability, aggression. I was okay most of the time, but I would go into depression if I thought about sad things, and things would set me off to the point of shouting and pounding my fists on the counter. I switched to Briviact 100 mg twice a day, and it is like night and day. The mood swings and rage issues stopped. I am not sure how it would compare to how I was before being on any meds for this, but compared to Keppra, I feel like a normal human again. I am generally a very mellow kind of person, so it's nice to return to my old self. No numbness or panic attacks except another seizure after 2 years when I had missed a dose, plus I had more alcohol than over the holidays AND it turned out I had mild Covid (had all vaccine doses, but had a slight fever), all 3 reduce the meds' effectiveness."

• Bri...
• Taken for 1 to 6 months
• February 2, 2022

For Seizures "I was on 1500 mg of Keppra every day after a seizure, which happened a year after brain surgery (I was on 500 mg after the surgery) to remove a benign tumor. I had major depression and irritability, aggression. I was okay most of the time, but I would go into depression if I thought about sad things, and things would set me off to the point of shouting and pounding my fists on the counter. I switched to Briviact 100 mg twice a day, and it is like night and day. The mood swings and rage issues stopped. I am not sure how it would compare to how I was before being on any meds for this, but compared to Keppra, I feel like a normal human again. I am generally a very mellow kind of person, so it's nice to return to my old self. No numbness or panic attacks except another seizure after 2 years when I had missed a dose, plus I had more alcohol than over the holidays AND it turned out I had mild Covid (had all vaccine doses, but had a slight fever), all 3 reduce the meds' effectiveness."

• Cra...
• Taken for 6 months to 1 year
• January 15, 2023

For Epilepsy "I have been on Briviact since May 2022, started at 100 mg morning and night, then upped to 150 mg morning and night in September 2022. This medication has caused so many side effects: irritability, agitation, anger, drowsiness, brain fog, memory issues-the works. I thought the side effects would go away after my body adjusted, but it seems to have only gotten worse. I just tapered back down to 100 mg 2X a day in hopes the side effects go away. But it is causing even more problems, it is making me dizzy and nauseated. I doubt I'm going to continue on with this med. It did work pretty well at taming my tonic-clonics, but the side effects are so bad that I can barely function. It just isn't worth it."

• Ane...
• Taken for 1 to 6 months
• June 11, 2023

For Epilepsy "Did the job. Milder side effects than Levetiracetam. The dosage was first 100 mg/day, then by stopping, it was suggested to reduce in 6 weeks to 0 mg. Almost got all the side effects mentioned. Physical: tiredness, pulse faster, heart pain before rain or by lightning (never happened in life before), higher blood pressure, veins start to be more and more coming out to the skin surface and seem purple, red, blue, hurt, also in eyes getting more and bigger red lines, water in legs, tinnitus at least 4 times, sensitivity to light and huge open pupils, eczema patches red and rough on skin, red urine often. Not enough water to have proper menstruation and sexual need and no liquid. Mental: anxiety, anger, short temper (destroying things), deep long sadness most days, panic, avoiding people for months, feeling burdened if I have to talk, unmotivation to do anything, irritability, few times felt like suicidal. Finished taking it in 3 weeks."

• Ane...
• Taken for 1 to 6 months
• June 11, 2023

For Epilepsy "Did the job. Milder side effects than Levetiracetam. The dosage was first 100 mg/day, then by stopping, it was suggested to reduce in 6 weeks to 0 mg. Almost got all the side effects mentioned. Physical: tiredness, pulse faster, heart pain before rain or by lightning (never happened in life before), higher blood pressure, veins start to be more and more coming out to the skin surface and seem purple, red, blue, hurt, also in eyes getting more and bigger red lines, water in legs, tinnitus at least 4 times, sensitivity to light and huge open pupils, eczema patches red and rough on skin, red urine often. Not enough water to have proper menstruation and sexual need and no liquid. Mental: anxiety, anger, short temper (destroying things), deep long sadness most days, panic, avoiding people for months, feeling burdened if I have to talk, unmotivation to do anything, irritability, few times felt like suicidal. Finished taking it in 3 weeks."

• Suc...
• Taken for 1 to 2 years
• April 12, 2020

For Epilepsy "I've been taking this med since March of 2019, and I get really irritated easily and itchy skin, feeling aggressive sometimes, but I guess it's working. I take 3 different types of meds for my seizures, though. Thank you."

• pab...
• Taken for 1 to 6 months
• October 26, 2022

For Epilepsy "I had a fit in my sleep 2 years ago, after spending 3 weeks in my workshop, breathing in diesel fumes from a leaking heater, no history of epilepsy in my family. However, I'm no doctor, so what do I know? Apparently, I have 'temporal lobe epilepsy.' I was initially given Keppra, had terrible side effects (but no more fits). However, I did get lots of déjà vu. But the mood swings and suicidal thoughts started to get worse, so now I'm on Briviact, and again, no seizures. However, I'm getting extremely tired, depressed, angry, etc., and have started falling asleep, then waking up with no idea where or who I am! I'm not sure if that's the epilepsy or a drug side effect."

• Hap...
• Taken for 1 to 2 years
• July 9, 2024

For Epilepsy "I am a caregiver to my husband who has tried Keppra (didn't work) and had a lot of seizures. He has Partial Complex Temporal Lobe epilepsy for 9 years, he was an ex-boxer. Then he was on Oxtellar ER - wow, that one put him in the hospital with grand mals due to depleted sodium levels. Two years ago, he was put on Briviact 100mg x 2 daily, which works great, and Vimpat 200mg x 2 daily. He is on Medicare extra help to pay for them as they are quite expensive. Now he finally has them under control. The addition of Briviact did the trick. Yes, he is depressed, angry, has insomnia, and is scared of his own shadow with anxiety, but no seizures and I do not have to worry about him falling!"