Brivaracetam and Brain Fog: What Users Say

• Moo...
• Taken for 1 to 2 years
• September 3, 2019

Brivaracetam for Epilepsy "I started this medicine in November of 2017. My mood swings are absolutely terrible. I'm always irritated. I feel like the medicine makes it hard for me to focus. I was put on this medicine after having a third brain surgery. I still had seizures for about a year afterward, then they stopped. I was seizure-free from September 2018 up until a few weeks ago. I'm now being taken off. My consensus: The drug may be good for some people. However, with people who have medically intractable epilepsy and have tried over five drugs such as myself, studies show that there is less than a 1% chance that any other medicines will work either. It was worth a try, I suppose, though!"

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

Brivaracetam 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."

• Zom...
• Taken for 1 to 6 months
• June 11, 2020

For Seizures "I had a grand mal seizure in March 2020, that completely came out of nowhere. Was originally put on levetiracetam 2x daily in the 750 mg tablets. Had to be taken off of it due to intense mood swings and intense anxiety. Also didn't help that I was still getting migraines. So I got put on Briviact 50 mg 2x daily. I was told that I wouldn't have to worry about it causing any more mood swings. And here I am 2 1/2 months in, and things just feel wrong. I have horrible brain fog, anxiety that's through the roof, and irregular bowel movements. I'm having issues with memory, as well as issues with my balance. I usually get help to stand up and end up collapsing back on the ground. Not sure if this is normal, and I've tried communicating with my neurologist but to no avail. I'm sure it works for someone, but unfortunately for me it just incapacitated me further."

• Dan...
• Taken for 1 to 6 months
• March 9, 2021

For Seizures "Keppra was working well for me. I would get it at the CVS down the street. I put in a refill request and did it through the mail order Caremark. The version of Keppra I received made me feel slow and made my memory even worse than usual. I told my neurologist about this and asked for a new prescription so I could get it filled at the regular CVS. He preferred to do a prescription for Briviact. In hindsight, I can practically guarantee it was since Briviact is so very expensive it means he gets a much larger kickback for prescribing it. Briviact has made me feel even slower than the mail order Keppra and is also giving me a ‘brain fog.’ Supposedly, it’s a better version of Keppra, but I severely doubt that’s true. And it also makes me very tired in addition to feeling extra stupid."