Brivaracetam and Mood Swings: What Users Say

• Ano...
• Taken for less than 1 month
• March 27, 2021

Brivaracetam for Epilepsy "BRIVIACT is a strong, quick-onset medication. Within a half-hour after my first dose, I could feel its effects, which were nothing like other AEDs I have tried that make me just a little tired. I’m an easy-going person, so imagine my surprise when, shortly after starting BRIVIACT, I became irritable and overly talkative about situations that normally wouldn’t faze me. A few days into therapy, people expressed concern about how I was being affected. An uncomfortable conversation led me to consult my doctor about mood changes, a new need for naps, and a blister that was forming on the inside of my mouth. Upon receiving more medical advice, I ceased taking BRIVIACT immediately. Withdrawing from BRIVIACT was a long, miserable process. At times, I found myself unusually emotional and on the verge of tears. Besides, I had a headache, tinnitus, achy legs, and my feet felt like they were on fire. Feeling out of sorts, I slept a lot and tried to recover from an alarming experience."

• Ano...
• Taken for less than 1 month
• March 27, 2021

Brivaracetam for Epilepsy "BRIVIACT is a strong, quick-onset medication. Within a half-hour after my first dose, I could feel its effects, which were nothing like other AEDs I have tried that make me just a little tired. I’m an easy-going person, so imagine my surprise when, shortly after starting BRIVIACT, I became irritable and overly talkative about situations that normally wouldn’t faze me. A few days into therapy, people expressed concern about how I was being affected. An uncomfortable conversation led me to consult my doctor about mood changes, a new need for naps, and a blister that was forming on the inside of my mouth. Upon receiving more medical advice, I ceased taking BRIVIACT immediately. Withdrawing from BRIVIACT was a long, miserable process. At times, I found myself unusually emotional and on the verge of tears. Besides, I had a headache, tinnitus, achy legs, and my feet felt like they were on fire. Feeling out of sorts, I slept a lot and tried to recover from an alarming experience."

• Rp3...
• August 6, 2020

Brivaracetam for Epilepsy "This medication, Briviact, broke me mentally. I was given it as a newer, better option than what I had been on and was told it did not have mood disorders like Keppra did. I thought, great! Less meds! I was phased to a dose of 75 mg twice daily over a course of a month because I am medication resistant (having tried over 10 different types in 10 years). Everything was great until I was on my normal dose (75 mg X2) for a week. Then one day, snapped. I was crying over everything, angry, tired, suicidal thoughts flooded my head constantly. Panic attacks that got to the point where I collapsed. It feels like my brain is in constant self-destruct mode. I had to contact my doctor's emergency line to know how to stop this medication right away. It has been over a month since stopping. I still don't feel like myself. I still have horrible panic attacks and emotional breakdowns and crazy thoughts. I am working closely with my doctors to get things back to 'normal' now."

• Bet...
• Taken for 1 to 6 months
• June 13, 2020

Brivaracetam for Epilepsy "I’ve read about the typical side effects of Briviact. The only effects I seem to have are tiredness/sleepiness during the day and mood swings. For me, the tiredness can be overcome by staying active. Concerning the mood changes, it’s a little unpredictable and can be bad. However, overall, Briviact has helped stop my seizures, and I like it."

• 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!"

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

Brivaracetam 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."

• Joe...
• Taken for 6 months to 1 year
• July 3, 2019

Brivaracetam for Epilepsy "Replaced Keppra with this drug. Keppra was giving me severe mood swings. I am taking 100 mg 2x a day. Seems to work with no side effects observed yet. With manufacturer discount card about $30.00 a month with my insurance. Made by the same company as Vimpat, which I also take."

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

Brivaracetam 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."

• Joa...
• Taken for less than 1 month
• May 12, 2020

Brivaracetam for Epilepsy "I took Keppra. That, along with other meds, controlled 10 seizures a day for 2 years. Now I'm on 4 seizure meds and facing brain surgery if the seizures don't stop. I just started taking Briviact and am hopeful to be seizure-free for years again. So far, so good, but there have already been mood swings. It has only been almost a week."

• 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."