Levetiracetam for Epilepsy User Reviews (Page 3)

• CTINFL
• Taken for 2 to 5 years
• June 9, 2018

Keppra (levetiracetam) "Keppra was terrible for me. The worst was the mood swings that were uncontrollable for me. I'm a nice guy, but I literally hated everyone. Fired from jobs for misconduct and anger issues. I had surgery in 2012 and it improved my situation, but I still take Vimpat, Lamotrogine, and have my medical marijuana license as well. Looking and feeling like the best meds combination for me."

• Ben...
• Taken for 1 to 6 months
• May 14, 2023

Keppra (levetiracetam) "Let's just say that taking keppra increased my aggression drastically and it ended up with a lot of the people around me getting hurt and it didn't help with my epilepsy in the slightest.This was back when I was 16."

• Anonymous
• Taken for 1 to 2 years
• April 30, 2019

"Horrible experience on this drug, yes it works to stop seizures but I don’t think that outweighs the cons of having mood swings, anger, depression, anxiety, and really dark thoughts that could put me in prison. And it also makes you lose your friends and family due to these side effects."

• Princ...
• March 23, 2017

Keppra (levetiracetam) "So I had times where I'd black out and have amnesia. Basically it would scare my parents and after the second time it happened they took me to the doctor. We went through all the test and they all came back normal except for my EEG. it came back abnormal. I was immediately put on keppra and hated every second of it. I started off with 500mg 2x a day. After the first dose I was hallucinating and very confused. The four hour mark was the worst. I was super loopy and couldn't focus for nothing. the medicine caused me to have mood swings and go into a deep depression. My advice if you have any sort of mental illness DON'T TAKE IT. I've struggled with Bulimia, Anxiety, Depression, and Bipolar disorder for years. Seizures stopped. Wasn't worth it"

• JMP
• Taken for 5 to 10 years
• October 4, 2014

Keppra (levetiracetam) "I have taken Keppra for the last 8 yrs. I take 6-500mg pills and 3-100mg pills a day. It has worked very well for me. I did have a Grand-Mal Seizure a few months back. It was the worst I ever had. They did a blood level on me and my blood level was Therapeutic, Meaning normal. It is a good medicine to take. But like any other medicine it has it's off days. I do recommend it though."

• Twitc...
• April 3, 2018

Keppra (levetiracetam) "When my Keppra was wearing off, I would start to twitch! I couldn't stop twitching and I was becoming more and more aggressive! My body felt more unbalanced and I fell twice. I encourage you to speak to your doctor to thoroughly investigate what meds are out there that doesn't make you mean and walk like a twitchy drunk!"

• Jewel...
• Taken for 1 to 6 months
• April 4, 2017

Keppra (levetiracetam) "Keppra was fine for me at first (500 mg twice a day) for 2 months. I suffer from complex partial seizures and experienced a grand mal recently. Then I experienced extreme tiredness, confusion, headaches, greatly increased my depression, could barely go from my bedroom to the living room (never mind managing leaving my house). I had to go back to my neurologist to get switched off such a horrible drug for me. Aptiom (once a day!) so far is a better choice for me."

• Rober...
• July 27, 2010

Keppra (levetiracetam) "Started off using Keppra with Tegretol, and at the regular 500mg dose per day. Later upped to 1000MG per day. Once they removed my Tegretol dose, I began to have violent seizures. Now I have Tegretol back and my dosage of Keppra was doubled again. Now at 2000mg per day. I'm now depressed, tired, nauseated, and don't really want to eat at all. I'll have to talk to my doctor about changing my medication."

• mone
• January 1, 2012

Keppra (levetiracetam) "I started having seizures about 3 years ago. Found out I had a tumor on my left temporal lobe. Started taking carbamazepine, it worked for about a month or two but I started having seizures again. That's when my doctor put me on keppra and I haven't had a seizure since. Thanks keppra!"

• Anonymous
• Taken for 2 to 5 years
• May 15, 2020

Keppra (levetiracetam) "DO NOT TAKE THIS MEDICATION. I would give it zero stars if I could. I lost 4 years of my life because of Keppra. Did not help my seizures, I almost killed myself 3 different times, I had personality disorder, extreme anxiety & paranoia, anxiety attacks daily if not more than once a day. Anger, rage, I was a completely different person. The same thing happened to two other people I know that were on this drug as well. And the withdrawal seizures have been HORRIBLE and have almost gone into status epilepticus twice. But I am so thankful I found LAMICTAL. All of the Keppra symptoms are now gone, and it actually helps me be happy and joyful."

• Bad...
• Taken for 10 years or more
• October 1, 2022

Keppra (levetiracetam) "I see all the problems that are out there. Guess I am fortunate. Am on 500mg Levetiracetam 2x day and 200mg lamictal in the A.M. and 400mg in the evening (Lamotrigine generic, of lamictal). Like most of you I could not afford the brand name. I eventually researched the manufacturer of the brand name of lamictal and found that they supplied the drug for free if you qualify. I just had to prove I had spent $600.00 on prescription drugs that year and they supplied me with the drug at no cost to me. If you are in the same situation on any of your medications, I would do some research to find out if the brand name company will supply, it to you at no cost. As for natural oils I tried that and all it did was knot up my stomach it took me a week to get rid of that problem and no help with my seizures. Needless to say, I went back to my prescribed meds and am feeling better Beware what you read, what works for someone else may not work for you. The internet is full of help but is it reliable?"

• Emma
• Taken for 1 to 6 months
• August 29, 2022

Keppra (levetiracetam) "I first started taking keppa after having a tonic clonic seizure while 37 weeks pregnant. At first keppra was fine just made me feel very drowsy. As time went on my moods were horrific I nearly split up with my husband it was that bad I feel so low and suicidal I couldn't bond with my newborn, my hormones and new tablets didn't work well. I was horrendous I thought I got to nip this in the bud before I felt more and more worse my neurologist weaned me off and put my on Lamartigine 100mg felt the difference straight away have absolutely no side effects feel amazing and not had 1 suicidal thought since being on that also it's a mood stabiliser so that helps!! Keppra needs stopping it's like the devil's drug!!!!"

• Mike
• Taken for 6 months to 1 year
• December 28, 2020

Keppra (levetiracetam) "Hi folks I had my first seizure in October 19 , then had 2 more seizures over the next 4 months . Was diagnosed with frontal lobe epilepsy initially put on lamotrigine ( didn’t work for me plus sleep problems ) I Asked the Neurologist if I could try keppra , ? Wonder drug for me , I only take 500mg a day 250mg in the morning 250mg evening.. I’ve been seizure free for 10 months with no side effects whatsoever, so thankful"

• Bogie...
• March 26, 2017

Keppra (levetiracetam) "Extreme rage. Angry a lot. Quick to snap at minor things. Seizures have stopped for 2 1/2 years with a price to pay. I'd just like to try something else but this is the first medication that works after trying 3 others."

• xarokk
• Taken for 1 to 6 months
• December 6, 2020

Keppra (levetiracetam) "I was always a very happy person with a lot of energy but since I started keppra I became violent, with uncontrolable rage, depressed, tired, dizzy and I attacked my cat for almost doing nothing. I don't recognize myself. I just want to lie down all the day and stay in bed."

• MCHammy
• May 6, 2016

Keppra XR (levetiracetam) "I starting having seizures after a car accident when I was 18 (now 28). I was told by neurologists that may be the reason for the "trigger" of my epilepsy. I had 3 t-c seizures before being put on the max dosage of 1500mg 2x daily of the keppra. The side effects listed with the drugs usually happen to me but it wasn't hard to handle. Keppra worked for 2 years for the most part. Then it stopped. I began to have night time seizures, then partials, auras, memory loss, anxiety, double vision. You name it it was happening and it still is. I am now with a seizure specialist taking 3 different seizure medications and an anti anxiety as needed. 15 pills. Still having t-c, complex-partials, and partials with all the side effects. Can't work now."

• Carol...
• Taken for 2 to 5 years
• April 17, 2023

Keppra (levetiracetam) "I was 69years old when I had my first ever seizure, it was completely out of the blue and no cause could be found after multiple tests etc. No medication was prescribed until I had a serious of seizures 20 months later, during one of the seizures I fractured my shoulder. I was prescribed Keppra 500mg - 1 twice daily. I set my phone alarm to remind me! The side effects the first year were bad and I consulted with my neurologist but decided to persevere. Now 3 and half years later, no more seizures. I do suffer from slow memory, feet and leg pains, Low B12, D3, low iron and recently osteoporosis. I have also been diagnosed with celiac disease. I will continue talking Keppra, at 74 the damage another seizure could do is not worth the risk. Plus maybe I would have had those conditions anyway. It would be interesting to know if Keppra does cause vitamin deficiencies? At least they are easy to resolve! My UK GP, is excellent and closely monitors my condition."

• DawnC
• Taken for less than 1 month
• June 26, 2017

Keppra (levetiracetam) "Neuro recently added Keppra to my seizure med regimen. I have absence seizures & the 600mg (the recommended max) of Lamotrigine I'd been on for 16 yrs was no longer as effective. Being middle-aged & female, my seizures developed a catamenial (hormonal) aspect to them. My absences would skyrocket at certain times of the month, as many as 60/day. Been on Keppra for 2 weeks & have only had 1 absence during that time! As for the side effects: near constant irritibility, sometimes a sense of hopelessness, apathy, & mood swings. More often than not, I feel detached from the world...like I'm just watchin a movie & I'm not a part of whats going on around me. I'm weighing the trade-off: no seizures or constant crazy? Gonna give it a little more time."

• Anonymous
• October 21, 2009

Keppra (levetiracetam) "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."

• Snoopy
• Taken for 2 to 5 years
• December 8, 2019

Keppra (levetiracetam) "Nothing out of ordinary. 3 years now on Keppra for epilipsy at a dose less than I'm supposed to be taking since we can't afford it at dosage. 750mg once a day seems to work. 1 aura that didn't go to seizure. No side effects...I'm always angry."

• GrahamL
• Taken for 2 to 5 years
• August 28, 2023

Keppra (levetiracetam) "I have been taking Keppra for the past 3 years since a brain hemorrhage. I have not suffered further seizures, but do experience headaches every day (sometimes mild and sometimes severe with no predictability). The other experiences are irritability and variable instability in movement. I have successfully reduced my daily Keppra dosage from 2 grams per day to 1.375 grams (a 31% reduction) and this has improved my quality of life quite a lot. I'm now considering changing my drug from Keppra to Briviact and would really welcome any advice from anyone who has made this drug transition."

• Chehe...
• Taken for 5 to 10 years
• June 16, 2020

Keppra (levetiracetam) "I was diagnosed GEFs (a type of epilepsy Genetic epilepsy with febrile seizures) few months after I was born. My seizures occurs very rarely (one in 5 years' time). However, till the age of 10 my seizures were at the times I had fever. However I have never taken any medicine. At the age of 15 I had 2 seizures in one month's period and in both cases I had menstrual cycle. After that the neurologist prescribed me Keppra of 500g twice a day. Apart from tiredness I had no problem till the age of 19. I began to have diarrhea even 7 times a day and I had any sort of medical analysis. The last option was the medicine: my neurologist only after several times understood this and changed medicine. Now I take matecer (750 a day) and no problem till now."

• Winb
• Taken for 5 to 10 years
• August 7, 2016

Keppra (levetiracetam) "Good for Epilepsy but the feelings you get whilst taking them are so bad, I have a feeling in my back of burning and on the inside also as if my tummy is burning also. It is so good for fits if only on them a short while, but not so good to be taken too long. I wish my Docs would understand what they are putting me through with this drug and how I feel, but they do not understand or do not want to !! They just say "so you know better than the Doctors?". I know these drugs are doing me in and seeing Dr about them so wish me luck !! phew"

• Anonymous
• September 15, 2018

"Haven't been diagnosed yet but pretty sure I have - Juvenile myoclonic epilepsy (JME), this medicine did work very well for controlling the siezures. I haven't had a seizure while on it however the side effects are just about as terrible. I was given 500mg twice daily and about two months in I would get pressure and tension feelings in my head while at school or in a social environment, I assumed this was an aura of a seizure about to happen, although with my particular case I never had an aura even before a seizure; 10 months later and I have finally come to realize it was anxiety which made me feel as if i was going to have another seizure which only worsened the anxiety. Due to this intense "seizure" feeling I would take more doses of the keppra. This led me to increasing the amount. Due to these symptoms I have pulled away from leaving my house. Two weeks ago I switched to 500mg keppra XR once a day. Started to suffer from actual panic attacks. If you suffer with anxiety or quick temper I wouldn't recommend"

• medic...
• Taken for 6 months to 1 year
• November 20, 2017

Keppra (levetiracetam) "I was on Keppra for about 6 months as an addition to oxcarbazepine. From the first week of taking keppra I had developed a horribly annoying eye twitch. At first I thought it was from lack of sleep but after about three months and the twitch being consistent on 3/4 days a week, after a little research online I realized that keppra was the culprit. Besides the physical side effect my family told me I was just about unbearable with how moody I was while on it (I was on the dosage of 250mg x2). My neurologist told me to give it 6 months to see it the side effects decreased over time. Before I reached the 6 month mark I had a break through seizure and that ended my journey with keppra."