Keppra for Seizures User Reviews (Page 2)

• Dar...
• Taken for less than 1 month
• July 17, 2014

"Started about 1 week ago. Was fine, then all of a sudden I started feeling really tired and restless. Nothing unusual. Now I have no appetite, spaced out majority of the day. My mood swings are through the roof, and tonight I had a nightmare. Calling my doctor to see what to do."

• Chr...
• Taken for 6 months to 1 year
• July 11, 2015

"I had my first seizure when I was 13 years old. It scared my parents and me to death. After that, I started experiencing seizures every month. Almost all of my seizures (except 3) have happened while I am asleep. I am 29 now, and all the EEGs and EKGs come back normal. I have been taking Keppra now for 6 months, and I have not had any Grand Mal seizures. I take 1000 mg every night after dinner, and I make it a point to get at least 7 hours of sleep every night. I have not experienced any mood swings or depression. The good definitely outweighs the bad... Many blessings."

• JJH...
• Taken for 1 to 6 months
• July 20, 2013

"Started taking Keppra (750mg twice daily) alongside Lamictal (250mg twice daily) as the latter medicine was not 100% efficient to control partial seizures. Although the Keppra seems to have stopped the seizures completely, there are many side effects to be aware of. Drowsiness, tiredness, and irritability/moodiness are extremely common, so that is often a downer, especially when you're trying to enjoy yourself. Depression is difficult to identify as dwelling on the side effects on the leaflet only makes you feel worse! Overall, an effective medicine for treating epilepsy but I had many bad side effects."

• Lif...
• February 23, 2012

"After a motor vehicle accident in 2008, I started having seizures (grand mal). I just started on Keppra 3 1/2 months ago, 1000mg in the morning and again in the evening. I also take Gabapentin, 300mg 3 times a day. I haven't had a seizure since (yay!). Not only that, but I feel alert and I don't feel tired. The Gabapentin can make me feel a little sleepy, but after taking it in the afternoon, I immediately take a walk outside or take a 20-minute power nap, and then I feel great. I haven't had the side effects of mood swings or feeling tired or depressed. I didn't even realize before I started taking Keppra how out of it I felt at times. I'd gotten so used to feeling tired and unclear in my head. Now that I'm on Keppra, I feel alive again!"

• Bro...
• Taken for 1 to 6 months
• June 10, 2023

"I feel betrayed by everyone who was supposed to be knowledgeable and help me. I had my first seizure at 30 after taking amoxicillin for a tooth infection. My family doctor retired during Covid, so I had to go to hospital doctors who prescribed me Keppra before any test results came back. Then every single 'professional' I've talked to has known little to nothing about Keppra (one told me I could wean off in a couple of days. That's a good way to trigger seizures). I have gotten almost every side effect except coma and random bleeding, but I feel like a horrible person. I feel like I'm dying, and I can't tell if something is wrong with me or if it's side effects. I feel like I'm living in a haze. People are getting annoyed at repeating everything. I can't write down info fast enough to keep it. So I feel like there's no point in talking to my husband because I'll forget most of what he says and make us both depressed. I've forgotten years' worth of routines I built up. I hate this."

• mrb...
• Taken for 1 to 2 years
• September 3, 2012

"I have a brain tumor. I've been on 1500mg/day since Feb 2011. I had a grand-mal seizure in the middle of the night. First seizure, first indication of the brain tumor. Haven't had a seizure since. Radiation took care of the tumor. Have not experienced any of the side effects that most other people comment on other than occasional constipation. My dreams seem to be more vivid and realistic than before. I'm 50 in two months."

• CJ ...
• Taken for 1 to 6 months
• September 24, 2016

"I have had epilepsy all my life. I am 48 and have been on Dilantin all my life except for the last 5 months. About 5 months ago, I had a grand mal seizure, and my family doctor wanted me to see a neurologist since I haven't seen one for a while. Well, after seeing my neurologist, she changed my medication to Keppra. I really hate this drug. I would maybe have a few to maybe 4 to 5 seizures a year that I could feel coming on, now I have had too many to count in the last 5 months than I have had since I was on Dilantin. All the seizures I have had since I have been on Keppra, I have not felt coming on. I am very moody, I feel like crap all the time, and overall, I hate my life. I just want to get back to myself and go back to work, but right now I can't."

• Tay...
• Taken for 2 to 5 years
• April 7, 2018

"I have been seizure-free since 2014. It was two weeks before starting Keppra that I had my last seizure, so it's been three and a half years seizure-free. As far as bad side effects, it could possibly have given me attention and memory issues, it's hard to say because I don't remember having that great of a memory to begin with, but other than that, it's been good. I got my license back three years ago, as I had my second seizure at age 19 and had my license taken away, so now at the age of 25 I couldn't be happier. I never look back and think I will have another, but I will probably take Keppra the rest of my life if it is what is helping me and my epilepsy. I also had allergic reactions to two types of antiepileptic medications and then was placed on a drug that wasn't helping my seizures at all, so Keppra was a godsend."

• Ant...
• Taken for less than 1 month
• November 19, 2016

"I had my first seizure on 6/12/16, and it was a grand mal seizure. The EEG found scarring on the brain from a fall a few years ago. I was prescribed Keppra 250 mg twice daily, and it was awful. I had loss of memory, which the pharmacist says was due to mini seizures. I had to lock myself into my room on several days because I was in horrible form. I was so angry. After 7 days, I moved up to 500 mg twice daily, and I must say I have never felt so good, not in years. I am in fantastic humor all the time. I am full of energy. Even my doctor is shocked. I know it's very early days for me to give a review, but I think it's worth sharing a good experience after reading so many bad ones. I'm a 34-year-old male if that makes a difference to anyone."

• Wor...
• June 5, 2015

"My husband is 35 yrs old and had his first seizure in 03/15 right before a medical procedure for a shot in his back due to pain. He has an extreme phobia of needles and seized before they did the procedure for his back. The doctors believe it was due to extreme stress, but then a month and a half later, while at work, he had another seizure. The neurologist started him on Keppra, and he has been on it for a little over a month. He hasn't experienced another seizure, but the medication is making him extremely depressed, he seems drunk/high from it, can't walk straight, speech is slurred, eyes glossy, memory loss. I don't even feel like he is even my husband anymore because it has made him so spacey."

• Gre...
• Taken for less than 1 month
• January 4, 2015

"I'm 55/male and recently experienced a seizure during a visit at an MD clinic. Upon falling from the cart I was on and striking my head, I then had a subsequent episode two weeks later. I was started on Keppra 500 mg twice daily. It has now been almost a week and since starting, my appetite has tanked. I have had profound anxiety attacks, and insomnia along with occasional emotional lability. Also, ataxia when walking. Don't know if I want to continue this, but will speak with my neurologist next week."

• bal...
• Taken for 2 to 5 years
• December 7, 2016

"First, I had partial seizures (after a head injury in 2004), and after a grand mal in 2014, I almost died because of status epilepticus. After that, I have been on Keppra 1000 mg a day (500 mg morning, 500 mg evening) for 2 years now. The first month or two, I had headaches and double vision, sometimes I was a bit aggressive, but after a few months, it was okay. For me, it is good medicine, now I have 10 petit mals a year, and I think that bad heavy weather changes are causing them. I want to tell you that after the first or second month, side effects went away. For me, it is important that I take Keppra with a good meal in the morning and evening. It is good medicine, just do not give up. Love you all."

• Jon...
• June 18, 2015

"I've been on Keppra for about a year now. I am not the same person I used to be. I have lost motivation to do anything. I can't retain information. I introduce myself to people I already know because I can't remember anything, even things I learned years ago. The worst part is I still have seizures. They just keep increasing the dose. I'm up to 1500 mg twice a day."

• Nes...
• Taken for 1 to 2 years
• September 29, 2019

"I was taking Xanax 10 mg for severe anxiety and Ambien 10 mg from suffering from insomnia after having my daughter (10 years ago). I've never had issues with sleep, but unfortunately, anxiety runs in my family. Both stopped working for a while, so I decided to take 1 ½ bars a day and 1 ½ of Ambien a night. One day I decided to stop taking my Xanax and had run out of my Ambien for about a week. That's where the nightmare began! Horrible withdrawals, feeling useless, hallucinating, kept myself locked up for days, then suddenly I began to have seizures and ended up admitted to the hospital about 7 different times. After trying several different anti-seizure meds, Keppra finally worked for me, and I haven't had a seizure since. Thank God!"

• top...
• May 13, 2016

"I was prescribed Keppra on 5/3/16 after a grand mal at work and an abnormal EEG. I had been having absence seizures for many years, this was my first major one. I am having some pretty bad side effects, including dizziness, weakness, extreme fatigue, anger, agitation, and depression. It is tough because I am a single mom and have to work, but I go to work and just sit there because I can't concentrate and don't feel like moving. I am still only taking 250 mg in the morning and 250 mg in the evening. I was directed to move to 500 mg in the morning and 500 mg in the evening after 3 days, but I just don't feel like I can handle it. I feel so hopeless and hope that the side effects will subside."

• Anonymous
• January 28, 2016

"I wish I could tell you what it is like after my husband stops taking Keppra. For my husband and me, this has been worse than his hit to the head. Major mood swings, can't sleep, can't eat, anxiety, and more. It has been horrible. The thing is everybody is different, but if you are taking Keppra and these are happening to you, speak with your doctor ASAP and try something else. It has been hard!!!!"

• tay...
• Taken for 1 to 2 years
• January 12, 2016

"My last seizure was less than a month before starting Keppra. I was having very bad seizures on and off for three years, and the only thing coming up in scans done on my brain was a bit of slowing on the left side. I had tried other antiepileptic medications that weren't working, and my neurologist recommended I start using Keppra, which was newer to the market at the time. I've been seizure-free for over a year, and I couldn't be happier. I got my license back a few months ago and have returned to living normally."

• Car...
• Taken for less than 1 month
• April 3, 2018

"Would not recommend for elderly. Mom was sent home from the hospital with this med. She became very moody and talking suicidal (never in her 90+ life). She went downhill - no longer walking, couldn’t hold herself up, and dark urine. Happened over the weekend I stopped the med and she began coming back up to her normal self and is now better."

• Reb...
• Taken for 1 to 2 years
• March 4, 2016

"My 11-year-old son was given Keppra due to a dual concussion that led to seizures in 4/2010. He hated the way it made him feel. His neurologist put him on extended-release Keppra, which caused him to lose 30 pounds within a 3-month span. He was rushed to the hospital due to high sugar - 564 dl. In ICU, he was given Keppra at night, during his sleep, his heart rate would slow down to 50 and set off the heart monitors all night. The cardiologist said there was nothing wrong with his heart after running numerous tests. The medication compromised his system, caused Type 1 diabetes, and triggered irregular heartbeats. I weaned him off Keppra against the doctor's wishes in 10/2010. He has had no seizures since, but still has Type I, he is 17 yrs."

• Kep...
• August 15, 2017

"When I take my dose, it makes me more sleepy than usual. It's not every day, but some days I can be sleepy after 7-9 hours when I have slept enough (approx. 7-8 hours). That's the only side effect I have had up to now. So I am okay with it, I guess. Annoying with two tablets, 500 mg each day, but oh well, better than seizures. That's even worse. Those who have had them can feel with me. :)"

• Joh...
• December 1, 2018

"I've had 2 seizures, both morning after heavy drinking. Neurologist says I have a predisposition to seizures triggered by alcohol withdrawal. I was given Keppra in the ER, and then twice daily 500mg prescription to take home. Effects were generally fine, a little spacey the first few days, but then pretty much back to normal. Neurologist suggested I move to a 1000mg dose once a day of extended-release pills. On their recommendation, I took my typical 500mg standard release in the morning, and then 1000mg (2 500mg pills) extended-release dose tonight. Dear god, the side effects. My whole body became jittery, I was having panic attacks, and my eyes were fluttering so much I thought I'd have another seizure at any moment. I didn't, and after 6 terrifying hours I'm mostly back to normal. I will no longer take both pills at once as directed, and will instead spread the doses as I had been with the standard release. I'm going to continue to push my neurologist to wean me off these drugs."

• Sus...
• June 23, 2016

"All depends on the individual. I actually found that Keppra made my seizures worse. I started taking Keppra and was fine for 2 years with no side effects, no seizures, nothing. Then, one day I had a massive grand mal seizure. The doctors keep upping my dose. Now I am on the maximum dose but still having seizures. Before I took Keppra, I had only a few fits in my life, now I have them about once every couple of weeks."

• Anonymous
• Taken for less than 1 month
• March 27, 2017

"This medication had a negative effect on my daughter. It changed her mood to a negative mood. It made her depressed, and she felt very agitated. It was a very scary experience and would not recommend it to anyone."

• Deb...
• Taken for less than 1 month
• July 3, 2019

"My mom began post-stroke seizures and a 1000 mg Nokia was administered in the ER. I explained she was very sensitive to meds. She was admitted and given two more doses of 500 and 750. She was so lethargic, dizzy, and nauseous I asked if we could switch. They dropped the Keppra cold turkey and she seized 96 straight times every eight minutes. We are back on it to properly wean her, but with each dose she seizes like clockwork and has been in cardiac arrest 4x. We are between a rock and a hard place with this med, but I would advise anyone to choose this med knowing side effects can be severe. She is on comfort care now."

• Fat...
• Taken for less than 1 month
• June 6, 2014

"I am from Bahrain. My daughter is 4 years old, she got grand mal seizures, and doctors prescribed her Keppra syrup (oral). Since 18 days, no seizure, but we feel side effects like mood changes, and one time minor rashes appeared on her face, but it went away after 3 days. So far, we are happy with Keppra, and I hope and pray that it will treat her epilepsy."