Keppra for Seizures User Reviews (Page 3)

• arc...
• March 20, 2011

"I have been on many anti-epileptic medicines over the course of 30 years: Dilantin, Mysoline, Klonopin, Depakote, Topamax, Lamictal, etc. While Keppra did a good job of controlling the myoclonic jerks, which I often experience, it was way too sedating when combined with Topamax. It wasn't uncommon for me to sleep twelve hours a day. The real problem with Keppra was the mood swings, depression, anger, and suicidal thoughts. It's no secret that a link exists between epilepsy/seizure disorders and some (all) of these issues; however, in my case, these feelings and emotions definitely intensified while taking Keppra."

• Kay...
• August 31, 2016

"So on the 30th of July 2016, I turned 28 my birthday. I didn't go crazy and party, I spent the day with my kiddies and mum. That night, I poured a glass of wine, had a sip, but wasn't feeling up to it, so I didn't. The next day, on the 31st, I woke up with a real sore head, it felt like I had the worst hangover ever, even though I hadn't actually drunk. I felt awful but decided to go into town anyway with mum, kids, and my bestie for a little lunch and shopping. I was then shopping and had 4 grand mal seizures. I woke up in the hospital with a massive black eye and broken nose with not a clue what was going on, my mum and partner crying, telling me I had just a scan and they found a tumor. So they put me on Keppra. It's bad, I have loads of side effects. I feel like I'm going crazy."

• Bec...
• June 28, 2017

"I think the definition of hell was the 4 weeks I was on this medication. Every single day, I was constantly in a state of panic. If you've had temporal lobe seizures, you may know what I'm referring to; the brief state of panic that occurs when a seizure is coming about. I was in that state of panic ALL day. I was in high school at the time and had to stay home nearly every single day. The neurologist tried adding an antidepressant, a Xanax, and nothing would calm it down. When my hair began falling out at an alarming rate, that was the final straw for me. I had to DEMAND to be switched to something else. I take lamotrigine now, and it has completely turned around. My hair finally stopped falling out about 2 months after I quit the Keppra."

• Anonymous
• Taken for 1 to 6 months
• October 15, 2015

"Made me more aggressive, lost nearly 50% of my friends on Facebook while on this. Caused me to lose contact with several family members after they saw my anger from being on this. Product should be off the market!"

• New...
• February 21, 2015

"I'm over 65, male, in my youth, I suffered several head injuries, some of these were diagnosed as concussions. I was involved in a motor accident in 2000 with a severe head injury. Soon thereafter, I started to have auras followed by migraines. In 2010, I started having myoclonic jerks that would awaken me 3 to 4 times at night. In 2013, the jerks became so severe that I visited a neurosurgeon. After scans, etc., I was diagnosed with partial epilepsy. In March 2014, I had a seizure in my sleep. Taken to the hospital and put on Keppra by the neurosurgeon. I take 750 mg at night and 500 in the morning. Auras and migraines have decreased, but my mood swings have been getting worse, changed personality, overreaction, I feel like I'm bipolar, it's affecting my marriage."

• api...
• July 2, 2011

"I've been on 500 mg 2x/day for 5 years. Keppra controlled the seizures immediately the day I started it, but I did experience extreme drowsiness and can sleep for days. People always told me I looked tired and knew I was always sleepy. I also got very moody and am easily irritated to the point where no one wants to be around me. I didn't think that it could be linked to the medication until now. It's a terrible feeling, but it does control the seizures."

• JME...
• November 1, 2015

"I am 16, I have had Juvenile Myoclonic Epilepsy for almost 2 years now and have been on Keppra ever since. I experienced some weight loss, extreme depression, hallucinations, and memory loss. I've only had one other grand mal seizure while on this, and I do not jerk anymore. Though it works, I wish I felt alive and awake during normal daily tasks. If you can seek other medications for physiological and behavioral reasons, I suggest it."

• Den...
• May 17, 2008

"I have juvenile myoclonic epilepsy. I was taking lamotrigine for 4 years and it wasn't having much of an effect. I asked if there was anything else, I was given Keppra. I felt an almost instant change. I had no more funny feelings in my head, no twitching in the mornings. I felt much safer, and that led to me being much happier. I can stay out later. I've had no seizures since taking this, and I recommend it."

• New...
• Taken for less than 1 month
• November 1, 2013

"I was given one dose of Keppra as a precaution because I had a 'spell' that I'm not sure was a seizure or just a bad anxiety attack. It made me feel dreadful: dizzy, depressed, weepy, spaced out. It's been nearly 36 hours since I took it, and I'm still feeling not quite right. Horrible stuff. I had an EEG, and it was normal. I wish the doctor had waited with the med until the results of the EEG, CAT scan, and MRI."

• unp...
• May 24, 2014

"I've been on Keppra for two years now, 500 mg morning & 500 mg evening. No side effects at all and no seizures since I started on it. Initially, I had some tingling in my lips, but that ended after a week or so, nothing since. Like the 'animal alerts' I keep on my vehicles, you can't tell if it works except for the absence of anything bad happening, which in my case nothing has with either Keppra or the animal alerts, so they both must work since before them I had one seizure and also hit a deer, a moose, and some rodents who darted out in front of me, but no longer do. I checked for interactions of all medications and would advise anyone with a bad reaction to any med to do so as well."

• Jim...
• Taken for 1 to 2 years
• May 22, 2023

"I'm actually stunned because this is my first time reading so many negative reviews for a medicine that has given me so much back. After years battling through seizures, personality disorders, and addiction. I've been seizure-free on Keppra for 17 months, and that's what it does and that's why I count on it to keep doing. I could suffer side effects, but I could also be where no one wants to be."

• Sam...
• Taken for 10 years or more
• July 2, 2016

"I have epilepsy since I was a baby. I take Lamictal and Keppra. Last year I had a grand mal seizure. Went to the hospital and everything. I saw my neurologist, and she put me on Lamictal XR and Keppra XR. Ever since then, I'm having a lot of side effects. I have at least 10 of them from both Lamictal and Keppra. Having problems from both. My neurologist does not care about the side effects. I'm scared to go outside a lot. I'm moody every day, sleep during the day, insomnia, diarrhea, constipation, etc., it is annoying. I want to be off of these pills and want a better life. I would rather take something else."

• Jon...
• Taken for 1 to 6 months
• November 9, 2013

"My son had his first seizure at 18 years old. He has a brain injury from birth and very mild cerebral palsy affecting his right side. Went to the ER and was referred to a neurologist. Did a CT scan, blood work, EEG all normal except for the injury to the brain, which showed no changes in size or concern. Was told not to drive for three months, CA law. Was put on Keppra 500 mg morning and night, a total of 1000 mg. Has not had a seizure, and we will be following up with the neurologist in 2 days to have his driving privileges reinstated with DMV. Very hard for him not being able to drive and having someone else do it. Regarding side effects, none. Has taken medication every day. The neurologist did say we will reevaluate stopping the medication in 2 years."

• she...
• August 23, 2009

"I am an 18-year-old who has been having seizures for the last three years or so. Keppra helps me a lot. I just wanted to say, for those women who have mood swings and anger issues due to this medicine, talk to your doctor about going on prenatal vitamins, such as Vinate A-Z. I became the meanest person I had ever met, but after I was put on Vinate, I went back to normal the day I started taking it."

• Ham...
• November 15, 2017

"I haven't had a seizure in over 3 years because of this drug. It has helped me so much in daily life that I can't imagine my life without it. The price is also very reasonable considering what it treats."

• Dia...
• Taken for 1 to 6 months
• November 10, 2015

"I had my first seizure in February 2014 and was prescribed Keppra. I took it for a while and experienced all the symptoms as everyone else: depression, fatigue, mood swings, hallucinations, etc. You name it, I had it. I had no energy, and all I could do was sleep. I got tired of living like that and one day decided to stop taking them, bad move. It was fine for 4 days, I was energized and happy, but on that day, I had another seizure. I told my doctor, and he changed my prescription to Trileptal. I have been on it since that day, and the only side effect I think I have would be hair thinning."

• Cof...
• February 3, 2016

"After a stroke in 2005, I had seizures until starting with Keppra at 500 mg bid. Now I'm up to 1000 twice a day and haven't been bothered by any side effects at all. I'm glad that it is available as a generic now, I use Levetiracetam, only $4 a month as opposed to the $720 a month Keppra was until recently."

• JMP...
• February 13, 2017

"I have been on Keppra for about 15 years. I received my epilepsy from a bad car accident when I was young. I received my first epileptic seizure when I was 27 years old. I have tried every single seizure medication made for the severity of my grand mal seizures. I now take 5-500 mg pills plus 3-100 mg capsules of Dilantin. That is 300 mg shy of brain surgery. I am at peace with myself. I know what I have tried, what worked, and what didn't. My seizures are extreme. I keep my blood level therapeutic and have fewer seizures, so I know it is working. I still get grand mal seizures, just not as many. That proves to me it works. That is all I care about, ME!"

• Anonymous
• October 17, 2008

"I had my first grand-mal seizure over 1 year ago, have no reason for why I had a seizure, but I was put on Keppra the same night. In the beginning, I was very tired and had a lot of anxiety, so they gave me Lexapro along with it. I feel great, no feeling like I'm going to pass out and no more racing thoughts in my head."

• 17...
• February 22, 2009

"I'm 17 years old and have been taking Keppra for three years now. Keppra has stopped my seizures except on three occasions where I missed a dose. Although it works very well, I have been experiencing some side effects including moodiness, irritability, anger, rage, confusion, and hallucinations. Although I have side effects, I like the overall results of being a well kid."

• Guy...
• Taken for 1 to 6 months
• March 4, 2021

"I have had 1 seizure at the end of October 2020. Doctors put me on medication right away. I only took it because they said it was the fastest way to get my license back. My neurologist, when I finally talked to him, didn't want me on medication first. Had multiple tests done, everything normal. Neurologist came back and asked if I was still taking the medication. I stopped taking it because my wife first noticed I was a lot more irritable, then the longer I took Keppra, I had no fuse and would just snap at people. I haven't gone on any other medication since all my test results were normal. Now I have the neurologist saying I have to be on medication for at least 6 months, which I don't understand for my first seizure and clear test results. Haven't had any other seizures since and have felt back to normal since going off the medication."

• sha...
• Taken for 1 to 6 months
• April 1, 2023

"Had a grand mal seizure last May and was prescribed Keppra. The drug made me have a full-blown psychotic episode and NDE (near-death experience) where I saw the light at the end of the tunnel. This medication landed me in the mental hospital for a week. I couldn't sleep, had auditory and internal hallucinations within my mind that led me to lay down in the middle of the street trying to get anyone to listen to me. Was switched to Divalproex and have been okay. Still reeling from almost breaking up with my husband of 18+ years, who will now never see me the same ever again, thanks to this crazy drug... Do not recommend anyone try this. Only as a last resort! Unless you want to risk your life never being the same."

• New...
• April 27, 2009

"Had my first seizure this year, put on Keppra a month later. Stopped the seizures, but makes me sleepy all the time. I have mood swings, depression, irritable, and get frustrated easily. Tried to talk to my neurologist, but was told the only side effect Keppra has is being tired. Too scared to ask if I could try anything else because this is supposed to be the safest drug available."

• min...
• April 1, 2008

"I have been taking Keppra for 4 1/2 years, after head trauma from an auto accident caused me to have a seizure while in the hospital. I have experienced some minor occurrences of side effects, but nothing compared to the problem I experienced while taking Dilantin, which caused me to lose my ability to reason and to express myself, i.e., Dilantin made me an apparent idiot. My greatest annoyance with Keppra is the rise in cost-46% over these past 4 1/2 years."

• Alf...
• June 16, 2015

"My daughter just started this medicine, and she is still having seizures. Before, the seizures were not happening as often, now it is happening more frequently. I still yet to see any real good results..."