Levetiracetam and Irritability: What Users Say (Page 2)

• Jim...
• Taken for 5 to 10 years
• June 5, 2020

Levetiracetam for Epilepsy "Been taking Keppra the whole time I've had epilepsy, which will be six years come next Christmas Eve. It will make you irritable the first few weeks, but that passes. I have one grand mal seizure once every three months. It's an alright drug if your epilepsy isn't a 'I have one every hour' type thing. (: Good luck!"

• Zac...
• November 8, 2017

For Bipolar Disorder "I was diagnosed with type 2 bipolar disorder in March of this year. A few months later, I had my first seizure, followed by a couple more in my sleep. I was then diagnosed with juvenile myoclonic epilepsy and prescribed a regimen of levetiracetam 750 mg tablets twice a day. Over the past 5 months, I've had positive results regarding my seizure disorder, although I have experienced an increase in irritability, hostility, depression, and suicidal ideation. I'm in the process of seeing my neurologist to determine whether this is the best treatment option."

• Lau...
• Taken for 6 months to 1 year
• December 4, 2016

For Epilepsy "I was diagnosed with epilepsy when I was 12 years old (I am now 27). I have been on lamotrigine and topiramate (separately) in the past, and they both worked to control my seizures. This year, my neurologist has changed, and she wanted me to try Keppra, but I was happy on the topiramate, so I said no until I had a grand mal seizure. However, the seizures have gotten worse since taking the Keppra, plus the side effects are awful. At the start, I was so tired I spent all day asleep. After the dosage has increased to 3000 mg per day, I have started to get mood swings, anger, depression, irritability, plus suicidal thoughts and have become a completely different person - I never used to cry, but now I don't stop."

• lab...
• Taken for 10 years or more
• December 7, 2016

For Epilepsy "Have reduced my seizures from about 15 a year to only 3-4 a year, however, the side effects greatly outweigh the benefits. Currently suffering and have been for about 6 years now... extreme fatigue, mood swings, high up and down rapid changing moods, anger with extreme anger outbursts where never in my life was I an angry person, shaky hands, extreme memory loss like 2-4 month gaps, unable to concentrate, irritability, can't even remember simple names of things like cup or brush, which is very frustrating because I used to be a grant writer and loved to write poetry, can't anymore. Stuffy nose, exaggerated fears, swollen glands, depressed, social anxiety, I rarely leave my home anymore, I don't answer the phone, Dr. doesn't care."

• Anonymous
• August 26, 2011

For Seizures "I had my first grand mal at age 35. I started taking 500 mg of Keppra 1x a day and eventually worked down to 250 mg 1x a day without any seizures. My doctor and I decided to take me off the medicine as there has been no epilepsy detected in all the testing I have done. After being off the medicine for 30 days, I had another grand mal. So, I started taking the minimal dosage of 1/2 of a 250 mg pill once a day. It has been over a year now, and I have not had another seizure. I do experience dizziness at the beginning of my day before I take my pill. After a few hours, I feel fine. I also sometimes experience drowsiness, tiredness, agitation, anger, anxiety, depression, irritability, and occasional panic attacks. I'd rather have these than seizures!"

• Anonymous
• August 26, 2011

For Seizures "I had my first grand mal at age 35. I started taking 500 mg of Keppra 1x a day and eventually worked down to 250 mg 1x a day without any seizures. My doctor and I decided to take me off the medicine as there has been no epilepsy detected in all the testing I have done. After being off the medicine for 30 days, I had another grand mal. So, I started taking the minimal dosage of 1/2 of a 250 mg pill once a day. It has been over a year now, and I have not had another seizure. I do experience dizziness at the beginning of my day before I take my pill. After a few hours, I feel fine. I also sometimes experience drowsiness, tiredness, agitation, anger, anxiety, depression, irritability, and occasional panic attacks. I'd rather have these than seizures!"

• Say...
• September 29, 2015

For Seizures "I had every side effect, even pain in my temples, which was so painful that I thought they were going to bust and was ready to go to the ER. When I decided to look my meds up online, I found that Keppra was causing these side effects, and people were going to the ER for this. Also, I was having so many memory problems I couldn't remember anything from 2 minutes prior. I had agitation, anxiety, angry outbursts. I had to go. I mean go. I couldn't stay still. Sometimes I felt like I had to leave, it was crazy. I was losing my mind. I had no control. I was very angry, lots of outbursts, and I couldn't control it! When I looked up all of the side effects, I couldn't believe how I felt was right there. It was me right there."

• Lyn...
• Taken for 1 to 2 years
• January 10, 2022

Levetiracetam for Epilepsy "I took this medication during my pregnancy with my youngest son. I had almost 160 seizures during the pregnancy, plus I was a horrible person to be around due to the constant irritability. It was horrible. My son was delivered early to try to get me on a better medicine. My doctor suggested we try it again after the pregnancy, and it still didn't work. Horrible medicine!"

• Jus...
• January 28, 2010

For Seizures "My 4-year-old son started having seizures a few months ago. All the tests have been run, and still, they cannot find out what is causing them. They diagnosed him with epilepsy and started him on liquid levetiracetam (Keppra). Side effects were hyperness, not focused, anger, rage, frustration, hard to fall asleep at night, out of control. His UCLA pediatric neurologist prescribed him lamotrigine (Lamictal), starting with a really low dose and increasing every week. So far, with decreasing the Keppra, I can see a difference, and so can his teachers at preschool. This month, January 2010, he has only had 2 grand mals and a bunch of petit mals. So far, no side effects from the lamotrigine. It's a day-by-day process."

• Anonymous
• October 10, 2011

For Seizures "Our 11-year-old takes this medicine for unknown seizures that occur several years apart. She seems to be very tired and irritable. She's moody to the point of insulting and disrespectful for no apparent reason. These things did not occur until she started taking the Keppra."

• Pba...
• Taken for 2 to 5 years
• May 15, 2020

For Epilepsy "I'm 22 years old. Had a brain hemorrhage at the age of 19, later had an open head surgery for AVM at 20. Been taking Levipill 500 mg twice a day since then. Thankfully, I had no seizures or epilepsy to date, but the side effects are worse. I have horrible mood swings, agitation, lack of finding words to speak, zoned out, not able to socialize with anyone, even family, prefer being alone, irritability, can't control emotions, crying a lot, suicidal thoughts. What I would easily sweep under the carpet, those things outrage me now. Really want to share my feelings, I'm not this, but I don't know why I can't. Want to get rid of this ASAP, but the doctor says I need to take this lifelong to avoid seizures. Can't get worse!!"

• Pba...
• Taken for 2 to 5 years
• May 15, 2020

For Epilepsy "I'm 22 years old. Had a brain hemorrhage at the age of 19, later had an open head surgery for AVM at 20. Been taking Levipill 500 mg twice a day since then. Thankfully, I had no seizures or epilepsy to date, but the side effects are worse. I have horrible mood swings, agitation, lack of finding words to speak, zoned out, not able to socialize with anyone, even family, prefer being alone, irritability, can't control emotions, crying a lot, suicidal thoughts. What I would easily sweep under the carpet, those things outrage me now. Really want to share my feelings, I'm not this, but I don't know why I can't. Want to get rid of this ASAP, but the doctor says I need to take this lifelong to avoid seizures. Can't get worse!!"

• kte...
• Taken for 10 years or more
• October 9, 2021

For Seizures "I went on levetiracetam about 10 years ago after being identified with focal continuous seizures. After seizuring for 65 hours, Keppra was the only medication that made it stop. For a month afterwards, I found myself, a usually calm, patient person, totally grumpy and aggressive. I did not like myself anymore. I talked to my GP, and she put me on Citalopram Hydrobromide, 20 mg once a day. She felt it was anxiety and would take 4-6 weeks to help. Within two days, I was back to my old self. I have continued to take both ever since and have had no side effects from either. I told my new neurologist about this. He was interested."

• JRC...
• Taken for 1 to 2 years
• March 22, 2022

Levetiracetam for Seizures "I started having seizures when I was 35. I’m now 72. I took Depakote for 35 years and was mostly successful in avoiding seizures, although I did have periodic breakthrough events without warning. About two years ago, I noticed I was getting frequent mouth infections. At this point, the neurologist weaned me off of Depakote over a six-week period and at the same time gradually increased the Keppra to 1500 mg per day. For the first three weeks on Keppra, I was tired and irritable, but that soon subsided. I took a precautionary EEG as well. So far, no seizures and no mouth infections."

• Anonymous
• July 9, 2009

For Seizures "My 22-month-old daughter has been on it for 1 1/2 weeks. Is down to two seizures a day, but she is clingy and irritable. Her P.T. came, and she screamed the whole time she was here, usually, she works well with her."

• Emo...
• Taken for 1 to 6 months
• July 27, 2021

Levetiracetam for Seizures "I was put on this medication after one seizure with no history of seizures of any kind. This medication is horrible!!! I plead with anyone who is taking this to ask for help, and if you have a loved one on it, know that they need your help. It causes severe confusion, nosebleeds, aggression, bad dreams, and irritability to name a few. My doctor was adamant that I needed it, but when I finally forgot to take it one day, I had a moment of clarity and looked up its side effects. I was floored that I was ever put on it. It was by far the worst experience I have ever had with a medication, especially one I didn’t need! I weaned myself off of it and worry about long-term effects from taking it for so long. I implore everyone to find something else if you suffer from seizures and ask a loved one to help you if you are having any of these horrific side effects. God bless you and good luck to you all! I give it a scale of 10 on effects for very negative side effects."

• pat...
• December 27, 2007

Levetiracetam for Seizures "Keppra has been a difficult drug for me. I have had mood swings, mouth sores, no sleep, anger, and agitation."

• Win...
• Taken for 5 to 10 years
• January 16, 2016

Levetiracetam for Seizures "Falling asleep most of the day and feeling zonked out. They do help, but there must be a kinder drug they could use on us. Also, I am grumpy, but then that could be me."

• Con...
• August 14, 2016

Levetiracetam for Epilepsy "Anger, moodiness, hopelessness, irritability, trouble making cohesive thoughts, very serious suicidal urge. Same day after the first pill of 500 mg."