Keppra Side Effects

[Faith1]

Hi everyone, This is my first time posting on here so I hope I'm posting this in the right place. My husband was diagnosed with epilepsy 2 years ago after having 2 grand mal seizures in his sleep. He was originally prescribed depakote but that literally almost killed him..it attacked his liver. After that the dr. put him on keppra. He has been taken keppra for almost a year and a half but lately I have been noticing severe mood swings, irritability and depression. Does anyone else have any experience with this? He has an appt. coming up in 2 weeks with the neurologist but it has been really scaring me. I feel like he goes off about the littlest things and gets very emotional and that is not like him. If anyone can help I really appreciate it. Thanks!

[Silat]

Hello and welcome to CWE!

Those are very common side effects of Keppra. You should go with him to his appointment and discuss with his neurologist what you've seen, because it's very likely that's being caused by the Keppra. A change in medication or an adjustment to his current dose could clear up those side effects. You guys just need to make his doctor aware of what side effects he's having and how they are affecting you guys.

[Faith1]

Thank you so much! I definitely plan on going with him. He did have his dosage changed awhile back. I hope we can get this figured out because it can be scary at times.

[Silat]

Scary mood swings are a good indicator that something needs to be changed

Is he on a high dose of Keppra? Things tend to be worse with the higher doses.

[bion719]

I completely agree with Silat. Keppra was a serious problem for me and many other people. It got really bad, and I would completely recommend to go off it ASAP, if it's causing problems (don't wait for it to get worse). If your husband can't go off it for whatever reason, try taking Keppra in conduction with other gentle mood stabilizers ie. Trileptol or Tegretol. That really helped me for a period of time. It isn't a permanent solution, but It can buy time for an EEG or if he has an event he needs to be his best for (job interview, friend's party etc.) I know it doesn't sound pleasant, but tons of people get through it. Good luck, and may the force be with you

[knothing]

After seeing the Dr. if keeps with the Keppra and adds another medication to help the side effects here are a few Keppra tips from a Keppra taker.
1. Look into taking B6 50 to 100mg per day. I took 50mg 2x a day with my Keppra to help take the edge off. It helped but I did eventually stop taking that.
2. He will need to work on a way to calm down, relax, and meditate. That for me was hard to do but I worked it out enough to get benefits from it and keep more in control.

I take 3000mg per day of Keppra and the depression part has never been my issue but the mood swings and pure rage were. I know am in check for the most part but way better than before. Good luck and hang in there.

[Cint]

Wow! This subject keeps coming up! We need a forum devoted to KEPPRAGE! or KEPPRA and all it's ugliness for those who it does that to.

Faith, Sorry to hear your husband is having such a difficult time on this medication, but speak to the dr. and let him/her know what it is doing. There are plenty of other meds out there to try. Personally, I've taken 3000 mgs. of Keppra a day for 12 years and have suffered plenty of depression, but that was long before I started Keppra. Sometimes the meds do effect one's moods, so do speak up to the dr. Some make people feel great, some make people feel like they wanna go under............

And as Silat stated, call the dr. ASAP.

[kirsty1327]

I was on keppra for about 18 mths and it controlled my seizures but the depression and anger I felt was out of control.I was eventually taken off it and now take topamax and feel great finally!!!!!! I waited way to long to tell my dr how bad things were.

[momrat13]

I have been on Keppra (generic) since Dec 2009. It has COMPLETELY controlled my grand mals (I've only had two) and partials. I have been fortunate in that I have not experienced any rage or depression. I can even go so far as to say that I have much more clarity of thought and experience things fully now when I was only a "bystander" before. May I suggest that your husband's dosage be lowered before he is completely taken off of Keppra? I am on 1000 mg per day. I hope this helps

[MuayThaiFighter]

Yeah, I have taken keppra for almost a year and the rage aspect of this drug is out of control. I actually had to sit down with my fiance and reflect back on how things changed when I took this drug. I kept taking the drug because I stopped having grand mals and smaller convulsions were decreased. Though I am having tons of seizures now so I am currently in the process of changing my medication really soon. Keppra is a newer drug so I believe it will be adjusted and re-marketed because the Keppra rage is really exploding from what I hear. Hopefully they can keep the positive aspect of of this drug and remove the apathy feeling and rage. Really puts a wrench in life. Be patient though, sometimes a new drug can change things for the better.

[kostareyna]

I had all of these problems as well, I think they come from the same problem, an endless tiredness and fatigue.

When your body and soul feels drained no matter what you do, you got to channel your pain somehow.

I did have the depression as well and the rage and the anger and the thoughts.

At first everything was perfect, even with the sidefects except little tiredness but than it kept increasing and never went away.

[Faith1]

Thank you! We are hoping he will be able to go off Keppra. He has been seizure free for 2 years and 2 months...the dr. said he would like him to be siezure free for 3 years but we will see.

[Faith1]

Has anyone else gone off their seizure medication completely? If so, how long were you seizure free before going off?

[Nakamova]

Hi Faith1 --

I've tried a few times to go off of medication (under doctor's supervision). The first time was about 6 months after my initial seizures. The second time was after I had been seizure-free for two years. Unfortunately, no luck staying seizure-free either time.

You might find this link helpful:
Stopping drugs when seizures have been controlled for years

[lottalead]

i am one who is scared of keppra---first day i took it(300mgs i think) that night i was sitting at kitchen table and began to hallucinate!!!
saw mysel falling off chair and smashing my face on step!!! felt it and grabbed my head
not once but 3 times wife saw me holding my head and then i realized i was still in chair each time---called doc and never took another----

as for stopping meds i stopped tegretol twice after going a month or two with no seizures----- i made it about 30 hrs each time before grand mals

[rory]

Hi, as of Monday i will be coming off keppra which i have been on for 9 months, im depressed, suicidal, angry, i feel like a raving lunatic most of the time but it was going well until about 2 months ago, i had to be hospitalised at one point. if you have any predisposition to depression or anger i think keppra can amplify it, i think it does in my case. but saying that i have a friend on it who has no problems at all and thinks it wonderfull so its very individual. taking vit b6 is supposed to good to help minimize rage and mood issues

[rory]

to be good even. apologies for spelling and grammar, sleeping tablet is kicking in. night yall

[AngelwithDentedHalo]

I've taken Keppra for a year and a half & so far haven't noticed any side effects luckily and it controls my seizures. My doctor put me on them right after my first seizure & so far has kept me seizure free. There's always a chance for side effects with any medication and it may very well be it interacts with other meds you might be taking, not a doctor so don't know but everyone reacts differently to meds

[julie wishes]

When I took keppra, my seizure frequency, intensity, and types all increased to an intolerable amount. I was angry. My skin was so sensitive I didn't want anyone to touch me. I hallucinated and had suicidal thoughts (never had this in 43 years of life). I lashed out at all family members, also unlike me. I got a head ache instantly every time I took the pill which wore off pretty quickly. I was afraid to leave the house lime a phobia, also totally not me whatsoever ever. My whole body rejected keppra. As soon as it got out of my system.... all these things disappeared. However, I now have little muscle spasms and jerks that I never had before keppra. But thank god that's all I have considering how badly! it effected me. I thought I'd never be the same. I should add that my doctor told me NONE of these things were possible. She was disinterested to know that all of these things disappeared once I stopped the meds. She even said I must of been psychotic before taking the meds. Grrrrrr!!!!! Totally not true!

[DadofTwins]

Keppra XR stopped my daughter's seizures, but her moods have been terrible. She also has double vision which seems to be getting worse. Going to the neurologist next week. I'm going to ask for a change in meds.