I am almost off of Keppra

[forward2007]

For almost a year I was taking 700 mg twice a day of Tegretol XR, 1500 mg of Keppra twice a day, and 100 mg of Topamax twice a day. After I told my Neurologist I almost got into 3 fist fights as a result of the lovely side effects of Keppra, I am down to 500 mg of Keppra twice a day and have raised the Topamax to 200 mg twice a day with the Tegretol XR staying the same. In the not so distant future I may replace my Tegretol XR with Lamictal.

[borgolibero]

Well, I'm thinking about change Valproate with Keppra.. what are keppra's dangers?

[forward2007]

It made me get angry too easily and I think it also caused me to get depressed.

[epileric]

I got the Keprage too when on Kepra & I almost got into trouble because of it too.

It felt so nice when I got off of it, I'm only on Tegretol now & even though my seizures aren't controlled very well they're better than when I was on Kepra.

Congrats on getting off of it FW. Hopefully your seizures will be well controlled with the topomax.

[BuckeyeFan]

I am weaning off Keppra as well and ramping up on Lamictal. Will stay on my Phenytek/dilantin.

Best of Luck.

[Eve]

I am new here I have nocturnal seizure. They are partial rIght now I am on carbatrol and have been for the las5 years, before that I was on Tegretol for 10 years. I have had some poor bone density results. Now the doctor wants to put me on Keppra. I am scared, after reading about the rage Keppra gives you , I am wondering if I should just stay on the Carbatrol.

[Bernard]

Many people have found that "Kepprage" can be managed with vitamin B6 supplements.

[walksalot]

I was almost out of Topamax (11 days) and Lamictal both and didn't have approval of the quantity limits from my Medicaare Part D provider, but when I went to Kroger's pharmacy, the pharmacist said it wasn't a well known procedure, but they can overide the drug provider and give you enough drugs to maintain you until you can get your next prescription written . They gave my husband a 14-day override on his Nexium and me a whole month on the Topamax. I still had to pay the co-pay, of course, and Jim paid half of his, and maybe it made the Medicare Part D provider a little P.O'd but who gives a damn.

I am curious about something I see often here. Lots of times several of you mention that you change your medicine of increase or decrease your dose. Do you do this on your own? Do you go to your doctor and tell him or her that you want a certain other drug and what the dose should be? I can't figure out just what you are doing?

[BuckeyeFan]

walksalot - Very, very few of us ever modify our meds on our own. I would not advise that at all. Some are in the situation where they want to get off the meds, but this is still usually under the care of the doc.

With my change from keppra to lamictal, my doctor has given me the option of how fast I get off the keppra. He set a fast limit and will let me slow that down based on how I feel. Hopefully I am off keppra in 2-4 weeks.


Eve - Like all of the other anti-epileptic drugs (anti-epileptic drugs), keppra has plently of side effects with emotional being the more common.

HOWEVER, it can be very effective depending on your situation. Along with my phenytek, it has kept me free of tonic-clonic seizures for over 5 years. It is just now over the last several months that I have had more issues with it. If I can get 5 years out of each drug, I can't complain about that.

There are many threads on here about keppra. Just do a search and you will find plenty of experiences.

[skillefer]

Hi Walks! Most of us on meds never adjust how many we're taking on our own. Now, when I was only on phenobarb and having seizures on the first day of my period, he told me to take 4 pills a day until the week before my period, then I should take 5. That worked for a bit, but not long. Also, he told my husband to give me an extra pill following a seizure. Now, they're switching me to Dilantin,and I'm almost completely off Phonobarb. This just goes to show that doctor's sometimes give verbal instructions on how and when to adjust our meds.

Other than with a doctor's instructions, you really shouldn't. The reason being that most of the meds work best only if there's a steady amount in the bloodstream.. Also, if you adjust meds on your own, you could send your blood level into the toxic spectrum which can cause WAY more problems.

[skillefer]

Hi Eve! Welcome to CWE. As for Keppra, lots of people have no problem with it. Those who DO get "Kepprage" usually find that a vitamin B6 supplement really helps. If you're really concerned about the different side effects of the meds, you should talk to your doctor. Check out the alternatives here at the site, and see if the doc is willing to maybe try any of them as a supplementary treatment or even let you just go the alternative route.

[Eve]

I don't know what to do yet. I found out my insurance doesnt cover the Keppra and then I found out the pharmacy charges $130 a month for it.

I am going to go see a different doctor next week and get another opinion. I am not sure if I like my other doctor anymore, he has been acting really insensitive lately. He even told me at the last visit "you think too much".

Thanks for your help now I don't feel so alone!! I am glad I found this site!

[skillefer]

LOL....I can't believe the doc said that....ah well....I'd rather have to deal with people who think than people who are sheep.

[Eve]

I think my doctor would prefer that I be a woman that does not think! Back in JUly he told me that he thought I was spending too much time thinking!!! Maybe he prefres dingbats...I don't know. LOL

Next week I will check out a different doctor. I was afraid I would have to wait 3 months to see this other doctor. But when I told them I was having problems with my med and I was thinking off going off of it, she said "no.no, don't do that, we'll get you in next week." Sometimes persistance pays.

[BuckeyeFan]

Hi Eve - Keppra did just come out as a generic on November 1st. I don't think anyone here has had issues with it yet. Otherwise, pretty much all of the anti-epileptic drugs are expensive (depending on your insurance).

As far as the Doc, take it from a Dad of three girls and tell him where to go. No such thing as a patient thinking too much. Interaction between doctor and patient is vital to good epilepsy control.

Good Luck!!

[amgo]

My daughter started to complain of seeing bugs crawling on her. In talking with the neurologist she said that it can be a side effect in some people. We weened her off of the Keppra and now she's on Trilepta.

She's much better on Trilepta. No more bug complaints and she seems much happier and less angry.

[seizures4ever]

Hey there! Glad to hear you are tapering off at least one of those meds.

I'm a Keppra "drunk" myself. I take 4000 mg. a day. I'm also on Trileptal, Klonopin, Zonagran, and Lorazapam (as needed for status c-p szs.)

Although I did suffer horribly with "Kepprage" in the beginning, I have calmed down a good bit, and my main issue now is moodiness. But when one is on polytherapy (multiple meds.), it is often difficult to know which drug is causing side-effects.

I wish you well as you continue to decrease your dose!
-Julie

[brainwavez]

My doc has me on keppra, lexapro, klonopin, lamictal, and dilantin; with the keppra being the newest addition after my last batch of 3 Grand Mal's in one day. So far I have actually noticed some kepprage... I didn't even put it together until now... I had no idea that it was a side effect, but I have been getting in loud arguments with my wife about stupid things like what direction to drive; starting just on the drive home from the hospital, it feels like I have been flying off the handle like crazy lately, now that I think about it. I broke the bathroom door and almost put my hand right through it, when my 10 year old locked himself in there and refused to come out. We have made amends since then, but I still feel really bad about it!
As far as the sex drive goes... I am a man, I am horny every day; haha. if there is one difference; I can usually only cum once now, after I cum I can still go for 20 min or more, but I can't seem to quite get there again. Sorry about the language, we're all adults here right?

[epileric]

Try Vitamine B6 for Kepprage.

Kepprage: How do you de-stress?