Just started Keppra

[Loopy Lou]

I've just reduced my lamictal to 300mg/day and starting going up on Keppra, starting at 500mg/day

Now, i never read the side effects list when i get some new medication. I just hand the sheet over to my mum. She can watch out for them. My reasoning being that sometimes it can be psychological that you sort of "convince" yourself into thinking you having them.

Am i supposed to feel this tired? I can barely keep my eyes open for more than a few hours at a time. I'm making myself stay awake, but sometimes fall asleep anyway. Work has been a nightmare over the last couple of days, and i only started this new medication on Monday! I'm supposed to go up to 1000mg Keppra and stay at 300mg Lamictal eventually, but thats going to take a month or so.

Please tell me this gets better? Or is this just a bad omen for the keppra? I haven't noticed any other side effects yet, and apart from the extreme tiredness i've actually been feeling ok.

Just when i've finally been able to go back to the gym, i don't have the energy Thinking of making myself go anyway.

[knothing]

Tiredness will go way in a few weeks or at least it did for me. Take 100mg of B6 a day and that will hell some of the other side effects but I am not going to tell you which one. I don't want you to "convince" yourself.

[dfwtexas]

I have a hard time waking up when I started on Keppra and with each dosage increase. I normally takes me about 1-2 weeks to get past it. It will get better, hang in there! It is a good drug in my opinion

[Loopy Lou]

B6?

Also, i'm a pretty suggestible person, lol.

[knothing]

Yes B6. My wife can tell when I run out and have not taken it. Every store was out for a few days so I had to go without until we found someone carrying it again. Turned out that they were expiring at one store and changing vendor at another.

[Loopy Lou]

I was just wondering what B6 is

[Cint]

Loopy Lou,

I take 3000 mg. of Keppra along with other meds, and now I can get through the day without being so drowsy, but I wasn't that way initially. It took 2-3 weeks when I first started Keppra before I felt okay.

[knothing]

B6 is just a vitamin.

[seizingbeauty]

Hey Lou,
I'm up to 2000 per day. The first 2 weeks were the worst, and each time I've had to up the dose but it does get better! Other than the drowzyies Keppras been good to me and I'm pretty bad with side-effects.
Hope this helps some!
Cat

[RC.]

I only take what I can afford. They days that I will be talking more and around people I take a little more.
One of the Biggest things I have is the KepRAGE. I think thats what we call it here...
After a couple of weeks on the same dose the side e. goes away or calms down.

When I do take more, It does help but within that day the KepRAGE may flare up.

[Loopy Lou]

Hey Lou,
I'm up to 2000 per day. The first 2 weeks were the worst, and each time I've had to up the dose but it does get better! Other than the drowzyies Keppras been good to me and I'm pretty bad with side-effects.
Hope this helps some!
Cat

It does, thank you

It doesn't seem to be bothering me in any other way. Managed to stay up enough to go to the gym yesterday, and then the cinema afterwards! Maybe the gym gave me a little more energy. Bit of dozy-ness in the cinema, but apart from that was ok. Was sparked out when i got home though

[Nakamova]

Off to a good start!

[Jackson]

Has anyone had the feeling that they seem to be changing. I know this sounds weird but I have been on it now for about 6 months and I feel that I am changing. I am getting very moody. I am on dilantin also and still taking the B6. It does not feel like it is helping. I have to increase it but I am worried about the changes it might cause. This is still a very new drug. Only 10 years in use. Is there any research on people that have been on it for that period of time and if so what changes have happened to them pschycologically .

I am concerned about my family and the pressures it is putting on them.I do not want to have seizure but I do want some sanity. I know it effects people differently but at the same time there is some commonalities that occur in humans that make us similar. Not to sure what to do.I guess I am still on the learning process of this drug.

Thank you for letting me ramble.It does feel good.

[Nakamova]

Keppra definitely affects people's moods, and can lead to depression and other psychological problems. B6 doesn't always help. If you feel like the Keppra is changing you for the worse, then speak to your doctor about trying a different med, perhaps something like Lamictal which is not known for mood-related side effects.

[Loopy Lou]

I've been getting the odd bouts of feeling angry without any real reason. Doesn't last very long though.

[dfwtexas]

Glad to hear you are doing well. The keppage for me kicked in after I had been on the drug for several months. I was fortunate that it didn't last but for a few weeks. At the time, I had not told all my family and my son told me that my parents got concerned about me having a breakdown. Once I told them about my E and the Keppra, it seemed to help both them and me to accept what I was going thru. I also called on my faith, praying and listening to Christian music was helpful to me and seemed to have a calming affect on the Kepprage.

[Jackson]

You know that is one thing that I never thought off. I used to be a church goer and it did have a calming effect. That is something to ponder. Thanks.

[BuckeyeFan]

Just when i've finally been able to go back to the gym, i don't have the energy Thinking of making myself go anyway.

This is definitely a good idea. Both for the exercise and the stress relief. Hard exercise helps the body release the chemicals it needs to fight the stress. It has always worked great for me. It doesn't have to be at a gym either. Working in my garden/yard, walking, helping out with local events (set-up/tear down), etc...

The B6 helps many folks, but be aware that you can get too much B6. I had that problem. The side effects were pretty much like an anti-epileptic drug side effect, fatigue and confusion.

The Keppra side effects will probably reduce over time. The mood issues are something that you must address pro-actively. I learned after awhile on Keppra that the hair-trigger temper I had developed was hurting my family. I learned (not always successful) to focus my anger to inanimate objects like sports/politics on TV, hard exercise, physical things besides people or pets. Important note: Don't try to hold it in. It needs to be released, just at the proper time and target.

I was on it for 5 years, until 1 year ago. I had to change because it was causing confusion/focus issues that were not there in the earlier years. The doc said they just sometimes run their course. It did control my seizures very well along with dilantin.