Keppra - Alone or Adjunct

[Crystal11]

I am currently taking Keppra 3000mg and Tegretol XR 600 together to control my complex partial seizures. So far so good when my levels are the same and I don't miss meds. For some odd reason Medicaid has decided that I should take Keppra generic or Levicetracetam and I am kinda worried about that since generic Tegretol or carbamazipene didn't work well. So I will finish out taking my left-overes of Keppra then change it down to Levetiracetam and hope for the best.

Take care
-CM

[Ruth]

Hi Joy, I am taking 500 mg of Keppra 2 times a day. I take 2 in the morning and 3 at night. Altogether, I take 2500 of Keppra.

[Heather]

I take 3000mg keppra daily (1500mg 2x daily) and lamictal 400mg in the morning.

My neurologist told me keppra is an add on med. But keppra has worked for me better than any anti-epileptic drug I've ever taken. I have better control of my seizures, than I've had in prob 10 yrs.

I'd like to take keppra as monotherapy but I can tell a difference in my seizure control, even if I decrease lamictal just a little bit. So I can't yet, but I'm hoping to.

[andy]

i have being taking 2x500mg a day of keppra for about 2 months now on top of my phenatoin. Abit up and down at first but i feel really good now . Im going to be weened of the phenytoin so i hope all stays the way it is .
So up to now im quite pleased with the keppra .

[Ruth]

My neurologist is adding Keppra and decreasing Neurontin very slowly. He does not want me to go into status epilepsy again. Keppra 2500 mg, Neurontin 1800 mg, Lamictal 600 mg,Clonazepam 4 mg, and Mysoline 350 mg a day. The reason I am on so much medicine is to prevent another STATUS EPILEPSY. It is one seizure after another and can cause death.

I am happy with my medicines as well.

[Heather]

Feast,

When your neurologist starts you on keppra, make sure you start on 500mg, not 1000mg. Raise the keppra slowly. Approx every 2 wks my dosage was raised 500mg each time. My neurologist told me if I notice any psychological side effects (mood swing, anger, rage, depression, etc) to tell him immediately. If you have problems you may need to lower the dosage "temporarily" until you get used to it.

I've been lucky and haven't had problems with side effects. I think it's because my neurologist started me on a low dosage and raised it slow. It was approx 2 mths before I got up to 3000mg daily.

[Ruth]

Hi Heather,

My neurologist is finally raising the Keppra slowly. This is after he jumped me into it. I had mood swings at first, but they are gone now. He wants to get me off of Neurontin. He is going to take me off 1 pill at a time every 3 months. I have been on Neurontin for years. He is doing blood levels on my Keppra every 3 months, to make sure it is safe.

I never lower any medicine without my neurologists okay. That can cause more problems.

[Heather]

I didn't mean lower meds on your own. But alot of times people think, since there's mood swings, etc, they can't take keppra. If, when people start having the mood swings, they (with neurologist approval) temporarily lower the dosage, the side effects may go away. I think alot more people would be able to take keppra, if they started on a lower dosage and raised it slower.

[andy]

i also started of on 500mg per day for 2 weeks. Now im on 1000mg per day and feel really well.

[k2s4ever]

I am being treated for Simple Partial Seizures. I was started on Keppra (taking generic) 6 weeks ago. Just got a dosage increase to 1500 mg daily. 750 mg X 2. This is being used as a stand alone anti-epileptic drug for me.

[stilldancing_98]

Complex Partials are my problem now, Depakote xr and Keppra are my 2 major except for my Lorazepam at night. Those two are the worst together. I never really feal myself. But I have taken everything now and the next step would be upping the Dep. I won't do that. I don't want to be fat.I already went thru that once.

[Ruth]

Hi Heather,

The reason I said that about lowering your dosage on your own. You would be surprised at how many people with epilepsy have said that they lower their dosage on their own. I am glad you do not.

[Ruth]

Hi Stilldancing,

I take Lorazepam as a prn medicine. prn means only when needed. It has kept me out of the ER sometimes.

Ask your neurologist about taking Keppra and Lorazepam, without the Depakote? You only need about one Lorazepam at night at the most.

I feel bad with the medicines I am on. I am on 5 medicines a day.

[mobypsx]

Hi, I take Keppra 750mg twice a day, i have been taking keppra since June 07. I did have some really bad mood swings, my consultant said taking B6 and B12 may help. I started taking a full vitamin supplement and I rarely get mood swings. I also found that keppra used to make me feel sleepy so I changed the times when I took it from 7am-7pm to 9am-9pm and that made a big difference. I do not have epilepsy but have had 1 mild seizure but none since taking keppra.

Ben

[Heather]

On the forum I used to post on, parents would talk about giving their kids B6 all the time, when they had problems with mood swings. After that, I started taking a B-complex. I didn't have problems with mood swings, but I'm sure it couldn't hurt.

[Ruth]

Hi mobypsx,

Welcome to our forum. It was made by Bernard for his wife, out of love. It has helped so many people, including me. I take the B- Complex. You might want to try that.

Thank you for the times of taking Keppra. I will change the times I take them. I look forward to more of your posts.

[stilldancing_98]

Hi feast, my seizures are the most controlled they have ever been.And I have so many different kinds. Depakote is given by weight. I'm right there and I don't want to gain weight.I take Lorazepam for my myoclonics or seizures I feel coming on in the day.

[Ruth]

Hi stilldancing,

Good News!! Now you can dance more to keep from gaining weight.

I take Lorazepam for my big seizures coming on. It keeps me out of the ER.

[mobypsx]

keppra also made me gain weight which in turn raised my blood sugar.

[Ruth]

Hi,

Keppra has not made me gain weight. It is bad for my diabetes. In fact, I am losing weight on Keppra. It just proves that medicines affect us differently.

If your blood sugar is going up, talk to your doctor. There are medicines for it.