Keppra - Alone or Adjunct

[srab]

I constantly feel like I am going to have a seizure and don't know what to do

[stilldancing_98]

Hi Scrab, I am glad you are hear. I can only say what I would do.I am on Keppra an keppra alone just for me does not work. For 30 years of my life I felt like you.You need an add on. You can't walk around all day fealing like that. And may I suggest that you start seeing an epileptologist. They are great when you have difficult to control seizures.You have the right to feal better then you do right now.You came here and that was one really great step in the right directection.

[srab]

I am hopeful. My neurologist is refering me to epileptologist Dr. Have not met him yet. Complaining is not my style, but this has changed everything

[stilldancing_98]

Whos is Dr. Complaining, the neurologist or the epileptologist.

[srab]

Thanks for taking a minute. I really need to look up. I feel like this is who I am now. Spinning out of control. It will get better I know

[stilldancing_98]

I think with that good attitude,you will do just fine.

[Ruth]

Hi Srab, welcome to CWE. Bernard made this forum out of love for his wife Stacy. That love permeates throughout the whole forum.

There are a lot of places to check into. My favorite is the Social Goups. You can learn everything you want about epilepsy here and more.

I am on 5 medicines for epilepsy. Keppra is one of them. Your neurologist will adjust your medicines until you are under better control.

[srab]

My neurologist was discussing the diff. meds with me last week. I had a seizure in his office so I really couldn't tell you what he said. Other than when I woke up, that's when he told me he is sending me to a epileptologist. So I think there is hope.
I have been trying to find my way around on this site. It is full of first hand info, which I think is the best kind.
I do have so many questions that I hope to find answers to on here.

[srab]

Stilldancing,98,
how long have you been on Keppra?

[seizingbeauty]

I'm on 2000 mg Keppra, weaning off Topamax and starting Epival (again). I've been on Keppra since 08 I think my brains a little fried today!

[stilldancing_98]

I'm sorry every body my computer crashed. Took me a long time to get it back up. I have been on Keppra for years. And it is really good for my GTC's. I can tell if I take my meds late I don't feel as solid. I take 750mlg am and 1500 in the evening.

[donding]

I personally had a very bad experience with Keppra. I was taking Keppra and Zongram together. I can't say for sure it was one or the other but when I was on it I could have killed someone without giving it a second thought. I could have driven straight off a cliff without thinking twice. When I called my neurologist about it he told me to reduce the dosage to half, which I did, then the day I went into his office I was having blackouts...he got all over me about reducing my meds. Needless to say I went of the Keppra and Zonegram and found another neurologist. So you might want to be careful when taking it in combination with another anti-seizure med

[srab]

My new Neurologist is very good, I think. He told me to look up some of the anti-seizure drugs so that on my next visit I can have an intelligent conversation about changing some meds. I am trying to read through opinions about them. I need an add on to tegretol and lyrica. I have 2 teens at home so I don't need anything that makes me feel anymore out of control! What to do, what to do?

[grateful7677]

I am very nervous about this. Right now I am on 600mgs of Tegretol, last week they inicreased my dodage from 200 to 1000 and I had a tonic for the first time. I had to go to the ER. Now I am on 600mgs Teg and 1000 Keppra, and a small dosage of Ativan. I go to the dr on Tuesday, so if anyone has any suggestions Please let me know sooner than later, THANKS.
S

[Tim]

After my first seizure the doc started me on Keppra only - started at 1000 mg and boosted 500 mg at a time. Checked the EEG to see if electrical activity was reduced, which was his hope. Side effects were horrible for the first month or so, and each time we upped the dosage, but my body eventually adjusted. It was very hard. We started on the generic - awful. Once we switched to XR, things improved a great deal.

EEG continued to be abnormal at 2000 mg - doc suggested we try a different med. I did my research and knew that the theraputic range was up to to 3000 (even higher, as the survey indicates). Since my body was adjusting, and since he was going to go to Depakote next, which I didn't want to do, I suggested we go up to 3000 before we switch. At 3000 my EEG came back almost normal (a little blip when I hyperventilate). Yay Keppra! A year later I had a second seizure, and we added the Topomax (after experimenting with Depakote and I gained about 30 pounds), and so far so good.


The point about Keppra - the generic for some is difficult to handle. The XR seems to be much easier on the body from what I've read in forums. I wanted to quit the drug, but I also wanted to drive again, so I stuck it out, and the switch to XR made all the difference. As I am looking at a lifetime of meds, I consider myself lucky to have found Keppra. Yes, I have mild mood swings, and I still have my zombie moments, and adding the Topomax on top of that hasn't helped, but I'm living a normal life and I am grateful. Doesn't mean it's for everybody - just wanted to share my point of view because other people's stories have helped me get through mine.

On 3000 mg Keppra XR for about 2 years now. 200 mg Topomax for about 6 months.