Keppra question - me again.

[Freda]

Is anyone taking just Keppra alone or is it usually combined with another medicine?
Also do you find a difference between generic or branded Levetiracetam?

Daughter had another Tonic Clonic today just two weeks after the last one, it seems to be getting more frequent despite meds being upped to 1000mgs twice daily.

Thank you all and sorry to keep asking questions. x

 

[finalpoet]

Is anyone taking just Keppra alone or is it usually combined with another medicine?
Also do you find a difference between generic or branded Levetiracetam?

Daughter had another Tonic Clonic today just two weeks after the last one, it seems to be getting more frequent despite meds being upped to 1000mgs twice daily.

Thank you all and sorry to keep asking questions. x

I take 4 meds and my epilepsy still isn't under control. One of them is generic Keppra or Levetiracetam, with a dosage of 2500 mg. I could be wrong, but from my understanding they only change usually one minor thing in the generic form. They change one small amount of a substance that doesn't affect the actual effects it has on the sickness or disorder. You see what I mean?

Also, I can't give you an actual review yet. But look into the Embrace watch. I just ordered it this morning, so no reviews yet. But it notifies a few loved ones when you have a grand mal seizure. I assume your daughter is young or a teenager, either way I'm 24 and it seems like a great idea. Please note it's like $250, so pricey. And there is a monthly charge of $10 or more. Look into it, I've only heard good things and I'm hoping for the best.

Lastly, I think you should feel free to ask as many questions as you can think of. That's what this forum is for and most of us are people with epilepsy, so we can't take a doctor's place, but we can still only help.

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[finalpoet]

I forgot to mention, that my Dad also has epilepsy, he's on a 500mg dosage of Keppra and he hasn't had any seizures in over 2 years. But also note that epilepsy meds are tricky, I tried one a while back that caused me to have more seizures. Not Keppra, but you get the point. Talk to her neurologist, see what they say.

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[Daroswene]

I took Keppra awhile before the neurologist saying it just wasn't doing anything. I was also taking several other AEDs. I'm pretty sure, Finalpoet is right- something minor, like the binding agent, is changed in brand vs generic. The only medications I've noticed lab changes with is Synthroid and Coumadin when it comes to brand vs generic (and got those, once you start brand, you're supposed to stay brand, or generic if that's what you used the first time. Some doctors swear by brand, but oftentimes it's just not affordable.


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[Freda]

Thanks for the reply finalpoet. My daughter is 33 and recently diagnosed, so much has changed for her even down to little things like not being able to look after her small nephews on her own.
I wondered about the generic alternatives because how are they so much cheaper if the ingredients are the same? I understand the actual epilepsy drug part must be the same but not sure if the mix would be as good as the branded version. Another of my daughters works in a pharmacy and says they don't stock actual Keppra because it's so expensive and the government gives the pharmacy the same allowance regardless of the drug dispensed, so it's not in the pharmacists interest to dispense the branded version. If she gets her prescription dispensed at her hospital though she gets branded Keppra because the hospital pharmacy is under the NHS and not privately run. She's going to try Keppra and see if it makes a difference or not by getting her prescriptions from her neurologist instead of her GP. Will be interesting to see how it goes we think.

Those watches look brill and please let us know what you think, although I'd rather you don't have seizures in order to test it but I think it will be comforting to wear one and know people have been alerted if you do.

 

[finalpoet]

I will definitely be putting up a review. But note that I only have a grand mal maybe once or twice a year, so it won't be spot on accurate, but we will definitely be testing it someway or another. Just so you know I'll probably put up the review in about 2 weeks, assuming I don't forget. It'll go up in either the "The Kitchen" or "The Labatory"

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[Nakamova]

generic alternatives because how are they so much cheaper if the ingredients are the same?

Generics are cheaper because the companies that manufacture them don't have to recoup the costs of research, development, marketing, etc. that the original drugmaker had to offset.

The generics have to have the same number of milligrams of drug that is included on the label in the name brand pills. The generic pill is required to get you within 10 percent above or below the blood concentrations achieved with the brand, and in reality, they only usually vary by 3-4 percent in one direction or another. It is possible that one generic will get you a 3 percent lower concentration than the brand and another can get you a concentration that is 3 percent above the brand and therefore the two generics can be 6% different from each other. Most people will never notice a difference. HOWEVER... some people with epilepsy are very sensitive to small variations, either between the brand and the generic, or from one batch of generic to the other. For these folks, taking the generic is problematic.

Generic drugs can also contain different inactive ingredients than in the brand name product. Things like binders, dyes, preservatives, etc. Sometimes a pill you have been taking will suddenly look different, which usually means a different manufacturer has made that pill than the one you had before. Given individual variations, a person can have an allergic reaction to an inactive ingredient in one generic and not another.

 

[Freda]

That makes sense Nakamova about the cost of research, I hadn't considered that My daughter tells me her pharmacist has said the cost of branded Keppra has actually increased recently and that doesn't make sense when you think of how long it's been around at the original price and that it now has competition from other suppliers - surely this will only price them out of the market. If however our NHS hospitals use more branded products than generic I suppose they will recoup any loses at the expense of the NHS, totally unfair as that seems.
She and her pharmacist were talking about the change in Keppra costs and the availability of it a while before Carly started having seizures, as there is controversy about the price increase and then her sister is prescribed it which made it all the more clear regarding the rising cost, her particular pharmacy can no longer dispense it and break even, let alone have any profit from it.

 

[Fedup]

Freda

According to my neurologist keppra is stand alone drug (can be given on its own) I took it as a combination with my other medication and the side effects for me were not good. I find there is a difference between the generic brands for Levetiracetam, I cannot take the generic brand or the dissolvable type either as Nakamova said and I found out it is that difference in the ingredients that make the difference for me. It did not go down well with the health board here in Ireland as they want everybody to use generic brands.

 

[Loopy Lou]

The 10% potential difference between generic and brand keppra may not sound like much but i suppose it depends on the dosage. For example i'm on 3000mg, and with a generic the dosage could be anything from 2700-3300, which is a pretty big difference.

I had to go to a different chemist once to pick up my keppra, they gave me a generic, i didn't think it would make any difference, but i had a lot more seizures until i got my usual one again. I am pretty sensitive to medication changes though. I wouldn't mind the generic if it meant i got the SAME generic every time so the levels would be constant, but there's no way to guarantee that. Luckily in the UK, prescriptions are free for someone with a lifelong/long term medical condition such as epilepsy, so the price of generic versus brand isn't really a consideration.

I take clobazam and topamax along with my keppra

 

[Nakamova]

Freda, since Keppa is the first med your daughter tried, but it may not be the best one --especially if here seizures aren't being controlled, or are getting worse. The emds don't all the work the same, and Keppra has a different mechanism of action than something like Lamictal or Neurontin. You and she should be prepared to ask the neuro about perhaps trying a different med.

 

[Fedup]

Its the same in Ireland so far prescriptions are free for someone with a lifelong/long term medical condition such as epilepsy. They are making you pay for your prescription with the chemist although its not much. Yet anyway?

 

[Freda]

She's seeing her neurologist on monday to ask for a Keppra script just to see if it makes any difference because she went two months without a seizure on branded Keppra - may be just coincidence or the fact that E had just started but she'd had two in two weeks before starting that drug.
I'll post how it pans out once she been taking it a while.

 

[Nakamova]

Since Keppra has a relatively short half-life (it exits the body quickly), I think any dosage difference between brand and generic would be very important. It would be great if going back to the brand gave your daughter the seizure control she had before.

 

[resaebiunne]

I'm on Keppra and I've been on both brand and generic. For me, there doesn't seem to be any difference. That said, since I started keppra, I've not had any tonic clonic seizures (that's key here). My dose is at max (3000mg/day) so that's probably part of the reason why I've not had any full blown seizures. I'm also on generic Depakote and haven't noticed any real difference, but my dosage was also increased at the same time. My doctor recommends brand whenever possible but I just didn't want to pay for it so I switched.

Just keep in mind that there are different manufacturers for generics. The medication is the same, but the binding agent and other materials can change. The tolerance for the amount of medication can change. So if you do go to or stay on a generic, you may find that one manufacturer's generic is better than another. Side effects can also vary between manufacturers. So, unfortunately, you take your risk for the lower cost.

 

[Porkette]

Hi Freda,

When I was on keppra it caused me to have more seizures and my neuro had to get me off the drug after a month. I was taking it with mysoline and Diamox. The drug also caused me to have a very hot temper. I wish you and your daughter only the best and May God Bless the Both of You!

Sue