Consequences of missed doses

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Thybeli

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I have complex partial and absence seizures, and on a dosage of 2000 mg of Keppra XR twice daily I have been seizure free for a year. But over the past couple of weeks I have been really bad about taking it like I should. Before this month I think I missed a dose twice , this month I'm not even sure how many times I didn't take it. I lost my health coverage, an I think I was subconsciously trying to make the medicine lady longer. Yesterday I developed a medium strength migraine, something I have had over the past few years. I tried to sleep it off but it was even worse today. Are migraines a side effect of missed dosages? I took 2000 mg at my regularly scheduled time a couple of hours ago, but I think it had actually been a few days since I had taken it. And without it in my system am I in danger of an episode, or will the dose I took tonight protect me?


~Thybeli
 
Thybeli,
maybe you should think about a pill box for your meds, missing your meds can bring on a seizure.I know if I miss two doses in a row I'll have a seizure. A pill box tell you if you took it. migraines are definitely not aside effect missing meds but they are a side effect of a seizure.

Belinda
 
I am also on Keppra, 1000 mgs. daily. I would call the pharmacist. They are usually very helpful. I weaned myself off of 2000 mgs but it has been a while and I can't remember what I felt.
What I do to remember to take my pills is put them in the top of the bottle cap in the morning. I take one in the morning and 1 at night. That way I can always tell if I've taken it. I will also be losing my insurance in Jan. Hoping to get something thru Obamacare, if it ever gets going!
Good Luck..
M
 
One should NEVER abruptly stop taking any AEDs as doing so can definitely bring on a seizure. You could go status when doing so. Headaches could possibly be a side effect of Keppra. I take 2000 mgs. daily and on occasion I suffer migraines, too, but I've had them before I started Keppra. Not taking your meds on a regular basis could do it, too.
 
My daughter is also on Keppra, and missed one dose a few weeks ago and got an awful headache. There's no evidence that she had a seizure - I think that the headache was the result of not having the medication in her system. Her doctor says it is a common complaint, but didn't have any real explanation for it. She does have a history of migraines that predates her epilepsy.

My understanding is that Keppra gets into your system very quickly, so if you are back on your medication schedule you should be protected from seizure activity. But I'm not a doctor so don't take that as gospel!

Good luck!
 
The migraines could be a sign that your brain is trying adjust to the missed meds. All the anti-seizure meds are very powerful, so taking them inconsistently (especially off-on-off-on) can be hard on the brain. So not only are you at risk for regular seizures or withdrawal seizures (as noted above), but you may also be experiencing other side effects as your brain keeps trying to switch gears. I hope you can get health insurance again, or find a way to get your medication. See this thread for help: http://www.coping-with-epilepsy.com/forums/f23/when-you-cant-afford-medication-1452/
 
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