Extreme mood swings are driving me and everyone around me insane

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mommymela said:
And yes, they started me out at 1,500 and the doc today said I need to be increased to 3,000 but he would leave it up to my neuro to do that since I flat out refused. He also offered me more pills for my side effects. No thanks.
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Good for you! Insist on seeing your neurologist ASAP! This loss of appetite and ill feeling IS a side effect of the Keppra and the neurologist DOES need to know what it is doing to you. You need to keep food down as well as the med(s), otherwise bad things will start happening. It can effect your glucose level and other issues if you keep going like this. Sounds like it is time for a change of meds.

Here's a list of side effects from Keppra:
www.drugs.com
You should check with your doctor immediately if any of these side effects occur when taking levetiracetam:

-Aggressive or angry
-anxiety
-change in personality
-chills
-cough or hoarseness
-crying
-depersonalization
-diarrhea
-dry mouth
-euphoria
-fever
*general feeling of discomfort or illness
-headache
-hyperventilation
-irregular heartbeats
**irritability
-joint pain
**loss of appetite
-lower back or side pain
**mental depression
-muscle aches and pains
**nausea
-painful or difficult urination
-paranoia
**quick to react or overreact emotionally
**rapidly changing moods
-restlessness
-shaking
-shivering
-shortness of breath
-sleepiness or unusual drowsiness
-sore throat
-stuffy or runny nose
-sweating
-trouble sleeping
-unusual tiredness or weakness
**vomiting
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I drink water and unsweetened hot teas. Even gatorade is enough to make me vomit. I have tried high protein meal replacement smoothies that have all the micronutrients but I still throw them up. The only food items that haven't made me sick in the past few weeks are a bit of salad with veggies, an apple, and cucumbers. Also one day I was able to eat half an avocado. Yesterday I tried a tiny piece of pineapple and within a couple of minutes I was crying...not sure how but seems like the pineapple made me emotional, or maybe I was frustrated because it was making me feel nauseous as well. Not really sure. So certain raw foods seem to be my friend at this point, although I'm still not taking in the calories and nutrients I should be. I still take my fish oil and vitamin d (I have chronically low levels, and yes I get sun at least 20 minutes per day). I really want to try topamax after running into a doctor from a bigger city yesterday. I told him all my symptoms and he was kind enough to write down an entire care plan for me. I'm going to try again to get in with me neuro sooner and if not get to the ER asap and see they can change the prescription. I hate pills but maybe this one won't be as harsh.
 
And no, no medical weed in my state. I did used to smoke when I was working and could afford it, and it worked amazingly for me. Never had a seizure on a day I took some in, it was amazing for recovering from a seizure....one day!
 
Cint said:
Good for you! Insist on seeing your neurologist ASAP! This loss of appetite and ill feeling IS a side effect of the Keppra and the neurologist DOES need to know what it is doing to you. You need to keep food down as well as the med(s), otherwise bad things will start happening. It can effect your glucose level and other issues if you keep going like this. Sounds like it is time for a change of meds.

Here's a list of side effects from Keppra:
www.drugs.com
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Wow, I have a large number of my symptoms and when I went to my regular doc he kept insisting keppra was a great drug and ignored my complaints, saying all seizure meds have side effects and I will have to deal with them forever. True, he wasn't a specialist, but what a jerk....
 
mommymela said:
Wow, I have a large number of my symptoms and when I went to my regular doc he kept insisting keppra was a great drug and ignored my complaints, saying all seizure meds have side effects and I will have to deal with them forever. True, he wasn't a specialist, but what a jerk....
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Yes, all drugs DO have side effects. But for some, Keppra is a great drug. For others, like yourself, it causes Kepprage and numerous other problems. I've been on 3000 mgs. of Keppra now for 15 years and haven't experienced the symptoms you're experiencing with this med. But I do suffer from the depression that does go along with some types of E.

You need to speak to a real neurologist ASAP!
 
mommymela said:
And no, no medical weed in my state. I did used to smoke when I was working and could afford it, and it worked amazingly for me. Never had a seizure on a day I took some in, it was amazing for recovering from a seizure....one day!
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Medical marijuana is legal in my state, but I've never tried it since I've had seizures. Don't want to, yet.
 
I agree, all meds do have side effects. With some of us, our seizures can cause other mood and emotional issues as well. Finding a med that controls the seizures we are having as well as not causing intolerable side effects is a hit and miss, painful and time consuming process. For some of us, this may never come to fruition. I am in the midst of this process myself. All I can say is do what you can to get to your neuro as soon as possible. If your doc(s) won't try to get you on a different med, maybe you should see a different doctor? Your lack of appetite/nutrients will catch up with you eventually. Good luck.
 
Apparently some people have no problems with it, I'm one of the lucky ones with all the side effects lol. I had this same problem with lamictal, I'm scared that every medication will be this way.
 
I wrote this on your "who misses food" thread but it bears repeating.

The way you are describing, listlessness, depression, feeling like bursting into tears for no reason, losing all desire for food, this is exactly how I felt when I was on Tegretol.

When you are on the inside looking out of a state of mind like that, you almost don't realize how completely *WRONG* everything about it is. You need to have it pointed out to you from the other side of the fence (outside the asylum) that you are not crazy, you are being drugged. There is a difference.

I damn near killed myself one night on Tegretol. Totally out of character for me. Now the package insert says things about "suicidal ideation" but I don't think they knew that back in the day. Either that or my neurologist was just incredibly lax.

It is not normal to feel this way. Do not just accept it. Stand up and demand a change.

gbpackerfan is a prime example of people who have side effects interacting with their side effects, and side effects from their drug interaction side effects. Adding more meds to the mix only overburdens your liver and kidneys. You need to back off this one which clearly isn't working for you and find one that does.

And like Cint said, you are headed for some serious malnutrition soon if things don't change.
Can you at least keep supplements down? That might help short term.
 
I don't throw up when I take my fish oil and vitamins. I found a Bolthouse farm protein drink today that doesn't make me sick either. It's better than nothing. I am self weaning myself from the keppra, that's a definite decision. I'm also no longer going to see my regular doctor who acted like I was a fatty who could do with a little more starvation (I am a size 6 not that it would matter if I was larger). I've already taken it down by one dose a day a few days ago, I'll wait 2 weeks and drop one more dose, then wait 2 more weeks and take half a dose for 2 more weeks. I think that should be safe.
 
Notify your doctor about what you are doing. (Notice I didn't say ask permission.)

If they realize that it is bad enough for you to take this kind of drastic action on your own, maybe they can find an opening for you in the schedule.
And maybe they will take you seriously.

You really should be under a doctor's care for a change as major as this. Find yourself a new one if the old one won't listen.
 
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I tried mariguana I smoke before I put on e drugs and it fine.then I tried it again after I put on lamical I went round bend had psychotic reaction it just awful but it passed off after hour or so
 
A lot of seizure meds are also used for bipolar. Today I finally got someone on the phone at my neurologist's office and let her know I was taking myself off my medication and needed to speak with a doctor asap. Hopefully I'll get a call back, she promised I would hear back today.
 
AlohaBird said:
Notify your doctor about what you are doing. (Notice I didn't say ask permission.)

If they realize that it is bad enough for you to take this kind of drastic action on your own, maybe they can find an opening for you in the schedule.
And maybe they will take you seriously.

You really should be under a doctor's care for a change as major as this. Find yourself a new one if the old one won't listen.
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I did what you said and told the receptionist that I was taking myself off the seizure meds and needed to speak to a doctor ASAP. She promised I would hear back today, I really hope I do.
 
Well done. If they do call, don't let them bully you. Doctors work for you, not the other way around.. Don't forget that.
 
AlohaBird said:
Well done. If they do call, don't let them bully you. Doctors work for you, not the other way around.. Don't forget that.
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And of course no one called me back from the neuro office today, even though I called at 8:05 A.M. I really think I can do this myself. I don't want to be yelled at or lectured again, I know how to taper off slowly, I've done it before. I know that no doctor will agree with me, so is there really even a point?
 
The point is getting them to take you and your concerns seriously. Bug them, once a day every day until they get back to you. Politely but firmly remind the phone person, "This is the second day in a row I have called and not received a return call." Third, fourth, however long it takes. The keppra doesn't seem to be working well for you but have you thought about what to replace it with? If a doctor takes you seriously, they can actually be helpful. Unless of course you think this particular doc is past hope and it's time to go doctor shopping.
 
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I've never even seen this doc since they had no available appointments until November. I'm just starting to wonder what the point of going to a doc is at all if I've already decided to get off my meds and I know how to taper off properly. I have maybe 1-2 seizures a year, so many people have it way worse than me and I can understand it being worth it for them to be medicated. But for me to have to feel like this every day? I'd much rather take the 1 or 2 seizures. Some years since my diagnosis I've had none at all.
 
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