Facial Flushing with Keppra?

[Dignan]

Facial Rash with Keppra?

Anyone had this? I've been on generic Keppra for about a month, and this morning my face "broke out" and was really red and "flushed" looking. It was all across my forehead and cheeks, and I could feel it somewhat. A little itchy but not really, more like I could just tell it was there.

I happened to have a Dr visit this morning with the Neurologist and I showed him what was left of it (it has largely gone away now) and after checking my back and chest (which showed no signs) he said I just looked flushed and he didn't think it was the medication.

What say you, everyone?

By the way, I'm skeptical because many years ago (with a different Neuro) I had a similar situation while taking tegretol. I would break in an itch rash around my joints that would come and go, and the neuro at the time refused to believe it could be the tegretol because I had been taking it with no such problems for over 2 years. He said it would have happened right away. That went back and forth for 6 months, looking at detergents and trying to figure out what else it could be. Finally, I fired that neuro, went to another one, he moved me to Dilantin, and what do you know, the rash went away.

I don't want a repeat situation, as when my current neuro said if it was the keppra I would have noticed it right away, I thought boy I've heard that one before...

 

[Dignan]

By the way, the dr. had the nerve to say something stupid like maybe I was running the heater too much in my car, which could have caused my face to flush.

If they don't know something why don't they admit instead of saying something moronic that assumes their patient is an idiot?

Going to try and get a brand name version of Keppra through a Dr. required copay override. Hope that works, otherwise I'm going to quit this drug..

 

[Endless]

side effects can break out any time - whether you've been on the drug 10 days or 10 years.

According to the Keppra Package Insert:

Other events reported by at least 1% of adult KEPPRA-treated patients but as or more frequent in the placebo group were the following: abdominal pain, accidental injury, amblyopia, arthralgia, back pain, bronchitis, chest pain, confusion, constipation, convulsion, diarrhea, drug level increased, dyspepsia, ecchymosis, fever, flu syndrome, fungal infection, gastroenteritis, gingivitis, grand mal convulsion, insomnia, nausea, otitis media, rash, thinking abnormal, tremor, urinary tract infection, vomiting and weight gain

Tegretol package insert:

Musculoskeletal System: Aching joints and muscles, and leg cramps.

Other: Multiorgan hypersensitivity reactions occurring days to weeks or months after initiating treatment have been reported in rare cases. Signs or symptoms may include, but are not limited to fever, skin rashes, vasculitis, lymphadenopathy, disorders mimicking lymphoma, arthralgia, leukopenia, eosinophilia, hepatosplenomegaly and abnormal liver function tests. These signs and symptoms may occur in various combinations and not necessarily concurrently. Signs and symptoms may initially be mild. Various organs, including but not limited to, liver, skin, immune system, lungs, kidneys, pancreas, myocardium, and colon may be affected (see PRECAUTIONS, General and PRECAUTIONS, Information for Patients).

Serious Dermatologic Reactions
Serious and sometimes fatal dermatologic reactions, including toxic epidermal necrolysis (TEN) and Stevens-Johnson syndrome (SJS), have been reported with Tegretol treatment. The risk of these events is estimated to be about 1 to 6 per 10,000 new users in countries with mainly Caucasian populations. However, the risk in some Asian countries is estimated to be about 10 times higher. Tegretol should be discontinued at the first sign of a rash, unless the rash is clearly not drug-related. If signs or symptoms suggest SJS/TEN, use of this drug should not be resumed and alternative therapy should be considered.

Get a new doc. He doesn't even read the package insert.

.

 

[Nakamova]

Dignan, that's so frustrating! I'm sorry your doc was so dismissive and condescending.

I feel like we should do a poll, along the lines of...

What's more frustrating?
A. Dealing with Seizures
B. Dealing with Meds and Side Effects
C. Dealing with Doctors
D. Dealing with Insurance Companies/Red Tape
E. Dealing with Ignorance about Epilepsy
F. all of the above

 

[Dignan]

Yes, I think I don't really trust Dr.'s anymore. It seems so many of them can't admit if they don't know something so when you call them on something they try to spin a yarn that makes it sound like that was their thinking as well.

The facial flushing continues, and I am on brand name Keppra now. I am not noticing as much itchiness on the brand name as I did on the generic, but the redness on my cheeks is still hanging around.

The Dr. just says perhaps I'll adjust, so we give it MORE time. It's either that or switch to Lamictal. It's depressing when you don't have choices..

 

[knothing]

My face goes flush every time Keppra (brand name) kicks in but it does not last long for me. You should have seen the look on my neurologists face when I told him that Keppra combined with Vimpat had made me allergic to Oranges, Grapefruit, and Tangerines. I give him credit for not asking any dumb questions.

 

[kostareyna]

By the way, the dr. had the nerve to say something stupid like maybe I was running the heater too much in my car, which could have caused my face to flush.

If they don't know something why don't they admit instead of saying something moronic that assumes their patient is an idiot?

Going to try and get a brand name version of Keppra through a Dr. required copay override. Hope that works, otherwise I'm going to quit this drug..

I had similar problem with the generic,now i bought the brand with my own money and hoping i will get my medical insurance to aprove the rand version.

wasn't on the face tho, more like on small spot in the palm and also on my foot.I developed a fungas but it wasn't like a normal one,my skin between the fingers on the foot became red and i had holes in them as soon as i switched to the brand it stopped after a week,the other side effects stopped after 2 days like electrical feeling in my palm and headechs

 

[Dignan]

I'm revisiting this thread since I woke up yesterday morning itching quite a bit on my head and face. My forehead is slightly red and itches a bit as does a few areas on my jawline and around my ears.

It hasnt been too bad, and it goes away. Again, its only been a couple of days. The thing is that I had something like this when I took generic keppra early on, but after switching to brand name it went away. I've been on brand name Keppra for 4 years now and hadnt had this return, so maybe its not the keppra at all who knows?

But, given my previous experience with Tegretol years ago, I know that things can change even if a med hasnt been giving you this type of trouble.

Maybe its something else, an allergy, or somesuch, but I cant think of any foods or soaps or anything else I've done differently.

I guess I'm just spitballing and wondering what others think? Think this is the brand name keppra after 4 years?

 

[marika853]

This may not pertain to you but is an interesting note. I am on 1500 mgs. of generic Keppra. A while ago I started drinking a lot of Dr. Pepper. I developed a rash on my stomach and neck. Thought it was from meds but decided to stop Dr.P. Low and behold, rash went away. Never in a million did I think that it was that.
Just a thought!
Good Luck!
M

 

[acshuman]

Doctors NOT Taking Responsibility

Dignan,
When a doctor says something like that to a patient, all he is showing that patient is how inadequate his knowledge is. When your neurologist said that, he was doing the same thing that MANY GP's do today when they just grab their prescription pad and write a prescription instead of trying to find the actual cause for their patient's problem.
It's just easier for them to give some off-the-wall diagnosis or write a prescription than actually learning what may cause problems like this to their patients.
They think this is a 'great' way to do things until a patient has an allergic reaction to a med that was tossed to them like a treat is given to a pet, to get the pet to leave them alone. Then the doctor will claim that the only way there could have been a problem is if the med was somehow contaminated. If the doctor had done some checking, they would have seen that the med they prescribed shouldn't have been given to someone who was taking a med the patient was already taking.
Doctor's in many cases are using their patients like lab mice, and seeing which meds they can use as a 'cure-all!

AcsHuman:hugs:

 

[lindsayschu2]

Just asking--are you taking high potency B vitamins along with your Keppra to offset side effects? If you are, niacin can cause facial flushing and itching. If you aren't, well, then, never mind