Keppra - Alone or Adjunct

Do you take Keppra by itself or with another medication?

  • 0-1500 mg Keppra Alone

    Votes: 11 19.6%
  • 1501-2500 Keppra Alone

    Votes: 3 5.4%
  • 2501-5000 Keppra Alone

    Votes: 3 5.4%
  • 0-1500 mg Keppra in combination with another AED

    Votes: 7 12.5%
  • 1501-2500 mg Keppra in combination with another AED

    Votes: 9 16.1%
  • 2501-5000 mg Keppra in combination with another AED

    Votes: 7 12.5%
  • Do not take Keppra

    Votes: 16 28.6%

  • Total voters
    56
  • Poll closed .

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Hi stilldancing,

I treat my blood sugar by diet. My medicines have nothing to do with it. I have to keep from eating cookies, cakes, pies. Anything with to much fat or to much sugar.

You can get a meter to test blood sugar. They have good ones for free on the Internet. My health insurance gave me one for free. they do not want me to have complications from my diabetes.

Have your son tested for diabetes. That is a possibility. Keep me posted about your son's condition. I am concerned.
 
I'm sorry , I didn't try to make it sound that way. Alex only has one kidney.His blood pressure runs a little high.
 
Hi stilldancing,

I did not know that Alex has one kidney. That does make a difference. I am on medicine for blood pressure. Ask the doctor if a little bil will help.

The nurseyhas started. That will be great for you.
 
Generic Keppra not for everyone

I transitioned from Dilantin to the branded drug Keppra last May. Transition went well from me until I was switched by PBM to the generic in January, when a new formulary was introduced. Since then, I've experienced several "aura" moments and full blown grand mals. Currently I am going through a formulary exception process with my PBM, that includes using their mail-order service to help control costs.

Would advise others that are being switched to the generic or already have switched to be very cautious and raise concerns with your physcian and your healthplan's pharmacy director.

Before switching to the generic, I could usually tell if an episode was "impending", but on the generic, my episodes came on without warning. Makes you think about the true therapeutic value of the generic. They only have to contain 80% of the branded drug active ingredients to gain approval as a generic.

My two cents.
 
Hi cowboytex,

Welcome to our forum. You are very welcome here. You will make many friends here.

You just helped support me. I did not know about 80%. The generic is strong enough for me. My health insurance will not pay for the brand name. I am stuck with the generic. Keppra makes me sleep a lot. I talked to the neurologist and he cut me back to one in the morning. I am feeling better now. I am still taking 3 at night. I want to cut that back to 2 at night.

90% of my seizures have always come on without warning. When I wake up in the hospital, that is when I know I have had my seizures. Now, my health insurance will not pay for me to be put in the hospital. It is not necessary most of the time anyway. I can rest at home.
 
I have been taking 3000mg of Keppra only for one year. I also take 100mg of B-6 to counter the anger issues that can come up. Initially it made me tired and felt like I was over medicated but only on the second dosage of the day. Since then it has changed and now I get hyper. It has forced me to quit drinking caffeine and alcohol (not big drinker anyway). Until recent it was 100% effective. I have had 2 myoclonic and may have had a seizure in my sleep not a grand mal (had 2 of these before going on Keppra). Based on that I am sure a secondary medication will be added.
 
Hi knothing,

Glad to have you here, you will like this forum. There are many great friends here.

I just started on Keppra about 2 months ago. It made me real sleepy in the daytime. In the morning, I was taking 1000 mg in the morning. That was with my other epilepsy medicines. I asked my neurologist to cut it down from 1000 mg to 500 mg in the morning. That works. I take the Vitamin B Complex. At dinner time I take 3 pills or 1500 mg. That works as well. So, now I am in pretty good shape with Keppra.
 
Thanks for the welcome feast. Don't know what type of healthplan yourre covered under or who their PBM is that adjudicates your claims, but your doctor can request a "formulary override" to get the drug covered at a higher copay. The request process is typcially accessible via your healthplan's or PBM's website. You can also mitigate some of the price increase by going through a mail-order pharmacy too. I just received word yesterday that my formulary override was approved, and by going through my PBM's mail order pharmacy, my copayment for 90 day supply is $125 versus $440 for 30 day supply at a retail pharmacy. Let me know if you need additional info.
 
Thank you cowboytex.

My health plan is Blue Shield of CA. It is under my husband's retirement plan. Our co-pay is $10 a prescriptions. I have 9 prescriptions. That is $90 a month.

What does PBM stand for. I do not know those initials. I can use that info.
 
keppra and i

do NOT like each other.

I took SEVEN 500 mg pills and became HYPER. So then the neuro cut me back to 250 mg only in the evening. And yesterday was one of the most bizarre days of my life, and I refuse to go through it again. I think it's safe to say that I am allergic to it. I was seeing THREE of everything, after only 8 or 9 days of the 250 mg dose.

And yes, I was taking B6.......I will be paging my doctor, after hours today. So many people at work told me I looked stoned, it wasn't funny. I cannot afford to lose my job over this medicine......I see my neuro this week anyway. OMG, this is NUTSSSS...........

Even my FRIENDS thought I was high or drunk (which they know I would never do) at first.......
 
Wow Meetz, that's quite a reaction. I'm thankful that Kepprage is my only issue and even with that its pretty mild.

I'm on 3k daily brand and my neuro won't switch me to generic precisely because of the 80% rule. Thankfully my company has a great plan so its still only $50 a month.
 
Hi Meetz,

It sounds like an allergic reaction. I could be wrong, though. I was on 5 a day and that put me to sleep most of the time. I am glad I am on the generic. I do not want the full 100%. My neurologist agreed to cut me back to 4 a day. He cut me back to one in the morning. I am feeling a lot better now. I do not sleep as much. I am more awake during the day. I sincerely hope you feel better.
 
I am on 3k daily , Depakote ER 1 time daily, and Lorazepam 2mlg nightly and as needed. Keppra is not bad for me. In the sense that it does not bother me to much. But I am sleeping a bit to much with all this. Oh and zonegran. But my seizures would not be under control at all if I didn't have these. Surgery did not help me. Cancer , and so forth. I am grateful that these meds are here to help me live and raise my son. I hate it sometimes so much! But my son and I will be ok. Keppra is tough. Seizures are tougher.
 
I ve been on Keppra for almost two weeks. Its not working, infact I think it is making my seizures worse. i am so tierd, but cant sleep. I am headed to the doctor tomorrow about the test result... we shall see.
 
Let me know how it turns out. I would, atleast for me be on Keppra with these other drugs then the Depakote they have me on. I hate it. I feel as though I am going to vomit constantly.
 
Well I went to the doctor today and she up ed my keppra and started me back on topamax. I feel like a test subject! lol
 
Well, did you agree to it?I mean I was a bone head when I agreed to the Depakote. I wish I was on topamax. My head is killing me. But I have been on all the meds now except for a few new ones I guess. So I know how you feel.I am done with all of these meds.My son does so well on so little.
 
Yeah I did. I was on topmax a long time ago and didnt realy have any trouble with it. I stoped when I become preggos. Im realy wanting to find a new neurologist though... I want a second oppion, I guess for a piece of mind.
 
Ok,Here goes. this is my first group to join online. Sorry if I mess up. I am in my late 30's w/ Partial complex and Grand mal siezures. On Lyrica 180 mg Bid, Tegretol 400 mg Bid. I am very uncontrolled. Dr wants to add med. What should it be? :ponder:
 
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