keppra and insomnia

Welcome to the Coping With Epilepsy Forums

Welcome to the Coping With Epilepsy forums - a peer support community for folks dealing (directly or indirectly) with seizure disorders. You can visit the forum page to see the list of forum nodes (categories/rooms) for topics.

Please have a look around and if you like what you see, please consider registering an account and joining the discussions. When you register an account and log in, you may enjoy additional benefits including no ads, access to members only (ie. private) forum nodes and more. Registering an account is free - you have nothing to lose!

P

perplexed

New
Messages
3
Reaction score
0
Points
0
Greetings
I'm new in this forum and I'm not sure if I "qualify".
Started with epilepsy at 1964, but my last grand mal was at 1984.
I was taking then tegretol cr and something not known in the US called sabrylan (generic: vigubatrin). But the last medicine started to affect my field of view. So my doctor replaced it by keppra.
Now I'm taking tegretol 1000 mg/day, keppra 2000 mg/day and I lost my ability to sleep.
Did anyone experience insomnia after switching to keppra?
Can anything be done?
Thanks
 
Hi perplexed, welcome to CWE!

Yes, you qualify! If you're looking for info and support regarding anything having to do with epilepsy, you've definitely come to the right place. I haven't tried Keppra myself, but I wouldn't be surprised to hear that it is affecting your sleep. AEDs seem to either knock folks out or keep them awake. If you've only just gotten to a working dose, there's a chance the side effects will go away over time. You might experiment with the time of day you take the dose, or whether you take it with food. Otherwise, if it continues to be problematic talk to your neuro about possibly lowering your dose, or trying something else.

You might be interested in these threads from the CWE archives: http://www.coping-with-epilepsy.com/forums/f23/keppra-side-effects-insomnia-9747/
http://www.coping-with-epilepsy.com/forums/f20/help-me-wean-off-keppra-xr-7340/

Best,
Nakamova
 
Hello! Welcome to CWE! :)

Im on Keppra XR 3000mgs a day. I was on Keppra XR and Carbatrol ER for years before, til I had my first VEEG done a year ago. My dr saw seizures, but I didnt have any grand mals, so he wanted me to try only one seizure medication and took me off the Carbatrol ER. I was having trouble getting enough sleep. I would always want to stay up late, but then when I had to get up early the next morning, I would be so tired. Then seizures would start to come on, due to lack of sleep. So my dr said to try Melatonin. I picked me up a bottle of 3mg tablets, and I started out by trying a whole tablet, but then saw I was getting way too sleepy within a half an hour. Almost felt like I was drunk. So I cut those in half, and tried that. It worked, and every once in awhile if I really need to get more sleep, I will take a whole tablet and get my butt to bed earlier. Helps me out a ton!
 
thanks for your quick replay.
I'm on keppra 2000 mg/day (what does the XR mean?) and Tegretol 1000 mg/day.
Tried 4 different sleeping peels including melatonin. Nothing helped. I even doubled the dose without results.
thanks anyhow.
 
thanks for your quick reply.
I take keppra 2000 mg/day. 1000 when I wake up, 1000 after supper (about 7-8 pm). These are my neurologist orders. He rejects the conjecture that keppra has anything to do with my insomnia, and recommended sleeping pills. Tried 4 types and nothing helped.
Thanks for your links.
 
XR is the extended release version of the Keppra.
 
Nakamova said:
XR is the extended release version of the Keppra.
Click to expand...

Yeap. just what Nakamova said. I was on regular Keppra since the age of 18, and for years I suffered from terriable headaches. My dr thought it was seizure activity occuring, and tried to raise my Keppra from 3000mgs a day to 4000mgs a day, which made me feel worse and I had break through seizures. that doctor then got transferred to another hospital and became in charge of a different dept, so when I returned, I was put with his partner, who I now see. He was the one that recommend I try the Keppra XR. It stays in your body longer, and by telling him what was going on and when the headaches would start, he figured that when the keppra level was going back down again, before taking my next dose, my headaches were a result of it. So when I got switched over to the Keppra XR, it didnt have that affect and stayed in my body longer, not giving me the headaches. It was like a miracle drug for me. :)
 
I believe that Keppra is associated with insomnia. I was always a little bit prone to sleeplessness but I've been on Keppra for 2 months now and my insomnia has absolutely increased. It is like a vicious circle. Sleeplessness = more seizures.
 
You must log in or register to reply here.
Back
Top Bottom