Keppra and loss of appetite

[difenbaker]

For starters let me apologize if I posted this in the wrong place, length, and if there are copious amounts of grammatical/spelling errors. It's been a rough few days.

Does anyone else seem to have an issue with keppra and loss of appetite/weight? (Yes really im about to complain about weight loss - mainly because it's not in a healthy manner)

I had 4 med changes all on one day (9/19). I got pulled off of topamax and my birth control (which the only break I've had from that since I started it 8 years ago is the last 8 months of my pregnancy). Keppra and metatopralol (topral not extended release) were both added as well. As much as I wasn't happy about all of this changing on one day I do understand why they all needed to be made and asap at that.

I guess what I'm getting at is had anyone else had an issue. I'm never hungry any more. I have to force myself to eat and then I'm horribly nauseated afterwards. I've gone from 171 pounds (on the 19th) and when I weighed myself today 157. I know this isnt healthy I've only lost three pounds in the last 4-5 days just to give an idea of how quick this weight came off. I've been told the weight loss is noticeably by a couple of close friends. Just worries me. Is anyone else having this problem, or could it be one of the other changes? I worry because my junior year of high school I dropped down to 108 from 145 in about 6 weeks and I'm concerned about the drastic weight change again.

Thanks for listening and any advice anyone feels like sharing. This is just to hold me over til the 17th when I go to my family dr.

 

[Nakamova]

Some folks have reported appetite issues and weight loss on Keppra (I had similar problems with Zonisamide). If Keppra is the culprit, then you have to make a quality-of-life decision about whether it's safe or comfortable to continue on it. Definitely talk to your regular doc about the weight loss (in case there is some other possible cause) and let your neurologist know what's going on too.

 

[maureen]

I too have lost the desire to eat. I mostly do it because I know I have to. I haven't had as much of a loss in weight - only 10lbs. It seems to have stopped, but like I said I usually have to make myself eat. It helps that I have a husband...if I were alone I probably wouldn't eat and then it would be worse. Good luck to you! Also, try and eat several small meals a day, or be sure to snack - fruit, yogurt,etc that may help slow the weight loss down.

 

[difenbaker]

I do try to pick when my son has his snacks. I will give him a cookie or 2 and try and eat one myself. I usually wind up giving him half of it. The only reason I know I'm eating at all right now is because we are crashing at my parents house since I'm not driving yet. When we do go home I worry about it. Mainly because I noticed today I was destracted, I was home cleaning while my son was at daycare and didn't eat lunch and breakfast for me is usually a cup of coffee or two. My mom made me eat a leftover piece of pizza after she picked us up.

 

[wyocop]

I have been on Keppra since April 2009. Started it very slowly over a 4 week time line. Taking 2000mg a day, 1000 in am and 1000 in pm. No weight loss, no appetite loss, for me. I could stand to drop about 20 pounds ;-). Only side affect I had that finley went away was a runny nose. Good news, no serizers for since starting Keppra, and stabelizing red blood count caused by PolycythemiaVera (PV). PV was primary cause of gran mall that put me in the hospital for 2 days.

 

[Cint]

I've been on Keppra. 3000 mgs. daily, for 10 years now along with a small dose of Topamax and I think the loss of appetite for me is due to the Topamax more so than Keppra. Keppra makes me thirsty and tired. As Maureen suggested, I do eat several small (healthy)snacks throughout the day, otherwise I would be hypoglycemic.

 

[difenbaker]

Cint - I was on topamax for 8 weeks for migraine prevention. 25mg per day made me drop 12 pounds in that time frame. But then I ate like a horse... I was always hungry. Just made me think hmmm... maybe its the meds in general until some little light went on and I've been on klonopin for anxiety (up to 3 mg per day) and lamictal for mood stabilization (2xs never either time made it out of the starter pack... I got a rash. Went on it about 6 years apart)

 

[Mnm8405]

Someone asked my question I havent noticed any actual weight loss just yet, but I'm basically reminding myself to eat at this point.. because I never get hungry anymore! Has anyone experianced a metal taste in their mouth with Keppra? Im always so thirsty lately and it tastes like I'm sucking on a quarter.

 

[dizzylizzy]

New to this list. Have been on Keppra for about 3 weeks, no appetite, losing weight, and strange smells that no-one around me can smell. Completely different from the aura smell of my partial seizures. But - worth it to get back driving again in another 5 months!

 

[valeriedl]

I've been on so many medicines through the years and there was one, I don't remember which, I was on that I had absolutely no appetite what so ever. My family had to force me to eat because I just wouldn't do it myself.

On one combination of medicine I was on I gained a ton of weight. I was probably in the 170's. I think if I say food I ate it with out even thinking. My neuro changed my meds around and I got down to around 140.

I've been on Depakote, Tegretol, Keppra and Lamictal for a few years. I've kept a good weight on them. I'm still around 140. I'm not hungry very much. I really only eat a big lunch and maybe a snack in the afternoon because that's when I'm hungry. It's really weird though because if I don't eat that lunch at the same time that I normally eat it for some reason I'm usually not hungry for the rest of the day.

If I go out to dinner I'm normally not hungry but I eat anyway, almost forcing myself to, only because I'm with people who are eating.

A few years

 

[SlimBlue]

I've been on Keppra 1000mg for about 15 years, along with Tegretol and Lamactil and I have noticed a loss in appetite- not finishing great meals when I go out, not bothering to eat for a day or 2 etc, but then I also seem to have binges where I just can't stop myself being hungry, it's crazy.

 

[Navy Veteran]

I am currently on Lamactil, Lamotrigine, and Levetiracetam (I should but I don't know which is Keppra).
I have gone through the gamut of anti-seizure medicines. I have been on Topamax, Depakote, and now these three. All of them have only been able to reduce the frequency of my seizures but I still have them which my doctors are saying is hurting my memory and "intelligence", not that I had any in the first place
When I was on Topomax, I lost about 50 pounds. I never realized how much I had lost and how sick I looked. I went back east for the first time in about two years, a few years ago, to visit my family. When they saw me, my Mom "freaked" out because I looked like a walking skeleton. Because my weight loss occurred over time, I really never noticed it and neither did my wife. That is when they changed my medication. I am now back up to my old fat self
I am new to these boards and not to sound so "happy" but I am happy to see there are other people who are dealing with the same crap I am. Please don't take that the wrong way. I guess it is just something we all have to accept.
Well, that is my long winded story. To think that when I was in I had to get information out in short quick responses. Now I just babble.
I am going to check back in every once in awhile, but football starts today and I am going to be putting a serious butt groove in my couch watching it.

 

[lindsayschu2]

LOL @ "Butt groove in my couch" I just went up on Keppra (down on Topamax) on Friday, and with this med combo, I have to force myself to eat each and every meal that I actually eat for sure. And I agree with the 'metal taste'--since I increased Keppra I feel like all my food and drinks are loaded with pennies. But, eat we must, or suffer the malnutrition consequences!!

 

[valeriedl]

I also seem to have binges where I just can't stop myself being hungry, it's crazy.

It's weird that you said this because I realized that the same thing happens with me. I have those days that I'm not hungry at all then there are a few days every once in a while where I can't stop eating!

 

[SlimBlue]

I'd put it down to just having gotten into the habit of not eating enough- so now and then needing more calories, or maybe certain vitamins and so eating till I do.

I find that the body generally knows what it needs, but then aeds can have such odd effects on various systems as well..

 

[Juju26]

I've been on Keppra since March of last year and to say my appetite has hit the floor is an understatement. I usually eat just once a day.

For instance today I ate some yogurt with fruit and granola for breakfast, I had to make myself eat that & it wasn't until 11am and again made myself eat a small dinner tonight.

But on some days, for some odd reason...... like SlimBlue & valeriedl, my appetite skyrockets and I eat a nice breakfast, lunch & dinner...and snacks in between.

But I learned my lesson the other day, I think my sugar dropped or got high, because this past Saturday I had a seizure, I ate only a small bowl of cereal for breakfast and ice cream that night, and nothing in between the whole day....then in the middle of the night....Hello Seizure!!!!

So eat....even if you're not hungry, eat small snacks throughout the day.

 

[dizzylizzy]

Thanks for the warning, Juju26! I so appreciate other people sharing their stories - it's so comforting. My daughter, an RN, and her family live just down the street from me, and she made me some wonderfully healthy and tasty muffins that I can eat during the day. I know should eat, but the thought of preparing food make me feel ill, but Steph's muffins will be much easier. And she often has me for dinner - I'm so blessed to have her.

It's not fair to be on Keppra with all it's weird side effects and still have a seizure! A very hard way to learn a lesson, and I hope that eating will keep you have having another one. Again, thanks so much for responding and sharing your story. Best wishes.