Keppra success stories?

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Jun

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Could anyone be kind enough to share their positive experience using Keppra?

95% ive read about keppra seems to be bad news. Maybe its because people who are having problems tend to voice their experiences more often compared to those who have positive experiences that may not feel the need to post.

I know everyone can react differently to different AED and that we cant correlate ones experience with another. That said, it would be really nice to hear good stories about keppra, as i may be switching to this drug.

Many thanks in advance!
 
I was afraid to switch to Keppra years ago when they asked me because of its reputation for increasing peoples temper. I've been on it now for about 10 years and have had no problems. I just had surgery and my doctors say we will probably stay with Keppra only now.
 
Keppra was one of the few medications that i didn't have any bad effects from, apart from some light headedness. I was on it for about 9 years until i became resistant to it. It did work well before that though. Like you i was worried about the anger side effect, but it didn't affect me that way.
 
I on similar quest. To you jun.I take lam doctor not epilepsy specialist suggested keppra for nearly two yeArs box has been unopened.I frightened because keppra rage although doc said that don’t effect adults.
 
I've been on Keppra for 11 years. No real issues or side effects from it & no kepra rage.
 
Thank you so much everyone for sharing!

I’ve read up on the common side effects, but can anyone share any opinions ablut what I should look out for (ie: symptoms) when starting on Keppra?

I don’t know if I should have started a new thread about this or continued on this. Maybe it would be better if the thread title was called “Positive side of Keppra and symptoms to look out for when starting” if a moderator thinks that’s better compared to the one that is on now, I would greatly appreciate the change. Many thanks in advance!
 
My advice would be to read the insert. I never used to do this because i believed you could convince yourself you have ALL the side effects, until i was on a medication which made me suicidal, and it was only after i'd made an attempt to kill myself that i was immediately taken off the drug, and it was like a fog of depression lifted.

Sometimes it can take a while for side effects to ease off. The drug i'm on at the moment is very similar to Keppra (Briviact), and that did make me snappy and angry for a good couple of months after starting it, but that's eased off now and i feel much better.

Always be aware of changes in yourself if you know you're not quite right, and talk it through with your neuro or epilepsy nurse if you have concerns about the effect the medications you're on.
 
Everyone I've spoken to hates Keppra. Everyone on a different forum and the group meeting I go to. For me tho keppra is great! I've noticed no side effects and it helps tremendously!
 
I'm with you, being afraid to try it. My sodium and chloride is low and we keep testing and watching, with the thought that someday switching from the trileptal which causes the labs to be off, to Kepra. Dr. thinks that or Vimpat is my only next 2 choices and Vimpat is expensive I'm told...but I'm hanging on hoping not to have to change. I'm angry enough at times to not need any prodding in that direction. It is nice though to read the good results some have with it. Dr. did tell me she personally didn't know anyone who had that symptom (although drs. tend to turn a blind eye to stuff people tell them, don't they?).
 
Vimpat is very expensive. My copay alone was well over $100
Vimpat also caused me to be very dizzy and have rapid heart beats.
If your doctor is telling you there are only two drugs left you mind want to see if you can find an epileptologist.
 
I was on keppra for a short while. No side effects or kepprage, but it was ineffective for me.
 
Vimpat was the one that caused me to be suicidal, so i'd really suggest for people to be really aware that it can do that, because it crept up on me out of nowhere and it was nearly too late.

As we've seen, all the medications work differently for different people though and sometimes it's about picking the least harmful poison. I had no side effects on Keppra, but the worst on lamictal and vimpat, but those work great for other people.
 
I was on vimpat for only about 4 months. It wasn't as bad as Neurontin but really messed with my moods and didn't help with my seizures.

My neurologist didn't mess around and took me straight off it when I told him I wasn't happy. I was only on a low dose so he didn't have to wean me off it
 
I’ve been on Keppra for 13 years. It decreased my seizures better than any other AED I had tried. Side effects from Keppra were minimal for me. I have had bad side effects from other AEDs. I just went off of Tegretol after taking it for 30 years because I’ve been diagnosed with osteopenia. Tegretol can damage the bones. Does anyone take Keppra by itself? I’ve always taken it with other AEDs (Tegretol and Lamictal). I had to go off Lamictal because I had an allergic reaction. I’m concerned whether Keppra is sufficient taken without any other AEDs.
 
Hmmm, maybe that's why my bones are so bad...tests show osteoporosis...and I was on tegretol many years. No vimpat doesn't sound so good for me if it does that to one's moods. I have to watch that carefully. Dr. didn't tell me Kepra was the only medicine left, just that with what I've already been on and my allergies and what mysoline did to me (moods) these 2 would be the best choices. Now I'm more scared than ever and don't want to change. I guess I'll watch my H20 intake closer.

Sodium and Chloride were low again this last test but not any lower than they have been. Crossing my fingers it stays at least at this level. I don't want to go on Kepra.
 
For positive take on Keppra, I guess I'm an example.

I've taken Keppra for a little over 8 years now. I do take it alone, without another AED, and it does control my seizures very well (knock on wood;-)).

Also, I have had no major noticeable side effects (so far) or anger issues, other than I think it sort of "flattens me out." I don't feel I get as excited or happy about things or as down or sad about things as I used to, so I don't like that, but its nothing too bad to complain about and its subjective. I felt more like myself on Dilantin, but had to stop that years ago because of bone loss issues.

For those who are starting Keppra, and were wondering about what to expect, that depends on the person. Some have anger/rage issues and other effects. But, in my case I just felt really tired and mentally slow.

It was like my brain couldn't keep up with normal activity for awhile. But, eventually my body adjusted to it, and I feel mostly normal now, outside of the flattened emotions I mentioned. Sometimes, I do still feel mentally slow, but exercise helps a lot with that, and good sleep. Also, when first starting it, despite feeling tired, I noticed it made me have a hard time sleeping. In the beginning, I felt like I needed maybe one night of sleep every 48 hours, but this did not affect me in terms of more seizures. Eventually, this too subsided, though I still think I don't sleep well all the time.

Overall, it has been good to me (though I don't know about long term effects), had kept my seizures under control, and hasn't given me too many side effects that I can't handle.

Hope that helps! Good luck!
 
My Keppra Experience

I've been on a combo of Keppra & Vimpat for 6 years now, and it's the best medications that have worked for me. I just had my longest streak of 14 months seizure free, unfortunately broken last month though. I've been on almost everything too I should add as a person with epilepsy for 15 years now.

One thing I can say is it has had the worst side effects, but that's also 2 meds at once. At the end of the day if I'm having a lot less seizures, I'll tough out the meds to keep myself safe. Although the side effects keep me from living a normal life.

Downfalls:
- Dizziness
- Constantly tired, like nap for hours and still tired (excuse to stay in bed :roflmao: )
- Memory loss (example being watching a movie & forgetting the majority of it in a week, but hey, I can watch it like it's new again! :pop: )
- Irritable, but not enough that it concerns me. Maybe I'm just a grumpy person haha!

Overall, every medication has it's downfalls, but Keppra has changed my life for the better. :woot:
 
I love the watching movies analogy. That was the same way I was. We just started buying movies instead of renting them because they were new every time I watched. It was kind of like 50 first dates in real life. :)
 
I love the watching movies analogy. That was the same way I was. We just started buying movies instead of renting them because they were new every time I watched. It was kind of like 50 first dates in real life. :)

Was wondering, given you said "that was the way you were," (past tense) it made me wonder if you had stopped taking Keppra, and if so, did your memory improve afterward?
 
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