Keppra XR and severe crying spells, help?

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Tiredmom

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Hello friends,

I have been on Keppra XR 3,000mg daily for a few years plus Topamax 100mg.

Lately, I have been a mess. I lost my job because my boss would blow up at me and instead of defending myself (the old me) I would just cry. I used to cry like this when I was in Kindergarten. We had a meeting about my work performance, and I said to myself I was not going to cry. I ended up sobbing so bad I was out of control and could not talk through my sentences.

Thing is, I can always control myself. I tell myself just stop crying until you get home and I stop. Now, I cry all the time everywhere. Is this Keppra?

I am maxed on the medicine and it is the name brand. Today, I had to get to a new job and was lost. I called the office and my boss tried giving me directions. As soon as she said "I know how scary it is to be lost!" I sobbed on the phone. I told myself stop it. I was mortified as I bawled into the phone. THIS IS NOT ME. I can't stop it and it is like something takes over my body. I am only 32 so it's not hormones.

Anyone else?
Thanks
 
Sorry you are struggling. Is it lady times you're like this or generally most of the time?

You say you have been on keppra for a few years but has the dosage increased recently? I take 1000mg twice a day since 2011 plus lamotrigine more recently.

When I first started taking keppra and particularly over the times when my dosage of it has been intrigued, I have a massive change in personality. I was extremely angry, snappy, tearful and could cry at anything. It made me argumentative and ha,f the person I ever used to be, I'm a laid back, calm person usually but keppra totally changed me. my neurologist said this was unfortunately a side effect of keppra and would subside as the side effects settle down. I am still teary sometimes but having given it time it has been my most reliable drug since and been the one that hasn't changed in comparison to the add on drugs we've tried.

Don't know the ins and outs if your story and if it is due to a new dosage. But if its not maybe you should try and get some bloods done to check your levels, they may be too high, causing the side effects to be heightened. Speak to your GP or neuro and in the mean time try to stay calm, take a step back and if you need to cry, cry. Let it all out if that's what feels best. Holding it all in will just add to stress and unhappiness.

Wishing you luck.

Amy xx
 
I also take Keppra 3,000mg daily (not XR though) plus Depakote, Tegretol and Lamictal. All are generics.

I will find myself crying over stupid things at times. I was watching a tv show once and one of my favorite characters died. I think I cried for an hour. I kept telling myself that it's only a tv character and not an actual person but it didn't work.

Another time I went to a physical therapy place to do exercises for back problems I was having. They messed up my schedule and kept telling me that it was my fault and not theirs. After arguing with them for about 15 minutes about for 15 minutes they asked if I wanted to schedule another appointment. I told them no, called them a-holes and walked out the door. When I got into the car I started balling my eyes out. I was really mad at myself because I thought I should have been pissed instead of upset.

There are little stupid things that I'll find myself crying about. Like you I tell myself to stop crying, mostly because I shouldn't be crying over what I am.

I think it's one of the meds that I'm on that is doing this because I was never like this before.
 
I was on keppra about 18 months ago and my neuro ended up taking me off it.I was a mess on it.
I would be fine then I would be crying,then I would turn into an total monster,then I would be really depressed.
I still don't know how my family stayed together during that time I was that bad.I was so mean to my husband.
You really should speak to your dr.
The worst thing is letting it continue and risk getting depressed like I did.Its no way to live.Epilepsy is hard enough without adding more worries to your life.
 
I was put on Keppra for a few months, I couldn't take it. It was turning me into a different person. I too was crying about everything. I turned into a mess, I was always upset, would freak out at my husband, at work. I ended up walking out one day because I couldn't stop crying. I seriously got depressed and that was way abnormal. I finally went to the doctor after I couldn't take it anymore and said I needed off. I couldn't give it longer for my body to "try" to get used to it. Wasn't worth it for me. I am now off and taking Lamictal. I think I feel much better...
 
I'd say that out of all the other meds you are taking, keppra is the one to blame for the crying and unhappy feelings.

As I mentioned, I was angry and hostile and probably a complete nightmare to be around when starting on the drug and any titrating up since, especially to family. However with each titration, even though these side effects do happen and they are so difficult to live with, I hope for you, that like mine, they will pass and ease up with time and you will find it easier to live with.

But there is also the chance that this is your bodies way of saying keppra really isn't for you. I was like that when taking tegretol retard as an add on to keppra. The tegretol side effects were horrendous for me and did not get any better with time so I went back to my neuro and we switched to lamotrigine which has agreed with me much better.

Give keppra a chance if you haven't been on it/on the current dosage for long but if that's not the case it may well be worth looking to come off it and try something new.

Best of luck

Amy xx
 
Hey Tiredmom, have you tried adding a B6 supplement? It can help with the mood stuff. i hope you feel better soon.

:hugs:
 
I have never tried the B vitamin. I went and bought them but looked at the label and it said something about seizures so I panicked and threw them out!

Thanks for all the replies. I do have the Keppra rage but I have been on this for 7 years. The dose has never increased and it is the only combo that has stopped my TC's. Me and my neuro have tried every other medicine and my seizures are so bad I use DiaStat rectal injection to stop them during aura. Thankfully, none in 7 years on Keppra that is why I am so worried to stop it.

I actually get a Depo shot because my seizures started happening around my period so I have no more hormones either. The seizures were enough to make a medic quit his job. I guess I used to be tied down and put in padded rooms because I was combative and everyone thought I was on drugs. I never was.

anyjo- every time I try to get levels checked they say there aren't any tests for levels here in the US. I just know when I was on that phone crying I was NOT me. Keppra is very new and I don't really think anyone knows the real effects!

Thanks all for your help!
 
Keppra can be that way. Most who have seen it know it. I actually admire how you dealt with it through tears. (1) work can be stressful, especially so if one's boss is abusive (2) Life in general sometimes sucks - especially living like there is a grenade in your head (3) Keppra absolutely does not help with #1 & #2. Weeping is a natural response. I wish you were able to talk with your boss's manager, or file something with ADA.

A side note, weeping beats RAGE anytime. RAGE does a ton more damage to life and reputation.

Steve
 
I cried and raged and cried and raged and cried and raged.

Used to lock myself in the toilets between sessions crying my heart out. I stuck with it for 6 months and I think I was on 1000mg

It eventually gave me some mental health issues so was switched over to zonismide and an anti depressant mirtazipine 30mg.

Deffo speak again to your gp or neuro to discuss options.

(I also changed location of where I worked and went part time cos not being surrounded by brass studs helped tremendously).

Q
 
Oh also, if you feel safe to do so educate your boss about epilepsy and meds, when I was ragey a colleague could tap me on the shoulder for time out. Education can be a wonderful thing!

Q
 
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