medicine dosage/side effects

[jenbayly17]

So here is my question how much does lowering your dosage of meds actually have on how much your side effects occur. In my case it is the dreaded levetiracetam and the lovely moodiness that comes with it. It is not constant but really seems have to roar it's ugly head every once in a while. I work customer service over the phone which takes its toll on a person as it is. My doctor wants to lessen my night time dosage to 750 mg instead of 1000 mg that I am currently taking. I also have a morning dose of 500 mg which we are not adjusting. I am just skeptical as to whether the side effects will change at all. I am currently taking vitamin b complex to help with the moodiness and lack of energy which helps a little. I am also taking gabapentin but in a month my doctor wants me to start tapering off of that. I had previously taken it with tegretol xr but had to stop taking tegretol because it decreased my sodium levels to dangerously low. Anyways any input would be appreciated. :hugs:

 

[valeriedl]

I've had several different side effects when meds have been lowered or increased. It may take a while for the neuro to find out what the dosage is that I need to be on or if he should just take me off the med entirely.

Some of the major side effects that I've dealt with that the med needed to be changed in some way were not eating enough, eating too much, being tired all the time. I'm sure there were probably others but I can't remember them right now. Other than being on Keppra I don't think I've had any type of emotional reactions to the meds.

I don't know how long you've been taking levetiracetam but usually with any med it could take a little while to figure out what the right dosage is for you. The very first dosage may not be what will work for you so the dr has to keep trying. A lot of times the drs want to decrease the dosage, even if you've been on it for a long time, because they don't like patients taking high dosages. But sometimes this doesn't always work.