What to expect from taking Keppra for the first time?

[Ophelina]

So, I'm visiting my neuro tomorrow, since I've decided to try controlling my seizures (very frequent partials for now) with drugs once again.

For those who don't know, I've been on carbamazepine (Tegretol and Carbapine) for years. Allergic to lamotrigine (Lamictal).
I think I was tolerating Tegretol pretty good. I was feeling tired and sleepy, but it wasn't unbearable. After a few years on it, I started feeling depressed and f***ed up.

Anyways, I was wandering if you have any advises to share. What can I expect from my first dose of Keppra? How did you feel, when you started it? I live alone, so should I invite someone to be with me? Any information will do.

Thanks in advance!

 

[ln1]

Hi Ophelina!

I've been on Keppra for over a year now. I'm still at the "low dose" of 500 mg two times per day. When I first started, I noticed mild dizziness and sleepiness. This lasted for about a month and a half. Now that I think about it, during this time, I slept a lot...8 hours at night and 2-3 hour naps each day. Soon after beginning it, I also noticed I became a very calm person. It took a lot to get me upset, unlike the person I was before starting. I haven't had any more tonic clonics since being on it.

I don't think it would hurt to have someone with you the first week or so since we're not really certain how your body will tolerate it.

I'm wishing you a productive and positive experience with Keppra!

 

[Fedup]

Ophelina

Its is hard to say what to expect from any drug since we all react differently to them, I had a bad time on keppra, others find it a great drug. I find Lamictal good, you are allergic to it. See what I mean, the only thing I will say is look out for the keppra rage and its always a good idea to have somebody call around or stay when you are changing drugs.

 

[masterjen]

No one can really tell you what to expect when you first start keppra Everyone reacts differently to the various medications. You may have some side effects, or none at all. Generally the slower you titrate onto a medication, the less the side effects. Keppra is one of the medications where you can ramp up fairly quickly; if you are concerned about side effects, I would suggest asking your neurologist to prescribe doses that allow you to increase to the desired dose more slowly. Good luck with Keppra, and I hope it works well for you.

 

[Frink]

Asking what to expect from taking Keppra for the first time is kind of like Schrodinger's cat, (Schrodinger's Keppra?) and just like Schrodinger's cat you must open the box to find the answer.

In other words only taking the pill will reveal how it will effect you.
Some people do great from pill 1, some take a while to adjust, some it does not help, some it makes seizures worse, some the side effects are too much.

Most people do well and never post on websites about how well the drug works, but many will post about how it was bad for them so you can expect to find more negative stuff about medications posted online.

Keppra did not work for me but it works great for a few people I know in real life.

 

[acshuman]

What To Expect From Keppra?

Ophelina,
Taking a med can be as different for each person just how E is so different for each individual who has E!
Very seldom do two people have exactly the same reactions to a med that they have taken. It may seem like everything that has happened is the same, but you can be sure that somewhere a body's different reactions are taking place!
I have been taking Keppra for over 10 years now. Just over half of that time it has been generic. I have NOT had any negative side effects as a result of taking the Keppra.
The last conference on E I attended I talked with a representative from the pharmaceutical company that makes Keppra. He said that they have had great reports about it as well as negative comments made as a result of some patient's side effects.
It is just like masterjen said. You have to try the Keppra in your own body to get a true picture of how it is going to affect you. This is one of the things that people who have E have to do. It is kind of like having to test something on yourself to see how it works! I have taken numerous meds over my 50 years w/E. Each one had to be started and then the doctor had to adjust the dosage to obtain the maximum control as a result of these changes!
Some people are resistant to many meds and have a far more difficult time finding a med that will help control their seizures.
You have to be willing to do this to obtain a control of YOUR seizures! :agree:

ACsHuman

 

[valeriedl]

I've been on Keppra for at least 7 years, maybe longer, and I don't remember how I reacted to it from day one. It usually takes a few weeks for your body to 'get used' a the med so if you are having problems/side effects it might stop. You could keep having them after that and if you can't deal with then let your dr know and ask to have the med changed. If you start having serous problems from the beginning, on one med I started taking I stopped eating and stayed in bed constantly and another caused seizures, call your dr ASAP and let him know. He'll probably want to take you off of it.

The only real problem I have with keppra is keprage. It doesn't take much to get me mad about something and even start yelling. My parents and husband will yell at me for doing these things but they don't realize, even though I've told them several times and even my neuro, it's the med making it happen.

Everyone is different when it comes to side effects so it may not happen to you.

If you are worried about how you are going to react to keppra then have someone stay with you. It's better to be safe than sorry.

 

[Jumpwhat]

As everyone else said above, you never know what to expect until you try! I've done very well on keppra and had very tolerable side effects that have slowly disappeared over time. The only thing I'm not sure anyone has mentioned (forgive me if you have!!) is perhaps as a close family member or friend to let you know if they personally notice anything? Sometimes they might pick up on something that you don't notice.

 

[N Sperlo]

There is a lot of good advice, so I'll keep it short.

You'll need more sleep and your mood may be different. I have more of a temper on Keppra, but have found a way to cope. Dizziness can become a problem, but is only magnified, so something else will have to trigger the loss of balance (i.e. spinning, drinking, etc.). Keppra is part of the concoction that has kept me controlled for quite some time.

 

[Ophelina]

Thanks guys, for a lot of great advises.

I know that every person is different and that I'll have to give myself enough time to adjust to a new drug, but I was wandering what can I expect.

I'll definitely ask my neuro for advice and more input today.

Thank you all! I'll let you know how it goes

 

[travel bug]

I've been on keppra almost nine years and haven't had too many negative side effects. It makes me sleepy but recently that's been helpful.

I think the only thing I noticed the very first time I took it was that it made my already vivid dreams even more so. They are now especially detailed and crazy. I don't have any more nightmares than I did before and good dreams are even more enjoyable. So, the one side-effect that was most immediately noticeable was not unpleasant.

Good luck, I hope keppra works well for you.

 

[Porkette]

Hi Ophelina,

Everyone is different as it has been mentioned but when I tried Keppra for my parital seizures the drug gave me a hot temper and my seizures increased like crazy. I was only on keppra for about 1 month and went off of it. Then I tried vimpat and that has done wonders reducing both my partial seizure along with my absence seizures. I wish you the best of luck and May God Bless You!

Sue

 

[CQ:)]

As it's already been mentioned we are all different to meds.
I am currently on Tegretol & Keppra, have been on Tegretol 14 years & Keppra 8 years.
I've not had any issues or major side effects with either med.

 

[Belinda5000]

Everyone can react differently to Keppra ; I'm allergic to it; and quite a few other drugs.
Tegretol I've been on it since it came out in 1975. Topamax since 2004 and I seem to be having luck with Fycompa working for me.

 

[Ophelina]

Hi everyone!

Here's an update - someone might find it useful

So, I've taken two doses - one last night, the other one in the morning.
The good stuff:
- No partials for now
- In general, I feel OK
- I seem to be calmer, more happy...like I'm mildly high or drunk (is this even possible?)

The bad stuff:
- Headache - it shows up as soon as I take the med. It's not as bad as migraine, so this is good. Happened with both the night and the morning doses.
- Dizziness - omg, I'm sooo dizzy. It's not awful, but not nice either. I guess this will go away
- Nausea - showed up late during the night. Like a burning pain in my stomach

After the morning dose I wasn't feeling sleepy, but during the night, sleepy states and hyperactive states were taking turns.

All in all, I feel this is much less aggressive than Tegretol, but I do mind the dizziness and the headache. It's constantly there.

 

[Jumpwhat]

Hurray for the good stuff, boo for the bad stuff! I'm glad overall it has been going okay. I had dizziness and major nausea when I first started keppra. The dizziness I could deal with, the nausea was more annoying. It went away for me after two months or so. I found it helped if I are frequent small meals and avoided eating a large meal. The nausea returned every time I changed my keppra dose but has finally disappeared completely after being on it for 18 months, even after my last dosage change.

Hopefully your symptoms get better soon!

 

[Ophelina]

Hurray for the good stuff, boo for the bad stuff! I'm glad overall it has been going okay. I had dizziness and major nausea when I first started keppra. The dizziness I could deal with, the nausea was more annoying. It went away for me after two months or so. I found it helped if I are frequent small meals and avoided eating a large meal. The nausea returned every time I changed my keppra dose but has finally disappeared completely after being on it for 18 months, even after my last dosage change.

Hopefully your symptoms get better soon!

Is it normal to feel funny like mildly high/drunk?

 

[acshuman]

Symtoms

Ophelina,
The feelings that a person can experience when any type of med, it doesn't hae to be an AED, into the body vary greatly. In 8-2013 I was given a new med when I had a problem with fluid in my lungs. I felt so strange for the first few days after starting this med that I actually went to the ER because I thought there was something physically happening to me. Lucky for me the ER doctor was able to explain how these strange feeling happen many times when a new med is introduced into a person's body. I was relieved and went home and lived with these feelings for a few days. After this time the strange feelings stopped as my body got used to having the new med in it.
You don't have to be fearful about these feelings unless they last for an extended length of time at their original strength.
A person's body is going to react anytime a new substance is put into the body! This is what happens when you have a rash or upset stomach, when you eat something new, so taking a new med is no different!
This is one of the things that people w/E have to experience anytime a med is changed, including dosage changes!

ACsHuman