Vimpat and Headaches: What Users Say

• Joa...
• November 9, 2020

For Seizures "Vimpat is a horrible drug, very toxic! I had many side effects: headaches, nausea, tiredness, constipation, flatulence, stomach discomfort, shaking of hands, depression, heart palpitations, memory problems, muscle pains (legs and back). I felt terribly tired and could not cope with my daily activities. I had problems with speaking, my memory and my concentration got a lot worse. My sleep was badly affected. I had to quit my job and my social life. Every day was a struggle and I felt as if I had lost control of my own life!!! This drug had a terrible impact on my life and DID NOT eliminate my seizures. I now see that I am not the only one to have experienced those side effects, though my previous doctor denied many of them. I still ask myself why my previous doctor is so fond of this drug???? Partnership with pharma UCB? As he was resistant to change this drug, I have decided to change doctors."

• Sal...
• Taken for 2 to 5 years
• September 6, 2019

For Seizures "I have been taking Vimpat for a while now and had a lot of these symptoms listed below. Tiredness, dizziness, headaches, double vision, loss of balance, feeling faint, shaky/trembling, nausea, shortness of breath, pounding heart beat, trouble sleeping, dark urine, irritability, panic attacks, worsen anxiety, memory issues, ringing in the ears, can't find the word when speaking, weight gain, nervous tics, and itching. On top of that my seizure activity seemed to increase, not decrease. I have told my doctor over and over again and she told me to increase the dosage! Then, the doctor tried to push the VNS surgery on me. I thought about it at first, but I have not read the best reviews on that either. I feel like she is shoving Vimpat and VNS surgery down my throat so she can get kickbacks from the pharmaceutical companies."

• Non...
• January 1, 2020

For Seizures "Was on Keppra for a long time and introduced to Vimpat along with it. The side effects for Keppra almost blinded me and I went off of it and only take Vimpat now. Didn't realize how brutal the headaches were on Keppra until I stopped the Keppra. Vimpat works for me and keeps the seizures away."

• Sei...
• February 18, 2011

For Seizures "When I started Vimpat, I got vertigo, headaches, and nausea like whoa. My neurologist asked me to try to stick it out, and I am so glad I did. It replaced Topamax (which was messing up my kidneys), and it works. I went a record (for me) 124 days without a seizure with the Vimpat/Keppra combination I am on now. I still get dizzy more easily than I used to, but seizure freedom is absolutely worth the inconvenience."

• Jea...
• December 1, 2016

For Seizures "Sudden onset of seizures (tonic/clonic) at the age of 56. 6 days in the Neuro ICU and no cause determined (but I concede my sleep patterns need improvement). I'm on 100 mg of Vimpat x 2 daily. No seizures since. (Yay!) But 8 weeks later, 3 side effects. Memory issues, e.g., I'll read books for the first time, only to see my own notes in the margin. (So it's not the first read!) That's very distressing. Repeating myself. Also noticed vision changes, as if I need another RX glasses, and (7 out of 10 in pain) headaches for the first time in my life. I'm told to give Vimpat 90+ days to 6 months to adjust. Crossing fingers."

• Del...
• Taken for 6 months to 1 year
• December 13, 2017

For Seizures "I have grand mal (tonic-clonic) seizures, which are the full-body go-crazy type. They started 2 years ago with no warning or cause. I'm now 28 years old, and the neurologist at Mayo and scans/images see nothing wrong. I started with Keppra, but that didn't do a thing. I used to have 1-3 seizures every 30 days. I started on 100mg, then 200mg twice daily since May 2017, and seizures have at least lessened to at most once a month. I went 3 months before a seizure (new record!), which is great. Also, it lessened the strength of my seizures and the postictal phase. I do experience heavy memory loss, difficulty remembering new things, random headaches, difficulty with speech and finding the right words, and rarely random dizziness, but that goes away quickly. Overall, I can work, and I'm still me."

• TJS...
• March 26, 2016

For Seizures "Nocturnal grand mal seizures with tremor for 35 years. I have been taking Vimpat for 3 years with limited success. At times, I have had headaches, dizziness, vision problems, weight gain, and tongue swelling, to name a few. I was taking 300 mg morning, 300 mg night, along with 1200 mg once daily of Aptiom (the new Tegretol with a twist). No problems until 4 months ago. My knees started swelling, and my joints started hurting like a severe pain I have never had. All the muscles in my legs started cramping at the same time. I went down to 150 mg of Vimpat twice daily, and the swelling went down but not away. The pain is less but still there. The trouble has to be the Vimpat because I have been taking the Aptiom for only 2 months. Hope this is helpful."

• EMM...
• Taken for 6 months to 1 year
• November 5, 2015

For Seizures "I have nocturnal epilepsy, since I was very young, maybe 5, will say I've had it. I've been on all the drugs you could say nearly through primary school to high school. They made me sick and unable to function every day, spewing, etc. So at about 16, I said stuff it, I'm not taking any at all, I'll deal with it. So recently, this year, I started on Vimpat, and OMG it's a lifesaver for me!! So awake and switched on, my partner says I hardly ever daydream. He says he hasn't felt me or seen me having seizures at all!! Yes, I feel out of it still, but that's just me. If I feel more awake, I'm happy. I haven't had any of the symptoms people say, but maybe headaches, and my dreams are very vivid, and I get nightmares, but it's just like watching movies each night, I guess. LOL."

• Blo...
• Taken for 6 months to 1 year
• September 25, 2018

For Seizures "Vimpat has also saved me. I have tried nearly all the anti-seizure medications. Most of them had side effects ranging from dry mouth to memory loss, where I have not been able to remember friends' names or common words. The main problem was that I had to increase to such high levels that they were unsafe, or my body seemed to develop a tolerance. I have been on Vimpat for nearly a year now with very few of my symptoms, which is amazing because without medication I would have problems every 1-2 minutes. The side effects are virtually negligible. My tongue and lips are a little numb when I take the tablets, and I get headaches when the medication is altered. The major problem is the cost!"

• Nad...
• Taken for less than 1 month
• March 20, 2021

For Seizures "Almost 3 weeks taking this med. 200 mg twice a day and with 700 mg of Keppra only at night. I was able to be seizure-free for almost 3 years only taking Keppra once a day (my own diagnosis) but got careless and drank a beer at night and went to bed really late and that provoked a seizure. My doctor told me to start taking Vimpat, and after a week and a half, I started to get headaches, dizziness, vertigo, started to wake up earlier than normal, and my urine comes out almost a greenish color. I don't like this pill."

• giz...
• August 9, 2015

For Seizures "Been taking Dilantin for grand mal. Started getting partial and hangover headache every day. Started Vimpat. Clear head, no headaches, no partials or headache. Side effects: constipation and limited sleep, so take melatonin for sleep and Colace. So far, so good."

• Anonymous
• April 19, 2010

For Seizures "Unfortunately, my experiences have not been good. It has reduced the seizures, but I get bad side effects: dizziness, lightheadedness, headaches, nausea, and poor coordination."

• Vic...
• April 20, 2020

For Epilepsy "It helps me with my seizures, and at times I have headaches. If I don't eat any food with Vimpat, it makes me sick."