Levetiracetam for Epilepsy User Reviews (Page 3)

• JMP...
• Taken for 5 to 10 years
• October 4, 2014

Levetiracetam "I have taken Keppra for the last 8 years. I take 6-500mg pills and 3-100mg pills a day. It has worked very well for me. I did have a grand mal seizure a few months back. It was the worst I ever had. They did a blood level on me, and my blood level was therapeutic, meaning normal. It is a good medicine to take. But like any other medicine, it has its off days. I do recommend it though."

• Pri...
• March 23, 2017

Levetiracetam "So I had times where I'd black out and have amnesia. Basically, it would scare my parents, and after the second time it happened, they took me to the doctor. We went through all the tests, and they all came back normal except for my EEG. It came back abnormal. I was immediately put on Keppra and hated every second of it. I started off with 500 mg, 2x a day. After the first dose, I was hallucinating and very confused. The four-hour mark was the worst. I was super loopy and couldn't focus for nothing. The medicine caused me to have mood swings and go into a deep depression. My advice, if you have any sort of mental illness, DON'T TAKE IT. I've struggled with bulimia, anxiety, depression, and bipolar disorder for years. Seizures stopped. Wasn't worth it."

• Pea...
• Taken for less than 1 month
• April 16, 2019

Levetiracetam "It wasn’t what you would call a fun experience. It was the first of 14 medications I was placed on, and I was only on it for two days. They took me off because of how excessively severe the Keppra side effects were."

• Who...
• Taken for 10 years or more
• February 11, 2019

"Kappra should never have made it to the market! All doctors are full of greed to make as much money off of their patients' pain and suffering. Patients stop caring about their own lives while on Kappra, and internal dialogue can easily be referred to as their very own personal hell."

• Anonymous
• Taken for 2 to 5 years
• May 15, 2020

Levetiracetam "DO NOT TAKE THIS MEDICATION. I would give it zero stars if I could. I lost 4 years of my life because of Keppra. Did not help my seizures, I almost killed myself 3 different times. I had a personality disorder, extreme anxiety and paranoia, anxiety attacks daily, if not more than once a day. Anger, rage, I was a completely different person. The same thing happened to two other people I know that were on this drug as well. And the withdrawal seizures have been HORRIBLE and have almost gone into status epilepticus twice. But I am so thankful I found LAMICTAL. All of the Keppra symptoms are now gone, and it actually helps me be happy and joyful."

• mon...
• January 1, 2012

Levetiracetam "I started having seizures about 3 years ago. Found out I had a tumor on my left temporal lobe. Started taking carbamazepine, it worked for about a month or two, but I started having seizures again. That's when my doctor put me on Keppra, and I haven't had a seizure since. Thanks, Keppra!"

• Ben...
• Taken for 1 to 6 months
• May 14, 2023

Levetiracetam "Let's just say that taking Keppra increased my aggression drastically, and it ended up with a lot of the people around me getting hurt, and it didn't help with my epilepsy in the slightest. This was back when I was 16."

• xar...
• Taken for 1 to 6 months
• December 6, 2020

Levetiracetam "I was always a very happy person with a lot of energy, but since I started Keppra, I became violent, with uncontrollable rage, depressed, tired, dizzy, and I attacked my cat for almost doing nothing. I don't recognize myself. I just want to lie down all the day and stay in bed."

• Jew...
• Taken for 1 to 6 months
• April 4, 2017

Levetiracetam "Keppra was fine for me at first (500 mg twice a day) for 2 months. I suffer from complex partial seizures and experienced a grand mal recently. Then I experienced extreme tiredness, confusion, headaches, greatly increased my depression, could barely go from my bedroom to the living room (never mind managing leaving my house). I had to go back to my neurologist to get switched off such a horrible drug for me. Aptiom (once a day!) so far is a better choice for me."

• Bog...
• March 26, 2017

Levetiracetam "Extreme rage. Angry a lot. Quick to snap at minor things. Seizures have stopped for 2 1/2 years with a price to pay. I'd just like to try something else, but this is the first medication that works after trying 3 others."

• MCH...
• May 6, 2016

Levetiracetam "I started having seizures after a car accident when I was 18 (now 28). I was told by neurologists that may be the reason for the 'trigger' of my epilepsy. I had 3 t-c seizures before being put on the max dosage of 1500 mg 2x daily of the Keppra. The side effects listed with the drugs usually happen to me, but it wasn't hard to handle. Keppra worked for 2 years for the most part. Then it stopped. I began to have nighttime seizures, then partials, auras, memory loss, anxiety, double vision. You name it, it was happening and it still is. I am now with a seizure specialist taking 3 different seizure medications and an anti-anxiety as needed. 15 pills. Still having t-c, complex-partials, and partials with all the side effects. Can't work now."

• CTI...
• Taken for 2 to 5 years
• June 9, 2018

Levetiracetam "Keppra was terrible for me. The worst was the mood swings that were uncontrollable for me. I'm a nice guy, but I literally hated everyone. Fired from jobs for misconduct and anger issues. I had surgery in 2012, and it improved my situation, but I still take Vimpat, Lamotrigine, and have my medical marijuana license as well. Looking and feeling like the best meds combination for me."

• Abc...
• Taken for 2 to 5 years
• July 13, 2023

Levetiracetam "We had a great experience with Keppra treating my son's pediatric epilepsy. He began taking it right before his 4th birthday and he was able to stop by 9. We saw positive changes in his behavior immediately because he was actually able to sleep through the night. His seizures also stopped and we never had a breakthrough. We would have bouts of moodiness starting around 6 years. They happened during growth spurts. We had no academic or behavior problems at school. No one ever knew he had an issue except the school nurse. Our feedback from teachers has always been positive socially and academically. The doctor felt like he was an example of the 'kindling theory' of epilepsy, meaning the low dose kept him from developing lifelong epilepsy. He has a distant cousin whose epilepsy started the same way as my son's and he still has it as an adult and cannot drive. I would highly recommend this drug if your child has grand mal seizures and if your doctor prescribes."

• Daw...
• Taken for less than 1 month
• June 26, 2017

Levetiracetam "Neuro recently added Keppra to my seizure medication regimen. I have absence seizures, and the 600 mg (the recommended max) of Lamotrigine I'd been on for 16 years was no longer as effective. Being middle-aged and female, my seizures developed a catamenial (hormonal) aspect to them. My absences would skyrocket at certain times of the month, as many as 60 a day. Been on Keppra for 2 weeks and have only had 1 absence during that time! As for the side effects: near-constant irritability, sometimes a sense of hopelessness, apathy, and mood swings. More often than not, I feel detached from the world...like I'm just watching a movie and I'm not a part of what's going on around me. I'm weighing the trade-off: no seizures or constant crazy? Gonna give it a little more time."

• Emm...
• Taken for 1 to 6 months
• August 29, 2022

Levetiracetam "I first started taking Keppra after having a tonic-clonic seizure while 37 weeks pregnant. At first, Keppra was fine, it just made me feel very drowsy. As time went on, my moods were horrific. I nearly split up with my husband, it was that bad. I feel so low and suicidal. I couldn't bond with my newborn, my hormones and new tablets didn't work well. I was horrendous. I thought I got to nip this in the bud before I felt more and more worse. My neurologist weaned me off and put me on Lamotrigine 100 mg. I felt the difference straight away, have absolutely no side effects, feel amazing, and haven't had one suicidal thought since being on that. Also, it's a mood stabilizer, so that helps! Keppra needs stopping, it's like the devil's drug!"

• Car...
• Taken for 2 to 5 years
• April 17, 2023

Levetiracetam "I was 69 years old when I had my first ever seizure, it was completely out of the blue, and no cause could be found after multiple tests, etc. No medication was prescribed until I had a series of seizures 20 months later. During one of the seizures, I fractured my shoulder. I was prescribed Keppra 500 mg - 1 twice daily. I set my phone alarm to remind me! The side effects the first year were bad, and I consulted with my neurologist but decided to persevere. Now, 3 and a half years later, no more seizures. I do suffer from slow memory, feet and leg pains, low B12, D3, low iron, and recently osteoporosis. I have also been diagnosed with celiac disease. I will continue taking Keppra, at 74, the damage another seizure could do is not worth the risk. Plus, maybe I would have had those conditions anyway. It would be interesting to know if Keppra does cause vitamin deficiencies? At least they are easy to resolve! My UK GP is excellent and closely monitors my condition."

• Anonymous
• October 21, 2009

Levetiracetam "I started on Keppra before I got pregnant. I was on a large dose of Epilim, and it would not be safe for me to be pregnant on such a large dose, therefore, my neurologist reduced my Epilim dose to 500 mg twice a day and introduced Keppra 500 mg twice a day. Thankfully, my son was born healthy. Next week, I am planning to start to come off Epilim gradually due to constant tiredness, irritability, and agitation that is made worse from being on two medications. I'll just be on Keppra, hope it works as I have been seizure-free for 2 1/2 years. I have juvenile myoclonic epilepsy, and I have had epilepsy for 14 years but have only been controlled for 2 1/2 years. Lamictal was a waste of time."

• Mik...
• Taken for 6 months to 1 year
• December 28, 2020

Levetiracetam "I had my first seizure on October 19, then had 2 more seizures over the next 4 months. Was diagnosed with frontal lobe epilepsy, initially put on lamotrigine (didn’t work for me, plus sleep problems). I asked the neurologist if I could try Keppra. Wonder drug for me. I only take 500 mg a day, 250 mg in the morning, 250 mg in the evening. I’ve been seizure-free for 10 months with no side effects whatsoever, so thankful."

• Anonymous
• September 15, 2018

"Haven't been diagnosed yet, but pretty sure I have juvenile myoclonic epilepsy (JME). This medicine did work very well for controlling the seizures. I haven't had a seizure while on it; however, the side effects are just about as terrible. I was given 500 mg twice daily, and about two months in, I would get pressure and tension feelings in my head while at school or in a social environment. I assumed this was an aura of a seizure about to happen, although with my particular case, I never had an aura even before a seizure. Ten months later, and I have finally come to realize it was anxiety, which made me feel as if I was going to have another seizure, which only worsened the anxiety. Due to this intense 'seizure' feeling, I would take more doses of the Keppra. This led me to increasing the amount. Due to these symptoms, I have pulled away from leaving my house. Two weeks ago, I switched to 500 mg Keppra XR once a day. I started to suffer from actual panic attacks. If you suffer with anxiety or a quick temper, I wouldn't recommend."

• Che...
• Taken for 5 to 10 years
• June 16, 2020

Levetiracetam "I was diagnosed with GEFs (a type of epilepsy, Genetic Epilepsy with Febrile Seizures) a few months after I was born. My seizures occur very rarely (one in 5 years' time). However, until the age of 10, my seizures were at the times I had a fever. However, I have never taken any medicine. At the age of 15, I had 2 seizures in one month's period, and in both cases, I had my menstrual cycle. After that, the neurologist prescribed me Keppra of 500 mg twice a day. Apart from tiredness, I had no problem until the age of 19. I began to have diarrhea even 7 times a day, and I had some sort of medical analysis. The last option was the medicine: my neurologist only after several times understood this and changed the medicine. Now I take Matecer (750 mg a day) and have had no problems until now."

• Gra...
• Taken for 2 to 5 years
• August 28, 2023

Levetiracetam "I have been taking Keppra for the past 3 years since a brain hemorrhage. I have not suffered further seizures, but do experience headaches every day (sometimes mild and sometimes severe with no predictability). The other experiences are irritability and variable instability in movement. I have successfully reduced my daily Keppra dosage from 2 grams per day to 1.375 grams (a 31% reduction) and this has improved my quality of life quite a lot. I'm now considering changing my drug from Keppra to Briviact and would really welcome any advice from anyone who has made this drug transition."

• Bad...
• Taken for 10 years or more
• October 1, 2022

Levetiracetam "I see all the problems that are out there. Guess I am fortunate. Am on 500 mg Levetiracetam 2x a day and 200 mg Lamictal in the A.M. and 400 mg in the evening (Lamotrigine generic, of Lamictal). Like most of you, I could not afford the brand name. I eventually researched the manufacturer of the brand name of Lamictal and found that they supplied the drug for free if you qualify. I just had to prove I had spent $600.00 on prescription drugs that year, and they supplied me with the drug at no cost to me. If you are in the same situation on any of your medications, I would do some research to find out if the brand name company will supply it to you at no cost. As for natural oils, I tried that, and all it did was knot up my stomach. It took me a week to get rid of that problem and no help with my seizures. Needless to say, I went back to my prescribed meds and am feeling better. Beware what you read, what works for someone else may not work for you. The internet is full of help, but is it reliable?"

• Aly...
• August 4, 2023

Levetiracetam "I have been treating grand mal epilepsy well with phenytoin for 40 years, and so I was skeptical of my neurologist’s decision to change to Keppra. Before, I was experiencing auras associated with having to perform certain tasks, read, or especially speak with others in the morning. (At this time, I have been increasing my Keppra intake by 250 mg every two weeks and will eventually reach 2000 mg daily.) At first, I was extremely groggy, but now I am leveling off. Though I have read reviews that it feels deleterious to one's health, Keppra is working very well for my epilepsy. I cannot say this with full certainty because I am still using phenytoin. We often see side effects described in negative reactions, but I am beginning to feel a more stable foundation without being anxious about minor auras. This allows me to now visit people and conduct business early in the morning. I am uncertain about how Keppra works, but I am certain it helps calm the synaptic overload common in epileptics. It is a beneficial medication."

• med...
• Taken for 6 months to 1 year
• November 20, 2017

Levetiracetam "I was on Keppra for about 6 months as an addition to oxcarbazepine. From the first week of taking Keppra, I had developed a horribly annoying eye twitch. At first, I thought it was from lack of sleep, but after about three months and the twitch being consistent on 3/4 days a week, after a little research online, I realized that Keppra was the culprit. Besides the physical side effect, my family told me I was just about unbearable with how moody I was while on it (I was on the dosage of 250 mg x2). My neurologist told me to give it 6 months to see if the side effects decreased over time. Before I reached the 6-month mark, I had a breakthrough seizure, and that ended my journey with Keppra."

• Anonymous
• January 8, 2010

Levetiracetam "I've been taking Keppra for almost 3 years for JME. Fortunately, it has stopped the seizures, but I do get a lot of headaches, which my doctor dismisses whenever I mention them. Other than that, I am happy to continue using this medication."