Keppra and Memory Loss: What Users Say

• RJa...
• Taken for 2 to 5 years
• May 23, 2019

For Seizures "Over 2 years in now and Keppra is keeping my seizures away, but the 2500mg a day has made me a different person for sure. I don’t feel as excited to socialize as much. I feel fatigued a lot, can easily doze off if not doing anything that requires my attention. Old memories can bring on strong emotions that normally wouldn’t before, and my memory is not nearly as strong as it was. I am constantly setting reminders for things I should easily remember."

• Gus...
• Taken for 1 to 2 years
• January 24, 2019

For Seizures "I have been using Keppra now for over a year. I have had no side effects from it whatsoever, maybe occasionally my short-term memory is not 100%, but apart from that, I am amazed at it. Compared to the drugs I was taking as a child, Keppra has kept me seizure-free for over a year now."

• Ren...
• November 20, 2013

For Seizures "I had surgery for a benign brain tumor over 8 yrs. ago; Gamma Knife radiation surgery 3 yrs. ago. The Gamma Knife surgery left me with scar tissue that caused me to have my first partial seizure. This required me to remain on seizure medication, levetiracetam. To prevent recurrent seizures, I was on a dose of 1,000 mg. / 2x's day. I was on this dosage for over 2 yrs. No seizures, but side effects crept up slowly: bad memory loss, difficulty finding words, fatigue, weight gain. Then, the intolerable ones: deep depression, mood swings, crazy flip-out anger. It just kept getting worse, until I couldn't wait to get off of it! My doctor called it the 'Keppra Rage'. I guess this is a well-known side effect that I could not tolerate."

• Sar...
• Taken for 1 to 6 months
• May 12, 2017

For Seizures "Although this drug has paused my seizure activity, I feel like a different person. The first month, my mood swings were unreal and almost indescribable. I'd wake up so happy in the morning and be depressed by around 4-5 pm. I was and still am fatigued all the time, and little things like walking up the stairs make me out of breath. I also let little things annoy me and unfortunately take it out on the people around me. I have lost 10 pounds since I've started this medication. I have no desire to eat even though I know my body needs food. I feel like Dory from Finding Nemo, and it embarrasses me at times. My friends will tell me something, and I'll completely forget what they said and ask them about it a few minutes later."

• Tim...
• Taken for less than 1 month
• January 12, 2019

For Seizures "I experienced mood swings, including increased emotionality (crying, anger, etc.); I had difficulty falling asleep/restlessness (tired and wired feeling); muscle cramping and joint aches became more frequent, as well as general body fatigue and lethargy; my appetite was lowered and indigestion was common; dry mouth occurred regularly; and forgetfulness and attention problems were apparent. Seizures did not continue while on the 250 mg twice a day dose, but the side effects outweighed the benefits, especially considering I could not take the full 500 mg twice a day prescribed dosage."

• Wor...
• June 5, 2015

For Seizures "My husband is 35 yrs old and had his first seizure in 03/15 right before a medical procedure for a shot in his back due to pain. He has an extreme phobia of needles and seized before they did the procedure for his back. The doctors believe it was due to extreme stress, but then a month and a half later, while at work, he had another seizure. The neurologist started him on Keppra, and he has been on it for a little over a month. He hasn't experienced another seizure, but the medication is making him extremely depressed, he seems drunk/high from it, can't walk straight, speech is slurred, eyes glossy, memory loss. I don't even feel like he is even my husband anymore because it has made him so spacey."

• Tay...
• Taken for 2 to 5 years
• April 7, 2018

For Seizures "I have been seizure-free since 2014. It was two weeks before starting Keppra that I had my last seizure, so it's been three and a half years seizure-free. As far as bad side effects, it could possibly have given me attention and memory issues, it's hard to say because I don't remember having that great of a memory to begin with, but other than that, it's been good. I got my license back three years ago, as I had my second seizure at age 19 and had my license taken away, so now at the age of 25 I couldn't be happier. I never look back and think I will have another, but I will probably take Keppra the rest of my life if it is what is helping me and my epilepsy. I also had allergic reactions to two types of antiepileptic medications and then was placed on a drug that wasn't helping my seizures at all, so Keppra was a godsend."

• Ant...
• Taken for less than 1 month
• November 19, 2016

For Seizures "I had my first seizure on 6/12/16, and it was a grand mal seizure. The EEG found scarring on the brain from a fall a few years ago. I was prescribed Keppra 250 mg twice daily, and it was awful. I had loss of memory, which the pharmacist says was due to mini seizures. I had to lock myself into my room on several days because I was in horrible form. I was so angry. After 7 days, I moved up to 500 mg twice daily, and I must say I have never felt so good, not in years. I am in fantastic humor all the time. I am full of energy. Even my doctor is shocked. I know it's very early days for me to give a review, but I think it's worth sharing a good experience after reading so many bad ones. I'm a 34-year-old male if that makes a difference to anyone."

• Jon...
• June 18, 2015

For Seizures "I've been on Keppra for about a year now. I am not the same person I used to be. I have lost motivation to do anything. I can't retain information. I introduce myself to people I already know because I can't remember anything, even things I learned years ago. The worst part is I still have seizures. They just keep increasing the dose. I'm up to 1500 mg twice a day."

• JME...
• November 1, 2015

For Seizures "I am 16, I have had Juvenile Myoclonic Epilepsy for almost 2 years now and have been on Keppra ever since. I experienced some weight loss, extreme depression, hallucinations, and memory loss. I've only had one other grand mal seizure while on this, and I do not jerk anymore. Though it works, I wish I felt alive and awake during normal daily tasks. If you can seek other medications for physiological and behavioral reasons, I suggest it."

• Anonymous
• January 18, 2016

For Seizures "I have jerky events that have not technically been epilepsy, but it runs throughout my mom's side of the family, and I have just started Keppra at 2000 mg a day. I have been on Topamax for a couple of years now, and my doctor added Keppra in conjunction with 300 mg Topamax a day, since only 400 mg of Topamax a day was not working and the side effects of memory loss and painful pins/needles were too awful to deal with. Keppra so far has only made me feel zonked and not too hungry, but my memory is coming back, which I am happy about. I also have not had an event. I am sure the zonkiness will wear off with some time."

• Pac...
• November 18, 2017

For Epilepsy "As a 42-year-old female, I have had seizures my entire life. I have taken 14 anti-convulsants at one point or another in an attempt to control my complex partial seizures, but Keppra is the WORST medication I have EVER taken. The side effects are horrible. Although it's the only medication that has been able to stop my seizures, the side effects are so terrible that it's not worth taking it. I couldn't string together a coherent thought, had short-term memory loss, had awful mood swings, and suddenly hated life. Everything was difficult, I couldn't think straight and felt emotionally raw all the time. I could barely keep it together while on this medication. Every day of life was AWFUL while on this medication. I will NEVER take it again."

• Doo...
• Taken for 5 to 10 years
• February 12, 2020

For Seizures "At the age of 48, my brother was diagnosed with epilepsy seizures. At that time, he almost died because nothing would stop them. After multiple seizures back to back, like 20+, the only thing that would even help control them was name-brand medication (Keppra). They started him out at six 500 mg daily. Many different symptoms with this I've noticed over the years, so I will list a few: mood swings, anxiety, depression, memory loss of dates and time, agitated, lies. Talked to the doctor about the amount of seizures he experienced since the last visit, and at times he gets violent. This medication still doesn't control them like it should, but by taking it, he at least has a chance."

• ica...
• January 29, 2010

For Seizures "I've been on Keppra for around 4 months now. The only thing I like about it is that I don't feel like a zombie like I did while taking Tegretol. Apart from that, it does not really control my seizures and makes me dizzy and forgetful."

• Not...
• Taken for 6 months to 1 year
• October 13, 2021

For Seizures "I started taking Keppra 6 months ago… now taking 750 mg morning/750 mg evening. Worst drug I've ever taken. I'm a different woman, I've split up with my partner because of my dreadful mood swings. I feel awful, cry all the time, get angry very quickly. Lost weight. Memory issues, bad! And getting my words mixed up very easily, and I'm only 23! My neurologist is now changing me to a better drug! Gosh, don't take this, it's an awful drug, I'd say! On the good note, it has stabilized my seizures, been seizure-free for 6 months!"

• Ell...
• Taken for 1 to 2 years
• September 28, 2021

For Seizures "I tried lamotrigine twice. Unfortunately, it caused very swollen lymph nodes with fever. I took Keppra 750 mg twice a day for a few months. My kidneys couldn't handle it. I then stopped and tried again, ended up taking 500 mg twice a day. I believe Keppra does stop seizures to some extent, although it causes side effects that are unbearable over time. The biggest issues were personality changes, I became a different human, lacked empathy, was very moody, and hardly happy. I did have bouts of aggression, but for me, it was better than my previous aggressive issues before starting Keppra. I couldn't complete tasks, had memory problems, libido problems, insomnia, and lots of trouble focusing, I had no motivation and lots of sadness, my muscles ached, and I couldn't train at the gym as much as I did before. I felt like I wasn't living my own life. I felt the cost of controlling seizures was just too high. It will work if you can live like a zombie."

• Anonymous
• Taken for 1 to 2 years
• October 26, 2019

For Epilepsy "This medication has caused me to lose 3 months of my memory, which was never regained. Why is it also on a recall list and being prescribed?"