KEPPRA Reviews (LEVETIRACETAM)Average Rating: 2.7 (198 Ratings)Filter ResultsCompare KEPPRA with similar:
Type: Rx Drug
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Results are sorted by Age oldest to youngest. Key to Ratings: 1=LOW (I would not recommend taking this medicine.) |
More on KEPPRA: Reviews Summary | Drug Safety Information
| RATING | REASON | SIDE EFFECTS FOR KEPPRA | COMMENTS | SEX | AGE | DURATION/ DOSAGE | DATE ADDED |
| 2 | seizures | Insomnia. Fatigue. Weakness. Cannot recall words -- will be stopped in mid-sentence not able to come up with the word I want/need. Generally feel unwell. | Have not had any further seizures -- so it does work BUT there are side-effects. | M | 85 | 1 years | 7/17/2008 | 4 | seizures following cerebral hem. | quite a bit of sleepiness, following increased dosage | My dad has used Keppra since 2002, as an alternative to Dilantin which was making him out of it 24 hours a day. Keppra clearly has enabled him to walk better and stay awake better during the day, and he's been happy with it. (I actually wrote to the company that manufacturers Keppra to thank them because we have been so grateful that he is off Dilantin.) No more seizures till 2008, after which Keppra dosage increased from 1000 to 1500mg/day. Now has more sleepiness, muscles not as strong. No mood issues, but he takes Zoloft concurrently. He takes a total of nine drugs including Plavix, Terazosin, BP and cholestrol meds, etc--so hard to know which ones may also contribute to symptoms, plus he has sleep apnea. | M | 84 | 7 years | 3/29/2009 | 4 | Grand mal seizures | More talkative, but that could be reaction from stopping 45 years of dilantin | Only taken it 2 weeks so far. No problems | F | 75 | 0 days | 7/13/2017 | 1 | one grand mal seizure | angry,sleepy, very weak,depession,tired,personality change,thoughts of killing myself early on to escape the torture. | after 6 weeks I was able to get it reduced to 250 mg 2 times a day.this was no help so after 8 weeks I reduced it on my own to 125 mg 1 time a day and after 24 weeks I am getting better. This poison should not be given to anyone. | M | 70 | 6 months 500 2X day | 11/8/2017 | 1 | Epilepsy | Severe mood swings! | My mother had her first (and only seizure to my knowledge) 3 days ago and turned blue. After 2 nights in the hospital, they sent her home on this drug and has not been the same since. When someone used to say Kep-Rage, I'd sympathize, but never knew the extent of what they were describing. My mom, generally a positive and humorous person, has been a completely different person since coming home on the drug. She is screaming at my father and I for little reason and staring off into space the next moment. I'm not saying this drug is bad for everyone, but please make sure you're with the person taking it for the first few days to ensure it is not causing an adverse effect. The Neurologist said that on older people, ESPECIALLY, it can cause very poor effects. I'm hoping she returns back to her old self. | F | 69 | 2 days | 10/20/2015 | 3 | after craniotomy/meningioma surgery | I feel weak when getting up walking or going down stairs. I have epic moments of rage - usually directed at my husband. He tries to understand, but it's getting old. Some short memory loss and struggle to complete a sentence frequently. I think my mouth seems a little spastic sometimes and bite my tongue or inside of cheek. I have more tremors (including head) than I ever did before. I have essential / familial tremors and have had those for decades. I have numbing in my feet, but not sure if that is due to this generic version of Keppra or not. | Had an EEG last week and neurologist said I have irritable brain waves. Yes, I am IRRITATED! I had one grand mal seizure and then a meningioma was discovered and removed. My life has changed forever since then. I will need to be on this drug for at least another year to control the potential of having another seizure. Don't feel very social anymore & don't care. If this drug is saving my life - I am grateful for that though. It is just a tough medicine to tolerate. | F | 68 | 1 years 500 2X day | 8/22/2014 | 1 | seizure | Confused, lightheaded, no memory, loss of finding right word, un-steady, dropping things, forgetful, not thinking straight, achy joints, DEPRESSED, sleeping, tired, groggy, walking like an old man, fuzzy odd feeling in head, can't live this way, ANXIE?TY, painful urination, MAJOR personality changes, Angry, Irritable, changing moods. | This is a HORRID drug, my husband is like a monster on this, his doc now has put him on Dilantin and to stay on the Keppra for at least 10 days till bloodwork is done tomorrow. We both got the feeling from the Doc that he won't start weaning him off the Keppra until he sees him on Feb 9th. We CANNOT live this way, he is a clear concise person and we are both at our wits end. He was put on Keppra because he had a really big seizure one afternoon, no history of this before. But he had no water that day, taken other meds, not eaten etc and we feel this more likely caused this seizure. The docs answer was, it would just be better to take these drugs the rest of your life and not have to worry about it WHAT? Really? The EEG was done in the doctor's office, if not performed right it can show all kinds of things. We asked about re-testing and was told we could do that in a year, but again just easier to stay on drugs. Can anyone give us a clear step by step method of weaning off Keppra? He takes 500 mg's AM & PM, so that he can start to see results, we will call the doc too, but do not think we will get a reply and need help now that he that he has been on the Dilantin to get off Keppra. We will also be seeking a second opinion and an EEG performed at the hospital next time, he did have an MRI done as well and it was normal. I simply do not understand why the doc would not be more interested in seeing him off of this, other than a very obvious one. | M | 66 | 75 days 1000 2X day | 1/18/2015 | 1 | bi-polar | Attacks of expressive aphasia (loss of speech and understanding of language) increasing in length and frequency. Increasing aphasia, then stupor and confusion continued until he reached a state similar to advanced Alzheimer's. Basically, an extreme allergic reaction causing a meltdown of brain function. | LETHAL STUFF!!! My father, 66, was on Keppra for about 2.5 weeks. His only other prescription was a high-blood pressure pill that he'd been on for years. After the first few days of Keppra, he started having short episodes of confusion, weakness, and loss of speech. Gradually, attacks/symptoms increased until it scrambled his brain and he had to be admitted to a hospital. Keppra was stopped and the attacks of aphasia ended within 12 hours. His ability to speak has mostly returned, but he's confused and child-like. Will he ever fully come back from what this drug did to him? --Written as of his 4th day off Keppra. | M | 66 | 20 days | 6/11/2005 | 1 | epilepsy /brain tumours removed | Horrendous! Lamotrogine working well but Keppra added to help further. Dreadful, angry, depressed, aggressive, wanting to drink alcohol, suicidal, unreasonable, considered self harm. Poor balance, cried a lot. I did not recognise myself and neither did my family. Normally, friendly and good tempered.Laughing a lot! Behaved well through all surgery etc and not one to make a fuss - positive thinking is the best way. KEPPRA was a nightmare. GP had not prescribed - the hospital controlled medication for epilepsy etc. They were excellent at all times - but when the effects were seen, they immediately said Keppra - slowly come off. I have now down to 500mg am and 500mg pm and hugely better. No longer depressed angry or suicidal but I am cross that such a drug can be given with no warning of the possible side effects. My General Practitioner who had known me for years - did not see these side effects and recommended me to a psychiatrist!! Fortunately, the consultants took over and n | Panic attacks for 6 years - diagnosed eventually as epilepsy 2 brain tumours. Removed through superb surgery and care. Some remaining epilepsy hence drugs to control Resulting in being given Keppra. | F | 65 | 2000mg 2X day | 1/4/2011 | 1 | Seizure prevention while detoxing | Severe lower leg cramping and burning. Walking was uncomfortable | Weaning myself off of this starting today. | F | 65 | 2 weeks 500mg 2X day | 8/1/2020 | 5 | Stop seizures after brain surgery | It is working with keeping seizures at bay. I had an EEG. They found seizure activity and I have to take it for another year. Than another EEG. | I just wipes me out. I have 0 energy and Sleepy all the time. I get a good nights rest. Just no energy at all. I had two hematomas removed after a fall. And developed another after the surgery. That one absorbed. I can use any energy supplements due to concerns about the leading to another hematoma. | M | 64 | 1 years 1000mg 2X day | 3/25/2021 | 3 | Seizures | The light headiness and dizziness is constant. Some days are worse than others. Though this is well documented pharmaceutical side effect, the Neurologist would not accept this as a side effect. Stated the condition was from anxiety! Not so. I do not have anxiety! At least I am seizure free - after a one off series of 3 seizures in July this year. | Commencing Lamictal as the replacement drug. Over the next 6 - 7 weeks, I will be tapering off the Keppra and be on a maintenance dose of Lamictal 100mg BD. | F | 64 | 5 months 500 mgs 2X day | 11/27/2014 | 5 | CPS SGTCS | I have.been using Keppra @ 500 mg twice a day. The use of Keppra and Vimpat has totaly controled my seizures. The unusual side effects that I get is the feeling of dizziness a couple of time a day 3 or 4 times a week. Short term memory loss is very present. A strange side effect is the vision in my right eye will black out for a few seconds once or twice a week. I had this effect with an AED taken several years ago however as soon as this AED was removed this side effect disappeared. Don't know if this is an effect of Keppra or Vimpat. Will discus this with the epiloptologist. | M | 63 | 2 years 500 x 2 | 9/23/2014 | 5 | Pain and mini seizures | no side effects works great and hope it continues | F | 63 | 1000mg 2X day | 2/17/2014 | 4 | epilepsy | weight gain, memory loss and sluggish | F | 63 | 5 years | 5/23/2009 | 4 | Frequent seizures; then Grand Mal | I am constantly sleepy and several times a day I experience a brief feeling of utter melanchholy. Everything seems dismal. These feeling disappear in a matter of 30 to 60 seconds but are very disconcerting. | Keppra has completely stopped my seizures. I take 500 mg. a day. Was trying 250 a day, but started having mild seizures again, so am now trying 500 mg. timed-release once a day (at night). I don't want to go on a different drug which may threaten my liver health. | F | 63 | 1.1 years | 1/19/2010 | 3 | Prophylactic - post craniotomy | Dizziness, drowsiness, vocal cord dysfunction, depression | I was put on Keppra after a craniotomy to remove a very large meningioma (left frontal lobe, convexity). I had never had a seizure prior to surgery, and I didn't have one post surgery, so I guess it worked. But the side effects were brutal. I was stepped down the last 10 days (500 mg 1 time per day). | F | 62 | 5 weeks 500mg 2X day | 3/19/2014 | 1 | Drug withdrawal seizure | Daytime fatigue, sleeplessness at night, irritability, crying spells, depression and weight gain. | My doctor took me off Depakote and now I'm beginning the taper off Keppra. Terrible drug. I can't imagine how anyone could stay on this. | F | 62 | 6 months 1000 mg | 5/22/2020 | 1 | Brain surgery | My husband was on Keppra last year w/brain surgery@500mg twice a day. He was excessively tired & weak the few weeks he was on it. He had chills, a dry mouth, loss of appetite,and sad. We just thought it was the surgery and didn't think anymore of it. Then he was diagnosed with subderal hematomas which had been missed on MRI's and he went in for surgery again. However, this time they put him on 2000mg per day & I noticed rapid changes, that the docs dismissed, such as again, the dry mouth, he said his nose was stuffy, both eyes were red & he kept rubbing his eyes, he got more tired & weak each day, he kept saying he was chilled, his personality started to change, he would get irritable & sad, which is totally unlike him & he kept telling everyone he didn't feel like himself. His gums started to bleed. The docs said, well he's on heparin. I told them he was before & his gums did not bleed. Then his lips got red & swollen & blisters on his lips & in his mouth, he kept saying his back was itchy & would not stop scratching. He had loss of appetite, which even a nurse said wasn't like him since he's on steroids & always makes him hungry. I kept saying I thought he was on too much Keppra. Then one day they were walking him in the hallway and his left side went limp, he wasn't able to talk without slurred speech, the left side of his face dropped by the corner of his mouth & they thought he had a stroke or seizure. His memory was fa | They called a resident who decided to increase the Keppra to the maximum dose of 3000mg per day. No one listened to me that it was the Keppra. Then he got worse with his legs jerking as he slept. He got so tired he couldn't keep his eyes open for more than a second. He became hoarse when talking, not only chilled, but was shaking, joint pain in wrist, more depressed, blisters across his cheeks. I mentioned again to the surgeon I thought it was the Keppra & showed how his skin was peeling all over (exfoliative dermatitis) & red bumps. Another physician & RN agreed w/me, so the surgeon said another MRI & CT Scan to be sure, which were clear. The blood work on Keppra came back more than double normal. They decreased the Keppra2000mg in 48 hours & slowly tapered the rest. Even w/him on only 250mg per day, he had aggression, weakness& excessive tiredness. His stomach hurt& he was nauseas& bloated& sneezing & continued chills, they thought he had a cold, he remained in a fog. He had difficulty urinating from the beginning. He's been off Keppra 3 days now, still confusion, memory problems & very tired. He was more clear headed right after surgery, than after the Keppra was increased. We're hoping he does not have permanent damage. All from being on Keppra only 18 days! | M | 62 | 2 weeks 1000mg per | 4/26/2015 | 5 | pain | none whats so ever | F | 61 | 1000mg 2X day | 9/4/2011 |
KEPPRA (LEVETIRACETAM): Levetiracetam is used with other medications to treat seizures (epilepsy). It belongs to a class of drugs known as anticonvulsants. Levetiracetam may decrease the number of seizures you have. FDA Approval Date: 1999-11-30 (Sources: U.S. Centers for Medicare Services, FDA)