@jgu
Good Morning Igu,
I'm glad our comments are helping you on your journey.
If Keppra is increasing your seizures, please contact your doctor immediately rather than waiting for your next scheduled appointment. I recommend keeping a seizure journal with daily notes about your activities, feelings, and any seizures you experience. This will provide valuable information for both you and your doctor during appointments. I'll share an example in a separate comment.
I exclusively use brand-name medications, which I believe is the best approach here in Brazil. From what I've learned, it's crucial to consistently take your anti-epileptic drugs (AEDs) from the same manufacturer, as there can be variations between different generic versions. @jakedduck1 can provide more detailed information about AED medications in the US.
Education about epilepsy has been extremely valuable in my own journey. It not only helped me understand my condition better but also enabled me to provide doctors with more precise information about my symptoms and experiences. Since my epilepsy diagnosis in early 2019, I've consulted with several neurologists and psychiatrists. Some seemed uncomfortable with my desire to learn about and study my condition. My current doctor values and encourages my knowledge about epilepsy, which an important aspect to me. You might consider asking your doctor how he or she feels about patients being actively involved in understanding their condition.
I'm sharing a comment I wrote previously about what I wish someone had told me at the beginning of my epilepsy journey.
https://connect.mayoclinic.org/comment/1309833/
Have a nice day!
Chris (@santosha)

@jgu
“What is your opion on patient educations?”
I have been to doctors who definitely want you to sit there with your mouth shut and other doctors who were happy to answer questions. I could care less if I make my doctors mad. They are my employee. They are on my dime. my primary care doctor and I go around and around. Now she usually just sits there and rolls her eyes. In the past, she often would leave the exam room before I was through asking questions so the next time I went, I stood in front of the door the whole time. She said I need to leave. I said “no you need to answer my questions.” Obviously I’m not my primary doctor's favorite patient. I don't like taking a bunch of prescriptions where she was giving me and I didn't need any of them so at that time I was just taking them, but I finally wised up and stopped. Now she asks me “may I give you a prescription” I say “if you can convince me why I should take it.” suppose I do try and run the show but why not, it’s my dime (or more accurately my $150.)
To be honest, I wouldn't worry about making the doctor mad. If he's a good doctor, he should appreciate every question you ask. If he doesn't, it might be time to search out a new doctor which I know is a near-impossible task now days. As far as asking your doctor about one of the carbamazepines, brand names, and extended-release. I can hear him now. Generic and brand-name drugs are identical. I bet you a buck that's what he says. It's true many people take generic drugs and do fine on them. I just don't happen to be one of them. My last Neurologist, who since passed away, been a long long time explaining the benefits of extended release medication. He drew charts and graphs and everything else. after I started taking extended release drugs, my seizures stopped. i'm not saying that that will happen for everyone, but it happened to me after 45 years at over 13,000 tonic chronic seizures. It's evidence enough to prove to me that it was the extended release formulation that stopped my seizures.
My brother, who also has epilepsy was taking the brand name with every refill, but then one day 20 years of no seizures, and they filled his Tegretol (a brand name of carbamazepine with a generic and he started having seizures. When he went back on the Tegretol, his seizure stopped.
Stanford University in California did a study and they're the ones that showed people should take the same manufacturer with every refill and not switch from brand to generic or from generic to brand. I've been looking for that study, but I haven't been able to locate it as of yet.
also, I'd ask the doctor, do you mind answering my questions? Don't forget, doctors are often wrong when diagnosing epilepsy. I have asked more than one doctor. “How do you know your diagnosis is correct or do you?” even if they tell me and I'm fairly well convinced I'm still somewhat skeptical. Also, your doctor should allow you to participate in your care. I used to take the seizure medicine Dilantin however it became unstable and so I had to switch my neurologist first suggested I take Topamax. (known in some epilepsy circles, and even some neurologists call it Dope-a-max.) I knew someone in England who went blind from Topamax. It can cause high interocular pressure and I already had glaucoma with high pressures and was being medicated for it, but even though I may never have had any eye issues, I didn't want to take any chances. told him I refuse to take that drug and he had no problem with it and that's when he mentioned the extended-release Carbatrol. I was familiar with carbamazepine because my brother had been on Tegratol for so long. Not that that's the only reason I chose to take it.
Take care,
Jake

@jgu
If your increased Keppra causes any mood issues, known as Keppra rage, B 6 my help. Ask your physician about dose.
Take care,
Jake