Any Briviact Side Effects?

I'm sorry you have been feeling this way, @tvandongen !
I've had my share of frustrating experiences with doctors during my epilepsy journey too, so I completely understand why you're hesitant at this moment.
A truly good doctor won't just take what's written in your previous chart at face value. He or she will look at your actual test results, ask you questions, listen to your story, and do his or her own assessment. This doctor might even order new tests to get a clearer picture of what's going on. That's what good medical care should look like!
Please don't give up on finding appropriate and specialized care! Do you happen to have any neurologist recommendations yet, or are you still in the search phase?
Chris

I wonder if Briviact is interacting with something else you are taking?

It is very interesting that you had almost the exact same experience with those three drugs as my daughter. We assumed Keppra was contributing to her anger/suicidality but weren't offered any different. When the dose was quadrupled, it became obvious and she was put on Lacosamide which didn't stop the seizures and then Briviact instantly stopped hers too! She had immediate HORRIBLE side effects that mostly fell under the category of vertigo and she couldn't function. She was also on Wellbutrin and when that was removed (there is a known interaction), she was mostly fine. She is nauseous but she has dealt with that since the onset of seizures. She hasn't been on it long enough to know if it causes weight gain but I hope it doesn't.

I very much agree with @closetmonster93 when she says "I realize that medications work differently for everyone and not two people are the same. So what may work for one person doesn’t necessarily work for another person and vice versa". Each body is unique, as my doctor tells me. I also tend to be drug-resistant to a lot of these medications, having already tried Lamictal, Tegretol, Trileptal, Gabapentin and Vimpat, which caused me more harm than benefits. I have been taking Keppra since last December. At the beginning, I struggled much with the side effects, but little by little with the fine-tuning and dosage reductions done by my current doctor, I have been feeling better. My doctor says that my body works like a child's, respecting it and not following the standard protocols.
@earlylonghauler, I am sending you here a Mayo Clinic link containing information on Briviact. The ones I read from other AEDs on Mayo Clinic site were more complete than the leaflet that accompanies the medication.
https://www.mayoclinic.org/drugs-supplements/brivaracetam-oral-route/description/drg-20311305
Chris (@santosha)

Hi, @earlylonghauler - wondering how it's going with the
brivaracetam (Brivact) and the side effects you were experiencing?

Metal head and nausea continue. I saw a NP for the tingling or formication around L ear. She prescribed Claritin to see if Eustachian tubes drain, it helped. I also got a new pillow - noticed the tingling was worse when I lay on L side. Was using a memory foam contour pillow and I think the contour was not a good fit for me. Either way, the tingling has subsided.

I started taking Briviact in sept 2023 after taking Topamax, lamictal , lacosamide and I’m sure others but I can’t remember what . When I started briviact my vision started getting blurry and then I became legally blind over the next few mos . I started having blephorospasms and getting shots for those , my migraines were worse than they’d ever been and my face started getting droopy on one side . I was also so sensitive to light that I had to wear sunglasses all the time . I kept being told you’re just getting older . I’m in my 50’s . I slowly weaned myself off over a 5 week period and all the side effects are gone . My vision is back no white cane anymore , no more eye spasms , migraines barely there and no light sensitivity . And no seizures . Told the neurologist who proceeded to tell me it was all in my head . This same neurologist hasn’t seen me in person in 6 years . I don’t think they should be handing out meds that they do r know or won’t believe us about side effects .

@santosha
Glad Keppra’s working for you! When it was clear Lacosamide was not working for me, I asked to be put back on Keppra. My neuro hesitated because it made me “moody” and suggested Briviact. It does concern me a bit that Briviact is only made in Switzerland, and there is no generic. Keppra is much more widely available and generic. Thank you for the info link!

I have been taking lamictal for years for TLE and my seizures were well controlled. Then I started experiencing mycolonic jerks in one leg. I was prescribed Onfi for this and it worked well for the jerks. Recently I have been having small seizures where I am kind of out of it for a few minutes so my neurologist increased the dosage from 5mg/2x day to 10mg/2x day. I started experiencing intense depression so we decided to try briviact. I took 25mg/2x day for a week then went up to 50mg/2x day. I took the 50mg for 2 days and I was so dizzy I had to hold on to walls and furniture to get across a room. My neurologist told me to stop taking it and has prescribed zonisamide. Its been over a week since I stopped and would expect the dizziness would stop by now since I took it for such a short period of time but I still get really dizzy if I bend over or move my head too fast. I am apprehensive of taking zonisamide because the warnings are basically the same as with briviact. Any input?

I have been taking lamictal for years for TLE and my seizures were well controlled. Then I started experiencing mycolonic jerks in one leg. I was prescribed Onfi for this and it worked well for the jerks. Recently I have been having small seizures where I am kind of out of it for a few minutes so my neurologist increased the dosage from 5mg/2x day to 10mg/2x day. I started experiencing intense depression so we decided to try briviact. I took 25mg/2x day for a week then went up to 50mg/2x day. I took the 50mg for 2 days and I was so dizzy I had to hold on to walls and furniture to get across a room. My neurologist told me to stop taking it and has prescribed zonisamide. Its been over a week since I stopped and would expect the dizziness would stop by now since I took it for such a short period of time but I still get really dizzy if I bend over or move my head too fast. I am apprehensive of taking zonisamide because the warnings are basically the same as with briviact. Any input?