Have you taken levetiracetam (Keppra)?

@ryman, I moved your message to the Epilepsy & Seizures group. We have several members here who are taking or have taken the anticonvulsant Keppra (levetiracetam). I'd like to bring @dawn_giacabazi @robertjr @pearlrock55 @brjudevo79 @juliehart4 @bonnieh218 @williamdj @carnation and @ahernandez into the conversation. Hopefully you can learn more from their experiences.

Ryman, are there any questions you'd like to ask about the medication? Have you started taking it? What are your apprehensions?

ryman,Ive taken meds since i was five,for last 30 plus years on dilantin.have grand mal,tonic clonic,seizures.For some reasons my dilantin level has gone to toxic levels ,3 tjmes in a year.few months ago ended up in hospital finally brough level down again,went to see a neurologist afterwards,now on keppra,,toldlot cleaner than dilantin.In one month sincehad 3 grandmals with keppra,all three no warning.with my poor health now,have severe copd,had lungcancer in 2014,inremission.,haveing a mri onmy head next month,checking for cancerin head,.I just hope the keppra helps my seizures,besides thefact the seizures affect all of me for days now,especially breathing and severe headaches,im63 now,cant handle waking up in a mess on thefloor or ground notknowing whats going on .

I have to pick it up tomorrow. I see it has some weird side effects. I have problems with most, usually cannot tolerate them. I was just wondering about other people's experiences with Keira. Thank you for moving my post.

I am so sorry for what you are going thru. I truly hope you can get help very soon. Did you have seizures while taking Keppra? I haven't had an actual seizure and I hope this med won't cause me to have one. Thank you for your response.

sure did,three seizures this month with keppra .going bac to neauroogistonthursday.

Probably not something I want to try then. Good luck.

Hi @ryman
I have was on keppra for 12 years. Not for sure if you know but it is used to treat a variety of different types of seizures. One of which are partial seizures which based on your original post might be what you are having.

I can tell you from my experience the most common side effects are
drowsiness,
weakness,
loss of appetite,
stuffy nose,
tiredness, and
dizziness.

Just like every single medication or vitamin or minerals, everything in moderation. It will be very important to know the possible side effects and to report any negative effects to your md immediately. I have a difficult time with medications in general and usually have negative side effects but I was able to tolerate this drug very successfully. The only reason we discontinued the medication was because I have 3 different types of seizures and found 1 drug that controls all of them without taking other medications.

Prayers you will tolerate it well.
Dawn

I also have a great problem with side effects. That was a major problem in finding the right med and having the fewest side effects. I started Keppra I believe in 2001. I had some side effects, mostly head pain. That improved after a few months. I was on only 500 mg in the morning and 500 mg in the evening. I had surgery in 1983 for grand mal seizures. After that I had no grand mal seizures but still had some smaller petite mal ones. (not sure I spelled that right). Because of that I was started on the Keppra. I was extremely lucky to have few side effects. When the generic came out I was switched to that and am having no side effects at all.
I think we all get scared when we read about side effects, and some rightly so. I still can't believe I have no side effects because I have always been the one that if there was a side effect, I had it.
If you start this med, pay attention to any changes you notice and talk to your neurologist about making changes to your med. If that doesn't work, get another opinion. Keep asking until you find the right thing.
I went for years with doctors not being able to figure out what was going on. I went to Mayo and they had it figured out in one week.
Everybody is different; I know that's been said many many times. But it's true. I am the perfect example of that with having no side effects while others do.
I wish you the best. Never stop trying until you find your right fit.

ryman,what do you get that related to seizures,as for the keppra not gonna brag about it ,three grnd mals in a month but atleast no bad migranes after the seizure so far small head aches.The was one of main things withdilantin,badheadaches lasted for days.

Thank you. I am one that is most likely to get side effects also.