93 patient evaluations for Levetiracetam

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Feb 10, 2011 (Started Jul 09, 2010)

  • Effectiveness
    Major (for epilepsy)
  • Side effects
    Mild (for Overall)
  • Adherence
    Always
  • Burden
    Not at all hard to take
Dosage: 1500 mg Daily
Advice & Tips: When I was but on just 300 mg per day, I was experiencing dizziness and almost blacking out until dr. put the dosage back up to 1500 mg per day. Now I am fine. Because I was on this over a year the dr. thought it would be ok. Always ask. I told him I felt uncomfortable about it being such a low dosage.
  • 0 helpful marks

Feb 8, 2011 (Started Mar 01, 2007)

  • Effectiveness
    Moderate (for epilepsy)
  • Side effects
    Moderate (for Overall) (weight gain)
  • Adherence
    Always
  • Burden
    Not at all hard to take
Dosage: 4500 mg Daily
Advice & Tips: the only negative effect was my weight gain
Cost: < $25 monthly
Side effects: weight gain
  • 0 helpful marks

Feb 8, 2011 (Started May 01, 2009)

  • Effectiveness
    Major (for seizures)
  • Side effects
    Mild (for Overall) (insomnia, constipation)
  • Adherence
    Always
  • Burden
    Not at all hard to take
Dosage: 3000 mg Daily
Advice & Tips: This is the first AED that has helped me stay awake rather than putting me to sleep. With the XR version, I can stay awake all day most days -- that's a first for me.
Cost: < $25 monthly
Side effects: insomnia, decreased appetite, constipation

Jan 7, 2011 (Started May 01, 2009)

  • Effectiveness
    Major (for seizures)
  • Side effects
    Moderate (for Overall) (insomnia, constipation)
  • Adherence
    Sometimes
  • Burden
    Very hard to take
Dosage: 2500 mg Daily
Cost: < $25 monthly
Side effects: insomnia, decreased appetite, constipation

Jul 6, 2010 (Started May 01, 2009)

  • Effectiveness
    Major (for seizures)
  • Side effects
    Mild (for Overall) (insomnia, constipation)
  • Adherence
    Usually
  • Burden
    A little hard to take
Dosage: 2500 mg Daily
Advice & Tips: It makes me less sedated and reduces my appetite. I have to make sure and eat about when I take it because I won't want to eat if I wait an hour. I also can't take it late at night or I can't sleep. Dinner time is early enough.
Side effects: insomnia, decreased appetite, constipation
  • 0 helpful marks

Feb 5, 2011 (Started Jun 01, 2010)

  • Effectiveness
    Major (for epilepsy)
  • Side effects
    None (for Overall)
  • Adherence
    Always
  • Burden
    Not at all hard to take
Dosage: 3000 mg Daily
Advice & Tips: this medication seems to be a safe, neutral medication that doesn't have the side effects that other medications seem to have. i still have break through seizures but i have gone through 4 weeks now with out a seizure, which is a vast improvement for me.
Cost: < $25 monthly
  • 0 helpful marks

Jan 28, 2011 (Started Jan 09, 2000)

  • Effectiveness
    Major (for epilepsy)
  • Side effects
    None (for Overall)
  • Adherence
    Always
  • Burden
    Not at all hard to take
Dosage: 2000 mg Daily
Advice & Tips: Keppra XR worked much better than Keppra. No rage, no side effects after the first two weeks, sad to say because of insurance I will have to switch back to generic Keppra.
Cost: $100-199 monthly
Side effects: rage

Jan 16, 2011 (Started Jan 09, 2000)

  • Effectiveness
    Major (for epilepsy)
  • Side effects
    None (for Overall)
  • Adherence
    Always
  • Burden
    Not at all hard to take
Dosage: 2000 mg Daily
Advice & Tips: Talk to your doctor about your Keppra. XR taken once a day really helped me overcome the side effects and burden of taking pills four times a day. It's really worked well with other AED's to keep me seizure free. Always work with your doctor and be sure your doctor works with you. Working together you have a better chance at seizure control.
Cost: $100-199 monthly
Side effects: rage

Dec 15, 2010 (Started Jan 09, 2000)

  • Effectiveness
    Major (for epilepsy)
  • Side effects
    None (for Overall)
  • Adherence
    Always
  • Burden
    Not at all hard to take
Dosage: 2000 mg Daily
Advice & Tips: Seizure free and side effect free for 6 weeks. I kept moving forward, using a journal, and trying new meds until I found a cocktail that was right for me.
Cost: < $25 monthly
Side effects: rage

Nov 5, 2010 (Started Jan 09, 2000)

  • Effectiveness
    Major (for epilepsy)
  • Side effects
    Moderate (for Overall) (rage)
  • Adherence
    Always
  • Burden
    Not at all hard to take
Dosage: 2000 mg Daily
Advice & Tips: Keppra XR may be causing side effect of being emotionally over sensitive. I become saddened easily.
Cost: < $25 monthly
Side effects: rage

Aug 21, 2010 (Started Jan 09, 2000)

  • Effectiveness
    Major (for epilepsy)
  • Side effects
    None (for Overall)
  • Adherence
    Always
  • Burden
    Not at all hard to take
Dosage: 2000 mg Daily
Advice & Tips: Took this medication for years. Am wondering now, is it really making a difference?
Cost: < $25 monthly
Side effects: rage

Aug 10, 2010 (Started Jan 09, 2000)

  • Effectiveness
    Major (for epilepsy)
  • Side effects
    None (for Overall)
  • Adherence
    Always
  • Burden
    Not at all hard to take
Dosage: 2000 mg Daily
Advice & Tips: After my body adjusted to Keppra it was as if I finally found one of the meds my body and brain needs to manage seizures.
Cost: < $25 monthly
Side effects: rage

Apr 1, 2010 (Started Jan 09, 2000)

  • Effectiveness
    Major (for epilepsy)
  • Side effects
    None (for Overall)
  • Adherence
    Always
  • Burden
    Not at all hard to take
Dosage: 2000 mg Daily
Advice & Tips: Keppra XR is one of the best treatments for me. Easy to remember to use, the only possible side effect I notice is an inability to lose weight.
Cost: < $25 monthly
Side effects: rage
  • 2 helpful marks

Jun 9, 2010 (Started Dec 09, 2008)

  • Effectiveness
    Moderate (for epilepsy)
  • Side effects
    Moderate (for Overall) (depressed mood, memory and cognition problems)
  • Adherence
    Always
  • Burden
    Somewhat hard to take
Advice & Tips: Keppra did cause mental and physical slowing and decreased tolerance to noise and conflict. I became suicidal on Keppra. I couldn't remember 4 numbers in a row. I couldn't organize anything and I didn't care. I still had breakthrough seizures.
Cost: < $25 monthly
Side effects: memory and cognition problems, depressed mood, depressed mood

Jun 8, 2010 (Started Dec 09, 2008)

  • Effectiveness
    Moderate (for epilepsy)
  • Side effects
    Severe (for Overall) (memory and cognition problems)
  • Adherence
    Always
  • Burden
    A little hard to take
Dosage: 4000 mg Daily
Cost: < $25 monthly
Side effects: memory and cognition problems, depressed mood, depressed mood
  • 0 helpful marks

Jan 6, 2011 (Started Jun 14, 2010)

  • Effectiveness
    Moderate (for epilepsy)
  • Side effects
    Mild (for Overall) (constipation, drowsiness, bumping into things (clumsiness))
  • Adherence
    Always
  • Burden
    Not at all hard to take
Dosage: 1000 mg Daily
Cost: < $25 monthly
Side effects: constipation, bumping into things (clumsiness), drowsiness

Dec 31, 2010 (Started Jun 14, 2010)

  • Effectiveness
    Moderate (for epilepsy)
  • Side effects
    Mild (for Overall) (constipation, drowsiness, bumping into things (clumsiness))
  • Adherence
    Always
  • Burden
    Not at all hard to take
Dosage: 1000 mg Daily
Advice & Tips: Currently tapering down on this drug since my neurolgist is ramping me up on Lamictal XR. Keppra does cause drowsiness, but I guess this can be an advantage if you take other AEDs which tend to cause insomnia.
Cost: < $25 monthly
Side effects: constipation, bumping into things (clumsiness), drowsiness

Oct 25, 2010 (Started Jun 14, 2010)

  • Effectiveness
    Major (for epilepsy)
  • Side effects
    Mild (for Overall) (constipation, drowsiness, bumping into things (clumsiness))
  • Adherence
    Always
  • Burden
    Not at all hard to take
Dosage: 1000 mg Daily
Advice & Tips: Started out on 1000 mg a day...was ramped up too quickly to 3500 mg a day and had a lot of issues with coordination, such as running into walls, moodiness, not being able to think straight, and slurring words...they thought I was drunk at work. Called the doctor, turned out that he thought I would have been okay with the fast titration but he pulled me back down to the lower dose then off the Keppra altogether for about a month... I'm back on Keppra (about 2 mos. now) 1000 mg a day and not having many problems with it this time, just mainly some drowsiness.
Cost: < $25 monthly
Side effects: constipation, bumping into things (clumsiness), drowsiness

Jul 16, 2010 (Started Jun 14, 2010)

  • Effectiveness
    Moderate (for epilepsy)
  • Side effects
    Severe (for Overall) (constipation, bumping into things (clumsiness))
  • Adherence
    Always
  • Burden
    Not at all hard to take
Dosage: 1000 mg Daily
Advice & Tips: Ended up having a series of cluster seizures and severe migraines with this medication; ER physician thought it was due to upped dosage of Keppra (moved from 1000 mg/day to 3000 mg day); dosage moved back down. During 2 weeks of high dose, was running into walls, stumbling around as if drunk, had low frustration tolerance, crying jags, frequent depression, hair falling out in chunks, poor short term memory, lapses in judgement, and literally almost falling on my face due to excessive sleepiness.
Cost: < $25 monthly
Side effects: constipation, bumping into things (clumsiness), drowsiness

Jul 3, 2010 (Started Jun 14, 2010)

  • Effectiveness
    Moderate (for epilepsy)
  • Side effects
    Moderate (for Overall) (constipation)
  • Adherence
    Always
  • Burden
    Not at all hard to take
Dosage: 1000 mg Daily
Advice & Tips: Take every 12 hours, use even dosing---set alarm in phone to remind me it is time to take medicine. Unexpected benefits: some of the best sleep I have gotten in my life...and I have never had insomnia. Keppra doesn't cause a major brain fog like some of the other AED's can, but it does cause major sleepiness, especially the first couple of weeks you are on it or if you are on a higher dose of it.
Cost: < $25 monthly
Side effects: constipation, bumping into things (clumsiness), drowsiness
  • 0 helpful marks

Dec 27, 2010 (Started Nov 24, 2010)

  • Effectiveness
    Major (for epilepsy)
  • Side effects
    Moderate (for Overall)
  • Adherence
    Always
  • Burden
    Not at all hard to take
Dosage: 1500 mg Daily
Advice & Tips: My N/V is clearing up as is the mental "fog" I've been wandering around in since last March!
Cost: $100-199 monthly
  • 0 helpful marks

Nov 9, 2008 (Started Sep 03, 2007)

  • Effectiveness
    Can't tell (for epilepsy)
  • Side effects
    None (for Overall)
  • Adherence
    Never taken as prescribed
  • Burden
    Very hard to take
Advice & Tips: Don't even start taking it.
Cost: $50-99 monthly
Side effects: balance problems, eyes wander out of sync, glaucoma (both eyes)

Nov 9, 2007 (Started Sep 03, 2007)

  • Effectiveness
    Can't tell (for epilepsy)
  • Side effects
    Severe (for Overall) (balance problems, eyes wander out of sync)
  • Adherence
    Always
  • Burden
    Not at all hard to take
Dosage: 500 mg Daily
Advice & Tips: Do not even start with Keppra
Cost: $50-99 monthly
Side effects: balance problems, eyes wander out of sync, glaucoma (both eyes)

Nov 8, 2007 (Started Sep 03, 2007)

  • Effectiveness
    Can't tell (for epilepsy)
  • Side effects
    Severe (for Overall) (balance problems)
  • Adherence
    Always
  • Burden
    Very hard to take
Dosage: 100 mg Daily
Advice & Tips: When they gave me the initial level to start taking it I had no side effects that I was aware of. I was told it was a dosage belwo therapeutic and after 2 weeks they increased it. By the second day my eyes would not function together. I saw 2 images and it was like the eyes were just wandering around to look at things randomly and continuously. The 2 were not in synch at all and I had no sense of balance to even sit up in a chair without holding on to a desk or something.
Cost: $50-99 monthly
Side effects: balance problems, eyes wander out of sync, glaucoma (both eyes)
  • 0 helpful marks

Nov 9, 2010 (Started Nov 08, 2010)

  • Effectiveness
    Major (for epilepsy)
  • Side effects
    Severe (for Overall)
  • Adherence
    Always
  • Burden
    Very hard to take
Dosage: 1000 mg Daily
  • 0 helpful marks
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