Jan 6, 2011
(Started Jun 14, 2010)
-
Effectiveness
Moderate
(for epilepsy)
-
Side effects
Mild
(for Overall)
(constipation, drowsiness, bumping into things (clumsiness))
-
-
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))
-
-
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))
-
-
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))
-
-
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)
-
-
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