Keppra and Irratibility

my 7 year duaghter has Nocturnal Complex Partial seizures and has been on Keppra liquid for 1 year now.  they just increased her dose to 8 ml in the am and 10 ml in the pm.  she has been extremely grumpy, irritable and very down in the slumps.  Has anybody else experienced this?  the Dr. thinks that she should talk to a Shrink, but I think it all has to do with the medication as she is normally a very happy, loving and caring girl...now she is very pessimistic on EVERYTHING!!!  I don't know what to do and I know that this is not my child's normal behavior...I feel so bad for her and feel guilty for having her to take this medication and feel like this on a day to day basis....any insight from anybody???

[becky808]

I also take Keppra. It takes my appetite away completely. I also get very grumpy and irritable at times (especially in the evening). It seems to be related to not eating as much though (for me).

Keppra has fewer side effects than many other seizure medications, but irritability and depression are definitely listed side effects. For your Dr to completely dismiss it as a side effect is rather strange to me. I would probably want a 2nd opinion.

[becky808]

I read something on rxlist about moodswings and irritibility related to Keppra. It's believed that Keppra makes your brain "dump" Vitamin B6 at times which lowers dopamine or seratonin levels and makes you feel horrible.

Does your daughter take vitamins? I'd try some Vitamin B6 if her multivitamin doesn't contain it. I started taking Trader Joe's High Potency vitamins and feel much, much better since starting.

Good luck. I do think it's the Keppra causing her problems though (from a mom and a keppra patient).

[momdealingwithkeppra]

She takes B6 along with her multi vitamin every day...i am still searching for the B6 liquid so it will be easier to take ...I think the B6 helps alot and i also read that fish oil REALLY helps with the brain and especially for people who have siezures and other brain disorders, but i cannot get a clear answer from the past 2 Dr.s on whether or not she should take this...It is just so hard to deal with sometimes, that i am willing to try ALMOST anything to take away the grumpiness and mood swings...thanks for your insight

[JKJ]

Hi-
My son also used to have nighttime seizures due to frontal lobe epilepsy.  When he was on Keppra he was very irritable and his neuro-doc warned me that this was a potential side effect.  

[momdealingwithkeppra]

did you still keep him on Keppra or change medications?   I am almost at the point of requesting another med.  They want to up her Keppra again, but warned me that the irritability will get worse.  I cannot take much more...she will bite your head off for just touching her and her younger sister gets the most of her mood swings!!

[KixNgo]

I just got back from my dr, they want to wean me from dilantin to Keppra, b/c of "chest pain side effects" and continued problems with balance issues after last sz.
  Crabby'ness? oh just great!  now i got that to ""look forward to""?

[becky808]

I just went to the neurologist yesterday and switched.
I gave Keppra a fair chance (6 weeks) and it's not for me (or my poor husband). He switched me to Lamictal which is also used to stabilize mood swings in people with Bipolar I. After reading that I felt pretty relieved. It's going to be a Happy New Year for me in 2009!

I recommend switching. I can't imagine how a child must feel on this medicine. She really can't help herself.

KixNgo - I loved dilantin. It was wonderful. I wish I could take that again. Keppra is supposed to have fewer side effects than dilantin (especially long term side effects). If you get the irritibility and mood swings though it just doesn't go away.

[KixNgo]

Thanks for the heads up.. yes,.. so long to our friend dilantin..
I hope the slight tremors, stuttering, and co-ordination issues from last sz go away.

[efrates59]

Hi, i´m a Colombian medicine student, my gilfriend is too, we´re 19, and she´s focal temporal epilepsy, now she´s taking carbamazepine (1gr/day), but she´s slepiness all the time and it interfere with her studdies. Her neurologist talked her about Keppra because it has ñess side efects, but i´m scared about the things you wrote... Would you talk me about sleepiness with keppra and more about your general expirience??? i would really appreciate that, you can write me (if you want) to my e-mail or by this way (dr.***@**** or ***@****). thank you so much

[becky808]

All individuals will experience varying degrees of side effects from different medications. Keppra was a really bad drug for me, but my sister takes it twice daily for epilepsy and has virtually no side effects. Studies indicate that most people taking Keppra have very few side effects. Most common are things like dizziness and a "foggy" feeling that goes away after a couple of weeks.

The best thing to do is listen to her Dr and try it out. For whatever reason I started experiencing odd side effects like anger, depression and irritibility. My experience is not the norm. I hope it works for her seizures and she feels better on Keppra.

[momdealingwithkeppra]

My daughter has done great on Keppra, except the irritability...the Dr.'s do not know if this is a side effect from the Keppra (I think it is) or because she is 7 and going thru changes....my personal opinion it is the Keppra, otherwise she has tolerated Keppra really well and has controlled her seizures real well. Good luck with it.  I hope it works well for your girlfriend!!  Stay on it for at least 2-3 months to give it a chance...most side effects will go away after your body gets used to it.

[momdealingwithkeppra]

Becky,  
Let me know how you do on the Lamictal.  I finally got a new Dr. to understand what my daughter and our family is going thru and they were talking about switching her med...We will find out on Jan 8th what the Dr. wants to do.  I hope it works for you.

[efrates59]

thanks.. I hope so it works to my girlfriend with out irritability...

[ozyabbas]

Keppra has worked wonders for me. People said I was practically a zombie on my last combination of meds. There have been a few side effects and irritability is one of them. My way of dealing with it is to do sports, judo and Brazilian Jiu Jitsu. I feel less irritable, grumpy and generally more pleasant to be around. My wife can definitely see the difference in me.

[JKJ]

Sorry it took so long for me to get back with you.  My son was taken off Keppra due to the irritability.  I finally found a med that works miracles....Trileptal.  His seizures stopped completely!!!  And zero side effects!!!  Now, this drug is expensive as hell, but my insurance pays for it...but even if they didn't it would be worth it.

Best of luck!!!

[momdealingwithkeppra]

I read that with Trileptal, it contains a sedation med....have you experienced any of the sleepiness or anything like that with him? I'm just so nervous about switching drugs with her, but she is irritable on the Keppra.    I read a bunch of blogs on the Lamictel and will NOT put my daughter thru all of those horrible side effects i have read about.  We go to yet another new Ped. Neuro next week....i'll get his opinion on the Trileptal as wll.

Thanks

[JKJ]

The trileptal made him a little drowsy...but he's on a very large dose (he's 17).  He takes a larger dose at night than in the morning so as not to interfere so much with school.
And yes, Lamictal is not good.  Topomax (topamax) is really bad as well...very, very bad.

[Denimgirl]

I am following this discussion with great interest. I have an 18 year old who is on Lamictal 3 times a day.  You say it is not good.  Can you please tell me more.  My daughter is also on Keppra and she is SO grumpy it drives us all in sane.  I didn't put the two together until I read your comments.

[alexhals]

My Daughter is now on Keppra, she was seizure free for 8 years, At 2 years old she had over 100 seizures a day. No meds worked. There ia a very effective cure for seizures, it's called the Keitogenic Diet. It cured My Daughter, then when her menstra came we had tonic clonics. I plan on putting her back on the diet.
     The diet is close to the adkins diet. John Freeman at John Hopkins University has done a case study, so now the is Proof!!! Also There is a new way to get Versed to the brain in an instant. There is a cone, being studied at Primary Childrens Hospital. it goes on the end of a serienge please forgive my spealing. This stops grand mals in an instant. I also found that my Daughter has mio clonics for 15 min before every tonic clonic. At the first sign I give liquid Diazepam then it's a race between the grand mal or the diazepam. I have only lost the race once, I put the Versed in her nose as soon as her eyes started rolling back in her head. One min later she was safe and talking to me. To my knowlage I'm the only one doing this, It feels so good not to have to ride through the grand mals. Everything I  have said here is a true and I will help anyone suffering with the knowlage God has blessed me with, with love, Alex,

[momdealingwithkeppra]

the blogs that I read about Lamictel were horrible, people would have horrible, disturbing nightmares, hallucinations, and broke out in a very bad rash, which most of them described as being very painful red bumps on their face and chest area, that do not go away....that is something that I do not want my daughter to go thru...she is way too young for any of that.  My experience with Keppra is that my 7 yr old daughter gets very irritable.  we now have her on 50 mg of B6 twice a day and that has helped alot with her irritability.  she is tolerating Keppra well with the exception of that one side effect, but like i said the B6 has helped her tremendously.  After speaking with her new Dr., she recommended we stay clear of Lamictel and topamax...she suggested Trileptal only if her irritability gets worse, but right now, we seem to have that under control and are sticking with the Keppra.  I hope all works out for you.  Ask your Dr. about the B6...it has really helped us out with her grumpiness!!!!!! Good luck and let me know if I can help you in any other way...

[momdealingwithkeppra]

Thanks to all of you...these blogs have really helped me and my family and have gotten great advice from you guys....I hope that we can help more people out there just from our experience!!  Michele

[Denimgirl]

Just wondering, how much B6 is your daughter on.  I haven't tried any vitamin supplements but I have tried powerade during the warmer months and find that the extra electrolytes do help keep some of the seizures away.

[KixNgo]

Can you tell us more about this diet..?
Keppra and irritability... well.. i'm thinking, this dag headache i wake up with EVERY day.. could have some to do with the 'crabbies' my family says they do not notice it.. but I sure do.. and I'm holding it all in(the crabbies)

ANYONE ELSE WAKE UP WITH A HEADACHE?
i take my KeppraXR at night b4 bed cuz it also makes me tired, and my tummy hurt..

[diamond1441071]

well i don't know because with each person it is different and some side effects may vary because I took keppra and fixed right on up and i don't remember being irritated and sleepy. I was my normal self. I was happy.

[melvinkathlene]

I realize irritability is one of the side effects but did you realize that when the brain is effected by seizures or damage especially partial lobe or frontal lobe irritability, mood changes happen, emotional changes can happen, child like behavior, memory problems, recalling information and some other things. I just wonder if that might be the problem. I have had these problems for 20 some years due to brain damage and keppra has not made it worse or changed anything for me though. I am on a high dose and on other seizure meds. You may want to see about a mood stabilizer for her I know she is young it may or may not work. If it is the med maybe switch meds no one needs to feel that way and I know from experience it's not fun not being yourself and putting others through it.

[logansmom3]

MY DAUGHTER HAS COMPLEX PARTIAL SEIZURES AND FOR 7 YEARS HAD BEEN ON DEPAKOTE XR...HAD BEEN SEIZURE FREE FOR 3 YEARS...THE DR WEANED HER OFF, 4 MONTHS LATER SHE SEIZED...NOW IS TAKING KEPPRA XR FOR THE PAST 5 MONTHS...THE FIRST MONTH ON KEPPRA, YOU COULD NOT LIVE WITH HER, SHE IS ONLY 15, I TRIED TO IGNORE THE WAYS SHE ACTED, BECAUSE I KNEW IT WAS THE KEPPRA MAKING HER MEAN, SHE HIT ME AND HER BROTHER, YOU COULDN'T TALK TO HER.  SHE WAS REBELLING DUE TO THE FACT SHE HAD TO RESTART MEDS AND REBELLING THAT SHE HAS TO WAIT ANOTHER YEAR BEFORE GETTING HER LEARNERS PERMIT...BUT, THIS AGRESSION ONLY LASTED FOR A MONTH....AFTER THAT, SHE IS BACK TO HER NORMAL SELF...SHE USE TO HAVE BAD MIGRAINES WHEN SHE TOOK DEPAKOTE AND NOW SINCE TAKING KEPPRA XR, SHE HAS NO MIGRAINES...ALSO, SHE HAD GAINED ALOT OF WEIGHT ON DEPAKOTE XR, KIDS MADE FUN OF HER THAT SHE WAS FAT...NOW, ON KEPPRA XR, SHE ONLY EATS HALF OF WHAT SHE DID ON DEPAKOTE AND IS A SLENDER 5'11 TEENAGE GIRL.

[momdealingwithkeppra]

sorry it has taken so long to get back to you, but right now my daughter is on 100mg on Vitamin B6.  she takes it in the morning and seems to be doing really well with it.

Melvinkathlene,

Thanks for the advice...we are actually having her tested at the end of summer to see if the seizures and/or the meds are having any effect on her memory and moods.  it is apparently an ALL DAY test that they go thru.  she is a very bright girl, honor roll student, but it takes her a while to get things and sometimes has a hard time memorizing things.  so i was concerned in april and spoke to her Dr. about it and she is now going to get tested.  

[Dirtsy]

Hi I have a 14 month son who was just recently diagosed with infant generalized epilepsy. He is on 1.5ml of Keppra. He has been on it for 3 weeks now and I have noticed that he cries a lot more for really no reason and he isn't sleeping well. He also has little tamtrums. Who did you ask about the vit.b6? I would like to give me son some but, I don't know if it is safe for him or even how much I could give him.

[momdealingwithkeppra]

Hi,

We see one of the top Neurologist in our city, and I asked her.  We started off at 50 mg 1 x a day and are now up to 100mg.  Ask your neurologist.  I know that they have it in a liquid form, but it is hard to find.   Good luck to you and i hope it works. God Bless.  Michele

[ugates]

My daughters neurologist said the same thing.  It offended me.  I feel the same way you do it is the medicine more than anything.  In some ways the medicine has helped in a lot of ways it makes things worse.  I wished I would have never put her on the medicine.  Her seizures were mild complex partial seizures at night.  I feel i have made a big mistake.  We have tried the vitamin b6 and it did not work.  

[cell88]

every person will react diffently to meds a lot of dr try the kepera frist because it does not go thought the liver but keep in mind keppra was designed for older people my son was a night mare on keppra

[momdealingwithkeppra]

Hi,

We just went to see my daughter's neuro. today and have finally decided to put her on Trileptal.  As her doage on Keppra increased, so did her irritability and mood swings...She will be weened off of Keppra within the month and will be fully on Trileptal.  Her Neuro. thought this was best, because the B6 just was not helping enough..it helped, but not fully, so now we are on to this med.  I hope it works....i will keep you all posted on this as she gets off of the Keppra.  Hopefully, my bright, happy, cheerful daughter will return.  we gave Keppra a shot, but after two years, we just cannot deal with her mood swings and general unhappiness.  It is not fair to her.  She needs to have a happy childhood. If we see that her mood swings do not get better after thre months of beingon this med, then we, and the Dr. will know that we need to put her on a mood stabilizer, but for now, we all agree that it is the Keppra doing this to her.    

[momdealingwithkeppra]

Just an update on my daughter.  She has been off of Keppra for one month now and WHAT A DIFFERENCE.  We have our old Happy, fun loving little daughter back.  She is no longer grumpy or irritable and she has even noticed a big difference herself.  It is great to see her so happy and loving again.  Taking her off of Keppra was one of the best things that we could have done.  She is now on trileptal and so far, she is a little bit tired, because of the dose increase, but other than that, no side effects. I hope that Trileptal controls her seizures as well as Keppra did...that I will get back to everyone on.  Anyone have any problems with Trileptal?    

[MelChr]

My granddaughter is 21 months and was having over 100 seizures a day.  She is on Topomax (topamax) and Keppra with B-6.  She is not the same child. She used to be so sweet, and loving, laughing, happy and smiling all the time. Now she is really agitated and irritable or like a zombie, and still having at least 30 seizures a day. We hate it.  Her neuro doc says she has Lennox Gastaut syndrome, I hate him too by the way.

What was you daughters diagnosis?

We are actually getting reading to try the Ketogenic diet too. Trinity does not eat well so she will need a G-tube, and were pretty freaked out, but nothing else has stopped these seizures
What other meds have you all tried with better success?

[Trice27]

My daughter became a new Person when she started Keppra. She was having Seizures every hour for over 6 months. She had no good babyhood/childhood. She suffered a lot because she wasn't diagnosed and treated until she turned 3 years old. We didn't know she was having seizures. I thought it was reflux problems. But NO they were seizures.

She started talking and living when she started Keppra. She was very slow. She wasn't doing the things a 2 year old is suppose to do at that age. It was like she was still one. Her comprehension was not good at all. It was due to the numerous seizures she was having and the Uneducated DOCTORS around here.

But anyway Keppra was wonderful and then she was switched to the Generic and all hell broke loose. Her Auras kept coming frequently and is still happening.
She's off Keppra now and and on Banzel and Vimpat and that is not helping her at all.

She needs to be put back on Keppra and not that Generic.
I'm doing the best I can.
We are suppose to see the Speech Therapist tommorrw. But with the long wait she started talking better.

We'll see how things go tommorow.

[iueled09]

My daughter is 15 and was diagnosed with Partial Complex seizures when she was about 10.  She began taking Trileptal and it worked well for her for about 4 years and then she began having break thru seizures.  It made her tired, but other than that she did well on it.  She then tried Lamictal which made her feel terrible.  Awful stomach pains.  Now she is on Keppra XR and still on Trileptal as well.  Working through side effects.

Good luck to you and your daughter

[momdealingwithkeppra]

My daughter has Nocturnal Complex Partial Seizures.  Keppra worked GREAT controlling her seizures, it was just the mood swings, irritability, grumpiness, etc etc that made us take her off if it.  She just was not herself anymore. I hope you find a great Dr....keep trying, it took us 4 Dr.s before we found the one that is amazing! She works great with our daughter  and with us...she will spend 1-2 hours with us in the dr.s office and is not worried about other patients.  We tried the generic Keppra and it did not work either.  Good luck with everything

Iueled09,

I heard some horrible things about Lamictel but that was one of the meds that our Dr. suggested.  So far, I am glad that we are on Trileptal and i hope it continues to work for her.  

Good luck with the meds.  

Happy Holidays to all.

[NUATDIS]

i have a neice my mom has custody of her and she is on trilectol liquid and she has been on it for about3or4 yrs. now and we havnt noticed any sideffects like that from her maybe its time for a med change and also my neice went and got her eeg a couple of weeks ago and they didnt see any seizure activity anymore and took her off the meds and i am28 and just been daignosed with seizures and my neuro tried to put me on keppra and i got home and researched on the net and there where to many sideffects that i just couldnt fathem dealing with so i told him i didnt want to take it and then he put me on topamax which i had been on before but for migraine headaches maybe her sideefects will disappear if not maybe its time for a change hope u find a solution and i hope this passes as she gets older by the way my neice is 6 yrs old !

[tryingtohelpmydaughter]

My daughter is 16 years old, about 4 years ago she was diagnoes with Occipital Epilepsy. About One year and half ago she began having generalized seizures. About 10-12 now, her mood has severly changed. My daughter was the sweetest, most caring, adorable, loving girl. Now, she is moody, bitchy, anxious, nervous, anxiety ridden, not eating , and bulemic. She takes Keppra and  Zarontin. I have NO idea how to get my daughter back.. I love love love her neurologist..  Does epilepsy lead to eating disorders? Is the medication doing this? Or have we just been blessed with Bulemia, anorexia and Epilepsy and there is no coincidence?  Is her new mood changes leading to her eating disorders? her meds leading us to this?  I am sssooooo panicked about what to do next... panicked. Any advise I  would be eternally grateful for?

[dngcal]

I'd like to reply to the person who claims they love Dilantin. As a drug it does work well yet it has so many terrible side effects.  I took it from the time I was 12 and into my 30's.  I lived like a zombie for many a day and when I took it with phenobarbital it was impossible.   The newer drugs from Japan and Keppra are great.  Keppra can make me a little moody but I find when I eat alot of fruit or take a b6 pill I am fine.  Dilantin is a terrible drug that can turn your intelligence into mush.  Granted, it does work for the most part but there is a real price taking 400 mg/day.   One must take it based on body weight for it to truly function.  It lasts in the body for some time  ...about 24 hours and blood levels should be taken.

Other drugs such as Keppra are more forgiving but its not for all types of seizures.   Depakote can be a replacement for Dilantin for some as can Zonegran. Neurologists can only guess on what drug will work and its up to you to give him/her good feedback.   When I was going to grammar school and high school I was taking Dilantin and phenobarbital and most days I was not totally myself.  It was hard to sit in class and not sleep.  I found myself drinking coffee to stay awake which of course is not an ideal thing.   Today, we have drugs that can do the job and not place us in some walking coma.  Children must be given options other than going through life sleep walking.  I was lucky (if you want to call it that) as they found a cyst that was causing my seizures.  I still will have one every 1 to 2 years but not as I did in my youth.    Remember...Dilantin is NOT an ideal medication and should only be used when all others will not work.

[grandmothersearching]

my grandson is going through alot transitions with this medicine and i have been doing a lot of reserch and one lady said she found b6 in liquid form. though she didnt say where she said to google it. ididnt do this as my grandson hates liquids  hope this helps

[momfrompanama]

I am also a mom dealing with terrible mood swings.  My daughter was on Keppra for 5 yrs and the mood swings were so bad that it cost her her marriage, lost two jobs...not herself.  She was switched to Valproic Acid four mos. ago and she was again the cheerful and sweet young woman she had always been, but... valproic acid caused her hair to fall big time (like when you are in chemo) and she gained l5 lbs in 4 mos.  Dr. switched her to Tegretol and the irritabilty is back.  How is your child doing with Trileptal?  maybe this could be a good option for her.  

momfrompanama

[parentonpatrol]

My 21-year-old son has had epilepsy since age 6. He started Keppra around age 11. The emotional side effects were nightmarish at first. Doctors never want to take him totally off of it, because it controls his VERY difficult-to-control seizures. Through the years, it has affected his mood greatly. Last year, due to difficult seizures, they increased the Keppra (he has 4 anticonvulsants and a VNS) and he experienced persistent suicidal thoughts and extreme rage that seemed to come out of nowhere. We had to decrease very slowly and adjust other meds, but his gentle, happy, cheerful, loving personality has finally returned. He is on a very low dose of Keppra right now. I wish we had known to try Vitamin B6 for the past 10 years. It could have helped. I can only guess how much this harmed his social interactions through middle school and high school. I have a love-hate relationship with this drug, because I am grateful for seizure control, but the cost in quality of life due to the side effects of psychiatric problems is a very high cost!!!

[mari124]

How do you get your little one to take the B6 Vitamin? My son is only 3 years old and so far I've only found the pill form. My doctor recommended us to give my son 50mg of B6 since he started Keppra for his newly diagnosed partial epilepsy....I'm on wits end and hate seeing my son, not be himself! Any advise would be appreciated!