I take 1500mg in the morning and 1500mg in the evening (along with 75 mg lyrica 2x a day). After being on it and stable for years, I'd moved and a new neuro wanted to mess with it because he said that dose was too high (well, he'd done a blood test and said it was too high; I called the company and they said there was no established range), but I fought the change because I'd been stable and didn't want to go changing things. I was good on that, with only minor breakthrough partials once in a blue moon, for 6-7ys.

Porkette, your point is an interesting one. I've been on the same dose of my 2 AEDs for years, but this last year was extremely stressful and my health went into a tailspin. My minor breakthrough seizures used to be limited to during the night right before my period, but over the last few months, I've had a few daytime partials and some simple ones around bedtime. Plus heart-racing and all sorts of new problems. Still, for me, anyway, I don't think the change is related to the drug as much as my brain is continuing to fall apart. But I will keep your warning in mind! Thanks!

:(
 

I was re-reading this thread. I received my first (and only) order from a new mail-order insurance program-a three MONTH supply-and they sent me Levetiracetam. I took my last keppras tonight, which means all I have are the generics starting tomorrow.

The worst part is that I've been having a lot of heart racing and dizziness lately, which a new cardio diagnosed as dysautonomia. Whatever it is, I certainly don't need some faux drug making it worse! :(

Hi Friedbrain,

I know once I got off the darn keppra the rapid heartbeat stopped for me. I had to see a heart specialist while I was taking the keppra because they thought that there was a medical problem but since I'm off the keppra I've had fewer sz. and no more rapid heartbeats. Another good thing is that I can sleep because the keppra was causing insomnia which led to more sz. for me. I wish you the best of luck and May God Bless You!

Sue

I've been eplictic since I was 3 years old. I've been on brand my whole life. I've been on Keppra for a while. I've been seizure free for 11 years. My husband health insurnace is going up next month I pay $60 for 3 months supply next month it will go up $100 every 3 months I was thinking about going generic keppra. It will be $20 every 3 months. I'm not sure about the genric of keppra. After I read your post that scares me even more. Have you went back to the brand. It sounds like it is not worth it I do drive and I don't want to loose my job. Please get back with me. Thank you.

genric keppra users
 

I take the brand Keppra and I was thinking about going to the genric because our health insurance is going up. $60 every 3 months next month it will be $100 every 3 month. I've been taking brand since I was 3 years old and haven't had a siezure in 11 years. After reading about the genric keppra I'm going to stick with the brand and hope that the insurance will still let me take the brand.

Hi johnston1,

I am completely off the keppra since last April and since that time my seizures have been under control much better. So far this yr. I've had 96 fewer seizures than last yr. My best advice to you is to have your Dr. do a DNA test on you to find out what seizure med will help you the most and will have the least side effects. I went on vimpat after I got off the keppra and it has done wonders reducing my absence (petit mal), complex partial, and simple partial seizures. I haven't had a single tonic clonic seizure since I've been on the drug vimpat and I sure can sleep much better and my heart isn't bothering me anymore like it did with the keppra. Another thing you can try that won't cost you much money is vitamin B12 1000 mcg. once a day and try goine on the ketogenic diet I am on this diet and the diet is high in fat but low in carbs and starch foods. The diet has been around since 1927 and it builds up ketones in a persons system that helps reduce and in some cases stop seizures. If your insurance co. is giving you a hard time getting meds. You should report them to the state insurance co. in your area so they can find out why they won't cover you especially since you are having seizures. Also if you live in the U.S. report them to the Epilepsy Foundation of America at 1-800-332-1000 and they will help you out at no cost. Here's wishing you well and May God Bless You!

Sue

The insurance did that to me one time to. Send the generic on Keppra. I callled my doctor and told them I have never taken generic before I always been on the brand. Your doctor as to write on the presipration brand only.

Hi, Sue:

I have epilepsy and I take Keppra (levetiracetam) at the dosage of two 500 mg tablets twice daily.

I have never been the kind of person that likes to take generic medications, as compared to brand name medications, because I noticed 1) they are less effective for me (Duragesic and MSIR more effective than their generic equivalents) and 2) they cause more side effects than their generic equivalents (much more nausea, vomiting, and constipation with the generic medications).

Quote: "I got a phone call from the company that is making the drug and they are sending out a report to the FDA how this drug is increasing sz. for me as well as causing a rapid heartbeat for me."

I am really sorry for all the problems that generic Keppra has been causing you. Hopefully, you can get the brand name Keppra back so these problems can be solved.

Do you, by any chance, know if there are documents on the Internet that show that generic Keppra can increase the number of seizures and cause a rapid heartbeat? If I had access to such documents, I could show them to my neurologist and pharmacist so they know I have valid reasons to refuse generic Keppra.

Quote: "I've had over 100 more sz. this yr. at this date compared to last yr." This is about a little more than eight seizures per month with generic Keppra, compared to brand name Keppra. This gives me the creeps. What will happen to my two-year-old baby boy if the number of my seizures increased with generic Keppra? I would not want CPS (Child Protective Services) to use this as an excuse to remove my beloved baby and I do not want to start going into hiding or moving regularly again because my child needs stability when it comes to his living place. This is reaaa-lly anno-ying! Oooh! I just do not know what to do anymore.

Thanks for letting me vent and thanks for informing us about these very important problems that can happen with generic Keppra.

Hi Kitty,

To get info. about any med check out FDA.gov/medwatch and you will be able to get info on any over the counter or persciption med and you can print out the info. There's at least 10 pages of documents on keppra.
I think you got the same phone call as I did on the keppra from the company making the drug. I haven't done it yet but go on line and just type in keppra lawsuits and see what's going on I've heard there's a lot of legal action going on with the drug just like there was with neurontin. I'm sorry to hear the the keppra increased your sz. I know it did the same thing to me. My advice to you is to try another AED (sz. med) because the more sz. you have the more chances of brain damage. I wish you the best of luck and May God Bless You!

Sue

I take the generic Levetiracetam for nerve pain and it works great for me . I have never gotten a phone call or nothing about it . If it aint broke dont fix it. good luck all . I take 1000mg 2 times a day . Roz