Keppra and Throwing Frogs

Disclaimer: I am not a medical professional and you should always discuss any health concerns with your doctor. This blog draws on my personal experience and research and the information contained should not substitute advice or directions from your doctor.

Keppra is available in 4 different doses (250, 500, 750 and 1000mg) and as a clear, grape flavored liquid (100mg/mL).

Keppra is unlike any other anti-epileptic chemically. Meaning it does not belong to any of the classifications of AED's that existed when it was discovered.

I want to talk about some of the very real side effects of Keppra that, fortunately for those of you who have been perscribed it, are considered to be very rare. The purpose of this post is not to dissuade you from using this product, but to offer you a little perspective, and to warn you that these posted side effects are possible, and are NOT put on packaging simply for liability reasons.

I was prescribed Keppra when I was first diagnosed, and things went from bad to worse in less than a week. My seizures stopped completely; that was great. The drug certainly does it's job. But after just a few days, I started feeling a little homicidal. Everything made me angry, including frogs croaking in my backyard, which is why my sisters call it the "frog throwing medicine", I'd get so angry about it, I'd pick them up and throw them over the fence. Every person who so much as looked at me wrong got some pretty innapropriate language. I was mean. I was mean to my mom, my sisters, my dad, everyone except my sweet old hound dog, who knew when I was going to have a seizure.

After about a week and a half, the borderline suicidal thoughts started creeping in. I wouldn't say that I wanted to kill myself, but I definitely didn't want to be alive. I didn't want to eat, write, watch tv, or do any of the things I normally loved. Yes, I love food. Stop laughing.

After about a month, I was unbearable, even to myself. I couldn't stand the person I saw looking back at me, and decided I'd rather have seizures.

I kind of shock myself saying that out loud sometimes, because seizures are pretty much the most horrible thing in the world, right? Well, even Keppra me agreed that the way I was living on this drug was worse than having seizures. So I got off of it after taking it for almost two months.

My doctor prescribed me Lamictal, and I've been taking it ever since. I had a few seizures when I first started Lamictal and a couple when I got the stomach flu, but otherwise it has worked amazingly, and I'm blessed to live a relatively normal (ok, not "normal", but I'm happpy, see :D)life.

The most common side effects of Keppra are drowsiness, dizziness and weakness, which usually resolve in the first month of taking the drug.
Serious side effects are loss of coordination, mental/mood changes (such as irritability, aggression, agitation, anger, anxiety).

http://www.rxlist.com/keppra-drug.htm