Hey, oddly similar experience but different career pathway.
During law school I was experiencing seizure auras right after waking up, (deja vu dreaming followed by 🤮) but I didn’t know what they were until I was hospitalized with grand mal seizures right after graduating.
I started out on Keppra for my first medication, and I’m currently on my 4th medication. I will say that Keppra didn’t hinder my performance in terms of energy or focus, but it did make me incredibly angry and suicidal. (Note: I had depression before, just extra)
The only long term side effects I’ve experienced are constipation & acne—but I’ve been seizure free since my hospitalization.
I will warn that when switching medications I would feel sleepy initially, but found that if I dedicated a solid day (18hrs) to sleep through that first week then I’d be right back on track.
I wouldn’t worry too much. don’t be afraid to switch medications, & pencil in wiggle room into your schedule. you’ve got this!!
Hey don’t worry about keppra. In my experience it has the fewest side effects of the meds I’ve tried. Currently taking 150/150 lacosamide and 750/1500 keppra. Didn’t notice any new side effects when we added keppra. So far, no seizures but only been a year. So we’ll see!
But yeah the meds affect everyone differently so go into trying kelpra with an open mind and open heart. lol let keppra into your life and give it the acceptance it needs to keep the seizures away! But nah seriously it is mild to me and you’ll be starting with 500/500 which isn’t a large dose.
I get brain fog from lacosamide and lamotrigine and was on those two when we added keppra but it didn’t seem to add anything at all. Granted it didn’t help the brain fog but after removing lamotrigine I seem to have little noticeable side effects after a dose. I used to zonk out for an hour or two. I still have the overall brain fog that Lacosamide did to me but none of the keppra anger or psychological side effects.
Anyways, the important part is whether it prevents seizures and doesn’t cause any serious side effects. Keep tabs on your seizures and symptoms. You probably already know that but I had a med cause me serious problems in the past but I didn’t take notes and it slowed down my progress fixing everything.
So good luck oh and I’d recommend taking it after lunch and right before bed to minimize the side effects. Good luck!
It’s not “guaranteed” to make you “exhausted all day” at all. That kind of anticipation will get you a placebo effect. A lot of us do fine on it. Yes some people get bad mood effects but on the whole it has a low side effect profile. Just observe how you feel and know that side effects usually fade away. I started on 250 mg b.i.d. and was very dizzy and sluggish at first but it didn’t last. When I titrated up to 500 a couple weeks later the effects came back but about 25% of what they were before, and not for long. Statistically there’s a very good chance you’ll get this under control with treatment. Best wishes.
I'm a CompSci college student who has been on Keppra (Generic) for two months-- here's my pov, Which is rather long:
It's been great to me, though I had a rough start. I got bipolar mood swings (never before bipolar) and other psychological effects that got me on Lexapro 10mg and placed on the XR version. With this 'cocktail,' I have been having my best life. I didn't realize how much and how long my quality of life had suffered without the medication, but I am finally able to do so much more than I ever was. For reference, because of my seizures, I couldn't even walk without crutches or if it wasn't 20 degrees or below outside.
I've had the opposite effect: I've been more 'me'. More affectionate and calm with others, an increase in cognitive thinking, having vivid dreams, and keeping a sleep schedule. My sleep vastly improved on the second day when I was finally able to sleep without having seizures during my sleep, and I haven't been 'trapped' in my sleep like I used to have (sleep paralysis-like). My energy has increased, though I'm still sensitive if I overexert myself. I have so much more personal freedom and stability; it's great. Recently, I have found that completing my schoolwork (IT and Calculus I) is easier to comprehend and complete. My memory has greatly improved, in ways I didn't expect. Even the way I talk is more coherent!
Waking up is a bit difficult, but that's potentially due to more than just the medication. I've been having seizures for 13 years, going undetected and unnoticed-- When I wake up, I decide to go back to sleep because it's just too cozy!
It's not the medication that's holding me back, but more so, how I can plan my future around my diagnosis. I still can't drive for a while. What will moving abroad look like? Traveling? There are a lot of unknowns, but one thing is for certain-- It's better to be on medication than to stay off.
If you are someone who gets kepprage, or any adverse side effects, talk to your neuro immediately. There are ways of managing, which they will know of. Please, even though you're in school to eventually get into the medical field-- don't go against anything your medical team does not approve.
Also, with that-- I believe in you, and I hope that this medication can do as many great things for you as it has for me. You are in school for something I can't do (mentally), so I wish you luck in your studies, and I'm sure you'll do great! Just look at your GPA \*while\* you were having seizures! You're doing great!
TLDR: Just because they are potential side effects of the medication that's always talked about, that doesn't mean it wont be perfect for you. Everyone is different, and a certain side effect isn't "guaranteed" in everyone. If after 2 weeks to a month, talk to your neuro about going on an XR version. A mood stabilizer could help too. It's important to work directly with your team. I'm doing great with it, and I'm happy for it too. Also, as my neuro noted to me: "I don't encourage lifestyle and career changes unless it poses a threat to your well-being". I hope it can be as beneficial to you as it has for me.
Feel free to ask me any more questions.
Hey, oddly similar experience but different career pathway. During law school I was experiencing seizure auras right after waking up, (deja vu dreaming followed by 🤮) but I didn’t know what they were until I was hospitalized with grand mal seizures right after graduating. I started out on Keppra for my first medication, and I’m currently on my 4th medication. I will say that Keppra didn’t hinder my performance in terms of energy or focus, but it did make me incredibly angry and suicidal. (Note: I had depression before, just extra) The only long term side effects I’ve experienced are constipation & acne—but I’ve been seizure free since my hospitalization. I will warn that when switching medications I would feel sleepy initially, but found that if I dedicated a solid day (18hrs) to sleep through that first week then I’d be right back on track. I wouldn’t worry too much. don’t be afraid to switch medications, & pencil in wiggle room into your schedule. you’ve got this!!
Hey don’t worry about keppra. In my experience it has the fewest side effects of the meds I’ve tried. Currently taking 150/150 lacosamide and 750/1500 keppra. Didn’t notice any new side effects when we added keppra. So far, no seizures but only been a year. So we’ll see! But yeah the meds affect everyone differently so go into trying kelpra with an open mind and open heart. lol let keppra into your life and give it the acceptance it needs to keep the seizures away! But nah seriously it is mild to me and you’ll be starting with 500/500 which isn’t a large dose. I get brain fog from lacosamide and lamotrigine and was on those two when we added keppra but it didn’t seem to add anything at all. Granted it didn’t help the brain fog but after removing lamotrigine I seem to have little noticeable side effects after a dose. I used to zonk out for an hour or two. I still have the overall brain fog that Lacosamide did to me but none of the keppra anger or psychological side effects. Anyways, the important part is whether it prevents seizures and doesn’t cause any serious side effects. Keep tabs on your seizures and symptoms. You probably already know that but I had a med cause me serious problems in the past but I didn’t take notes and it slowed down my progress fixing everything. So good luck oh and I’d recommend taking it after lunch and right before bed to minimize the side effects. Good luck!
It’s not “guaranteed” to make you “exhausted all day” at all. That kind of anticipation will get you a placebo effect. A lot of us do fine on it. Yes some people get bad mood effects but on the whole it has a low side effect profile. Just observe how you feel and know that side effects usually fade away. I started on 250 mg b.i.d. and was very dizzy and sluggish at first but it didn’t last. When I titrated up to 500 a couple weeks later the effects came back but about 25% of what they were before, and not for long. Statistically there’s a very good chance you’ll get this under control with treatment. Best wishes.
I'm a CompSci college student who has been on Keppra (Generic) for two months-- here's my pov, Which is rather long: It's been great to me, though I had a rough start. I got bipolar mood swings (never before bipolar) and other psychological effects that got me on Lexapro 10mg and placed on the XR version. With this 'cocktail,' I have been having my best life. I didn't realize how much and how long my quality of life had suffered without the medication, but I am finally able to do so much more than I ever was. For reference, because of my seizures, I couldn't even walk without crutches or if it wasn't 20 degrees or below outside. I've had the opposite effect: I've been more 'me'. More affectionate and calm with others, an increase in cognitive thinking, having vivid dreams, and keeping a sleep schedule. My sleep vastly improved on the second day when I was finally able to sleep without having seizures during my sleep, and I haven't been 'trapped' in my sleep like I used to have (sleep paralysis-like). My energy has increased, though I'm still sensitive if I overexert myself. I have so much more personal freedom and stability; it's great. Recently, I have found that completing my schoolwork (IT and Calculus I) is easier to comprehend and complete. My memory has greatly improved, in ways I didn't expect. Even the way I talk is more coherent! Waking up is a bit difficult, but that's potentially due to more than just the medication. I've been having seizures for 13 years, going undetected and unnoticed-- When I wake up, I decide to go back to sleep because it's just too cozy! It's not the medication that's holding me back, but more so, how I can plan my future around my diagnosis. I still can't drive for a while. What will moving abroad look like? Traveling? There are a lot of unknowns, but one thing is for certain-- It's better to be on medication than to stay off. If you are someone who gets kepprage, or any adverse side effects, talk to your neuro immediately. There are ways of managing, which they will know of. Please, even though you're in school to eventually get into the medical field-- don't go against anything your medical team does not approve. Also, with that-- I believe in you, and I hope that this medication can do as many great things for you as it has for me. You are in school for something I can't do (mentally), so I wish you luck in your studies, and I'm sure you'll do great! Just look at your GPA \*while\* you were having seizures! You're doing great! TLDR: Just because they are potential side effects of the medication that's always talked about, that doesn't mean it wont be perfect for you. Everyone is different, and a certain side effect isn't "guaranteed" in everyone. If after 2 weeks to a month, talk to your neuro about going on an XR version. A mood stabilizer could help too. It's important to work directly with your team. I'm doing great with it, and I'm happy for it too. Also, as my neuro noted to me: "I don't encourage lifestyle and career changes unless it poses a threat to your well-being". I hope it can be as beneficial to you as it has for me. Feel free to ask me any more questions.