What are the worst side effects of Keppra?

Does Keppra increase appetite in dogs?

The most common side effects include sleepiness and incoordination in dogs. In cats, a decreased appetite, incoordination, drooling, and sleepiness most commonly occur.

What exactly does Keppra do to the brain?

How does Keppra work? Keppra contains the active ingredient levetiracetam, which is a medicine used to treat epilepsy. It works by stabilising electrical activity in the brain. The brain and nerves are made up of many nerve cells that communicate with each other through electrical signals.

What should I avoid while taking Keppra?

Avoid alcohol. Aggression, nasal congestion, headache, decreased appetite, infection, dizziness, pain, sore throat, depression, nervousness, and fatigue are reasonably common side effects.

Does Keppra change your personality?

In some patients Keppra causes behavioral abnormalities such as: Hostility. Irritability. Mood swings.

Does Keppra affect memory?

The most common significant side effect of levetiracetam is somnolence (i.e., lethargy), asthenia , infection, dizziness , and unsteady gait. Less common side effects include thinking abnormalities, memory problems, anxiety, depression, agitation , vertigo , and paresthesias .

Does Keppra calm the brain?

Precisely how Keppra works to prevent seizures is not fully understood, but it is thought to possibly “calm the brain” by preventing nerve cells from becoming hyperactive and to do so without affecting normal electrical impulses.

Does Keppra cause dementia?

However, when the most frequently prescribed AEDs were analyzed separately, researchers saw that levetiracetam generic brands were associated with an increased risk of dementia, with no link found for the original levetiracetam (originally developed by UCB Pharmaceuticals and marketed under the name Keppra).

Is Keppra a painkiller?

New data shows that the antiepileptic drug Keppra (levetiracetam), when used alone and in combination with other treatments, provided relief to more than 90 percent of patients with a range of pain syndromes, from migraine headaches to neck and back pain.

Is Keppra the same as gabapentin?

Neurontin (gabapentin) is an old seizure disorder medicine that is now used to treat nerve-related pain caused by different conditions. Prevents seizures. Keppra (levetiracetam) is effective for preventing seizures in people with epilepsy and has fewer drug interactions than its alternatives.

Can you cut Keppra in half?

Swallow the tablet or the extended-release tablet whole. Do not break, crush, or chew it. There is an oral liquid form of this medicine if you or your child cannot swallow the tablets.

How long does it take to get Keppra level results?

This is often about 1 to 4 or 6 hours after a dose is taken.

Does Keppra have to be taken 12 hours apart?

Levetiracetam is usually taken twice a day, about 12 hours apart. Swallow the tablets whole. They may have a bitter taste when the pill is crushed. People who have trouble swallowing the pills whole can break the tablets in half, mix the tablet with food, or use the liquid form.

How often should you check a Keppra level?

Remember that any time the dose is changed, you should monitor again at 2 to 4 weeks. Other considerations: Phenobarbital will shorten the half-life of other drugs, including levetiracetam and zonisamide.

What happens if Keppra levels are too low?

If your levels are too low they will increase them and then you may end up with too much. Also I have learned with the keppra to never miss a dose as surely I will have a seizure. Better to explain to your doctor the side effects you are experiencing than to end up taking more, thus making the effects worse.

How much Keppra should I give my dog?

In dogs, Levetiracetam is often started at 5 to 10 mg per pound (10 to 20 mg/kg) three times daily (every 8 hours). Higher doses are often needed for emergency treatment of active seizures including doses up to 20 mg/kg.

Do Keppra levels need to be monitored?

Routine periodic monitoring of levetiracetam is usually not required. However, there are circumstances in which it is useful and sometimes necessary to measure blood levels.