Hi I am a new member and am concerned about the side effects of Keppra. I started having grand mal seizures at the age of 29 and I am now 37. Over the course of a few years I came to learn that I have a birth defect in my left frontal lobe that is causing the seizures. I only have them in my sleep and they are not frequent(3-4 a year).
Once I started on Keppra in fall 2007 the seizures were reduced.I have only had 3 since Oct. 07. However since that time I have encountered problems with auras. These auras are not followed by seizures but are very painful and interupt my seep in the early am.
As a result of these auras, I went to the Mayo clinic to see if removal of the defect in my brain is an option-it isn't. The doctor at Mayo upped my Keppra from 3000 mg's a day to 4000mg's a day to see if this would stop the auras. It has to some extent, but ever since that time, I have had problems with side-effects.
At times my mind races terribly, and I have strange thoughts which I cannot control. I had to stop smoking pot as a result( something I thought would never happen!) because this would only intesify my anxiety and racing thoughts. It is not a constant problem, but some days it becomes very tiresome.
I would like to mention that I am a full-time student and work full time as a concrete finisher and in a relationship with a very loving woman who has two sons (7,and 9) and we have a 14 month old daughter together. I am happy with my home life and feel good about work and school. It just feels like something is different inside me since I upped the Keppra dosage.
Today I talked to the Mayo doctor and he agreed that I should go back down to 3000mg's a day. He also indidcated that I might try Tegratol in addition to lowering my Keppra dose to see if that would control my auras. This worries me because when I read the side effects of Tegratol it included mental hyperactivity! I have always been an anxious person, but never enough to affect my daily life.
I am sure that my new life as a father is some of the cause of stress/anxiety but I have never had the obssesions I have had over the last few months. Worrying that I am going crazy, worring why i am worried about going crazy! Afraid to be creative because I am worried about never coming back from the creative process etc. Does anyone else feel this way? Is this normal with Keppra? I know 4000mg's a day is high. I am quite sure my anxiety has increased since I started having seizures, that seems natural. Does anyone have any suggestions or thoughts? Thanks so much!