How does keppra work

The safety of this medicine for use during pregnancy has not been established. The manufacturer states that it is not recommended for use in pregnancy unless considered essential by your doctor. It is very important for women with epilepsy to talk to the doctor responsible for their epilepsy treatment before becoming pregnant.

Stopping antiepileptic treatment during pregnancy runs the risk of the mother having seizures, which can harm both the mother and the foetus.

This risk may be higher than that from continuing the medication. It is important that all the risks and benefits of treatment are weighed up. Seek medical advice from your doctor. This medicine passes into breast milk. Breastfeeding is not recommended while taking this medicine. Mothers who need to take this medicine should seek medical advice from their doctor. Possible side effects of Keppra Medicines and their possible side effects can affect individual people in different ways.

Very common affect more than 1 in 10 people Sleepiness. Feeling weak or fatigued. Common affect between 1 in 10 and 1 in people Dizziness or loss of balance. Shaky movements and unsteady walk ataxia. Problems with attention or memory. Shaking, usually of the hands tremor. Unstable moods emotional lability. Difficulty sleeping insomnia. Nervousness, agitation. Hostility, irritability, aggression. Personality disorders. Gut disturbances such as abdominal pain, diarrhoea, nausea, vomiting, indigestion.

Loss of appetite. This vitamin is thought to help prevent birth defects affecting the brain and spinal cord, called neural tube defects.

The most common of these is known as spina bifida. Seizures during pregnancy : Some women may have more seizures during pregnancy, because of hormone changes and how seizure medicine is handled by your body. Breastfeeding: Low levels of levetiracetam have been found in breast milk when normal doses of the drug are given. This would not be expected to cause problems in a baby, especially those over 2 months old.

Levetiracetam could affect a woman's supply of breast milk. Contraception: Levetiracetam does not interfere with hormonal birth control. Levetiracetam is commonly prescribed for people over When people are older than 65 or 70, their kidneys usually don't work as well as before.

The kidneys are responsible for removing levetiracetam from the body, so it stays in the body longer if the kidneys aren't working normally. The best amount is any seizure medicine is the amount that control seizures without causing bothersome side effects. This depends on many factors, which are different for every individual. In the United States, companies that manufacture medicines are required to publish certain kinds of information about each product.

You can also read these documents also called "prescribing information" online. The U. The mission of the Epilepsy Foundation is to lead the fight to overcome the challenges of living with epilepsy and to accelerate therapies to stop seizures, find cures, and save lives.

Skip to main content. Select a Medication Basic Advanced. Levetiracetam is approved for use: As add-on therapy with other seizure medicines for children 1 month of age and older and adults with focal partial seizures. As add-on therapy for children 12 years and older and adults for treatment of myoclonic seizures from juvenile myoclonic epilepsy.

As add-on therapy for children 6 years and older and adults with generalized onset tonic-clonic seizures from idiopathic primary generalized epilepsy. Keppra Tablet. Liquid Solution. Liquid Injection. Used to treat Juvenile Myoclonic Epilepsy. Dosing Levetiracetam is an intermediate release form.

For dosing in adults and teens 16 years and older : Levetiracetam is usually started at or mg twice a day. The dose can be increased by mg twice a day every 2 weeks.

Sometimes the drug is increased more slowly, depending on how a person tolerates it. The recommended dose is mg twice a day for a total of 3, mg daily. The recommended dose each day for infants and children is based on weight and age : Infants from less than 1 to 6 months old: 21 mg per kg twice a day Children 6 months to less than 4 years old: 25 mg per kg twice a day Children 4 to less than 16 years old: 30 mg per kg twice a day.

See the package insert for details about the amount of levetiracetam to start in a child of different ages and how to increase it. People with liver problems may be started on a lower dose of levetiracetam and increased more slowly. Follow your prescribing provider's instructions for how much to take and when to make changes.

How to take and store Levetiracetam? How to take: Take levetiracetam exactly as your health care provider prescribes it. Check the number of tablets and the strength of pills you get from the pharmacy.

If your provider changes the dose, the strength of pills may be different. 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.

It can be taken with or without food, but it's best to take it the same way every day. For the liquid form, always check the bottle for the amount to take and the strength. Levetiracetam liquid comes as mg in every ml. Shake the bottle well before measuring a dose. Always use an accurate measuring spoon or syringe to make sure the amount is correct. It might help to take your levetiracetam after a meal or snack. If you're being sick, take small, frequent sips of water to avoid dehydration.

Signs of dehydration include peeing less than usual or having dark, strong-smelling pee. Do not take any medicines to treat vomiting without speaking to a pharmacist or doctor. Speak to a doctor if your symptoms get worse or last longer than a week.

Levetiracetam and pregnancy There's no firm evidence that levetiracetam is harmful to an unborn baby. Do not stop the medicine without talking to your doctor first. Levetiracetam and breastfeeding If your doctor or health visitor says your baby is healthy, levetiracetam can be taken while you're breastfeeding.

Levetiracetam passes into breast milk in small amounts. Non-urgent advice: Tell your doctor if you're:. Tell your pharmacist or doctor if you're taking: macrogol , a laxative other epilepsy medicines, such as carbamazepine , lamotrigine , oxcarbazepine, phenobarbital and phenytoin methotrexate , a medicine that can be used to treat arthritis and other conditions Mixing levetiracetam with herbal remedies and supplements There might be a problem taking some herbal remedies and supplements alongside levetiracetam, especially ones that cause sleepiness or dizziness.

Ask your pharmacist for advice. Important: Medicine safety Tell your doctor or pharmacist if you're taking any other medicines, including herbal medicines, vitamins or supplements. How does levetiracetam work? Levetiracetam slows down these electrical signals to stop seizures. Levetiracetam also works differently from most epilepsy medicines. How long does it take to work?

It usually takes a few weeks for levetiracetam to work properly. This is because the dose of levetiracetam needs to be increased slowly. How long will I take it for? Levetiracetam is a relatively new medicine. Are there similar medicines? Is it safe to take levetiracetam for a long time? The choice will depend on the type of seizures you have. Your doctor will discuss the best medicine for you. How does it compare with other medicines? Other medicines to treat epilepsy include: brivaracetam carbamazepine clobazam ethosuximide gabapentin lamotrigine phenytoin pregabalin sodium valproate topiramate It's not possible to say that one works better than the other.

Your doctor will decide on the medicine that's best for you. It's usual to try to treat epilepsy using a single medicine. Levetiracetam works for quite a few different types of epilepsy. Can I switch to a different medicine?

Can I come off levetiracetam? Important Do not stop taking levetiracetam without talking to your doctor first. What is 'Keppra rage' and how may this affect my mood? Keppra is a brand of levetiracetam. Do I need to take vitamin B alongside my levetiracetam? Will it affect my contraception?

Will it affect my fertility? It's not thought that levetiracetam affects female fertility. This does not affect everyone, but could make you less fertile. Talk to your doctor if you have any concerns. Does levetiracetam cause weight loss? Levetiracetam does not usually affect weight at all. Can I get epilepsy medicines for free? Can I drink alcohol with it?

Yes, you can drink alcohol with levetiracetam. This content is not intended to be a substitute for professional medical advice, diagnosis, or treatment. Always seek the advice of your physician or other qualified health provider with any questions you may have regarding a medical condition. Never disregard professional medical advice or delay in seeking it because of something you have read on this website. Envelope icon Subscribe to our newsletter Get regular updates to your inbox.

Your Email. Keppra Levetiracetam. How Keppra works Under normal circumstances, the brain relays information from one area to another via the nerve cells firing electrical impulses. Keppra in clinical trials No clinical trials have assessed the effectiveness of Keppra specifically in Batten disease patients. More details about Keppra Keppra is approved by the U.