Switching from Keppra to Briviact--Side Effects, Withdrawal?

In early 2001 I was yet receiving treatment with Vagus Nerve Stimulation (VNS) which was not fully successful.  Doctor tried me on Keppra for just a few weeks.  I was on 1000 mg when I complained of disturbed sleep, increased tinnitus, and several other symptoms of anxiety.  It wasn't worth it for me.  In 2018 I was on Brivact for several months.  I took no more than 100 mg but was bothered by lost sleep, irritability, and mild depression.  Most bothersome was the constipation.  I've never had stomach problems from any other medication I tried but Briviact was painful.  Sorry for the discouraging report.  As they say you need to remember that everyone is different.  Mike

Hi, Thank you for posting. Treatment and how the body may react to taking or stopping certain medications varies for each individual, as Michael shared in his comment. To learn more about the medications you’re taking, commonly reported side effects and more, visit: https://www.epilepsy.com/learn/treating-seizures-and-epilepsy/seizure-and-epilepsy-medicines/side-effects . It's important that you’re continuing to follow-up with your healthcare team to explore this further and if you continue to experience any changes in symptoms, side effects, moods, behaviors or seizure types/ frequency,  to help determine what individual treatment plan is best for you. Be open and honest about how you are feeling, and how this is affecting your health and daily life. https://www.epilepsy.com/learn/challenges-epilepsy. You may want to consider keeping a journal or a diary to document how you’re feeling and the symptoms you describe experiencing in detail, (like you’ve done in your post), which will be very helpful to review with your doctors. My Seizure Diary can be used to organize health issues, track seizures, manage medications, develop seizure response plans, and more: https://www.epilepsy.com/living-epilepsy/epilepsy-foundation-my-seizure-diary . Additionally,you may always contact our 24/7 Helpline, where trained information specialists are available to answer your questions, offer help, hope, support, guidance,and access to national and local resources. 1-800-332-1000, contactus@efa.org. epilepsy.com/helpline , or contact your local Epilepsy Foundation: https://www.epilepsy.com/affiliates 

Thanks so much to you both for getting back. I’m sorry, Mike, you had a tough time on the Keppra and the Briviact. It’s upset my stomach some in the past week but I’m hoping it’ll settle down. I’m also on an immunosuppressant for lupus and that did a real number on my stomach so I’m not looking to relive that. I hope you’ve found something that works for you. Be Liever, I was heartened to learn that the side effects seemed to fade for you. Do you happen to remember what they were? Or about how long they lasted? Maybe not if it were years ago. Your endorsement made me hopeful all around. It’s been along slog on Keppra the past couple years and I’d love to feel more myself again. I’ll think good thoughts! By the way, I get brain fog and tiredness from the lupus too so it’s tough to have that combined with the neuro meds. No ones every recommended any meds to counteract that, tho. Could you tell me the babes do I might raise them with my drs if need be? Thanks fo much! Just knowing someone got to the other side of all this did it was worth it was just what I needed after a truly miserable week. Be well!