LEVETIRACETAM

(LEE ve tye RA se tam) Brand: Keppra, Keppra XR

What is the most significant information I must know about levetiracetam?

• Do not stop using levetiracetam without first talking to your doctor, even if you feel beautiful. You may have heighten seizures if you stop using levetiracetam suddenly. You may need to use smaller and smaller till you stop the medicine completely.

• You may have thoughts about suicide while taking this medicine. Your doctor will need to check you at regular visits. Do not miss any scheduled appointments.

• Message any new or worsening symptoms to your doctor, such as: mood or behavior changes, depression, anxiety, or if you feel agitated, hostile, irritable, hyperactive (mentally or physically), or have thoughts about suicide or hurting yourself.

• Wear a medical alert tag or carry an ID card stating that you take levetiracetam. Any medical care provider who treats you must know that you take seizure medication.

• This medicine may impair your thinking or reactions. Be careful if you drive or do anything that requires you to be alert.

• Speak your doctor if you are pregnant or plan to become pregnant while using this medicine. Do not start or stop taking levetiracetam during pregnancy without your doctor's advice. Having a seizure during pregnancy could harm both the mother and the child. Seizure control is very significant during pregnancy and the benefits of preventing seizures may outweigh any risks posed by using levetiracetam.

What is levetiracetam?

• Levetiracetam is an anti-epileptic drug, also called an anticonvulsant.

• Levetiracetam is used to treat partial onset seizures in adults and children who are at least 1 month old.

• Levetiracetam is also used to treat tonic-clonic seizures in adults and children who are at least 6 years old, and myoclonic seizures in adults and children who are at least 12 years old.

• Levetiracetam may also be used for purposes not listed in this medicine guide.

What must I discuss with my healthcare provider till taking levetiracetam?

• You must not use this medicine if you are allergic to levetiracetam.

• To create certain you can safely take levetiracetam, speak your doctor if you have kidney malady or tall blood pressure.

• You may have thoughts about suicide while taking this medication. Speak your doctor if you have symptoms of depression or suicidal thoughts during the first different weeks of treatment, or whenever your doze is changed.

• Your family or another caregivers must also be alert to changes in your mood or symptoms. Your doctor will need to check you at regular visits.

• FDA pregnancy category C. It is not known whether levetiracetam will harm an unborn child, but having a seizure during pregnancy could harm both the mother and the baby. Speak your doctor if you are pregnant or plan to become pregnant while using this medication.

• Do not start or stop taking levetiracetam during pregnancy without your doctor's advice.

• Seizure control is very significant during pregnancy. The benefit of preventing seizures may outweigh any risks posed by taking levetiracetam. Follow your doctor's instructions about taking levetiracetam while you are pregnant.

• Levetiracetam can pass into breast milk and may harm a nursing child. You must not breast-feed while you are using levetiracetam.

• Do not give this medicine to a baby without the advice of a doctor. Your child's doze needs are based on age and weight. The baby must stay under the care of a doctor while using levetiracetam.

How must I take levetiracetam?

• Take exactly as predesigned by your doctor. Do not take in larger or less amounts or for longer than recommended. Follow the directions on your prescription label.

• Your doctor may occasionally change your doze to create certain you get the excellent results.

• Levetiracetam is generally taken twice for day. Take the medication at the same time every day. You may take levetiracetam with or without food.

• Measure liquid medication with a particular dose-measuring spoon or medication cup, not with a regular table spoon. If you do not have a dose-measuring device, ask your pharmacist for one.

• Do not crush, chew, or interrupt a controlled release, delayed-release, or extended-release tablet. Swallow it intact. Breaking the pill may reason too many of the drug to be released at one time.

• Use levetiracetam regularly to get the most benefit. Get your prescription refilled till you run out of medication completely.

• Seizures are often treated with a combination of various drugs. Use all medications as directed by your doctor. Read the medicine manual or patient instructions provided with every medicine. Do not change your doses or medicine schedule without your doctor's advice. .

• Wear a medical alert tag or carry an ID card stating that you take levetiracetam. Any medical care provider who treats you must know that you take seizure medication.

• To be certain this medicine is not causing deleterious effects, your kidney function may need to be tested. Visit your doctor regularly.

• Store levetiracetam at room temperature away from moisture, heat, and light.

What happens if I miss a dose?

• Take the missed doze as soon as you remember. Skip the missed doze if it is nearly time for your following scheduled doze. Do not take extra medication to create up the missed dose.

What happens if I overdose?

• Search abnormal medical attention or call the Poison Help line at 1-800-222-1222.

• Overdose symptoms may include extreme drowsiness, agitation, aggression, shallow breathing, weakness, or fainting.

What must I avoid while taking levetiracetam?

• Avoid drinking alcohol. It can magnify some of the side effects of levetiracetam and may also magnify the risk of seizures.

• This medicine may impair your thinking or reactions. Be careful if you drive or do anything that requires you to be alert.

What are the possible side effects of levetiracetam?

• Get abnormal medical help if you have any of these signs of an allergic reaction: hives; difficult breathing; swelling of your person, lips, tongue, or throat.

• Call your doctor at once if you have a serious side effect such as:

· hallucinations, unusual thoughts or behavior;

· bruising, severe tingling, numbness, pain, muscle weakness;

· feeling very weak or tired;

· fever, chills, body aches, flu symptoms, sores in your mouth and throat;

· problems with walking or movement;

· the first sign of any skin rash, no matter how mild; or

· severe skin reaction -- fever, sore throat, swelling in your person or tongue, burning in your eyes, skin pain, followed by a red or purple skin rash that spreads (especially in the person or upper body) and causes blistering and peeling.

• Smaller serious side effects may include:

· mild dizziness or drowsiness;

· mild weary feeling;

· loss of appetite; or

· stuffy nose.

• This is not a complete list of side effects and others may occur. Speak your doctor about any unusual or bothersome side effect. You may message side effects to FDA at 1-800-FDA-1088.

What another drugs will affect levetiracetam?

• There may be another drugs that can interact with levetiracetam. Speak your doctor about all medications you use. This includes prescription, over-the-counter, vitamin, and herbal commodity. Do not start a new medicine without telling your doctor.

Where can I get more information?

• Your pharmacist can provide more information about levetiracetam.

Remember, hold this and all another medicines out of the reach of children, never share your medicines with others, and use this medicine only for the indication prescribed.

Disclaim: Each effort has been made to ensure that the information provided by Cerner Multum, Inc. ('Multum') is accurate, up-to-date, and complete, but no guarantee is made to that effect. Drug information contained herein may be time sensitive. Multum information has been compiled for use by healthcare practitioners and consumers in the United States and therefore Multum does not warrant that uses external of the United States are appropriate, unless specifically indicated otherwise. Multum's drug information does not endorse drugs, diagnose patients or recommend therapy. Multum's drug information is an informational resource designed to assist licensed healthcare practitioners in caring for their patients and/or to serve consumers viewing this service as a supplement to, and not a substitute for, the expertise, skill, knowledge and judgment of healthcare practitioners. The absence of a warning for a given drug or drug combination in no way must be construed to indicate that the drug or drug combination is safety, effective or appropriate for any given patient. Multum does not assume any responsibility for any aspect of healthcare administered with the help of information Multum provides. The information contained herein is not intended to cover all possible uses, directions, precautions, warnings, drug interactions, allergic reactions, or adverse effects. If you have questions about the drugs you are taking, check with your doctor, nurse or pharmacist.

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