I ended up in the ER, because I suffered a bad reaction to an anti-seizure medication that I was prescribed. It gave me weird symptoms, that made me feel like I going bat-shit crazy!!!!! So, I got my Uncle to take me to the Psych ER. Once the did a detailed evaluation of me, reviewed the medications I was taking, I was transferred from the Psych ER to the regular ER where they had the Doctor who does the POison Control treat me. Then, I was admitted to the hospital, and after a few days in, after they were sure that the medications were completely flushed out of my system, I was allowed to come home.
What I learnt is this- that a small number of patients on anti-seizure medications have symptoms like intense disorientation, a feeling like they are going completely mad, a feeling that they are losing control. In extreme cases, people have either been successful in commiting suicide, or have attempted suicide.
Therefore, if anyone is taking anti-seizure medications, or a loved one is taking them, please be alert to changes in your or the other person's behavior, and speech. If you think you are having symptoms, please arrange to get yourself, or the loved one to your nearest ER. You will be glad you did, because it might prevent a lot of heartache.
Thank you for reading this. Good health to you all.
-Sid

Very glad that you’re back home! There’s NO place like home.

Scary. Glad you are ok. Your Doc did not tell you of these side effects?

Glad the outcome was good. Wish you a very good new year Sid

May I ask what that medication was that gave you these symptoms? Thanks.

Glad you're OK, and thanks for the PSA.

I'll add my own PSA on medications. If a doctor prescribes a medication and you start to feel like you were run over by a Mac truck then get yourself to the ER. Last summer, my migraine specialist prescribed a new preventative medication that I took 3x per day. 3.5 weeks later, I had blood tests and everything was normal. Soon after the blood test I started to feel more and more run down, started getting secondary infections (e.g. ear infection), and some weird symptoms that are TMI. 4.5 weeks after the blood test, I thought I had food poisoning, but I headed to the ER when it didn't get better and I started puking bile. Turns out the new medication was starting to shutdown my liver. I was admitted to the hospital for 3 days and they hooked me up to IVs to flush my liver. Between getting in there soon enough and a successful flush it was just a tramatic liver injury with no permanent effects. The gastroenterologist put me on a "less is more" liver protection protocol (no alcohol, no prescriptions, no OTCs, no supplements) and liver function tests were normal within a month and were still normal at last week's follow-up. The bonus with the "less is more" liver protection protocol is that I haven't had a migraine since then so it was one of my prescriptions, supplements, or combination that was causing a migraine every 2 to 3 days.

Glad you came out OK! Scary side effect, thanks for advising us!
Care to give the medication name? Gives me another reference on a EMS call. We ask about medications especially new ones, but many times neither the patient or others around are helpful. One time the elderly patient gave me a bowl with all of her medications dumped into the bowl, we did find the empty pill bottles on her TV tray in the corner. Lots of issues on this call!
Regarding the question about the Doc telling you about side effects, when I pick up medications the pharmacy gives out a medication summary for each medication including side effects. I also am given the opportunity to get counseling by a pharmacist, and I have to sign if declining the counseling.

Wow, happy you’re okay and headed it off at the pass.

Tatortodd, what a crap situation. I guess the good outcome was finding out that one of the other things you were taking was leading to the migraines.

I wish you all the best of health in 2020 and beyond.

[quote]Turns out the new medication was starting to shutdown my liver. (Tatortodd}
^^^
Was it a triptan, such as Zomig? Be sure that gets reported as an adverse side effect to the FDA. Also, make certain that that is HIGHLIGHTED in all your medical records.

This message has been edited. Last edited by: ZSMICHAEL,

Glad you are doing better and figured out the issue fairly quickly.

Got dispatched to a disorder a few months back where the subject was completely disoriented and out of their head destroying the house. Chased his mother and brother out of the house and locked them out.
Once we made entry he had completely destroyed the living room and a bedroom and had spray painted the hallway and living room walls.

He claimed that the only thing he had taken was his new anti seizure medication.
At the time I did not believe him but maybe there was some merit to it after all.

Psychotic reactions to medications happen more often than you would think. Steroids are one good example. Of course, meth can easily produce a psychotic reaction.

Wow, Sid! That's awful! Hope you're feeling better soon!

Sid and Tator, could you tell us what the specific meds are?
Please email if you don't want to post publicly.

So glad you’re ok. Food for thought for us all.

Thank God you are ok and had the foresight to seek help!

Well, folks, the anti-seizure medication I was on is called "Keppra". That is the common name of the medication, the real name is "Levetiracetam tablets USP". I am told, that a small number of patients have reported symptoms of unexplained intense depression, and irrational thoughts and behavior, and a small number of patients actually have committed suicide successfully, or have survived suicide attempts. Also, I was told by the doctors to ask questions if I were to ever be prescribed a drug named Gabepentine (sp?) and a drug named Modaphinil.
Also, I have taken notes of the advice the folks in the EMS and LEO fields have said , I have made sure that the Doctor who is a Toxicologist made sure to let the FDA gets the report of my case.

And YooperSig, my Neurologist had told me that some people have adverse reactions to Keppra, but that was it. I had started taking Keppra about 3.5 months back, and initially, everything seemed OK. About a month back, I first noticed that I was really cold in the home, even though the home is kept at an even 72 degrees F. Then, I started having intense bouts of insomnia, despite there being no changes to the meds I take, or in behavior nor did I change my diet, and I being a Mormon dont drink any alcohol or smoke. Then around about the 21st of December, my Uncle and Aunt noticed that I was talking crazy and seemed to not make any sense. So on the 24th, they took me to the ER.

Glad doctors were able to nail down the culprit . I hope you are doing better and getting around good. Pickle Rick .

quote:

Originally posted by ZSMICHAEL:
[quote]Turns out the new medication was starting to shutdown my liver. (Tatortodd}
^^^
Was it a triptan, such as Zomig? Be sure that gets reported as an adverse side effect to the FDA. Also, make certain that that is HIGHLIGHTED in all your medical records.

quote:

Originally posted by BlackTalonJHP:
Sid and Tator, could you tell us what the specific meds are?

It was Lorzone 750 which is a pretty specialized muscle relaxant meant to be long-term and because it’s non-sedating people in oil & gas can take it during work hours (extensive list on what we cannot take within 8 hours of working).

I’m not saying Lorzone is a bad prescription drug, but it’s bad for me and the other meds (cholesterol, bp, and allergy) and supplements my liver was processing. I’ll never be able to take it again, and it's now listed as an allergy in medical records.

quote:

Well, folks, the anti-seizure medication I was on is called "Keppra". That is the common name of the medication, the real name is "Levetiracetam tablets USP". I am told, that a small number of patients have reported symptoms of unexplained intense depression, and irrational thoughts and behavior, and a small number of patients actually have committed suicide successfully, or have survived suicide attempts. Also, I was told by the doctors to ask questions if I were to ever be prescribed a drug named Gabepentine (sp?) and a drug named Modaphinil.

^^^^
Gabapentin or Neurontin is the first drug, the second appears to be Provigil. The most common reasons for Gabapentin is neuropathy, the second drug is prescribed for narcolepsy or to increase alertness. If you live long enough you will encounter some drugs that cause pretty debilitating side effects. If enough people get them, the drug gets a Black Label warning or gets pulled off the market.

It's been 15 years ago, but I have taken Keppra for seizures. I noticed some changes in personality and behavior, nothing too extreme luckily.
Thankfully surgery eliminated my need to be on the medication.