Key takeaways

  • Common side effects of Keppra include sleepiness, weakness, and dizziness, which typically occur during the first 4 weeks of treatment and may impair your ability to drive or operate machinery safely.
  • Serious side effects require immediate medical attention and include severe mood or behavior changes, allergic reactions with breathing difficulties, serious skin conditions, and problems with muscle coordination or blood cell counts.
  • Stopping Keppra suddenly can trigger more frequent seizures or cause seizures that will not stop, so you must follow your doctor’s guidance for gradually reducing your dose.

Keppra (levetiracetam) is a brand-name drug that doctors prescribe for certain types of seizures in adults and some children. As with other drugs, Keppra can cause side effects, such as sleepiness and dizziness.

Keppra and Keppra XR are different forms of the same drug. They both contain the same active drug, levetiracetam. Keppra comes as an oral solution, an immediate-release oral tablet, and an intravenous (IV) injection. Keppra XR comes as an extended-release oral tablet. Extended-release tablets release the medication slowly over time.

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Keppra can cause side effects that are usually mild and go away after a few days or weeks. However, if these side effects bother you, do not go away, or get worse, you should talk with your doctor or pharmacist.

The most common side effects depend on the type of Keppra you take and your age:

Adults taking regular Keppra

The most frequently reported side effects are:

Children taking regular Keppra

The most frequently reported side effects are:

  • fatigue
  • aggressive behavior
  • stuffy nose
  • reduced appetite
  • irritability

People taking Keppra XR

The most frequently reported side effects are:

  • sleepiness
  • irratibility
  • flu
  • stuffy nose
  • dizziness
  • nausea

Staying safe

Keppra commonly causes sleepiness, weakness, and dizziness. All these side effects can reduce your ability to drive safely or engage in other dangerous activities, such as operating machinery or riding a bike. Be sure to avoid these activities while taking Keppra.

These side effects are most common during the first 4 weeks of treatment.

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While less common, Keppra and Keppra XR can cause serious and potentially life threatening side effects. If you develop any of these serious side effects, call your doctor right away. If your symptoms feel life threatening, call 911 or go to the nearest emergency room immediately.

Serious side effects and their symptoms include:

Changes in mood, thoughts, or behavior

These changes may include:

  • extreme depression
  • anxiety
  • hallucinations
  • aggressive behavior
  • suicidal thoughts and actions

If you have any unusual changes in your mood, feelings, thoughts, or behavior while taking Keppra, talk with your doctor right away. It’s also helpful to have people close to you watch for any changes.

Severe allergic reactions

Symptoms of a severe allergic reaction (anaphylaxis) include:

  • swelling of the face, lips, tongue, or throat
  • trouble breathing or swallowing

Serious skin reactions

Skin reactions include conditions such as Stevens-Johnson syndrome or drug rash with eosinophilia and systemic symptoms (DRESS syndrome). Symptoms can include:

Problems with muscle coordination and balance

Muscle coordination issues may cause:

  • unsteadiness
  • trouble with walking and moving

Problems with blood cells

Reductions in white and red blood cells can lead to the following symptoms:

Withdrawal seizures

If you stop taking Keppra suddenly, it can cause your seizures to happen more often or cause seizures that will not stop. Follow your doctor’s advice for gradually stopping Keppa.

Experiencing side effects? After the Food and Drug Administration (FDA) approves a drug, it tracks and reviews its side effects. If you develop a side effect while taking this medication and want to report it to the FDA, you can visit MedWatch or call 800-FDA-1088.

The FDA has not approved Keppra for use in dogs. But veterinarians may sometimes prescribe Keppra off-label to treat seizures in dogs. To learn more about Keppra’s use and side effects in dogs, talk with your veterinarian.

Do not give Keppra or any other medications to a pet without talking with your veterinarian.

Keppra isn’t known to cause any long-term side effects. And taking the drug for a long period of time isn’t known to raise your risk of side effects.

If you’re concerned about the risk of long-term side effects with Keppra, talk with your doctor.

Be sure to talk with your doctor about your health history before you take Keppra. This drug may not be the right treatment for you if you have certain medical conditions or other factors that affect your health. These are considered drug-condition or drug-factor interactions. The conditions and factors to consider include:

Mental health conditions

Keppra can cause changes in your mood, thoughts, and behavior. It can also raise your risk of suicidal thoughts and actions. If you have a mental health condition, such as depression, anxiety, or schizophrenia, talk with your doctor about whether Keppra is safe for you.

Allergic reaction

If you’ve had an allergic reaction to Keppra or any of its ingredients, your doctor will likely not prescribe Keppra. Ask your doctor what other medications may be better options for you.

Pregnancy or breastfeeding

If you’re pregnant or breastfeeding, Keppra may not be safe for you. Tell your doctor if you become pregnant while taking Keppra. If you do take Keppra while pregnant, you’re encouraged to sign up for the North American Antiepileptic Drug Pregnancy Registry. To learn more, visit the registry website or call 888-233-2334.

Alcohol consumption

Drinking alcohol while taking Keppra may increase side effects such as sleepiness, dizziness, and problems with balance or coordination. Talk with your doctor about whether it’s safe for you to drink alcohol while taking Keppra.

If side effects from Keppra bother you, get worse, or don’t go away after a few days to weeks, let your doctor know. You should call your doctor right away if you notice a new skin rash or any changes in your mood and behavior, including thoughts of suicide.

If you experience symptoms that feel life threatening, such as trouble breathing, swelling of the face or throat, or a severe allergic reaction, call 911 or go to the nearest emergency room immediately.

Keppra and Keppra XR are prescription medications used to treat certain types of seizures in adults and some children.

Common side effects include sleepiness, dizziness, and fatigue, which are most common in the first 4 weeks of treatment. Serious side effects include serious skin reactions, extreme mood and behavior changes, and coordination issues.

Talk with your doctor if you experience side effects that bother you or that don’t go away.

Disclaimer: While Medical News Today strives for factual, comprehensive, and current drug information, this article is not a substitute for a licensed healthcare professional’s expertise. Always consult a doctor before taking or discontinuing any medication. Drug information is subject to change and may not cover all uses, directions, precautions, warnings, interactions, reactions, or adverse effects. The lack of a warning does not guarantee a drug’s safety, effectiveness, or appropriateness for all patients or specific uses. Learn more about our approach to content integrity.