Levetiracetam
Levetiracetam is used alone and along with other medications to control partial-onset seizures (seizures that involve only one part of the brain) in adults, children, and infants 1 month of age or older. Levetiracetam is also used in combination with other medications to treat seizure in adults and children 12 years of age or older with juvenile myoclonic epilepsy. Levetiracetam is also used in combination with other medications to treat primary generalized tonic-clonic seizures (formerly known as a grand mal seizure; seizure that involves the entire body) in adults and children 6 years of age or older with epilepsy. Levetiracetam is in a class of medications called anticonvulsants. It works by decreasing abnormal excitement in the brain.
🔔 How should this medicine be used?
Levetiracetam comes as a solution (liquid), an immediate-release tablet, an extended-release (long-acting) tablet, and as a tablet for suspension (a tablet to take with liquid) to take by mouth. The solution, immediate-release tablet, and tablet for suspension are usually taken twice a day, once in the morning and once at night, with or without food. The extended-release tablets are usually taken once daily with or without food. Try to take levetiracetam at around the same time(s) every day. Follow the directions on your prescription label carefully, and ask your doctor or pharmacist to explain any part you do not understand. Take levetiracetam exactly as directed. Do not take more or less of it or take it more often than prescribed by your doctor.
Swallow the levetiracetam immediate-release and extended-release tablets whole; do not split, chew, or crush them. Take the whole levetiracetam tablets for suspension according to directions; do not split, chew, or crush them.
To take levetiracetam tablet(s) for suspension, use dry hands to peel the foil from the blister packaging; do not try to push the tablets through the foil. Immediately take out the number of tablet(s) that your doctor has told you to take and place the tablet(s) on your tongue with a sip of liquid. Once the tablet completely dissolves on your tongue, swallow the mixture. The tablet(s) may take about 10 seconds to dissolve.
You can also take levetiracetam tablets for suspension by dissolving them in a liquid. Place the number of tablet(s) your doctor has told you to take into a cup and add a small amount of liquid (about 1 tablespoon [15 mL] or enough to cover the medication in a cup). Swirl the cup gently. After the tablet(s) for suspension dissolve, drink the mixture right away. If there is any medication left in the cup, add some more liquid and swirl the cup gently. Drink the mixture water right away to be sure that you swallow all of the medication.
If you are taking the levetiracetam oral solution, do not use a household spoon to measure your dose. You might not get the right amount of medication. Ask your doctor or pharmacist to recommend a medicine dropper, spoon, cup, or syringe and to show you how to use it to measure your medication.
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Your doctor may start you on a low dose of levetiracetam and gradually increase your dose, not more often than once every 2 weeks.
Levetiracetam controls epilepsy but does not cure it. Continue to take levetiracetam even if you feel well. Do not stop taking levetiracetam without talking to your doctor, even if you experience side effects such as unusual changes in behavior or mood. If you suddenly stop taking levetiracetam, your seizures may become worse. Your doctor will probably decrease your dose gradually.
