Levetiracetam Side Effects and Warnings

What are the precautions when taking this medicine?

• Wear disease medical alert identification.

• Follow laws about driving with a seizure condition.

• If you have been taking this medicine for several weeks, talk with healthcare provider before stopping. You may want to gradually withdraw this medicine.

• If you have kidney disease, talk with healthcare provider.

• If you have mental illness or thoughts of suicide, talk with healthcare provider.

• Check medicines with healthcare provider. This medicine may not mix well with other medicines.

• You may not be alert. Avoid driving, doing other tasks or activities until you see how this medicine affects you.

• Avoid alcohol (includes wine, beer, and liquor) or other medicines and natural products that slow your actions and reactions.

• Tell healthcare provider if you are pregnant or plan on getting pregnant.

What are some possible side effects of this medicine?

• Feeling lightheaded, sleepy, having blurred vision, or a change in thinking clearly. Avoid driving, doing other tasks or activities that require you to be alert or have clear vision until you see how this medicine affects you, usually improves after 1 month.

• Headache.

• Cough.

• Change in balance.

• Mood changes.

• Runny nose.

• Sore throat.

• Feeling tired or weak.

• Nausea or vomiting. Small frequent meals, frequent mouth care, sucking hard, sugar-free candy, or chewing sugar-free gum may help.

• Emotional ups and downs.

• Risk of infection. Avoid people with infections, colds, or flu.

Reasons to call healthcare provider immediately

• If you suspect an overdose, call your local poison control center or emergency department immediately.

• Signs of a life-threatening reaction. These include wheezing; chest tightness; fever; itching; bad cough; blue skin color; fits; or swelling of face, lips, tongue, or throat.

• Signs or symptoms of infection. These include a fever of 100.5 degrees or higher, chills, severe sore throat, ear or sinus pain, cough, increased sputum or change in color, painful urination, mouth sores, wound that will not heal, or anal itching or pain.

• Signs or symptoms of depression, suicidal thoughts, nervousness, emotional ups and downs, abnormal thinking, anxiety, or lack of interest in life.

• Severe nausea or vomiting.

• Feeling extremely tired or weak.

• If seizures are worse or different after starting medicine.

• Unusual bruising or bleeding.

• Any rash.

• No improvement in condition or feeling worse.