Precautions
Drug information provided by: Merative, Micromedex®
It is very important that your doctor check your or your child's progress at regular visits, especially for the first few months of using this medicine. This is to see if the medicine is working properly and to allow for a change in the dose. Blood tests may be needed to check for any unwanted effects.
It is important to tell your doctor if you become pregnant while using this medicine. Your doctor may want you to join a pregnancy registry for patients taking a seizure medicine.
Levetiracetam may cause changes in mood or behavior, problems with coordination, or unusual tiredness or weakness. Tell your doctor right away if you or your child start to feel depressed, anxious, angry, getting upset easily, restless, or have thoughts about hurting yourself. Report any unusual thoughts or behavior that trouble you, especially if they are new or getting worse quickly.
This medicine may cause some people to become dizzy, drowsy, tired, or less alert than they are normally. Do not drive or do anything else that could be dangerous until you know how this medicine affects you.
This medicine may cause serious allergic reactions, including anaphylaxis or angioedema, which can be life-threatening and require immediate medical attention. Call your doctor right away if you have a rash, itching, large, hive-like swelling on the face, eyelids, lips, tongue, throat, hands, legs, feet, or sex organs, trouble breathing or swallowing, or any swelling of your hands, face, or mouth while you are using this medicine.
Serious skin reactions (eg, Stevens-Johnson syndrome, toxic epidermal necrolysis) can occur with this medicine. Check with your doctor right away if you or your child have blistering, peeling, or loosening of the skin, chills, cough, diarrhea, itching, joint or muscle pain, red irritated eyes, red skin lesions, sore throat, sores, ulcers, or white spots in the mouth or on the lips, or unusual tiredness or weakness while you are using this medicine.
Check with your doctor right away if you have black, tarry stools, chest pain, chills, cough, fever, painful or difficult urination, sore throat, sores, ulcers, or white spots in the mouth or on the lips, swollen glands, unusual bleeding or bruising, or unusual tiredness or weakness. These may be symptoms of a serious skin reaction called drug reaction with eosinophilia and systemic symptoms (DRESS).
Do not stop using levetiracetam without first checking with your doctor. Stopping the medicine suddenly may cause your seizures to return or to occur more often. Your doctor may want you to gradually reduce the amount you are taking before stopping it completely.
This medicine lowers the number of some types of blood cells in your body. Because of this, you may bleed or get infections more easily. To help with these problems, avoid being near people who are sick or have infections. Wash your hands often. Stay away from rough sports or other situations where you could be bruised, cut, or injured. Brush and floss your teeth gently. Be careful when using sharp objects, including razors and fingernail clippers.
Portions of this document last updated: April 01, 2024
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