Levipil 500 Tablet
Product Info
| Prescription required | Yes |
| Marketer | Sun Pharmaceutical Industries Ltd |
| Active Ingredient | Levetiracetam (500mg) |
| Storage | Store below 30°C |
| Chemical Class | Pyrrolidinone & Acetamide Derivative |
| Habit Forming | No |
| Therapeutic Class | NEURO CNS |
| Action Class | Synaptic vescicle 2 A protein ligand (AED) |
| User Rating | 5.0 |
| User Reviews | 410 |
FAQ
Will the use of Levipil 500 affect my fertility?
Levipil 500 is not known to affect fertility in males or females. However, talk to your doctor if you are facing fertility issues during the treatment with this medicine.
How long does Levipil 500 take to show its effect?
Levipil 500 may take a few weeks to start working properly since the dose is increased slowly. Your seizures may continue until Levipil 500 starts working completely.
How do I come off Levipil 500?
The dose of Levipil 500 should be slowly reduced. You may have to take this medicine for a few months before you can stop it completely. Do not reduce the dose without asking your doctor. Inform your doctor if you get a serious side effect, such as a severe skin reaction. Your doctor may tell you to stop taking Levipil 500 straight away, even if you have epilepsy.
Can the use of Levipil 500 cause sleepiness?
Yes, Levipil 500 can make you feel sleepy. Therefore, during the initial phase of treatment, avoid driving, operating machinery, working at heights, or participating in potentially dangerous activities until you know how this medicine affects you.
What symptoms can occur if someone takes an excess of Levipil 500?
Taking an excess of Levipil 500 may cause sleepiness, agitation, aggression, a decrease of alertness, inhibition of breathing, and even a state of coma. In case of an overdose, immediate medical care should be provided to the patient in a nearby hospital.
For how long do I need to take Levipil 500?
You should continue to take Levipil 500 for as long as your doctor advises you to. Do not stop taking it suddenly because this may increase the frequency of seizures which may be difficult to control.
Will I get addicted to Levipil 500 if I use it for a long time?
No, Levipil 500 is not habit-forming. No physical or psychological dependence has been reported with Levipil 500. Consult your doctor if you experience any side effects.
I have gained weight since I started taking Levipil 500. Is it because of Levipil 500? What should I do?
Weight gain is an uncommon side effect of Levipil 500. However, the response may vary from person to person. To prevent weight gain you should take a healthy balanced diet, avoid snacking, cut down on high-calorie food items, include more vegetables and fruits in your diet, and exercise regularly. If you still have issues with your weight, consult your doctor.
What if you forget to take Levipil Tablet?
If you miss a dose of Levipil 500, take it as soon as possible. However, if it is almost time for your next dose, skip the missed dose and go back to your regular schedule. Do not double the dose.
Levipil 500 Tablet Reviews
Levipil 500 is an anti-epileptic medicine used to treat seizures (fits) in epilepsy. It can be used alone or along with other medicines. It helps to prevent seizures for as long as you continue to take it.
Levipil 500 suppresses the abnormal electrical activity in the brain. You can take it with or without food but try to take it at the same time each day to get the most benefit. The dose will depend on your condition and how you respond to the medicine. Your doctor will advise the right dose for you. It is generally advised as a long-term treatment. You should continue taking it for as long as your doctor has told you to, even if you feel well. If you stop or miss doses your seizures could get worse.
Some common side effects of this medicine include headache, irritation, sleepiness, behavior changes, aggressive behavior, and decreased appetite. Side effects are more common during the first few weeks and usually lessen as your body gets used to the medicine. Most of these side effects do not need medical attention, but some of them can be serious. A small number of people being treated with this medicine have had thoughts of harming or killing themselves. Contact your doctor if your mood changes for the worse.
Before taking it, you should tell your doctor if you have kidney problems, depression, or suicidal thoughts and if you are pregnant, planning to become pregnant, or breastfeeding. Your doctor may suggest regular blood tests to monitor your kidney function while taking this medicine.
Levipil 500 suppresses the abnormal electrical activity in the brain. You can take it with or without food but try to take it at the same time each day to get the most benefit. The dose will depend on your condition and how you respond to the medicine. Your doctor will advise the right dose for you. It is generally advised as a long-term treatment. You should continue taking it for as long as your doctor has told you to, even if you feel well. If you stop or miss doses your seizures could get worse.
Some common side effects of this medicine include headache, irritation, sleepiness, behavior changes, aggressive behavior, and decreased appetite. Side effects are more common during the first few weeks and usually lessen as your body gets used to the medicine. Most of these side effects do not need medical attention, but some of them can be serious. A small number of people being treated with this medicine have had thoughts of harming or killing themselves. Contact your doctor if your mood changes for the worse.
Before taking it, you should tell your doctor if you have kidney problems, depression, or suicidal thoughts and if you are pregnant, planning to become pregnant, or breastfeeding. Your doctor may suggest regular blood tests to monitor your kidney function while taking this medicine.
How Levipil 500 Tablet Works
Levipil 500 is an antiepileptic medication. It works by attaching to specific sites (SV2A) on the surfaces of nerve cells. This suppresses the abnormal activity of the nerve cells in the brain and prevents the spread of electrical signals that cause seizures.
How to Use Levipil 500 Tablet
Take this medicine in the dose and duration as advised by your doctor. Swallow it as a whole. Do not chew, crush or break it. Levipil 500 may be taken with or without food, but it is better to take it at a fixed time.
Benefits of Levipil 500 Tablet
- In Treatment of Epilepsy/Seizures: Levipil 500 belongs to a group of medicines called anticonvulsants (or anti-epileptics). It works by slowing down electrical signals in the brain which cause seizures (fits). This medicine can be used to control various types of seizures—myoclonic, partial-onset, and primary generalized tonic-clonic (or grand mal). It can also help reduce symptoms such as confusion, uncontrollable jerking movements, loss of awareness, and fear or anxiety. The medicine can allow you to do some activities that you would otherwise be forbidden or scared to do (such as swimming and driving). It can take a few weeks for this medicine to work (because the dose has to be increased slowly) and during this time you may still have seizures. You should continue taking it even if you feel well and are not having any seizures. Missing doses may trigger a seizure. Do not stop using this medicine until your doctor advises you.
Uses of Levipil 500 Tablet
- Treatment of Epilepsy/Seizures
Levipil 500 Tablet Side Effects
Safety Tips
Kidney
CAUTION
Levipil 500 should be used with caution in patients with kidney disease. Dose adjustment of Levipil 500 may be needed. Please consult your doctor.
Breast feeding
SAFE IF PRESCRIBED
Levipil 500 is probably safe to use during breastfeeding. Limited human data suggests that the drug does not represent any significant risk to the baby.Monitor the baby for sleepiness and adequate weight gain.
Alcohol
UNSAFE
It is unsafe to consume alcohol with Levipil 500.
Pregnancy
SAFE IF PRESCRIBED
Levipil 500 is safe to use during pregnancy. Most studies have shown low or no risk to the developing baby.
Driving
UNSAFE
Levipil 500 may decrease alertness, affect your vision or make you feel sleepy and dizzy. Do not drive if these symptoms occur.
Liver
SAFE IF PRESCRIBED
Levipil 500 is probably safe to use in patients with liver disease. Limited data available suggests that dose adjustment of Levipil 500 may not be needed in these patients. Please consult your doctor.However, a lower dose may be advised in patients with severe liver disease.
Quick Tips
- Levipil 500 should be taken regularly as directed by your doctor as missing doses can trigger seizures.
- Some healthy tips to prevent seizures:Take a healthy diet along with regular exercise.Practice yoga every day.Get enough sleep at nighttime.Limit the use of screen time such as mobile/ laptop.Take your medication on time.
- Make sure that you have sufficient amount of medicine present with you.
- Take a healthy diet along with regular exercise.
- Get enough sleep at nighttime.
- Take your medication on time.
- Do not stop using Levipil 500 without talking to your doctor, even if you feel better.
- Limit the use of screen time such as mobile/ laptop.
- It may cause sleepiness or drowsiness. If this happens to you, do not drive or use machinery.
- Practice yoga every day.
References
- Drugs and Lactation Database (LactMed®) [Internet]. Bethesda (MD): National Institute of Child Health and Human Development; 2006. Levetiracetam. [Updated 2022 Nov 30].
- Levetiracetam [FDA Label]. Smyrna, Georgia: UCB, Inc.; 1999 [revised Apr. 2017].
- Stahl SM, editor. Levetiracetam. In: Stahl's Essential Pschopharmacology: Prescriber's Guide. 5th ed. New York, New York: Cambridge University Press; 2014. pp. 333-36.
- Briggs GG, Freeman RK, editors. A Reference Guide to Fetal and Neonatal Risk: Drugs in Pregnancy and Lactation. 10th ed. Philadelphia, PA: Wolters Kluwer Health; 2015. p. 789.
- Levetiracetam [Package Insert]. Ahmedabad, Gujarat: Torrent Pharmaceuticals Ltd.; 2021.
- Central Drugs Standard Control Organisation (CDSCO).
- Porters RJ, Meldrum BS. Antiseizure Drugs. In: Katzung BG, Masters SB, Trevor AJ, editors. Basic and Clinical Pharmacology. 11th ed. New Delhi, India: Tata McGraw Hill Education Private Limited; 2009. p. 411.
- McNamara JO. Pharmacotherapy of the Epilepsies. In: Brunton LL, Chabner BA, Knollmann BC, editors. Goodman & Gilman’s: The Pharmacological Basis of Therapeutics. 12th ed. New York, New York: McGraw-Hill Medical; 2011. p. 600.