# Keppra findings - Has cured HPPD and DP



## 106473

Maybe this has been mentioned many times, I can't find a good thread on it. In this thread I am gonna spell out what I have found in quick headings. More information available on request, although this + Keppra (Levetiracetam) study should be all you really need.

*Why did I research this?*

Keppra is not something I have YET tired just to make that clear. Also like any meds this is just another angle, we all know there is no one size fits all and I am not arguing this, just another med that shows promise.

When I was having signs of HPPD (which has faded) 3 months ago (ps *NEVER* take too much Night Nurse or Nytol/DXM for the love of God) I started researching this subject extensively, even more than I had DP in two years as HPPD is intense let me tell you.

I ended up writing 4 pages + 50 or something credentials to show to my doctor, not set out to prove anything but the existence of HPPD and possible ways to treat it. Doctors do not know/believe in HPPD.

I used HPPDonline as my starting point and my research grew.

*What is Keppra?*

Keppra (Levetriacteam) is also a anticonvulsants, like Lamotrigine (Lamictal) which is used a lot on this forum also known to help DR / HPPD but Keppra (Levetiracetam) seems gold standard in HPPD. it's an Anticonvulsant, i could go into details but you can look this up yourself.

*If someone could outline the differences between Keppra and Lamotrigine in the comments this would be great. *

*So what's HPPD got to do with DP?*

From my research, people on the HPPD website seem to have DP as well although they tend to be more focused on the HPPD side of things than the DP itself.

*EEG*

Many of the HPPD patients on the forum have had EEG's and they seem to show the same abnormalities. This backs up the Keppra report on HPPD. (available on request).

"EEG assessments demonstrated temporal slow patterns in all patients" it goes on to say after 90 days into treatment, EEG normalized in "23/27 patients" with Keppra".

*Okay so all this is great but where is the results relating to DP?*

I'll put variety of stories in here to give you a range (so it isn't all fairy tails) these are all taken from HPPDonline:

Bare in mind all stories have extreme visuals changes including such things are morphing walls, visual snow and other changes causing anxiety all day as well as DP, DR. I have typed these stories out from screen shots and quoted the important bits to not make this thread huge.

Story 1: "....If you're feeling up to it take 1000mg in the am and 500mg in the PM the following week. That's the dosage the study suggested and that's exactly what I did. I would have to say it took about 3 and a half months for all my symptoms to subside"

Story 2: "I've been on Keppra since November. Afterimages, trails, dp/dr, social anxiety all greatly decreased. The first month on it i was horribly enraged and depressed but i soldiered on and now i feel great. I have been feeling the closest to normal i have in a long time...id say it took about 2 and a half months on Keppra to notice a difference...dont be impatient guys, definitely worth a try."

Story 3: "And YEAH, it improved my symptoms so much! My DP was lessen by maybe 80-90% and my visuals about 70% and this was only on 250mg 2x a day for 3-4 days! When the side effects were not prominent (that would be between the doses) i more or less forgot what HPPD felt like. So this morning i stopped taking it and i felt ok until tonight when HPPD went full blown and that was when i knew how much it helped me."

Story 4: "Well, i guess this is the "problem child" of mine. I had some occasional great effects with this meds. I have been completely DP free on it and great relief on some aspects of the visual. But i also had some problems with what i have identified as some kinda CNS arousal due to the med. Recently i had a couple of great days when i tried keppra together with clonazepam, it seems to suppress this arousal and the combo makes me feel almost completely normal. Strange feeling to all of a sudden feel your mind intact right behind your eyes instead of being completely scattered."

Story 5: "I will now stay on this daily dose of 1000mg for two weeks since it get rid of all my VS, swirling, DP/DR for now".

Story 6: "I posted a little on here a few months back. Some of you may remember me. Anyhow, I'm more or less all better. I don't take zoloft or klonopin any longer, just 1500 mg Keppra daily which is wonderful. Psychologically, I'm virtually perfect, with only little bits of lingering anxiety here and there but this is more than likely due to the fact that is just finished coming off of zoloft. No more dp/dr at all.

My visuals are very minimal at this point. I still get mild floaters, some light sensitivity and super mild visual snow none of which are immediately noticeable most of the time. I'm only 7 months in and I don't even feel like I have a disorder anymore. As if it hasn't been said enough, every single person with HPPD should try Keppra. It felt weird for the first couple of months, but it did wonders for me as it has for many on this site."

*Conclusion *

My findings show that people with HPPD who respond with Keppra tend to cure or significantly impact DP in a short amount of time using Keppra.

I would like this to be a place for anyone who is trying or have tried Keppra, however I do not want reports under 3 months as I found on HPPD forum stories and as proven in the Keppra report that EEG's take this long to normalise, therefore this amount of time before patients can start to get results. Therefore I don't credit any stories under this as valuable, sorry.

EDITED based on TDX comment.

Keppra = Levetiracetam

Lamotrigine = Lamictal


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## TDX

> My findings show that people with HPPD who respond with Keppra tend to cure or significantly impact DP in a short amount of time as a side product all using Keppra.


I already knew this. It would be interesting to know if Levetiracetam also works for LSD-induced DPD without HPPD or non-drug-induced DPD. Unfortunately not many people on this board seem to have tried Levetiracetam. But for HPPD it seems to be the first-line treatment.

Likewise we also don't know if people respond to Levetiracetam if their HPPD-like-symptoms were not caused by drugs.



> Keppra is very similar to Lamotrigine


They are quite different I think.


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## 106473

Oh i'd like to know the differences, again everything I said needs a pinch of salt for sure, no expert in the field.

Might do some digging to find the differences when I have the energy.

*Maybe someone else can chip in with Keppra (Levetiracetam) vs Lamotrigine (Lamictal) differences?*

Have you tried Levetiracetam (Keppra)?

Ps, gonna edit this now to say they are both anticonvulsants but I don't know the differences, just from what I read they work in a similar way, but maybe different mechanisms, more researched needed here. thanks for pointing that out.

I've also stated the two names for each drug not to confuse.


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## TDX

> Have you tried Levetiracetam (Keppra)?


No.


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## 106473

Its defiantly something I plan to explore after Lamotrigine even if I have source it myself, but hopefully the doctor will be open to it based on the report I have and this (but you know how they are...)

Also hopefully some people on this forum give it a shot


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## mind.divided

interesting


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## luctor et emergo

Tried both in recommended / therapeutic dosages for months, even combined them, they did not alleviate my dr / dp.

At least there were hardly any side - effects. And it was relatively easy to taper them.


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## 106473

Thanks for your input!

Personal question, but what if you don't mind would be your main symptom or two of DP apart from anxiety?

(for me it's emotions and blank mind after that I could bank my winnings)


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## luctor et emergo

Experiencing my reality as I'm acting in a movie.

Knowing my hands / face et cetera are mine but not feeling that they are.

Being inside a bubble, behind an invisible wall.


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## 106473

Thanks Luctor.

I get you. Thanks for the response.

Oh and yeah just realised the bubble thing is actually very high up on my list.


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## Manic D

Just a cursory search on Google finds that Keppra has actually induced depersonalization in some patients who have used it for its intended purpose (epilepsy.) Thoughts on that?


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## 106473

Type in any drug and you will get that though, not saying the chances might be higher for it, but if you have already got it, what can it really do but spike it?

Antibiotics caused DP

Supplement caused DP

Taking a vitamin caused my DP

Going for a jog caused my DP

ADHD medication caused DP

like any time I research anything about DP, some stories that cured people caused it. Like all the examples are normal every day things. I am on antibiotics now with DP and it does not change my DP at all.

Valid point but I mean i'd be surprised if you could think of any medication and googled it and did not find a story.

One last thought I know a guy who was on Keppra for seizures and got dp from a bad trip and the Keppra never gave him DP, he got it years after totally unrelated. SO if he was prone to getting DP, Keppra didn't make it. For me things that could give me DP don't change my DP as I am blank, so personally I doubt I could induce it because it's already there...


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## nickcb96

CK1 said:


> Type in any drug and you will get that though, not saying the chances might be higher for it, but if you have already got it, what can it really do but spike it?
> 
> Antibiotics caused DP
> Supplement caused DP
> Taking a vitamin caused my DP
> Going for a jog caused my DP
> ADHD medication caused DP
> 
> like any time I research anything about DP, some stories that cured people caused it. Like all the examples are normal every day things. I am on antibiotics now with DP and it does not change my DP at all.
> 
> Valid point but I mean i'd be surprised if you could think of any medication and googled it and did not find a story.
> 
> One last thought I know a guy who was on Keppra for seizures and got dp from a bad trip and the Keppra never gave him DP, he got it years after totally unrelated. SO if he was prone to getting DP, Keppra didn't make it. For me things that could give me DP don't change my DP as I am blank, so personally I doubt I could induce it because it's already there...


That's what I find so confusing about this thing virtually anything can cause it but nothing can seem to definitively cure it. Ugh man the brain is tricky lol but I think we all can heal and our brains know how. It's just we are blocking out some vital information.


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## Blackbart1720

CK1 I have a few questions regarding Keppra. Is it something that can permintly cure HPPD or DP/DR over a period of time or does Relief only come when taken? How do I get it? Can a regular doctor prescribe it or do I need a neurologist? What about OTC in Mexico or online pharmacy? I live in the US.


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## 106473

I'm no expert on Keppra, but here goes..

It can do either, but the one woman who shares her story on HPPD online still uses Keppra to my knowledge to keep it away.

Keppra would be a Neurologist department, phycologists in the UK offer Lamotrigine for Mood related (rarely, but they do).

US a neurologist would be who i'd see about Keppra, I have a Keppra study that you could print off, good thing to show any doctor, if you fire me your email in a private message i'll e-mail you it.

I've found that most doctors CAN give you things, they just don't want to put there ass on the line for something that is not there area.

OTC in Mexico from what i've heard you can buy a lot worse UNDER the counter, i've never been but heard a few stories.. seems like sourcing things in Mexico would be very easy. THING IS.. you don't want to just start Keppra Or Lamotrigine without doctors... they are anti convolution medications, need to start on a small amount and be slowly increased and you can't go off them cold turkey. For instance, Lamotrigine gave me the flu thing that other people on this site experienced, it's not as simple as other medications..

So my advice would be to go to a Neurologist really.. If you have HPPD you'll most likely need to print out the DSM (American diagnostic manual) and get this first confirmed by a Neurologist, he may have his own ideas.. (i've the link below that i think covers it, check that). But yeah HPPD will either fade, Clonazepam 6 months at lie 4/5mg daily (by that stage it will be a bitch to come off), Lamotrigine or Keppra is the best options

http://www.bjmp.org/content/25-years-hallucinogen-persisting-perception-disorder-diagnostic-challenge


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## Blackbart1720

Thanks, really appreciate the in depth reply and I’ll PM you my email.


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