When your doctor prescribes Keppra XR, the medication from UCB Pharmaceuticals to control seizures caused by epilepsy, you can save on the cost of your prescription by using a free coupon that you can print from your computer with the help of the website MyRxCoupons.com
To take advantage of this special offer, click here: Keppra XR coupon.
About Keppra XR and epilepsy
(from the official Keppra XR website)
During a seizure, electrical signals in the brain cause the release of chemicals called neurotransmitters. These neurotransmitters help send messages between nerve cells (known as neurons). If the release of neurotransmitters happens too often or goes on for too long, there may be an overload in these electrical signals. This overload can result in a seizure.
Within the neurons, Keppra XR® attaches to specific molecules (called SV2A). These molecules are found on the surfaces of tiny structures in the neurons called vesicles. The attachment of Keppra XR® to the SV2A molecules may help reduce the abnormal spread of signals that can lead to a seizure.
Epilepsy is a brain disorder in which people experience repeated seizures. According to the Epilepsy Foundation, more than 3 million people in the United States have experienced a seizure or been diagnosed with epilepsy. In fact, each year, approximately 200,000 Americans are diagnosed with epilepsy. Find out what causes epilepsy. Fortunately, in the majority of cases, the prognosis for most people is excellent. With appropriate treatment, up to 70 percent of people with epilepsy will become seizure-free.
A seizure is the result of a sudden disruption of orderly communication among nerve cells in the brain. This disruption causes different symptoms depending on the location of the seizure and how the abnormal disruption spreads. There are many types of seizures, with symptoms ranging from a tingling in a finger to the loss of consciousness, stiffened arms and legs, and bodily jerking experienced during a tonic-clonic seizure.
Having a seizure does not necessarily mean that a person has epilepsy. For example, seizures caused by a high fever or alcohol or drug withdrawal generally stop once withdrawal passes. It’s also possible to experience seizure-like symptoms without actually experiencing a seizure; symptoms like fainting, collapsing, or being confused can result from stress or from other disorders. Only when a person has had two or more seizures that aren’t connected to other medical conditions is he or she considered to have epilepsy.
Some types of epilepsy, particularly in children, may go away on their own. However, a neurologist should always be consulted if your child experiences a seizure. Only a neurologist can diagnose whether the seizure is epilepsy and determine the most appropriate course of treatment.
Epilepsy is a disorder with many possible causes. Anything that interrupts the brain’s normal activity can lead to seizures. Anyone can experience a seizure, but some people have a lower seizure threshold than others; in other words, they’re more likely to experience seizures.
Epilepsy can be inherited, or it can result from a birth defect, birth or head injury, brain tumor, or an infection in the brain. In some cases, epilepsy may develop due to abnormal nerve connections that form as the brain heals after a head injury, stroke, or other problem. The cause of epilepsy can be determined in only 30 percent of cases. In the other 70 percent of cases, the exact cause cannot be determined. When the cause of epilepsy is unknown, it is referred to as idiopathic epilepsy.
Age and Epilepsy: Epilepsy can develop at any time of life, but it is more common for it to begin in young children and in people 60 and older. In young people, new cases of epilepsy often occur because of brain injury before or after birth. Inherited seizure disorders usually happen before the age of 20. After age 65, seizures tend to be caused by damage to the brain, such as stroke, brain tumors, and infections. Patients with Alzheimer’s disease also are at higher risk. Being diagnosed with epilepsy often requires lifestyle changes . . . especially when seizures aren’t fully controlled. The types of changes necessary, and how they affect a person’s life, will depend on the type of seizures experienced, the level of seizure control they get through treatment, and the individual’s lifestyle. They may also vary based on the age of the person with epilepsy.
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Additional Keppra XR resources
Download Emergency I.D. Card in case of seizure – Get it free
Download Personal Health Record for doctor visits – Get it free
Helpful national organizations you can contact – Get the list