Table of Contents
Introduction
Semaglutide and levetiracetam are two medications that people use for very different health conditions. Semaglutide is most often prescribed for type 2 diabetes and long-term weight management, while levetiracetam is a common treatment for seizure disorders such as epilepsy. Even though these medicines work in unrelated areas of the body, many people have questions about whether they can be taken together, whether they interact, and what symptoms to watch for if they are used at the same time. Interest in this topic has grown as more people begin semaglutide for medical weight loss, including those who already take levetiracetam to keep their seizures under control.
Understanding how each medication works helps make sense of why people worry about possible interactions. Semaglutide affects the body’s hormone system and helps regulate blood sugar and appetite. It slows the movement of food through the stomach and sends signals to the brain that help reduce hunger. Levetiracetam works inside the brain and helps control irregular electrical activity that causes seizures. Because both medicines can affect the brain, appetite, energy levels, and how a person feels day to day, it is natural for people to wonder whether using them together is safe.
People also search for information because they are concerned about side effects. Semaglutide can cause nausea, vomiting, tiredness, low blood sugar when used with certain other diabetes medications, and digestive changes. Levetiracetam commonly causes dizziness, irritability, mood changes, and sleepiness. When someone takes both medications, it can be harder to tell which drug is causing a new symptom. This makes people want to understand what to expect and how to talk with their healthcare team if something does not feel right.
Another reason this topic has become important is that semaglutide affects how quickly the stomach empties. This delay may change how fast the body absorbs other medicines taken by mouth. While levetiracetam is usually absorbed well and is not easily affected by stomach speed, people still want to know whether semaglutide could change how well their seizure medication works. Many patients with epilepsy rely on stable and predictable drug levels, so any factor that might interfere with that can raise concerns.
At the same time, people who take levetiracetam may already deal with changes in mood, appetite, or weight. Starting semaglutide may add new changes or make existing symptoms more noticeable. This can lead to questions about whether the two drugs influence each other in ways that scientists have not fully studied yet. Even when current research shows no direct interaction, people want clear explanations they can understand.
This article aims to give a full and easy-to-read review of semaglutide and levetiracetam, how each medication works, and what is known about their combined use. It explains what research shows—and what it does not yet show—about interactions between the two. It also discusses how these medications affect the brain, blood sugar, digestion, and mood. With this information, readers can better understand why healthcare providers often say the medicines can be used together, but also why monitoring is still important.
Throughout the article, complex medical ideas are explained in simple, everyday language. The goal is to give facts, not opinions or stories from individuals. The information focuses on what studies, medication guidelines, and clinical experience currently support. Each section builds a clear picture of how semaglutide and levetiracetam behave inside the body, why concerns about seizures, blood sugar, or absorption come up, and what signs should lead someone to contact their doctor.
By the end of the full article, readers will know what these medications do, why they are usually safe to take together, what symptoms might overlap, and what questions to ask their care team. The purpose is not to replace medical advice, but to give people the knowledge they need to feel confident and prepared when managing their health conditions. Clear information can help people work with their doctors to stay safe, avoid confusion, and make informed choices about their treatment plans.
What Is Semaglutide? Mechanism of Action and Approved Uses
Semaglutide is a medication used to help manage type 2 diabetes and support long-term weight management. It belongs to a group of medicines called GLP-1 receptor agonists. These medicines copy or “mimic” a natural hormone in the body called glucagon-like peptide-1. GLP-1 is released by the gut after you eat, and it plays an important role in controlling blood sugar, appetite, and digestion. Because semaglutide acts like this hormone, it helps the body regulate food intake and blood sugar more effectively.
Semaglutide is available in several brand names, including Ozempic, Wegovy, and Rybelsus. Even though all three contain the same active ingredient, each one is approved for different uses and comes in different forms. Ozempic and Wegovy are given as injections under the skin, usually once a week. Rybelsus is a tablet that you swallow once a day.
How Semaglutide Works in the Body
To understand semaglutide, it helps to know what GLP-1 hormones do. When we eat, the gut releases GLP-1. This hormone signals the body to:
- Increase insulin release when blood sugar rises
- Reduce the release of glucagon (a hormone that raises blood sugar)
- Slow the movement of food through the stomach
- Send “fullness” signals to the brain
Semaglutide activates the same receptors that GLP-1 normally attaches to. Because it works in several areas of the body at once, it can have multiple helpful effects.
Semaglutide Helps Control Blood Sugar Levels
One of semaglutide’s main actions is improving how the body handles sugar. It does this in two major ways:
- It boosts insulin production, but only when blood sugar is high. This helps lower blood sugar safely without causing low blood sugar on its own.
- It reduces glucagon levels, which prevents sugar from being released by the liver at the wrong time.
This balanced action is helpful for people with type 2 diabetes, whose bodies often do not produce enough insulin or may release sugar from the liver when it is not needed.
Semaglutide Slows Digestion and Helps Control Appetite
Another important effect of semaglutide is slowing gastric emptying, which means food leaves the stomach more slowly. This helps:
- Improve blood sugar control after meals
- Create a longer-lasting feeling of fullness
- Reduce appetite
Because of these effects, many people taking semaglutide eat smaller portions and feel satisfied with less food. Over time, this can support weight loss.
Semaglutide Sends “Fullness Signals” to the Brain
Semaglutide acts on areas of the brain involved in hunger and satiety. It strengthens the signal that tells the brain, “I’m full.” This effect makes it easier to avoid overeating, snacking, or eating due to habit rather than hunger.
Approved Uses of Semaglutide
Semaglutide is approved by the U.S. Food and Drug Administration (FDA) for the following uses:
Type 2 Diabetes (Ozempic and Rybelsus)
Ozempic and Rybelsus help lower blood sugar levels in adults with type 2 diabetes. Semaglutide may be used alone or with other diabetes medications. It is not approved for type 1 diabetes or diabetic ketoacidosis.
Reducing the Risk of Heart Problems (Ozempic)
For adults with type 2 diabetes who already have heart disease, Ozempic is approved to help lower the risk of major cardiovascular events, such as:
- Heart attack
- Stroke
- Cardiovascular death
This benefit comes from semaglutide’s effects on blood sugar, weight, inflammation, and cholesterol levels.
Long-Term Weight Management (Wegovy)
Wegovy is approved for adults and some teens who need help managing weight and meet certain medical criteria. It is used along with a healthy diet and physical activity. Wegovy helps people:
- Lose weight
- Maintain weight loss
- Improve obesity-related health markers
Pharmacokinetics: How Semaglutide Travels Through the Body
The way the body absorbs and processes semaglutide makes it different from many other medications.
- Slow absorption: After injection, it enters the bloodstream gradually.
- Long half-life: Semaglutide stays in the body for about one week, which is why weekly dosing is possible.
- Mainly broken down by proteins: It is not processed heavily by the liver or kidneys, which reduces the chance of major drug interactions.
- Stable and long-lasting: Once levels build up, weekly dosing keeps the amount of medicine steady.
Available Forms and How They Differ
Ozempic (Injection)
- Used for type 2 diabetes
- Weekly injection
Wegovy (Injection)
- Used for weight management
- Weekly injection but with different dosing amounts than Ozempic
Rybelsus (Tablet)
- Oral form for type 2 diabetes
- Must be taken on an empty stomach with a small amount of water
Because the forms act differently in the body, it is important to follow the specific instructions for whichever version a person is prescribed.
What Is Levetiracetam (Keppra)? Mechanism of Action and Clinical Uses
Levetiracetam, often known by the brand name Keppra, is a widely used medication for controlling seizures. It is one of the most common antiseizure drugs prescribed today because it works well for many seizure types, has fewer drug interactions than older medications, and is generally well tolerated. In this section, we will look at how levetiracetam works in the body, what conditions it treats, how the body absorbs and removes it, and what typical dosing and forms look like. Understanding these basics helps explain why people often take levetiracetam long-term and why doctors consider it a reliable option in many treatment plans.
How Levetiracetam Works (Mechanism of Action)
Scientists do not understand every detail about how levetiracetam works, but research shows that it affects a protein in the brain called SV2A (synaptic vesicle protein 2A). This protein helps nerve cells release chemical signals. In people with epilepsy, some nerve cells can become overly excited and send signals too quickly. This sudden burst of abnormal activity leads to seizures.
By attaching to the SV2A protein, levetiracetam helps calm down this overactivity. It reduces how often nerve cells release certain chemicals and makes the brain less likely to have sudden bursts of electrical activity. This does not cure epilepsy, but it lowers the risk of seizures and can make them less severe or less frequent.
Levetiracetam does not slow down thinking or movement as much as some older antiseizure drugs. It also does not strongly affect sodium or calcium channels in the brain, which many other seizure medications do. Instead, its unique effect on SV2A gives it a different safety and side-effect profile.
What Conditions Levetiracetam Treats
Levetiracetam is approved for several types of seizures. Doctors prescribe it for both adults and children, and it is used either alone or with other seizure medications. It is effective for:
Partial-Onset (Focal) Seizures
These seizures begin in one area of the brain. A person may stay aware or may become confused. Levetiracetam is commonly used for this type and often works well even when other drugs do not.
Myoclonic Seizures
These are sudden, brief jerks of a muscle or group of muscles. They are common in certain genetic epilepsies, such as juvenile myoclonic epilepsy. Levetiracetam can greatly reduce the frequency of these jerks.
Primary Generalized Tonic-Clonic Seizures
These are “grand mal” seizures that affect the entire brain. They involve stiffening, shaking, and loss of consciousness. Levetiracetam is often used as an add-on medication to help control these serious seizures.
Because it works for different seizure types and has a low risk of drug interactions, levetiracetam is used in many treatment plans, including emergency situations in hospitals. Some doctors also choose it for people with newly diagnosed epilepsy due to its predictable effects and simple dosing.
How the Body Handles Levetiracetam (Pharmacokinetics)
Pharmacokinetics describes how the body absorbs, moves, and removes a medication. Levetiracetam has several helpful features:
Fast and Reliable Absorption
After a person takes a dose by mouth, the medication is absorbed quickly. Food does not change how well it works, so it can be taken with meals or on an empty stomach.
No Major Liver Metabolism
Many medications break down in the liver, which raises the risk of interactions. Levetiracetam is different—it is mostly processed outside the liver. This means it rarely interferes with other drugs, and other drugs rarely interfere with it.
Kidney Removal
The kidneys remove most of the drug from the body. People with kidney disease may require adjusted doses, but this is predictable and easy for doctors to manage.
Steady Levels
Levetiracetam stays stable in the bloodstream when taken as prescribed. This is important because steady levels help prevent seizures.
Dosing and Available Forms
Levetiracetam comes in several forms to fit different needs:
- Tablets (250 mg, 500 mg, 750 mg, 1000 mg)
- Oral solution for children or people who cannot swallow tablets
- Extended-release (XR) tablets for once-daily dosing
- IV (intravenous) form used in hospitals
Doses vary depending on age, weight, type of seizure, and whether it is used alone or with other medications. Many adults take it twice a day, and extended-release forms allow some people to take it only once daily.
Doctors usually start with a lower dose and increase slowly. This approach helps reduce side effects while finding the dose that best prevents seizures.
Do Semaglutide and Levetiracetam Interact? What Current Evidence Shows
Many people who take semaglutide for diabetes or weight management also take levetiracetam to control seizures. Because both medicines affect important body systems—blood sugar, digestion, and brain activity—it is normal to wonder if they are safe to use together. This section explains what is currently known about possible interactions, why most sources report no major problems, and what gaps still exist in research. The goal is to help you understand what doctors look at when deciding if two medicines can be used at the same time.
No Known Direct Drug–Drug Interaction
At this time, there is no confirmed direct interaction between semaglutide and levetiracetam. Major drug-interaction databases and published research do not list these medications as interacting with each other. This means that, based on current knowledge:
- Semaglutide does not raise or lower blood levels of levetiracetam.
- Levetiracetam does not change how semaglutide is absorbed or removed from the body.
- They do not share the same pathways in the liver or kidneys.
- They do not block or compete with each other for the same enzymes or transport systems.
Semaglutide works mainly in the gut, pancreas, and brain areas that control appetite and blood sugar. Levetiracetam works in the brain by binding to a protein called SV2A to reduce abnormal electrical activity that can cause seizures. Because their mechanisms are very different and do not overlap, there is little reason to expect a direct chemical conflict between them.
Understanding Each Medication’s Interaction Profile
To understand why these two drugs are unlikely to interact, it helps to look at how each drug works inside the body:
How Semaglutide Moves Through the Body
- Injected semaglutide is absorbed slowly under the skin and broken down naturally.
- It does not depend on the liver’s main drug-processing enzymes (such as CYP enzymes).
- This reduces the chance of it affecting other medicines.
How Levetiracetam Moves Through the Body
- Levetiracetam is absorbed quickly through the digestive system.
- It is mostly removed unchanged by the kidneys, not by liver enzymes.
- It has very few drug interactions overall.
Because both medications avoid the liver’s major enzyme pathways, the risk of direct interaction is very low.
Possible Overlap in Side Effects, Not in Chemistry
Even though the drugs do not interact chemically, some of their side effects can overlap. This means a person may feel certain symptoms more strongly when taking both medicines, even though one drug is not changing the level of the other.
Shared or potentially overlapping symptoms include:
- fatigue or low energy
- dizziness
- nausea
- changes in mood or irritability (mainly from levetiracetam)
- reduced appetite (mainly from semaglutide)
These overlapping effects do not mean the drugs interact. Instead, it means the body may react to both medications at the same time in ways that create similar symptoms. This can sometimes make it harder to tell which drug is causing what.
For example, if a person feels very tired, it may be from levetiracetam, from semaglutide, from low blood sugar, or from the underlying medical condition. Because of this, doctors encourage patients taking both medicines to monitor symptoms carefully.
Indirect Considerations Related to Digestion
One special feature of semaglutide is that it slows down stomach emptying. This can change how fast some oral drugs are absorbed. However, levetiracetam is absorbed well even when stomach emptying is slower. Current evidence shows semaglutide is unlikely to affect levetiracetam levels.
The only time this might matter is if a person develops severe vomiting from semaglutide. Vomiting can cause a person to miss doses of levetiracetam or absorb less of it, which could raise the risk of a seizure. This is not a drug interaction, but a practical issue related to the side effects of semaglutide.
Research Gaps and Limitations
Although current evidence shows no interaction, it is important to note the following gaps:
- Few studies look directly at people taking both semaglutide and levetiracetam.
- Semaglutide is a newer drug compared with many older diabetes medications.
- Long-term interaction studies are still limited.
- Most data come from general population studies, not from people with epilepsy.
Because of these gaps, doctors rely on known pharmacology, patient reports, and side-effect patterns instead of definitive long-term research.
Can Semaglutide Affect Seizure Threshold or Neurological Function?
Semaglutide is best known as a medication for type 2 diabetes and weight management. It works mainly in the gut and the pancreas, but it also acts in parts of the brain. Because of this, many people who take antiseizure medications—such as levetiracetam—wonder whether semaglutide could affect seizures, the seizure threshold, or overall brain function. This section explains what researchers know about semaglutide’s neurological effects, how it affects blood sugar, and whether any of these actions could influence seizure activity.
Semaglutide and the Brain: Understanding GLP-1 Activity
Semaglutide belongs to a class of drugs called GLP-1 receptor agonists. GLP-1 is a natural hormone in the body that helps control blood sugar after meals. It also has receptors in several parts of the brain, including areas involved in appetite, nausea, and certain protective functions.
Research shows that GLP-1 receptors exist in the:
- Hypothalamus, which helps regulate appetite and body weight
- Brainstem, which manages nausea and vomiting signals
- Hippocampus and cortex, which are involved in memory and learning
- Areas linked to inflammation and cell protection
Because these brain regions have GLP-1 receptors, scientists have studied whether GLP-1 medications may have effects beyond diabetes, such as neuroprotection and inflammation control.
Can Semaglutide Lower or Raise Seizure Threshold?
A seizure threshold is the level at which the brain becomes likely to produce a seizure. Most medications used for diabetes do not affect this threshold. Based on current research, there is no evidence that semaglutide lowers the seizure threshold.
What Current Studies Show
- Animal studies of GLP-1 receptor activity suggest possible protective effects on nerve cells.
- Early research in neurological conditions (like Parkinson’s disease and Alzheimer’s disease) shows that GLP-1 agonists may help protect the brain from inflammation and oxidative stress.
- No published studies show semaglutide causing seizures in humans.
- Large clinical trials in diabetes and weight loss populations have not shown increased seizure risk.
These findings suggest that semaglutide does not trigger seizures and does not interfere with the general brain pathways that influence seizure activity.
Still, research is ongoing. While the available data is reassuring, it is important to remember that long-term studies specifically focused on people with epilepsy are limited.
How Blood Sugar Levels Can Affect the Brain and Seizures
Although semaglutide does not seem to affect seizure threshold directly, there is another important factor to consider: blood sugar changes.
Why Blood Sugar Matters
- Very low blood sugar (hypoglycemia) can cause confusion, shakiness, sweating, or fainting.
- In rare cases, severe hypoglycemia can trigger seizures—even in people without epilepsy.
Semaglutide alone usually does not cause low blood sugar because it works only when glucose levels are high. However, the risk increases if semaglutide is used with:
- Insulin
- Sulfonylureas (such as glipizide or glyburide)
For someone with epilepsy, avoiding severe hypoglycemia is important because dramatic drops in blood sugar can stress the brain.
Symptoms of Low Blood Sugar That Some People Confuse With Seizure-Related Issues
- Weakness or shaking
- Dizziness
- Trouble concentrating
- Anxiety or irritability
- Fatigue
These symptoms overlap with many neurological complaints. This is why good blood sugar monitoring is important for people taking medications that affect glucose levels.
Does Semaglutide Cause Neurological Side Effects?
Semaglutide can affect the brain indirectly through the digestive system and hormone pathways. The most common neurological symptoms reported include:
- Headache
- Fatigue
- Dizziness (usually linked to nausea or dehydration)
These effects are generally mild and temporary. They are not linked to seizure activity.
Some people wonder if nausea or vomiting could affect seizure medication absorption. Vomiting soon after taking an antiseizure medication may reduce how much of the drug enters the bloodstream. This is not specific to semaglutide—it can occur with any cause of vomiting—but it is important for people taking levetiracetam to be aware of.
What About GLP-1 Medications and “Brain Fog”?
A small number of people taking semaglutide report feeling mentally slower or more tired. Current research suggests these symptoms usually relate to:
- Reduced calorie intake
- Mild dehydration
- Nausea
- Changes in sleep patterns during the early treatment period
There is no evidence that semaglutide directly harms cognitive function or causes neurological damage.
How Levetiracetam May Influence Metabolism, Weight, or Glucose Regulation
Levetiracetam, known by the brand name Keppra, is a widely used antiseizure medication. It is prescribed for many types of seizures and is often chosen because it works well and has fewer drug interactions than many older antiseizure medicines. While its main role is to help stabilize electrical activity in the brain, many people also wonder how it may affect their weight, metabolism, or blood sugar levels. These concerns are especially important for people who are taking semaglutide for diabetes or weight management. Understanding how levetiracetam behaves in the body can help patients and healthcare providers plan treatment safely and confidently.
Levetiracetam and Weight: What Research Shows
Research on levetiracetam’s effect on body weight is mixed, but most studies show that the medication has little or no direct impact on weight for most people. Unlike some older antiseizure medications—such as valproate, carbamazepine, or gabapentin—levetiracetam does not consistently cause weight gain or weight loss.
However, individual experiences vary. Here are the main patterns seen in clinical studies:
- Neutral effect (most common): Most people do not gain or lose a significant amount of weight after starting levetiracetam. It is generally considered “weight-neutral.”
- Possible weight loss in some patients: A small number of people may lose weight. This is usually mild and may be linked to reduced appetite, fatigue, or changes in mood.
- Possible weight gain in some patients: A small number of people may gain weight. This may be related to appetite increase, mood changes, or less physical activity due to tiredness or dizziness.
Since weight changes can happen for many reasons—illness, stress, seizure control, lifestyle changes—it can be difficult to know whether levetiracetam itself is responsible. Still, being aware of these possibilities helps patients track changes and discuss them with their clinicians.
How Levetiracetam Might Influence Metabolism
Levetiracetam does not directly change metabolism in ways that medicines for diabetes or weight control do. It does not act on insulin, the pancreas, appetite hormones, or fat cells. However, indirect effects can occur:
- Energy levels:
Some people feel tired, weak, or less energetic when they first start levetiracetam or when the dose increases. Lower energy can lead to less physical activity, which may influence weight. - Appetite changes:
Levetiracetam can cause irritability, mood swings, or emotional changes in some people. Changes in mood may affect eating patterns, leading to eating more or less than usual. - Sleep changes:
If the medication causes drowsiness or insomnia, this may affect metabolism. Poor sleep is known to influence hunger hormones and weight patterns. - Stress response:
Epilepsy itself can affect metabolism due to stress, inflammation, and hormonal changes. If levetiracetam improves seizure control and lowers stress, this may indirectly support more stable metabolic health.
Overall, levetiracetam does not have a direct metabolic effect, but secondary factors can still influence how someone feels or how their weight changes over time.
Levetiracetam and Blood Sugar: What Is Known
Most scientific studies have not found strong evidence that levetiracetam changes blood sugar levels in a predictable way. It does not act on the pancreas, insulin receptors, or glucose pathways. However, a few rare effects have been reported:
- Very rare cases of low blood sugar (hypoglycemia): A few isolated reports describe low blood sugar, but these cases are uncommon and usually involve other medical conditions.
- Very rare reports of high blood sugar (hyperglycemia): Again, these cases are rare and do not show a consistent pattern.
For the vast majority of people, levetiracetam does not cause significant changes in blood glucose.
This is important for people taking semaglutide, because semaglutide affects how the body handles sugar. Since levetiracetam does not interfere with these processes, the two medicines are generally considered metabolically compatible.
Implications for People Taking Both Medications
For someone taking semaglutide to manage diabetes or weight, understanding levetiracetam’s influence helps guide monitoring and safety decisions. Here are the key points:
- Levetiracetam is unlikely to affect blood sugar, so it should not interfere with semaglutide’s glucose-lowering effects.
- Weight changes are usually mild, but patients should still track their weight, appetite, and energy, especially if semaglutide is part of their treatment plan.
- Energy or mood changes may influence lifestyle habits, which can affect weight and metabolic health.
If a person notices sudden or significant weight changes, stronger fatigue, or reduced appetite, they should inform their healthcare provider so the cause can be explored.
Considerations for People With Epilepsy Taking Semaglutide
People with epilepsy often take daily medications to help prevent seizures. Levetiracetam (Keppra) is one of the most common antiseizure medications used. At the same time, more people with epilepsy are also being treated for type 2 diabetes or weight concerns. Because of this, many wonder whether semaglutide is safe to use in combination with seizure medications. This section explains the main points that people with epilepsy should know before starting semaglutide.
How Semaglutide May Affect Medication Absorption
Semaglutide slows down how fast the stomach empties food and liquid into the intestines. This is a normal effect of the drug and part of how it helps control appetite and blood sugar. Most of the time, this slowing is not dangerous. But for some medications taken by mouth, delayed stomach emptying can change how fast the drug is absorbed.
For people with epilepsy, this matters because many antiseizure drugs need to stay at steady levels in the blood. A sudden drop in blood levels of a seizure medication can increase the risk of a breakthrough seizure.
Fortunately, levetiracetam is absorbed well in the stomach and intestines, and its absorption is not easily affected by changes in stomach emptying. It has almost complete oral absorption and does not rely on food to work. For this reason, experts do not believe semaglutide reduces the effect of levetiracetam.
Even so, it is still important for people with epilepsy to be aware of how they feel when starting semaglutide. If someone begins to have symptoms that suggest their medication levels may be too low—such as increased seizure activity, twitching, strange sensations, or sudden mood changes—they should contact their healthcare provider right away.
Keeping Antiseizure Medication Levels Stable
People with epilepsy need consistent blood levels of their medication to help prevent seizures. Anything that causes vomiting, diarrhea, or poor absorption can affect those levels.
Semaglutide can cause nausea in the first few weeks. Some people also have vomiting, especially if they increase the dose too quickly or eat large meals. If someone vomits shortly after taking their levetiracetam pill, the dose may not have time to absorb. Missing even one dose of an antiseizure drug can sometimes lead to a breakthrough seizure.
For this reason:
- People should try to take levetiracetam at times of day when their stomach feels more settled.
- They should report repeated vomiting to their doctor.
- If vomiting makes it hard to keep antiseizure medication down, a temporary dose adjustment or alternative treatment plan may be needed.
These precautions help reduce the risk of seizures during the early phase of semaglutide treatment.
Adding Semaglutide to an Existing Epilepsy Treatment Plan
When semaglutide is added to the treatment plan of someone with epilepsy, several points should be reviewed with the healthcare provider:
Current seizure control
If a person already has frequent seizures or trouble staying stable, the doctor may want closer monitoring during the first months of semaglutide.
Other medications
Some people with epilepsy take two or more seizure medications. They may also take medicines for mood, sleep, or other health conditions. A full review helps ensure that starting semaglutide does not add to side effect burdens like dizziness, fatigue, or mood changes.
Nutrition and hydration
Semaglutide often reduces appetite. People with epilepsy need regular meals and proper hydration because skipping meals or being dehydrated may increase seizure risk in some individuals.
Risk of hypoglycemia (low blood sugar)
Semaglutide itself does not usually cause low blood sugar. But when combined with insulin or certain diabetes pills, blood sugar can drop too low. Low blood sugar can sometimes cause confusion, sweating, shakiness, or dizziness. These symptoms can feel similar to seizure warnings, which can be stressful for someone with epilepsy. Careful dose planning helps prevent this.
Coordination between providers
Ideally, the neurologist and the diabetes or weight-management clinician should both know about all medications being taken. Team communication helps keep treatment safe.
When to Involve a Neurologist or Endocrinologist
A neurologist should be involved if:
- Seizures increase or change
- There are symptoms suggesting medication levels may be unstable
- Severe nausea or vomiting makes it hard to take antiseizure medications
- The person already has a complex seizure disorder
An endocrinologist may be needed if:
- The person has diabetes and complicated blood sugar patterns
- There are concerns about hypoglycemia
- The person has other metabolic conditions that require specialized care
Working with the right specialists ensures that both epilepsy and metabolic health are managed safely.
Overlapping Side Effects: What Symptoms to Monitor
When a person takes both semaglutide and levetiracetam, it is important to understand how the side effects of each medication may overlap. Even though the two drugs do not have a known direct drug–drug interaction, they each affect the body in different ways. Some of their side effects can look similar, which can make it harder to tell which medication is causing a new symptom. This section explains the common side effects of each drug, how these symptoms might overlap, and what changes should be reported to a healthcare professional.
Common Side Effects of Semaglutide
Semaglutide is a GLP-1 receptor agonist. It works mainly in the digestive system and the brain areas that control hunger and blood sugar. Because of this, many of its side effects involve the stomach and intestines, as well as energy levels.
Typical side effects of semaglutide include:
- Nausea
- Vomiting
- Diarrhea or constipation
- Loss of appetite
- Stomach discomfort or bloating
- Fatigue or low energy
- Light dizziness, especially when starting treatment
- Low blood sugar when used with certain diabetes medications such as insulin or sulfonylureas
These symptoms often appear during the first several weeks of therapy, especially when the dose increases. Most people notice that the symptoms improve over time as the body adjusts.
Common Side Effects of Levetiracetam
Levetiracetam affects the brain and nervous system and is used to prevent seizures. Because it acts on the brain, many of its side effects involve mood, behavior, and alertness.
Typical side effects of levetiracetam include:
- Irritability or mood changes
- Anxiety or agitation
- Fatigue or tiredness
- Dizziness
- Sleepiness
- Difficulty concentrating
- Headache
- Mild appetite or weight changes
Not everyone experiences these symptoms, but when they do occur, they often appear within the first few weeks after starting the medication or after a dose increase.
Where the Side Effects Overlap
While semaglutide and levetiracetam work in completely different ways, some of their side effects can feel very similar. Understanding this overlap can help a person track new symptoms more clearly and know when to speak with a healthcare professional.
The main overlapping symptoms include:
Fatigue and Low Energy
Both medications can cause tiredness:
- Semaglutide may cause fatigue because of changes in appetite, digestion, or blood sugar.
- Levetiracetam commonly causes tiredness because it affects brain activity.
When taken together, these effects can add up, making fatigue more noticeable.
Dizziness
Dizziness can occur with both medications:
- Semaglutide may cause dizziness if blood sugar drops or if nausea reduces food intake.
- Levetiracetam can cause dizziness as part of its effect on the nervous system.
If dizziness becomes severe, affects balance, or occurs suddenly, it should be discussed with a doctor.
Changes in Appetite or Eating Patterns
Appetite changes can happen with both drugs:
- Semaglutide lowers appetite as part of its intended effect.
- Levetiracetam may change appetite in a smaller number of people, sometimes leading to slight weight gain or loss.
This overlap can make it harder to tell when a new eating pattern is normal or when it needs medical attention.
Gastrointestinal Symptoms and Medication Absorption
While levetiracetam itself does not usually cause stomach issues, semaglutide’s effect on digestion may make it harder for some people to recognize whether nausea or vomiting is from the medication or from another condition, such as illness.
If vomiting happens often, there is a risk that levetiracetam levels may drop because the dose is not properly absorbed. This can increase the risk of seizures, making it important to seek medical advice if vomiting is frequent or severe.
When Overlapping Symptoms Require Medical Attention
Most mild side effects can be monitored at home. However, certain symptoms should be reported as soon as possible:
- Vomiting that lasts more than 24 hours, especially if levetiracetam doses cannot be kept down
- New or worsening mood changes, such as irritability, aggression, or depression
- Severe dizziness, fainting, or difficulty standing
- Very low energy levels that interfere with daily activities
- Signs of low blood sugar, such as shakiness, sweating, or confusion
- Any change in seizure frequency, even a small change
Keeping a symptom diary can help identify patterns and allow healthcare professionals to decide whether a dose adjustment or further evaluation is needed.
Mood, Cognition, and Energy: Understanding Neurologic and Behavioral Changes
Both semaglutide and levetiracetam can affect how a person feels, thinks, and manages daily energy. These effects do not happen to everyone, but they are important to understand because many people search for answers about mood changes, “brain fog,” or shifts in energy levels when using these medications. This section explains these effects in clear, simple terms so readers can understand what may be happening in their bodies and when to talk to a healthcare provider.
Levetiracetam’s Known Effects on Mood and Behavior
Levetiracetam is well-known for its possible impact on mood and behavior. This is one of the most common reasons people ask questions about it. While many people take levetiracetam without emotional side effects, some individuals notice changes in how they feel after starting or adjusting the medication.
The most frequently reported mood-related effects of levetiracetam include:
- Irritability
- Increased anger or frustration
- Anxiety or feeling “on edge”
- Sadness or low mood
- Emotional sensitivity
- Trouble managing stress
- Feeling tired or mentally drained
These effects may appear shortly after starting the medication or after a dose increase. They do not mean the medication is unsafe, but they can affect daily life. Because levetiracetam acts on the brain to control seizures, it can also influence how chemical signals move between neurons. This may help with seizure control but may also change mood or emotional balance in some people.
Not everyone gets these side effects, and many people take levetiracetam for years without mood issues. But if emotional symptoms develop, they should be taken seriously. A clinician may adjust the dose, recommend supportive strategies, or consider another antiseizure medication if symptoms become too difficult to manage.
Cognitive Symptoms and Energy Levels With Levetiracetam
Some people taking levetiracetam report feeling mentally “slower” or less sharp than usual. This is often described as:
- Trouble concentrating
- Feeling forgetful
- Mental fatigue
- Slower thinking
- Reduced motivation
These symptoms may be mild or more noticeable, depending on the person. Fatigue is also a common side effect. It may occur because the brain is still adjusting to the medicine or because the body is working harder to maintain seizure control.
While these symptoms can be frustrating, many improve over time as the brain adapts. If they do not improve, a healthcare provider may help identify ways to manage them or explore whether another medication may be a better fit.
Mood and Cognitive Symptoms Linked With Semaglutide
Semaglutide is not primarily known for affecting mood or behavior, but some people taking it report changes in how they feel. Most of these are mild and may relate to the physical changes caused by the medication, such as shifts in appetite, digestion, and blood sugar.
Possible mood or cognitive symptoms reported with semaglutide may include:
- Mild fatigue, especially when starting treatment
- Feeling low energy on days with reduced food intake
- Difficulty focusing, sometimes described as “brain fog”
- Emotional changes related to nausea or disrupted eating patterns
It is important to understand that these effects are not universal and are not considered core side effects of the medication. For some people, changes in nutrition—such as eating less, eating irregularly, or experiencing nausea—can temporarily affect concentration or mood. Lower calorie intake can also influence energy levels.
If blood sugar becomes unusually low (which is uncommon with semaglutide unless combined with other diabetes medications), symptoms may include shakiness, confusion, or irritability. These would be signs to treat low blood sugar and contact a clinician for guidance.
Understanding the Difference Between Medication Effects and Underlying Conditions
Many people who take semaglutide or levetiracetam already manage chronic medical conditions. Conditions like epilepsy, diabetes, and weight-related illness can each affect mood and cognition on their own. For example:
- Epilepsy itself may lead to mood or memory problems.
- Diabetes can affect concentration when blood sugar levels fluctuate.
- Living with chronic illness may lead to stress, anxiety, or fatigue.
This can make it difficult to tell whether a symptom is related to the medication, the underlying condition, or both. A careful look at timing can help. If new symptoms appear soon after starting or changing a dose, the medication may be a contributing factor. Keeping a symptom diary can also help track patterns over time.
When To Seek Medical Advice
People should talk to a healthcare provider if they notice:
- New or sudden changes in mood
- Severe irritability or anger
- Difficulty concentrating that affects daily tasks
- Worsening anxiety, sadness, or emotional distress
- Extreme fatigue or mental slowing
- Any thoughts of self-harm or unsafe behavior
These symptoms are manageable, and providers can help adjust treatment or offer support strategies. The goal is to maintain seizure control and metabolic health while protecting emotional well-being.
Absorption, Digestion, and Timing Considerations
When people take more than one medication, it is important to understand how each drug moves through the body. This process is called pharmacokinetics, and it includes how a drug is absorbed, distributed, broken down, and removed. In this section, we focus on how semaglutide and levetiracetam travel through the body, how digestion may affect them, and what timing questions patients often have. Even though these two medications do not directly interact, understanding these factors can help support safe and steady treatment.
How Semaglutide Affects the Digestive System
Semaglutide can slow down the speed at which the stomach empties food into the small intestine. This effect is called delayed gastric emptying. It is a normal part of how GLP-1 medications work. By slowing digestion, semaglutide helps control appetite and keeps blood sugar from rising too quickly after meals.
Delayed gastric emptying can cause symptoms such as:
- Nausea
- Feeling full quickly
- Bloating
- Slower movement of food through the stomach
For most people, these symptoms improve as the body gets used to the medication. However, the slowing of digestion can cause questions about whether semaglutide affects the absorption of other medicines that are taken by mouth.
Can Delayed Gastric Emptying Affect Levetiracetam Absorption?
Levetiracetam is absorbed quickly in the small intestine and has very reliable absorption. Because of this, its blood levels are usually steady and predictable. In most cases, delayed gastric emptying does not reduce the amount of levetiracetam absorbed. Research shows that levetiracetam has:
- High oral bioavailability (almost 100%)
- Fast absorption once it reaches the intestine
- Absorption that is not easily changed by stomach pH or food
This means that even if semaglutide slows stomach emptying, levetiracetam still gets into the bloodstream effectively.
For this reason, doctors generally do not adjust levetiracetam doses when someone starts semaglutide. But changes in digestion may still matter if symptoms become severe, especially if vomiting or inability to keep medication down occurs.
Special Considerations for Oral Semaglutide (Rybelsus)
Rybelsus is the oral form of semaglutide. It is absorbed very differently from most medications:
- It must be taken on an empty stomach
- With no more than 4 ounces of water
- And you must wait at least 30 minutes before eating or taking other medicines
Because oral semaglutide requires such careful timing, it may affect how people schedule their other medications, including levetiracetam. Most patients take levetiracetam twice daily. If someone uses Rybelsus in the morning, they may need to adjust when they take their first levetiracetam dose so that both medications can be absorbed properly.
This does not mean that Rybelsus changes how much levetiracetam is absorbed. It only affects when you should take each medicine so that both can work the right way.
Why Levetiracetam’s Pharmacokinetics Lower Interaction Risk
Levetiracetam has several features that make it unlikely to interact with semaglutide:
- It is not broken down by the liver in the usual way.
Most drugs use liver enzymes, but levetiracetam does not rely on them much. - It is mostly removed by the kidneys.
This means that digestive changes are less important to its removal. - Food does not change its overall absorption.
Levetiracetam can be taken with or without meals without problems. - It reaches stable blood levels quickly.
Even if stomach emptying is a little slower, the medication still works reliably.
Together, these features make levetiracetam stable, predictable, and resistant to changes caused by stomach motility.
When Vomiting or Severe GI Symptoms Become a Concern
While semaglutide usually does not affect levetiracetam absorption, some people experience significant stomach symptoms when starting or increasing semaglutide doses. If a person:
- Vomits soon after taking levetiracetam
- Cannot keep fluids or medication down
- Has repeated nausea that prevents regular meals
then the amount of levetiracetam absorbed may drop. This is not because semaglutide interacts with it, but because levetiracetam never reaches the intestine.
Since missed doses or low blood levels can increase seizure risk, anyone with severe vomiting should contact a healthcare professional. In some cases, dose adjustments or temporary anti-nausea treatment may be helpful.
Final Considerations About Timing and Safety
For most patients, semaglutide and levetiracetam can be taken together without adjusting doses, but timing can matter—especially with oral semaglutide. Key points include:
- Take Rybelsus exactly as instructed so it absorbs correctly.
- Levetiracetam can be taken with food, without food, or at separate times.
- If you vomit within an hour of taking levetiracetam, a doctor may advise repeating the dose.
- Long-lasting stomach symptoms should be reported, especially if they interfere with taking medications.
Understanding these timing and digestion factors can help keep both medications working as intended while reducing the chance of problems.
Practical Guidance for Patients Taking Both Medications
When a person takes semaglutide and levetiracetam at the same time, there are several practical steps that can help support safety, comfort, and good health outcomes. Even though these medications do not have a known direct drug–drug interaction, they each affect the body in different ways. Because of this, it is important to pay attention to seizure control, blood sugar levels, mood changes, digestion, and overall daily functioning. This section explains what to watch for, what habits can help you stay on track, and when you should talk to your healthcare team.
Monitoring Seizure Control
People who take levetiracetam depend on stable medication levels to help prevent seizures. Semaglutide does not interfere with this process, but it can cause nausea, vomiting, or slowed stomach emptying. These effects may make it harder to take medications on time or keep them down. If you vomit soon after taking levetiracetam, your body may not absorb the full dose.
To lower this risk, keep track of any stomach symptoms that begin after starting semaglutide or after increasing the dose. If vomiting happens repeatedly or makes it difficult to keep medications in place, contact your doctor or pharmacist. They may advise adjusting the timing of doses, changing how you take nausea-preventing strategies, or slowing down the dose increases of semaglutide.
You should also watch for signs of breakthrough seizures, such as changes in awareness, sudden confusion, or unusual movements. If you notice any change in your usual pattern, seek medical advice as soon as possible.
Monitoring Blood Sugar Trends
Semaglutide affects blood sugar by helping the body release insulin at the right time and by slowing the movement of food from the stomach to the intestines. If you take semaglutide for type 2 diabetes, regular blood sugar checks can help you understand how the medication is working. Levetiracetam does not normally change blood sugar levels, but stress, poor sleep, illness, and other medications can.
If you take other diabetes medications along with semaglutide, especially those that can cause low blood sugar, you should check your blood sugar more often when starting semaglutide. Any sudden changes—such as unexplained low blood sugar, weakness, shaking, or dizziness—should be reported to your healthcare provider. They may adjust your diabetes treatment plan to prevent drops in blood sugar.
Watching for Side Effects
Some side effects from these medications can look similar. For example, tiredness, dizziness, feeling “off,” and irritability can occur with both drugs. When two medications have overlapping side effects, it can be hard to tell which one is causing the problem. Keeping a symptom journal can help. Write down when symptoms occur, how long they last, and whether they happen after a meal, a dose change, or a missed dose.
If mood changes develop—such as anger, sadness, anxiety, or feeling unlike yourself—tell your doctor. Levetiracetam is well known for causing mood changes in some people, and these symptoms often improve with dose adjustments or supportive treatments.
Staying Hydrated and Eating Regular Meals
Semaglutide often reduces appetite. While this is expected, skipping meals or not eating enough can lead to low energy, dizziness, or irritability. These symptoms may feel similar to early seizure signs for some people.
Drinking plenty of water is also important. Vomiting, diarrhea, or reduced appetite can lead to dehydration, which can affect both blood sugar patterns and overall well-being. Aim to sip fluids throughout the day, and choose balanced meals when you do eat.
Preventing Missed Doses
Both semaglutide and levetiracetam work best when taken on schedule. Missing doses of levetiracetam can increase the risk of seizures. Even though semaglutide is taken weekly, it should be taken on the same day each week for the best results. Setting reminders on your phone or using a weekly pill organizer can help keep you consistent.
If you miss a dose of either medication, follow the instructions provided by your healthcare team. Do not double up unless your doctor specifically tells you it is safe.
When to Contact Your Healthcare Provider
Reach out to a healthcare professional if you experience any of the following:
- Vomiting that makes you miss or lose your levetiracetam dose
- A return of seizures or new seizure-like symptoms
- Severe or lasting stomach pain
- Signs of low blood sugar
- New mood or behavior changes
- Trouble eating or drinking enough
- Sudden weight loss that feels unhealthy or too fast
Your doctor may adjust medication timing, dosing, or supportive treatments. Some people may benefit from coordinated care between their primary doctor, endocrinologist, and neurologist.
Conclusion
Semaglutide and levetiracetam are two very different medications, used for very different health conditions. Semaglutide is used to help control blood sugar and support weight management. Levetiracetam is used to prevent seizures in people with epilepsy and other seizure disorders. Because many people today are prescribed more than one medication at the same time, it is common to wonder whether these two drugs are safe to take together. Based on the best information available, there is no clear evidence that semaglutide and levetiracetam interact in a harmful way. They work in separate parts of the body, use different pathways for breakdown and removal, and do not share the same targets in the brain or digestive system. Even so, it is still important for people to understand how each drug works and what to watch for when using them at the same time.
Semaglutide works mostly in the digestive tract and the pancreas. It helps the body respond better to insulin and slows the movement of food through the stomach. This slowing effect is one of the most important reasons people worry about drug interactions. When the stomach empties more slowly, some oral medications may take longer to be absorbed. For most drugs, this delay does not cause major changes. In the case of levetiracetam, the medication is absorbed well and does not depend on stomach speed in the same way some other drugs do. Levetiracetam also has a very stable pattern in the body and is removed through the kidneys rather than the liver or digestive tract. Because of this, the chance of semaglutide affecting levetiracetam levels in a meaningful way appears low. Still, if a person has severe nausea, vomiting, or trouble keeping medicines down, this could lead to missed doses of levetiracetam, which may raise the chance of a seizure. For this reason, any ongoing vomiting while on semaglutide should be reported to a healthcare provider.
Levetiracetam works by calming overactive brain cells that can trigger seizures. It affects a protein called SV2A in the brain, which helps control the release of certain chemicals between nerve cells. Semaglutide does not act on this pathway. It does not appear to raise or lower the seizure threshold in a consistent way. Some studies even suggest that GLP-1 receptor drugs may have mild protective effects in brain tissue, though this is still an area of active research. There is no good evidence showing that semaglutide increases seizure risk. However, when blood sugar gets very low, the brain may not get enough fuel to work properly, which could lead to symptoms that can be confused with neurological problems. Semaglutide alone rarely causes this, but the risk is higher when it is taken with other blood sugar–lowering drugs. Because some symptoms—such as shakiness, confusion, or dizziness—can overlap with seizure symptoms in some people, it is important to check blood sugar levels during any unusual episode.
When these medications are used together, it is also helpful to understand how their side effects can overlap. Semaglutide often causes nausea, decreased appetite, mild fatigue, and sometimes dizziness. Levetiracetam can cause tiredness, irritability, mood changes, and problems with focus in some people. When these symptoms happen at the same time, it can be harder to know which medication is the cause. This is why paying attention to when symptoms start, whether they change after dose adjustments, and whether they improve or worsen over time can help clinicians guide treatment.
For people living with both diabetes or weight-related conditions and seizure disorders, taking both medications may be part of a safe and effective long-term plan. The key is good communication between the patient and their medical team. This includes discussing changes in mood, appetite, energy, or seizure patterns, as well as any difficulties taking medications due to stomach symptoms. Regular monitoring of blood sugar, seizure frequency, and overall wellbeing helps ensure that both semaglutide and levetiracetam are working as expected.
In summary, based on current knowledge, semaglutide and levetiracetam do not directly interact, and most people can take them together safely when monitored properly. The most important considerations involve watching for overlapping side effects, understanding how digestive symptoms may affect medication timing, and keeping a close eye on seizure control and blood sugar patterns. By staying informed, tracking symptoms, and working with healthcare professionals, people using both medications can confidently manage their health and reduce risks while benefiting from the purpose of each treatment.
Research Citations
Cereghino, J. J., Biton, V., Abou-Khalil, B., Dreifuss, F., Gauer, L. J., & Leppik, I., for the United States Levetiracetam Study Group. (2000). Levetiracetam for partial seizures: Results of a double-blind, randomized clinical trial. Neurology, 55(2), 236–242.
Shorvon, S. D., Löwenthal, A., Janz, D., Bielen, E., & Loiseau, P., for the European Levetiracetam Study Group. (2000). Multicenter double-blind, randomized, placebo-controlled trial of levetiracetam as add-on therapy in patients with refractory partial seizures. Epilepsia, 41(9), 1179–1186.
Tsai, J.-J., Yen, D. J., Hsih, M.-S., et al. (2006). Efficacy and safety of levetiracetam (up to 2,000 mg/day) in Taiwanese patients with refractory partial seizures: A multicenter, randomized, double-blind, placebo-controlled study. Epilepsia, 47(1), 72–81.
Yi, Z.-M., Zhong, X.-L., Wang, M.-L., Zhang, Y., & Zhai, S.-D. (2020). Efficacy, safety, and economics of intravenous levetiracetam for status epilepticus: A systematic review and meta-analysis. Frontiers in Pharmacology, 11, 751.
Durairaj, T., Porchezhian, M., Kumar, M., De Britto, J. R. J., Mythili, K., & Saravanan, A. (2025). Beyond seizure control: A case series on levetiracetam-associated psychiatric manifestations. Indian Journal of Psychological Medicine. (Advance online publication.)
Wilding, J. P. H., Batterham, R. L., Calanna, S., Davies, M., Van Gaal, L. F., Lingvay, I., McGowan, B. M., Rosenstock, J., Tran, M. T. D., Wadden, T. A., Wharton, S., Yokote, K., Zeuthen, N., & Kushner, R. F. (2021). Once-weekly semaglutide in adults with overweight or obesity. New England Journal of Medicine, 384(11), 989–1002.
Marso, S. P., Bain, S. C., Consoli, A., Eliaschewitz, F. G., Jódar, E., Leiter, L. A., Lingvay, I., Rosenstock, J., Seufert, J., Warren, M. L., Woo, V., Hansen, O., Holst, A. G., Pettersson, J., & Vilsbøll, T. (2016). Semaglutide and cardiovascular outcomes in patients with type 2 diabetes. New England Journal of Medicine, 375(19), 1834–1844.
Lincoff, A. M., Brown-Frandsen, K., Colhoun, H. M., Deanfield, J., Emerson, S. S., Esbjerg, S., Hardt-Lindberg, S. R., Hovingh, G. K., Kahn, S. E., Kushner, R. F., Lingvay, I., Oral, T. K., Michelsen, M. M., Plutzky, J., Tornøe, C. W., & the SELECT Trial Investigators. (2023). Semaglutide and cardiovascular outcomes in obesity without diabetes. New England Journal of Medicine, 389(24), 2221–2232.
Frías, J. P., Davies, M. J., Rosenstock, J., Pérez Manghi, F. C., Fernández Landó, L., Bergman, B. K., Liu, B., Cui, X., & Brown, K. (2021). Tirzepatide versus semaglutide once weekly in patients with type 2 diabetes. New England Journal of Medicine, 385(6), 503–515.
Wang, L., Ding, J., Zhu, C., Guo, B., Yang, W., He, W., Li, X., Wang, Y., Li, W., Wang, F., & Sun, T. (2021). Semaglutide attenuates seizure severity and ameliorates cognitive dysfunction by blocking the NLRP3 inflammasome in pentylenetetrazole-kindled mice. International Journal of Molecular Medicine, 48, 219.
Questions and Answers: Levetiracetam (Keppra) and Semaglutide
It is an anticonvulsant medication used to treat partial-onset seizures, myoclonic seizures, and primary generalized tonic-clonic seizures.
Semaglutide is a GLP-1 receptor agonist used for type 2 diabetes management and chronic weight management (in higher-dose formulations).
They do not have known direct drug-drug interactions, but any combined therapy should be reviewed by a healthcare provider to ensure safety based on your overall health and medication list.
Irritability, fatigue, dizziness, sleepiness, and sometimes mood or behavioral changes.
Nausea, vomiting, diarrhea, decreased appetite, constipation, and sometimes stomach pain.
Its exact mechanism isn’t fully known, but it is believed to modulate neurotransmitter release by binding to the SV2A protein in neurons, reducing seizure activity.
It mimics the GLP-1 hormone, increasing insulin secretion, reducing glucagon, slowing stomach emptying, and decreasing appetite.
Levetiracetam does not require routine therapeutic drug level monitoring. Semaglutide does not require drug level monitoring but does require regular monitoring of blood glucose and sometimes kidney function depending on the patient.
Yes. Some people experience irritability, agitation, anxiety, or depression. Contact a provider if mood changes occur.
Semaglutide alone has a low risk of hypoglycemia, but the risk increases if it is taken with other diabetes medications such as insulin or sulfonylureas.
Dr. Melissa VanSickle
Dr. Melissa Vansickle, MD is a family medicine specialist in Onsted, MI and has over 24 years of experience in the medical field. She graduated from University of Michigan Medical School in 1998. She is affiliated with medical facilities Henry Ford Allegiance Health and Promedica Charles And Virginia Hickman Hospital. Her subspecialties include General Family Medicine, Urgent Care, Complementary and Integrative Medicine in Rural Health.