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Keppra Won’t Make You Fail a Drug Test
Keppra is also known as Levetiracetam. It is an anticonvulsant drug that decreases brain activity which causes epilepsy in both kids and adults. Usually, Keppra is used with other medications to prevent and treat seizures. Some people may wonder if Keppra can make them fail a drug test required by employers or authorities. This article will explain what Keppra is used for, how long it stays in your body, and whether it can really make you fail a drug test.
Table of Contents
What Is Keppra?
As noted earlier, Keppra is an anticonvulsant or antiepileptic drug. It comes in immediate-release forms as well as extended-release forms known as Keppra and Keppra XR respectively. The main use of Keppra is the treatment of seizures in kids and adults who suffer from epilepsy. Different doses of the drug are required to treat people who have varying levels of epilepsy. Most Keppra drugs come in pill form so they are taken orally.
Is It a Controlled Substance?
Keppra requires a prescription from your healthcare provider. However, the drug isn’t a controlled substance. It is not on the list of monitored drugs by the U.S. Drug Enforcement Administration.
The understanding of how the drug works isn’t clear in some cases and this is why people wonder if it is a controlled substance. It inhibits the release of calcium in neurons. The consequence of this action is the drug modulates the release of neurons in the body’s central nervous system. Since epilepsy is considered a debilitating disease where the neurons in the brain are released uncontrollably causing seizures, this medication is believed to help slow down the uncontrollable firing of the neurons which results in preventing seizures.
Is Keppra a Benzo?
No, Keppra is not a benzo. Benzos is short for benzodiazepines which are a class of psychoactive drugs known as tranquilizers. They provide sedating effects by slowing down the activity of the central nervous system. Although the effects of both drugs may look similar, they work in different ways: while Keppra decreases brain activity, benzos just interfere with messaging between the brain and the body without affecting the brain functions.
How Long Does It Stay in Your System?
The FDA claims that the half-life of this drug is from 6 to 8 hours in case the user has normal metabolism and kidney function. This term refers to the time it takes to reduce the level of a substance in the blood by half. The full elimination requires around 5.5 half-lives, which means that It takes around 40 hours for the drug to leave your system.
However, factors such as age, metabolism, health, weight as well as the frequency and amount of Keppra taken are important considerations. They can affect the body’s rate of elimination of toxins thus reducing or increasing the time Kepra stays in your system.
This drug can also be forced out of your system with detoxification. There are some common recommendations:
- Hydration is the cornerstone of detox. Drink plenty of water and urinate to reduce the toxin levels in your system. Urination helps the body to clear drug particles faster.
- Exercise is another way to speed up the detox process. Physical activity accelerates metabolism and helps eliminate toxins in sweat.
- Drug detox drinks. These products help your body process the drugs more efficiently. They can be purchased at legal dispensaries as well as online.
Will Keppra Show Up in a Drug Test?
No, it will not, because it belongs to a class of drugs known as anticonvulsants, which are not tested in the standard drug testing panels. Some people are worried that it will make them fail a urine test for benzodiazepines but it will not, because as we said before Keppra is not similar to benzos. You don't have to worry about an upcoming drug test—your employer won't know that you have epilepsy.
