Zonisamide User Reviews & Ratings (Page 4)

• Seizu...
• Taken for 1 to 6 months
• July 28, 2021

For Seizures "Zonisamide has essentially ruined my life since being put on it. It caused one seizure because the memory issues caused by the drug led me to forget to take my seizure meds and seize, but aside from that I’m just anxious, nauseous, and exhausted 24/7! In my house, it is known as Zombisamide. I opted to titrate onto Lamictal as soon as humanly possible."

• FIDEL
• Taken for 1 to 6 months
• September 19, 2023

Zonegran (zonisamide) for Seizures "I take the medication 100 mg in the morning. I should increase it to 200 mg, but I don't want to take the risk. It's very difficult to think clearly when you have a headache and can't fall asleep at night. It's challenging to function during the day with this medication, you feel confused and lost. However, the seizures have become less frequent. The only downside is that sometimes I have falls during the seizures. I take it along with Keppra and Trileptal."

• sissie
• February 17, 2016

For Migraine Prevention "I started having daily migraines Sept. 2014. Topiramax (can't spell anymore). from primary MD. No improvement. Saw neurologist Dec. 2014. started on Zonisamide. 50mg. built up to 150mg. was having about 28 migraines pre meds. Decreased to about 22. for a few months. Then decreased to 14-18 per mo. summer of 2015. Took Pt. end of summer and headaches increased to upper 20s again. MRI done in summer showed Spinal Stenosis but no severe enough to warrant surgery. Dosage of Zonisamide increased to 250 mg. did not help so Neuro. decreased it back to 150mg. pain became more severe and every day. At present am on 200 mg. and to go up to 250 mg. next week. Still with migraines every day. Getting 2nd set of spinal injections with steroids tomorrow."

• livin...
• Taken for 10 years or more
• May 18, 2015

For Seizures "Have been seizure free for over 10 years now. Ever since my doc put me on zonegran. BUT there was a short time I was having bad migraines so he put me on Topamax (evil drug) caused me to have short term memory loss to the point that I was forgetting I was forgetting. Changed Doctors and back on Zonisamide and all is good. As for side effects I have daily fatigue and less of an appetite but who cares compared to one or more seizures daily."

• Rob
• Taken for 1 to 6 months
• June 30, 2020

For Migraine Prevention "I've had severe chronic migraines for the last 11 years, age 62 now. I've tried just about everything, Imitrex with Naproxen worked best and had the least side effects. My Neurologist took my off Levetiracetam because it wasn't working as a prophylaxis and put me on Zonisamide. He's starting me at 50 mg and I have noticed a decrease in severity and duration of the migraines, but not a decrease in quantity so far. I don't have any motor side effects, but I've lost 12 lbs. so far and I can't really afford to lose any weight. If it continues, I'll have to stop as I am now at 157 lbs as a 5'11'' man."

• Anonymous
• Taken for less than 1 month
• March 2, 2021

For Seizures "5 days on this medication and I started having very bad and scary psychotic thoughts and severe suicide thoughts which are terrifying. Also developed severe headaches which had stopped with nortryptiline but started with this medication. I am STOPPING IT as the suicidal thoughts are too much. I never had a seizure on it which was great but not worth the side effects. Great for seizures."

• Charly
• Taken for less than 1 month
• January 17, 2021

For Migraine Prevention "Took zonisamide 50mg/day for 30 days, for vestibular migraine. Took away my appetite. Went from 118 to 107lbs, and counting. I also had side effects of insomnia, agitation, anxiety, full blown panic attacks. I do not feel like myself! Told my doc and she said to stop the zonisamide. 5 days off, and praying my body will recover. This stuff is awful."

• Moose
• Taken for 6 months to 1 year
• August 31, 2017

For Seizures "I began taking this drug July 2016 I had to take myself off of it because I had enough of the side effects My docter would not even consider me withdrawing from it completely from and telling me to wait for the appt with my consultant neurologist in the UK which I could not do (2 months) Side effects were terrible aching, burning patches all over my body, very low mood (not quite depression) I have been diagnosed with Epilepsy since I was 18 but the side effects were worse than the condition although I did have several seizures. I am an English woman living in the UK. I have to include that side effects started several months after taking this drug and I can positively state that it was all because of this DRUG Zonisamide"

• Bluwi...
• September 26, 2015

For Migraine Prevention "My migraines started suddenly at age 52 have no idea why. I have tried several different medicine including topomax I am now taking 400 mg zanisamide as first preventive and starting another new medicine this next week to see if it will help the head pain. I get daily migraines scale 3 -5 on a average and can increase at anytime through the day to 6-7 at which time I have to take a treximet or wait to see if it passes, sleep, ice quite what ever I can do till it goes away. I have also tried botox that didn't work either"

• Satis...
• Taken for 5 to 10 years
• April 30, 2022

Zonegran (zonisamide) for Seizures "I have been taking generic zonegran for over 5 years now to control partial seizures that can turn into generalized seizures. I take 300 mg daily and rarely have partials. Before taking this I had them everyday, sometimes multiple times a day. I also have had zero migraines. I’m especially glad to be rid of freaky ocular migraines I used to suffer every few months. The first several months on this drug while going up in dose I was TIRED and foggy. I don’t feel any side effects really now except sometimes notice word finding struggles that I think are from this drug. I have a demanding job and do well with analytical thinking, memory, etc. Definitely do need to plenty of drink water as recommended on this medication or your kidneys/bladder/urinary tract will be unhappy."

• VLS
• Taken for 1 to 6 months
• March 25, 2019

For Seizures "I have been on zonisamide for a few weeks and it's horrible. I take three 100mg at bedtime and there is what feels like a combination of side effects, like feeling over medicated and feeling like the drug isn't working. I don't like to leave the house because when I am around florescent lighting for very long I get worse, almost like I am experiencing an aura. I am ready to go on the drug that was costing almost $900.00 a month but worked rather than go through this."

• Anonymous
• October 26, 2009

For Seizures "I take Zonisamide with Tegretol and it works great in controlling my seizures. I do have loss of memory, stuttering, and itchy skin. All of these have occurred in the last year and I've been taking it for 2.5 years."

• Jeff
• April 16, 2018

For Seizures "My second neurologist prescribed me 100mg caps, one at night for a week, then increase to 2 caps for a week, then 3 caps at night for a week. The first week it made me so sick, horribly dizzy, like a bad flu feeling in the morning. Called her, told her about the horrible side effects, she wanted me to give it one more week on just 100mg to try and get use to it. No good, second week I was just as sick. I'm disabled, deaf, had major cervical surgery March of 2017. Next May I was hit with seizures, in ICU for 5 days, 20 seizures first day and night. My first worthless neurologist put me on Depakote, It stopped the seizures at least, but made me so sick I insisted he get me off the poison. Cause of seizures are unknown. Endless tests, EEG showed perfect along with the MRI of my brain. I plan on joining Mensa , after a cochlear implant there in the next few months. Last seizure I had was April 5th, 2017, over a year ago."

• Joe
• Taken for 1 to 6 months
• March 19, 2021

Zonegran (zonisamide) for Seizures "I've been on primidone for 35 years. My doctor wanted to switch to Zonegran because of my headaches. It definitely stopped the headaches but I couldn't sleep. However, I wasn't tired the next day either. Two weeks in, I noticed that I was having heartburn but it was controllable. When I upped my dose to 200 mgs., it was like someone set a fire in my stomach. I called the doctor and went off of it that day. I did notice that my personality changed as well. It didn't work for me but I'm sure others have had better results."

• Anonymous
• Taken for 2 to 5 years
• April 13, 2018

For Migraine Prevention "I was put on Zonegran for Back issues, I was in so much pain with discs out of place in my upper and lower back that I honestly thought I had cancer, I am a Breast Cancer Survivor and when this pain hit I started looking for answers and started seeing doctors, the doctors including my oncologist ran tests and they came out normal. I was referred to a neurologist and he ran tests only to find out the problem was my back and my options were surgery or meds, this medication, causes brain fog and hair loss and sometimes I can’t find my words, It can also cause UTI’s if you don’t drink enough water, for the hair loss add vitamin b6 100mg a day it helped me! I take 400 mg a day and 200 mg of topiramate for the last 3 years and have lost over 100 pounds so then there’s that"

• Lglo
• February 7, 2017

For Migraine Prevention "I will be starting Zonisamide today. I've had migraines for over 30 yrs and tried every drug out there. Was on Topamax for many years but the side effects were terrible. I'm a little nervous to start this drug because it's in the same class of meds but I'll give it a try.! My neurologist also wants me to add in Nortriptyline in a month. Has anyone taken this combo??"

• okiez...
• May 15, 2010

For Seizures "Been on Zonisamide for maybe 3 years, probably more, can't remember exactly; no grand mal seizures what so ever. Try not to take it late at night though. Take 3 pills all at once, any time during morning hours, or even early afternoon. But this is the best for me, anyhow."

• The...
• Taken for 2 to 5 years
• August 25, 2022

For Seizures "I've been on Zonisamide for about 3.5 years now to control my grandmal seizures. From early on at 200mg I noticed some "fog" and chronic depression, but it was manageable and more importantly the seizures were controlled. Later I went up to 300mg when my auras returned, and now I'm in a really bad way. I'm extremely irritable. I get angry over little things and stay angry. I lose my thought mid sentence at least 10 times a day. It's really damaging my relationships and self-efficacy."

• bean
• Taken for 1 to 2 years
• November 14, 2020

For Seizures "I do not recommend zonisamide unless actually necessary or a last resort medication. I developed kidney stones, rashes, my body is lacking most of the vitamins I need. I’m not absorbing b12, basically anemia. It stopped my seizures but my quality of life is so bad I’m getting off this medication."

• Hannah
• Taken for 5 to 10 years
• August 23, 2021

Zonegran (zonisamide) for Seizures "This medication is toxic. I was on it and vimpat for years and it made me so sick that I couldn’t walk. All of the doctors couldn’t figure out what was wrong with me, and I was in the hospital for 9 days. I stopped the meds as a last resort It effected my mental health, ability to think, and gave me weakness, numbness, muscle cramps, dizziness, and a chronic pain pain that felt my entire skeleton was in a pressure cooker."

• Sherr...
• Taken for 10 years or more
• August 18, 2021

For Seizures "My husband has suffered three major strokes since 2007. The final one in 2008 left him with partial complex seizures. He was given Tegretol 300 mg twice a day. This didn't stop his seizures and then he was given 300 mg twice a day of Zonegram (Generic Zonisimide) in addition to the Tegretol. His seizures have been controlled and the side effects have been minimal except for the extreme loss of appetite and sleepiness. He was a robust 230 pounds when starting this medicine and now barely weighs 150 pounds. He is physically impaired and practically bedridden due to the weight loss and muscle loss. I am also suspect that it affected his dental health as he kept losing his teeth one by one until he has full dentures now. I know that the weight loss may have been due in part to his dental issues but I have read the many reviews concerning weight loss which I believe is being caused in part to this medication. He has also experienced light headedness and short term memory loss."

• Mwagne
• Taken for 2 to 5 years
• January 27, 2017

For Benign Essential Tremor "My shaking is well controlled but I don't like the side effects I have. I am positive the problems are drug related. I have facial pain, like a sinus pain, nasal burning, occasional headaches, lips and mouth tingle. I no longer have orgasms. I have low blood pressure so I couldn't take certain other medications. A couple others make me very nauseous. I decided to live with the side effects of zonisamide for now."

• Vic
• Taken for 6 months to 1 year
• December 15, 2018

For Parkinsonian Tremor "It is for tremors, but never touched mine . It is an an anti-epileptic, and I had 2 seizures back to back. A!so the side effects are awful. I was on it for exactly 1 yr, and the shaky unsteady walking - - - you can believe ! I fell four times in one week ! Ended up in the hospital ! Now in rehab. No I think you can find a better drug than this. Never could find the clinical trial info on it , - - - - if any ."

• Wimka
• Taken for 1 to 6 months
• July 6, 2018

For Migraine Prevention "I had been taking Topamax & it worked preventing my migraines without bad side effects (just weight/hair loss, which were both appreciated). However after starting hormonal birth control, I wanted to stop it to eliminate the possibility of it decreasing the effectiveness of the BC. My neurologist recommended Zonegran since it's a similar anticonvulsant & he's had patients successful with it. 10 days after building up to my full dose (100mg nightly) I began feeling nauseous. I was lightheaded, out of breath, & had to lay down. For the following week I was nauseous & sometimes lightheaded, & missed 2 days of work. After realizing Zonegran was the only change, I began to wean off of it. The nausea was better as my dose decrease & gone after stopping. Unfortunately I can't take triptans due to the birth control since I get migraines with aura & my neurologist won't prescribe antidepressants to people already on one. So beta blockers are my next try, regrettably."

• Fitz
• August 3, 2018

For Migraine Prevention "I have had migraines for the past 3 years, and did not want to get diagnosed due to the fact that I'm in the military and the medical there is often not the best (patch it up and send it off). The past 6 months have been the worst so I went in, and was put on Maxalt, maxed out on it first day. Then I got Sumatripitan which works but the side effect (knocks me on my butt) are hard to deal with at work. So they put me on Topamax, absolutely loved it. 16 days no headaches, no migraines nothing. But I had an awful itch that was worsened by sunlight. So put me on nortriptyline at 50mg. I also have temporomandibular joint disorder Disorder ( due to grinding my teeth during sleep) so after I was put on the nortriptyline the migraines would cause my temporomandibular disorder (TMD) to flare up intensifying my migraines. I really loved topamax because it relaxed both conditions. Two birds one stone. But was put on Zonisamide 100 mg on top of the nortriptyline 50mg yesterday. Woke up this morning itchy."