Acetazolamide and Dizziness: What Users Say

• Abr...
• March 22, 2011

Acetazolamide for Glaucoma "I was given Diamox to prevent any increase in eye pressure after an ICL surgery (basically cataract surgery). My pressures were great, but the side effects from this were no fun. I experienced dizziness, tingling in my toes, and worst of all, my taste was off. The worst taste difference I noticed was in caffeinated beverages, and that's what caused me to do some looking around to see what was going on."

• rls...
• July 4, 2019

For Edema "My ENT prescribed Diamox for Meniere's disease, a buildup of fluid in the inner ear. I will experience tinnitus, vertigo, ear fullness, and visual disturbances, including light sensitivity. Once starting Diamox, all of my symptoms were significantly minimized. I also struggle with migraines and noticed since taking Diamox, I have not had one episode. Like others, I experience diarrhea, but increasing my daily water intake has helped. I too also experience tingling in my hands and feet, but it's not intense. I just learned this medicine can suppress appetite, and this does occur with me. I also have more energy, so much, most nights I have insomnia. Has anyone else experienced this? Overall, for me the benefits certainly outweigh the costs. I've been granted a new outlook on life. Before Diamox, the Meniere's left me in a fog, both in vision and hearing. If anyone has also experienced trouble sleeping, please share what you have found to help, I would love to hear it!"

• Nat...
• Taken for less than 1 month
• August 27, 2019

For Hydrocephalus "I’m on my 5th day of this acetazolamide tablet now. For intracranial hypertension, I made an appointment at the optician's as I had been suffering from disturbed vision and dizziness for around a year. I went to the optician's, where they found my optical nerves were inflamed. I went to the hospital, had CT and MRI scans which were normal. Had a lumbar puncture which revealed excess fluid on my spine, so they drained some out. For anyone who says that spinal taps aren’t painful, they’re lying. It was horrible. They then put me on these tablets to prevent the fluid from reproducing. Blurred vision and dizziness seem to be my main symptoms, along with tingling fingers and toes. I am determined to stick this out though, as I have read great things about it."

• Hen...
• September 23, 2016

For Glaucoma "I was taking Diamox twice daily for two weeks to reduce eye pressure before cataract surgery. Very effective in lowering pressure, but side effects were troublesome. It makes you very tired, constipated, dizzy, lack of appetite, some temporary hearing issues in one ear. A few days after stopping the pills, everything was back to normal."

• nyg...
• Taken for 2 to 5 years
• November 26, 2015

Acetazolamide for Glaucoma "I have congenital glaucoma. This medication was prescribed to me in 2009, the worst medication I've ever had. Tingling of the toes, fingers at times, lips. Worst headache of my life, and it's related to Diamox according to my doctor. The headache becomes so bad I can't think straight. It doesn't lower eye pressure for me in its entirety, but to a certain degree. Also, accompanied with this medication, it falls down horribly on my stomach, unbelievable pain, as well as dizzy symptoms. Doctor stated to me that this medication does produce these side effects."

• Pep...
• Taken for less than 1 month
• January 26, 2020

For Glaucoma "I've been taking acetazolamide for glaucoma for 2 weeks now, and the lightheadedness, weakness, and low energy level are very troublesome. I've been given no other options with regard to my eye pressure condition. The weakness and dizziness are like a very bad flu condition."

• Tor...
• Taken for 1 to 6 months
• January 6, 2020

For Pseudotumor Cerebri "This medication acetazolamide was horrific at first! I had to take off work a month just to take it. I started taking a dose of 125 mg a night for a week, then 125 x 2 a day for a week, then 250 x 2 a day for a week. Now I take 500 mg ER once a day. Next week I go to 500 mg ER 2 x a day. I was so sick I couldn’t get out of bed the first two weeks. Food and drinks still taste strange, still very sick just not as bad, but sadly trying to adjust as my new normal. Still tingling in hands/feet. Sharp headaches, nausea, breathing issues, tired, eyes look weak, dizzy, always in a haze. Eating anything seems to enhance my nausea. I had trouble walking one week and had to have an epidural steroid shot in my back. I have lived with ringing in both ears for over a year now. The medicine has made my ringing worse! I can’t stop the medicine. So I don’t have a choice. I have to take the medicine or risk going blind. However, I am pretty miserable!"

• Mar...
• March 2, 2014

Acetazolamide for Glaucoma "I am taking Diamox, this is the 3rd time I have been prescribed this. It definitely works, but the side effects this time are the worst of all. I am dizzy and fell, with pins and needles in my hands, feet, and face. A headache, I don't know if it's from the medication or from the fall. Nausea."

• Anonymous
• July 17, 2009

For Mountain Sickness / Altitude Sickness "We used the generic form of this medicine for a quick 3-day visit to the Rocky Mountains to prevent altitude sickness since we were time-crunched and unable to acclimate slowly. It helped us both sleep, avoided getting ill, and suppressed our appetites. We did feel some very slight dizziness/lightheadedness when we first started it, but were able to pretty much ignore it. I highly recommend it if you will be unable to acclimate - your trip will not be spoiled by getting sick."

• Mik...
• June 22, 2018

For Glaucoma "I took this medicine once, and the side effects are horrible. It decreases my potassium to the point that I felt the pressure on my head, and it feels like I was about to collapse. My whole body started to feel numb, and I was shaking and scared. (I was about to panic when I felt that numbness all over my body), but I stayed calm and rested, but I can still feel the tingling sensation. I pee a lot, dizziness, and I feel like it triggers my anxiety. But this medicine helped my eye pressure. I just took this once, and I will never take that again. Earlier, I went to my ophthalmologist, and he is kind of shocked that I said I was about to collapse, and he said that I shouldn't take that medicine because of the side effects. Right now, I can still feel the tingling in my fingers and foot. I just ate a banana, and it helps..."

• bab...
• April 7, 2011

For Glaucoma "I have a lot of fluid in my optic nerve, blurred vision. I have a couple of days taking this medication twice daily, and it gives me some side effects ...gives me tingling in my fingers and toes, nausea, and I also experienced dizziness, but my doctor says it will go away in two weeks."

• Ton...
• Taken for less than 1 month
• April 2, 2021

For Glaucoma "First of all, oh my god, the taste of soda is godawful. It started the first day I was on it. I'm on day 14. I get the tingle in my fingertips. I feel nausea and a bit dizzy, but then it goes away and comes back. Last but not least, the most explosive diarrhea I have ever experienced in my life, and I had a really bad stomach bug. The diarrhea from this stuff is so much crazier. The bowel sounds and stomach and intestine gurgles are insane, they're so loud. As soon as I hear them, I have to go destroy the toilet bowl with my diarrhea all over it. Oh my god, it does help with eye pressure, though I will say that, but oh my god, I wish I knew how to get rid of these side effects."

• Ble...
• February 13, 2018

For Hydrocephalus "I am currently on this medication, 500 mg, 2x a day to treat the excess fluid gain on my brain that causes seizures. The first dose of this medication, I instantly had a really bad taste for soda and for most anything that I ate or drank. I experienced extreme tiredness, dizziness, headaches, and had a decrease in appetite. After about 2 days, I noticed numbness and tingling in my hands and feet, ringing in my ears, a stabbing pressure pain in my eyes, and abdominal pain. I had to pee every 20-30 minutes and had extreme diarrhea instantly after every meal, all my bowel movements are diarrhea. After telling my neurologist about it, he said they are common and to take it once a day for 2 weeks to let my body adjust, then back to 2x. I fluctuate back and forth with the once and twice a day because he will not let me stop taking it, and all of the effects still remain after 8 months of treatment, but it has decreased the fluid levels on my brain, and I lost 30 pounds are the only benefits."

• Sea...
• December 28, 2020

Acetazolamide for Mountain Sickness / Altitude Sickness "Absolute game changer for skiing at high altitude. I thought I would inevitably spend the first few days sick and anxious from being out of breath. I did have some dizziness and pins and needles 'electric feeling,' but this side effect was worth feeling so much better and enjoying my holiday."

• Pho...
• Taken for less than 1 month
• June 23, 2019

"I have suffered with migraines and severe dizziness and vertigo since I was 6. Neurologist put me on this. I've only taken it for 2 days, but my headaches and dizziness are worse. I feel so tired. I have double vision, excessively thirsty, and tingling in my face, hands, and feet like pins and needles. I knew it wasn't going to work for my vertigo but was hoping I could tolerate it long enough to get the weight loss side effect, but I'd rather stay fat."

• Cat...
• Taken for less than 1 month
• July 3, 2019

Acetazolamide for Mountain Sickness / Altitude Sickness "I took one of these pills (125 mg) to try it before my vacation, and I haven't felt so sick in a long time. OMG, it was horrible!! It started with mild dizziness and tiredness. Not so bad, but by the 12th hour, I just wanted to check out. A lot of dizziness, very tired but couldn't sleep, nausea, and headache. Generally, I felt awful but couldn't put my finger on how else it made me feel this awfulness. I took a meclizine and some Advil and felt a bit better. The next day, I still felt a bit weird but not so awful. That stuff lasts a long time, and if you take it on vacation and have my reaction, you'll waste a lot of hours being miserable."

• Cin...
• December 16, 2010

For Seizure Prevention "I am taking carbamazepine for seizures but found that I was gaining a lot of weight (22 pounds in 2 months). After doing much search on the web, I found an article where a doctor did research on 15 patients that had weight gain on carbamazepine and found that by taking acetazolamide, the patients were able to lose the weight they had gained and maintained the weight lost. Today is day 2 on the acetazolamide, and I am sick to my stomach, feeling a bit dizzy and withdrawn. I would love to lose the weight that many of you have mentioned but not sure if I want to deal with the side effects to achieve this."

• Dia...
• Taken for 1 to 6 months
• November 17, 2023

For Pseudotumor Cerebri "My side effects started immediately after the first dose. I literally felt like someone was putting thorns through my feet and knee joints-a mixture of tingling and pricking sensation. As I write this, it has been seven weeks into Diamox, and I do not have any tingling. This feeling has been subsiding over time. I have remained fatigued since I started taking the drugs. This couples with dizziness, and people interpret it as laziness. It is sad, but I am positive that it will also fade. Main concern right now: tremors! My fingers are almost as shaky as those of a patient with Parkinsonism, especially the thumb. My upper lip, eyes, and facial muscles are also almost always in a tremor. Unfortunately, my neurologist just says I will be fine. Tip: Take potassium-rich foods."

• And...
• Taken for less than 1 month
• March 2, 2023

Acetazolamide for Glaucoma "I was prescribed this for eye pressure reduction due to diabetes and glaucoma surgery recovery. I was told to take as much as I could handle, as much as 4000 mg was authorized. I was to take it so that my eye would heal properly after the Ahmed valve installation surgery. So far I have taken 500 mg for a week and have found I am shivering a lot. My balance is off and I find myself bumping into things a lot more. I have gone out of my way to add extra potassium while on this drug as suggested in the guide. I think the worst effect I have had is that my fasting blood sugars will not go below 13 mmol/L, no matter how hard I try. I went from 8.1 mmol/L to 13 the day I started this and they have gone up to 16 but will not go below 13. Metformin seems to have no effect at all. And that has me concerned. The benefits of this remain to be seen as I visit the doctor shortly."

• Anonymous
• Taken for less than 1 month
• June 2, 2017

Acetazolamide for Pseudotumor Cerebri "Confusion, lethargy, diarrhea, hyperchloremia, CO2 16, nausea, dizziness."

• Mar...
• Taken for less than 1 month
• November 6, 2022

Acetazolamide for Glaucoma "It's made me extremely dizzy and nauseous. No appetite at all. My one hand was occasionally tingly but livable. I stopped it after 3 days."