Zonegran User Reviews & Ratings

• bet...
• June 18, 2020

For Seizures "I have been on 100mg daily of Zonegran for 1 week. Today I will be upping my dose to 200mg daily. Next week I will be upping it to 300mg daily and maxing out there for about a month to see how my body fully reacts to the 300mg daily. Zonegran, so far, is the first medication to help with the seizures. It definitely has lessened the length of my seizures, and how often. The side effects aren’t even close to how bad side effects have been on any other anti-seizure meds. I am definitely very drowsy, a little more irritable, moving slower, and feeling foggy. Have way less of an appetite and not eating early as much. I am having some headaches. Aside from that, I’m happy with this medicine so far. Finding the right medicine can be so frustrating and makes you feel so alone sometimes. Hoping this comment can help others as well! Xo"

• Pea...
• May 2, 2021

For Seizures "Zonegran has stopped my seizures, but I'd rather have seizures than deal with these side effects. I lost my job due to this medication. I am 21 years old and tried watching Harry Potter... couldn’t understand a thing. Words do not click for me anymore. I had to set reminders for everything because I can’t even remember simple tasks. Social activities are out of the question. I am so anxious and paranoid all the time. I get a feeling that someone is behind me even if I’m lying down or standing up against a wall. I haven’t battled with depression that’s been this intense before. This stuff makes me feel non-existent. All I want to do is sleep. It made me weak physically, emotionally, and mentally. It’s changing my personality and my relationships. It made me so angry and hurtful. It’s scary stuff. I wouldn’t recommend this medication, especially for those who already cannot communicate clearly due to age or disability."

• Sti...
• January 4, 2012

For Migraine Prevention "I've been taking Zonegran for a few years now at 300mg per day. It has really gotten my headaches under control to where I would only have a headache periodically. Weight loss has been a side effect that I haven't minded. The problem is I've had significant memory and focus issues. I hardly felt competent most of the time. I have slowly weaned myself down to 100mg per day. I notified my neurologist of this because it's an anti-seizure medicine, so you shouldn't stop it cold turkey or it could cause a seizure. My memory has improved significantly, but the headaches have returned with a vengeance. I'm back to taking narcotics to address each debilitating headache. I used to take Topamax. It too worked beautifully, but also wiped out the memory."

• Emi...
• October 9, 2013

For Seizures "I have been taking Zonegran, 300mg daily for 8 years. I have complex partial seizures that generalize about 90% of the time. I have tried just about every other medication out there and this is the only one that has kept my epilepsy under control. I do have side effects: some depression, anorexia (defined as loss of appetite). I started this medication weighing around 125 lbs and now after three children weigh 105 lbs and can't remember the last time I was hungry, and I have noticed that it is harder for me to retain information and I sometimes have to read things twice to understand them where before Zonegran I easily understood and retained information. Despite these side effects, I won't ever try a different medication. Totally worth it."

• Tar...
• December 8, 2016

For Migraine Prevention "Well, it all started with dizzy spells that got so bad I couldn't even stand up. I was in the hospital for almost 24 hours. They had no idea what was wrong. They suggested I see a neurologist ASAP. After making the appointment to see who they suggested, I wouldn't be able to see them for 4 months. So I reached out to my family. They said to see a headache specialist. That sounded crazy to me at first. After meeting this new doctor the same day I called him. He put me on Topamax, I believe it was called, which I had almost every side effect from. So he decided to put me on Zonegran in small doses and work my way up. This medicine is amazing. I have no side effects at all and no more migraines for about a year now."

• Wha...
• January 12, 2014

For Migraine Prevention "I took Topamax for a while, and it worked wonders, but the side effects were insane. However, the zonisamide works very well for preventing my migraines. I take 400 mg a day. Word finding and memory, I don't even know what those are anymore. However, I was living in constant pain. Nothing was working for me. This is the only thing that has done anything for me in years."

• Sei...
• Taken for 6 months to 1 year
• April 17, 2014

For Seizures "Zonegran, unlike Keppra and other seizure medicines, gives you a natural feeling closer to a normal feeling. Some seizures still slip by for me, but only when it's closer to my menstrual cycle or ovulation time. My seizures seem to be directly linked to fluctuations in my womanly cycles. Other than that, this medicine has been the best one for me and has been a great relief to me."

• Chi...
• Taken for 10 years or more
• January 16, 2014

For Seizures "Been on this medicine for a long time. 10 years. It decreased my seizures a lot and my headaches. Also decreased my appetite and I've lost weight, which I have no problem with. Out of all seizure medicines I've been on, I highly suggest this one!"

• Rid...
• April 13, 2013

For Seizures "I was on this medicine at first 200mg a day then 400mg. I turned into a completely different person. I'm normally a happy, positive & outgoing young woman. On Zonisamide I became extremely irritable & depressed. I flipped out over the littlest thing. I also lost a lot of weight because my appetite essentially disappeared. I weighed about 135lbs when I started and dropped to 113lbs. I finally had enough when the depression kicked in. I would have suicidal thoughts multiple times a day. It was scary and debilitating! I cried a lot, for no good reason. My performance at work and my relationships were suffering so I called my Dr. and switched to Lamictal."

• Zon...
• March 30, 2011

For Migraine Prevention "I have used Zonegran for headaches only. It is the only thing that seems to have lessened them somewhat, but I still have headaches and they affect me cognitively. I'm mentally slower, have word-finding problems, my memory is bad, and my attention is terrible. I've tried to go off it on occasion, but my headaches get absolutely awful, so I stay on it."

• JBu...
• April 20, 2015

For Seizures "I have been on Zonisamide for 5 years. I've tried several other medications to control my seizures but always switched due to side effects (hair loss, depression, etc.). Zonisamide works the best so far for me! I love it! I haven't had a seizure in 5 years and I'm very happy with my quality of life! The only setback is my memory, I have word-finding issues big time! It gets very frustrating when I can see the person or the thing and not say the word. I have a Bachelor's degree in English, so you can imagine how annoying that is! But I would choose Zonisamide over anything else for sure! :)"

• was...
• Taken for 2 to 5 years
• March 23, 2020

For Seizures "Started taking 300 mg of Zonegran/Zonisamide my freshman year of high school and have been on it for 3 years. The drug is good at what it’s supposed to do-control seizures. However, the side effects are getting so extreme that I’m in the process of changing medicine. Lost 60 lbs, hands/feet feeling tingly, slurred speech, getting agitated, and more forgetful. Although those were tolerable and pretty mild, I started experiencing cloudy urine that would be incredibly painful and, at this point, unbearable. If you're thinking about taking this medication, make sure to DRINK WATER!"

• Wil...
• Taken for 10 years or more
• January 4, 2016

For Seizures "I have taken Zonegran (brand name only) for about 15 years. I have been seizure-free for all 15 years. Prior to that, I was on Topamax (brand name only) and was seizure-free for 4 years. I had one seizure in that time due to exposure to mold. Zonegran is the BEST medicine I have ever had. I do have word-finding and short-term memory issues that are frustrating, and sometimes I experience involuntary jerking of my limbs as I'm trying to go to sleep. In all honesty, I would not use anything else. I don't have to worry about seizures. I just take the meds and live my life. So much so, I am finally driving a car, which is something I thought I would never do because I didn't trust my meds!"

• Jam...
• Taken for 1 to 6 months
• January 5, 2016

For Migraine Prevention "I was taking 6-8 Excedrin Migraine daily to control my headaches. I saw a neurologist and was put on Zonegran. It took 1 month to build up to 100 mg per day. I was headache-free after 2 months and have been that way for 3 months now. I will step down from the pills in 6 months. No side effects for me at all."

• Ste...
• November 26, 2014

For Migraine Prevention "I have been given many different diagnoses (Hemicrania continua, primary trochlear headache, Atypical Trigeminal Neuralgia). Currently, I have migrainous type chronic headache with Atypical Facial Pain. I was on 300 mg Topamax with a bunch of other stuff, and this helped, but I couldn't add 2 and 2. It was like north pole magnets coming together. Now I have been on 200mg Zonisamide (Zonegran) for about 2 years, and I have a 50% reduction in pain. As for cognitive impairment, I can live with the loss of spelling and reduced vocabulary. It's not that bad compared to either the pain or Topamax."

• dwe...
• Taken for less than 1 month
• October 9, 2017

For Seizures "I took Zonegran (zonisamide) for approximately 4 weeks. That should tell you something. I knew by the third week that something was wrong with me. This drug ruined my thinking process. I got 'brain fog,' was unable to concentrate or focus on anything more than 2-3 minutes. I could not remember 50% or more of anything I read or was told. It made me depressed and discouraged, and I completely lost interest in nearly everything. It began to affect me emotionally, and I became extremely irritable at times. It also made me very sleepy and reduced my appetite tremendously. *Worst of all, it did not stop my seizures. Zonegran must be one of, if not the worst anti-seizure medications I've taken in my life. I don't recommend it."

• Hea...
• February 26, 2017

For Migraine Prevention "In the past, I had been given all types of medicines for migraine prevention, and by far, Zonegran has been THE BEST. I've had very few side effects that I can notice. The number of headaches that I normally have is decreased tremendously! I can really tell when I miss doses of the medication because the headaches come back full force, but once I get the medicine in my system again, everything is all good! If you haven't tried Zonegran, PLEASE DO!"

• ste...
• July 4, 2011

For Seizures "I have recently been on Topamax and Keppra, both maxed out. My headaches were worse and my seizures were still happening. My doctor finally switched me to Zonegran 3 months ago. I am seizure-free, headaches have been much better, and I feel a lot more normal. I do have a low appetite, but not to where I can't eat. I love it!"

• BLo...
• March 18, 2016

For Migraine Prevention "I took 300 mg of Zonegran for nearly 2 years. It worked really well to prevent my migraines at the start-it was like a dream come true. I did experience appetite reduction and weight loss, but I put it back on after about a year. The negative side effects were extreme for me over time. First, my depression got much worse. That could have been external factors, but the time that I started taking Zonegran and the severe increase in my symptoms match. Also, after some time, I noticed my cognitive function was severely inhibited. I was in graduate school at the time and began failing classes, slurring my words when 100% sober, and unable to remember things. When I went off, my migraines returned severely, especially period and allergy migraines."

• rin...
• Taken for 2 to 5 years
• October 21, 2013

For Seizures "Seizures decreased in frequency. Partial seizures. But there was one day of uncontrollable, uncomfortable side effects or a seizure of a different type. I had trouble organizing thoughts, couldn't come up with certain words, and felt extremely hostile at times. Never want to have those feelings again. They were very strong and uncontrollable."

• Dav...
• Taken for 2 to 5 years
• November 16, 2020

For Seizures "This drug Zonegran made me angry, depressed, and generally uninterested in life. The cognitive effects are pretty severe as well. Almost lost my job due to my performance while on Zonegran. When I stopped taking it, I felt like someone lifted the fog and turned the lights on again."

• Anonymous
• Taken for 1 to 6 months
• October 29, 2013

For Seizures "Our daughter is 5 years old and is on Zonegran for epilepsy, along with other AEDs. She has had problems since about a week after starting Zonegran: lack of memory and information processing. She is very slow now and has a hard time finding the correct words. She is also very sleepy. At this point, we have actually seen an increase in seizure activity."

• Chr...
• Taken for less than 1 month
• March 29, 2021

For Migraine Prevention "Zonegran (zonisamide) did ease my chronic migraine, but about 10 days after starting 100 mg/day, I developed 'acute myopia,' which means I essentially lost my vision over the course of about 24 hours. Thankfully, my vision returned a few days after stopping the drug. An ophthalmologist examined me, and there is no long-term damage. If you try Zonegran, please watch for changes to your vision and call your doctor immediately should you notice any changes at all."

• Bri...
• Taken for 6 months to 1 year
• November 29, 2016

For Migraine Prevention "For migraine prevention, I've tried amitriptyline, Imitrex, propranolol, Fioricet, and Topamax for a while, and they worked, but the side effects were insane. However, the zonisamide works very well for preventing my migraines. I take 300 mg a day. Word finding and memory, I don't even know what those are anymore. However, I was living in constant pain. Nothing was working for me. This is the only thing that has done anything for me in quite some time, so do I walk around with a childlike mind or not be able to get out of bed because of the pounding migraines?!?"

• gol...
• November 25, 2013

For Seizures "I have been taking Topiramate for complex partial seizures following my second subarachnoid bleed in 2005, but started to lose my hair, so I am now taking Zonegran. Since changing over, I feel very well, and the hair loss seems to be much improved, and I am feeling great!"