Zonegran

[daisy.girl]

Anyone here ever taken Zonegran? If so, can you tell me a little about it? did you like? side effects? Can this drug be taken alone...as a mono therapy?

[Nakamova]

I was on Zonegran for monotherapy, for about 7 months. It's called the "Supermodel Drug" because it makes you skinny and dumb (no offense intended to any of the supermodels here at CWE). I found that was the case for me -- I had problems with finding words -- I couldn't think of "post office" for instance. Zonegran works as an appetite suppressant. Not only was I not hungry, my stomach felt pretty sore all the time, which in turn made it even harder to eat. This gave me low blood sugar, especially in the mornings, and I started to have secondary side effects related that -- moodiness, depression, dizziness, etc.

This all happened very gradually, but when I started to snap at people around me (I'm usually very mellow and laidback), I realized that the Zonegran had become a problem, especially because low blood sugar is a seizure trigger for me. I was waiting for my regularly scheduled appointment with my neurologist to ask to change meds, but my brain couldn't wait and I had a big ol' tonic-clonic. The post-ictal period was especially long and unpleasant because Zonegran dehydrates you, and in the confusion afterwards, I was told by my neurologist's office to go ahead and take a second dose right away, plus I was too zonked to drink a lot of water the way I would normally do. I ended up extra-dehydrated, and went to the ER twice to get fluids via IV.

Zonegran is related to sulfa drugs, so if you're at all allergic or sensitive to those, it's not the drug for you. In addition,you shouldn't eat grapefruit or drink a lot of grapefruit juice while on it.

[neilB]

Speaking as a Super Model myself I accept your apology

[daisy.girl]

It's called the "Supermodel Drug" because it makes you skinny and dumb

I thought that was what they said about topamax?? are they similar?

[Nakamova]

A bunch of the anti-epileptic drugs affect both memory and appetite, so "Supermodel Drug" is probably a common nickname...

[daisy.girl]

do you remember how many mg you were on?

[Nakamova]

I was on 300mg.

[Aubrey]

And all this time I thought 'skinny and dumb' was from the Lamictal. So its the Zonegran that is doing that to me (I am taking both, 600/300mg) all this time. It's so frustrating - I have gone back to school, and I am in a field where it is expected that you should be able to respond quickly and intelligently, but when I am asked anything... it doesn't matter how recently I was reading about it... I go to open my mouth and nothing comes out. I feel like such an idiot. It's like I have to read things so many more times than other people just to pound it into my brain enough that I can recall it when I need to.

Also, when I first started at the school, I told the assistant dean about my disability, and he knew nothing about it, which tells me that no one with same, had ever approached him with the matter before. Likewise, with the disability assistance center, they could not remember anybody with epilepsy ever asking them for assistance. I do feel a little bit like a freak there. So the Zonegran gave me my sweet GPA. sarc/off

[droolmonster]

I was on zonegran but I don't remember anything about it. Don't worry though, it's not like topamax.

As for the skinny and dumb...

I was really sick of medications affecting my cognition, I've worked with my doctor a lot on taking medications that don't affect my cognition. If you notice any dumbening go to your doctor right away, you don't have to live with that, you have to live with seizures. Keppra, if you can tolerate it, doesn't affect your cognition. That's what I take. I still don't know what to do about the mood swings though. (laughs crazily)

Oh, and I had a lot of trouble on lamictal... I was taking a lot of it, it was the first drug I tried, and the neurologist I had at the time, not my current one, just kept ramping it up. My cognition was horrible. It really hurts when you're an honor student. Sort of like, "My brain powers! Diminished!" But at normal doses I think it's okay. I was taking so much of it, I had a bunch of it around the house, and I ended up giving it to a friend who has epilepsy but was having trouble with insurance. She's a writer from France, she was like, "So much lamictal!" It was funny.

Good luck, I don't remember anything completely horrible about zonegran.

[epileric]

. Keppra, if you can tolerate it, doesn't affect your cognition.

Ummm.... I think that really depends on the person. I know it effected my memory & cognition more than any other anti-epileptic drug.

[Aubrey]

Keppra - if it had controlled my seizures maybe - but my family could not take the irrationality and rage issues and still no seizure control. I think Zonegran has reduced my partials, it's so hard to tell which meds do what now though. And yes, I am no honor student. Again, I don't know which drug to attribute that to.

[neilB]

Ah Keppra! My favorite new anti-epileptic drug drug which has turned me into Mr. Potatoe head! I can't remember words, names, and heaven forbid someone ask me a question about something we discussed a week ago! I'm guessing people at work are getting used to the blank stares as I try to remember what they are talking about! I'm in agreement with epileric!