Zarontin side effects

[abooch33]

My daughter was diagnosed last week with absence seizures and was prescribed Zarontin (ethosuximide) 250mg at night. She is suppose to increase her dose to 500mg next week. However, the side effects she is having on the current dose is horrible. Stomach cramps, not eating, not sleeping, nauseousness, diarrhea, anxiousness...she is just miserable and she is only 5 days into the medication. I don't know if I am going to continue to give her this medication, let alone increase her dose.

My question is, has anyone tried a lower dose and been successful with lowering the frequency of their seizures while also lowering the severity of side effects?

I have not noticed any seizures in the past 2 days, so I think this is a good medication, but the side effects she is experiencing are way worse than the actual seizures. She couldn't even go to school today because she is so sick. We have to force her to eat before she takes the medication because I don't want her to take it on an empty stomach. We started giving her Melatonin to help her sleep. But the stomach pain just hits her out of no where, and then this morning she started with diarrhea.

If no one has been successful with a lower dose, can anyone give me an idea of how long the side effects last? Any advice would be appreciated.

I'm currently waiting for a return call from her neurologist to see what she says about the side effects.

I'm just really concerned and feel really helpless. It's the worst feeling to watch your child feel so awful and not be able to help them feel better

 

[Nakamova]

Hi abooch33, welcome.

Unfortunately medication affects everyone differently, and there can often be "break-in" period while the brain adjusts after which the side effects go away. But if your daughter's side effects don't improve -- or get worse -- definitely ask the doc about holding off on the increase. And if the side effects remain worse than the seizures, then ask for a different med or treatment approach. The bottom line is quality-of-life.

Absence seizures have been shown to respond well to the Modified Atkins Diet. You may want to ask the neuro about this approach, particularly if side effects remain problematic. For more info, see:
http://www.medscape.com/viewarticle/728208
http://epilepsymoms.com/blog/special-diets-nutrition/atkins-seizures-guide-parents-parents.html
http://www.atkinsforseizures.com/

 

[dbrim]

I'm currently trying ethosuximide again after coming off it due to side effects a few years back. I was having panic attacks and anxiety issues, combined with general feeling of aches and pains. This combined with withdrawl symptoms of epilim and a bereavement made me a total wreck!!
I have agreed with my epilepsy nurse to try again slowly this time... It has been 2 weeks and already I'm feeling a little bit anxious but I'm trying to figure out coping methods as it seems to be helping with my seizures and the last 3 aed's I have tried have been totally useless.
I'm finding the anxious panicky feelings easier to cope with now that I am expecting them.
I do feel for you though the first few months were very unpleasant for me.

I also tried the modified atkins for a while, it helped me a great deal so I am hoping if I stick with it then I will be able to stay in a lower dose of ethosuximide.

 

[jessicalt]

My daughter is on the same med. We're new to all of this too. We started on a once a day then wk 2 went to twice a day. I feel like her side effects, while different than yours, are awful. She sleeps so much. 10-11 hours at night then up for 3 hours then nap for 2-3 hours...that's not her at all. She's been verbalizing to me and teachers how sad she is. She doesn't want to get out of bed. I hate it. I've called and shared with nurse at our neurologist and she's wanting us to hang in bc these side effects can lessen with time. We made it to 4 wks and turned a corner. She has periods of time where she's her old energetic and vibrant 3 yr old self and then times where he's very mellow and quiet and almost tearful. We just had a blood test this week to check levels and we're waiting on results. It took about 2 wks for her seizures to stop, but if the side effects continue, I want to try something else. I don't like the personality changes it's causing. The diet was briefly mentioned to us, but as a last resort. I'm not sure what to do?!


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