Epilepsy drug question
I do know that we don't react to drugs the same way, but I hope you can give me some feedback on this.
My doctor has been talking about adding an epilepsy drug to my preventive mix. I will not take Topamax, so he's given me some other options to consider. Depakote, Neurontin, Keppra, and Zonegran.
He said Zonegran has the "lowest profile" for potential side effects. Has anyone else heard this.
Thanks,
Jon
Hi Jon,
I was taking Zonegran and Topomax as a combination. For myself I never experienced any issues. As I always tell everyone who changes drugs and takes medication, be careful with what you are taking as you may experience something which I had not. Something which I like to do when starting a new medication is speak with my pharmacist and obtain information from them regarding the medication itself as they have the PDM available to look up medication including other means.
Things that I like to know regarding new medication are important issues such as:
-side effects
-is there any medication I should avoid (cold medication, allergy pills, etc)
-do I need to eat something before taking the medication
-what is the half life on the medication (this helps me time my dosages)
-what epilepsy medications can cause an issue
-how long until the medication is at full level (2 days, 4 days, 1 week)
Hope the above helps you. Best of luck finding something that helps with your migraine issue.
-SueLynn
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I was put on Depakote and it worked for a while. I now take Effexor 225 to prevent my migraines. It is an antidepression medication, but I've used it since 2004 (150mg) and they just increased the dosage last July.
I don't blame you about the Topamax! I used it for 10 and had angle-closure glaucoma in both eyes. Not only did I almost loose my eyesight, but the treatment to lower the pressures in my eyes put me in a coma due to a seizure and a bleed in my brain and on a ventolator for 3 days. I thank God every day for the miracle of waking up to see my grandchildren again.
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Jon,
It is accurate to say that Zonegran has the lowest side effects profile of the medications of this type. That said, as you know, the only way to know how you're going to do with it is to give it a try.
My personal experience was that I couldn't take Topamax either because of severe side effects. However, I'm able to take Zonegran with no problems, and it has helped reduce the frequency and severity of my Migraines.
Good luck,
Teri
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