Taking Depakote and Zonisamide

[DB6130]

Do these two drugs cause memory loss or concentration problems typically??

I am having a lot of trouble with concentrating on my job....and sometimes just
remembering certain words...sometimes they come to me, but a lot of the times
they don't....
I have read lots of articles concerning this and the responses are pretty broad.
However I didn't seem to have this problem before I started taking all of these meds
for my migraines...I'm really starting to feel like a guinea pig!!
My Dr. here doesn't seem to really know what to do so he just keeps throwing different
pills down my throat!
I have been having these headaches or migraines for app. five years now, and also had
them when I was younger. But they were much worse when I was younger. They felt more
like a sledgehammer migraine then, but now when I get one it could last anywhere from a one day
to thirty days....and longer it seems....I try very hard to take my mind off of it by continuing with
my everyday life, but that is getting harder and harder... I'm sure that my Dr. would say I'm depressed
at this point and he's probably right, but I refuse to take another pill!!

Can someone please help me?? Or give me some advice??

[DB6130]

Today my headache has become very intense!
Actually to the point that I don't feel like being productive
at all! I just want to go back home and lay down....
This one has been building for several days now, and all I can
contribute it to is the weather.....there are storms in the area...
I guess my question today is this....if the doctors think my
headaches are caused by the weather then why can't they
give me something for it???
By the way I've had some of my worst headaches when the sun was
shining!! So I haven't entirely believed this theory!!
I forgot to add this part.....sorry about that...it could be
important....

[DB6130]

Most of the side effects you mentioned here I'm really not experiencing...other than some dizziness, certainly headaches...
I don't understand why he would give me something that causes headaches when I'm trying to get rid of them!!!
I do not sleep well at all!! When I go to sleep I usually wake up within a few hours of falling asleep.....

I started taking the zonisamide about four months ago...I think....
The Depakote was about a month ago.....

The Dr I'm seeing is suppose to be a headache specialist and I think a neurologist as well...the Dr I saw when the headaches started was a neurologist....
Neither one has done anything but give me a survey to fill out....and throw some pills at me.....the first Dr gave me topamax which I could
not take!! I told both in the survey that I had really bad migraines when I was younger, but they didn't ask any questions about those...
I had two concussions....one at seven yrs and one at sixteen....
Not sure if that matters or not....
The Dr I'm seeing now thinks if he can get rid of one headache out of twenty then we've accomplished something.....
I have a different oppinion about it.....

I'd like to go back to not having one at all.....
I've certainly had headaches from sinus problems or stress and tension, but I could get rid of those....

Any info you can give me would be appreciated.....

[BhumikaMD]

Hi,

The side effects you are having could be due to zonisamide or also due to the primary condition you are having.

'The most common side effects seen with zonisamide include drowsiness, loss of appetite, dizziness, headache, nausea, and agitation/irritability.'

You could read the following for more details-

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Zonisamide#Side_effects

Since when have you started taking these medications? Have you seen a neurologist for your complaints?

Have any investigations been done?

Let us know the above details and also if you need any further information.

Post us about how you are doing.

Regards.