Does your body ever get s adjusted to meds

Posted by murphymarg59 @murphymarg59, 3 days ago

I have now been taking zonisamide for 5 months. It has so far controlled my seizures. I have not had a seizure since I have been on the medicine. I take 300 mg right before bedtime. I would say I sleep fairly well. 6-7 hours a night.
My issue is I just do not feel like myself. Not motivated to do anything. I am thinking if I can start driving again (6 mos in Oklahoma) maybe I will feel better. I keep telling myself either have a seizure or feel horrible…trade off!!!!
Anyone else dealing with these uckey feelings?

Interested in more discussions like this? Go to the Epilepsy & Seizures Support Group.

louissc | @louissc | 2 days ago

Hi @murphymarg59 , it seemed like you are currently experiencing a common side effect of many anti epilepsy medication in the market. Some AEMs can affect us psychologically negatively. Be open about this to your specialist and see if there are other options you may be more comfortable with. You can also pair your epilepsy treatment with a psychiatrist. It’s not uncommon. Hope this helps.

Cheers,
Louis

gseaborn | @gseaborn | 2 days ago

My seizures became controlled after taking medication. I had sleepiness as a side effect for the first day and afterwards it stopped. I don't drive either being on the medication. If it bothers you enough that you don't feel like yourself when on them, you should talk to your doctor they will probably have more advice to offer.

Chris Gautier, Volunteer Mentor | @santosha | 1 day ago

@murphymarg59
Hi Margaret!
I had a similar experience with two other AEDs in the past. Although they controlled my seizures well, I became deeply depressed and lost all motivation — which led my doctor at the time to switch me to a different AED.
As @louissc and @gseaborn have already wisely shared, this is something worth discussing openly with your doctor. After five months, your body has likely had enough time to indicate whether it is adapting well to the medication — or not.
When I started on Keppra — which you had already tried — my doctor requested a serum drug level test to check the concentration of the medication in my blood. Based on those results, we gradually reduced the dose to find the level that worked best for me while minimizing side effects. I'm still on Keppra today, at a dose that suits both my seizure control and my wellbeing.
Has your doctor ordered a serum drug level test for zonisamide? It can be a very useful tool to understand how your body is responding to the medication and whether the current dose is truly appropriate for you.
I'm also sharing a previous discussion from our group that you might find helpful:
How Long Does It Take to Adjust to New AEDs?
https://connect.mayoclinic.org/discussion/how-long-does-new-aeds-take-to-adjust/
Take care!
Chris

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