# Zonisamide **URL:** \ **Category:** Anticonvulsants\ **Created:** [December 9, 2019, 4:11am UTC](https://mvertigo.org/t/zonisamide/18757 "2019-12-09T04:11:42Z")\ **Posts on this page:** 12\ **Page:** 1
**Author:** ![Dkkrueger](https://mvertigo.org/letter_avatar_proxy/v4/letter/d/ed655f/32.png) [@Dkkrueger](https://mvertigo.org/u/Dkkrueger)\ **Post date:** [December 9, 2019, 4:11am UTC](https://mvertigo.org/t/zonisamide/18757/1 "2019-12-09T04:11:43Z")
Has anyone ever taken Zonisamide for their migraines? If so, how has it worked for you? My doctor wants to move me from amitriptyline to this to help with my weight gain. ---
**Author:** ![turnitaround](https://mvertigo.org/user_avatar/mvertigo.org/turnitaround/32/4441_2.png) [@turnitaround](https://mvertigo.org/u/turnitaround)\ **Post date:** [December 9, 2019, 7:42am UTC](https://mvertigo.org/t/zonisamide/18757/3 "2019-12-09T07:42:49Z")
Please do a search and contribute to an existing Topic on this med if you can. I’m not convinced you’ll get a lot of responses to this Topic as it’s not a very popular medication especially with current site regulars as partly illustrated here [Medication mention count in User Cards](https://mvertigo.org/t/medication-mention-count-in-user-cards/16870) but I’ll leave it open as we haven’t got a lot of Topics dedicated to it Amitriptyline is an extremely effective medication for MAV, it’s a shame you are considering moving off it but I can relate to the weight gain. Worse for me was the bowel slowness, ugh. Good luck. ---
**Author:** ![Onandon03](https://mvertigo.org/letter_avatar_proxy/v4/letter/o/f08c70/32.png) [@Onandon03](https://mvertigo.org/u/Onandon03)\ **Post date:** [December 9, 2019, 10:37am UTC](https://mvertigo.org/t/zonisamide/18757/5 "2019-12-09T10:37:04Z")
I’d not really heard of it so, after being unable to find it on Dr Hain’s site, I used this site’s excellent search facility and there is quite a bit of useful stuff. Not bad reviews at all. Used as an alternative for people who cannot tolerate Topiramate it seems. An alternative would be a straight swap to Nortriptyline. Ask @naejohn. She did it for same reason, weight gain. ---
**Author:** ![Naejohn](https://mvertigo.org/user_avatar/mvertigo.org/naejohn/32/1310_2.png) [@Naejohn](https://mvertigo.org/u/Naejohn)\ **Post date:** [December 9, 2019, 6:20pm UTC](https://mvertigo.org/t/zonisamide/18757/6 "2019-12-09T18:20:01Z")
HI Denise, I have not heard of Zonisamide but as Helen mentions, I did make a clean swap from Ami to Nort to help stem the weight gain. My Dr said they are both known for weight gain but Nort is more weight neutral than Ami. I can say that at least with Nort I have not gained any more but am struggling to lose what I had gained on Ami. Nort effectiveness has been great for me and I am experiencing more and more good days. I cannot say obviously for anyone else but it has been the right cocktail for me. ---
**Author:** ![GetBetter](https://mvertigo.org/user_avatar/mvertigo.org/getbetter/32/2761_2.png) [@GetBetter](https://mvertigo.org/u/GetBetter)\ **Post date:** [December 9, 2019, 11:54pm UTC](https://mvertigo.org/t/zonisamide/18757/7 "2019-12-09T23:54:58Z")
Zonisamide is topomax lite. It has a better side effect profile than topomax. I might try this in the future. The weight loss is an added bonus. ---
**Author:** ![sputnik2](https://mvertigo.org/letter_avatar_proxy/v4/letter/s/e19b73/32.png) [@sputnik2](https://mvertigo.org/u/sputnik2)\ **Post date:** [December 10, 2019, 10:13am UTC](https://mvertigo.org/t/zonisamide/18757/8 "2019-12-10T10:13:10Z")
It seems to have much fewer side effects than Topomax but still has the weight loss effect for some. I’m not sure why it isn’t more widely prescribed instead of topomax. Is it a lot more expensive I wonder? ---
**Author:** ![Onandon03](https://mvertigo.org/letter_avatar_proxy/v4/letter/o/f08c70/32.png) [@Onandon03](https://mvertigo.org/u/Onandon03)\ **Post date:** [December 10, 2019, 10:35am UTC](https://mvertigo.org/t/zonisamide/18757/9 "2019-12-10T10:35:13Z")
Her, hee. Sputnik you’re as cynical as me. Please take that as a compliment because that’s as intended. Good point. Checked it out and yes it would seem so. Unfortunately cannot find a dose for migraine. Perhaps @Dkkrueger can give an idea of how much the doctor suggested she try. Then we could work it out. Suspect pricing may well come into it. ---
**Author:** ![Dkkrueger](https://mvertigo.org/letter_avatar_proxy/v4/letter/d/ed655f/32.png) [@Dkkrueger](https://mvertigo.org/u/Dkkrueger)\ **Post date:** [December 11, 2019, 4:04am UTC](https://mvertigo.org/t/zonisamide/18757/10 "2019-12-11T04:04:46Z")
Hi all. I’m starting at 50mg and then increasing to 100mg. It was covered by my health insurance, $3 per month. I am so hesitant to start it because I’m a chicken when it comes to starting a new med. I wish Ami didn’t have the weight gain, because otherwise it works great. ---
**Author:** ![GetBetter](https://mvertigo.org/user_avatar/mvertigo.org/getbetter/32/2761_2.png) [@GetBetter](https://mvertigo.org/u/GetBetter)\ **Post date:** [December 11, 2019, 5:43am UTC](https://mvertigo.org/t/zonisamide/18757/11 "2019-12-11T05:43:58Z")
topomax is better studied and more field trial data. **Zonisamide** is a **carbonic anhydrase inhibitor** same family as Topo. Folks who don’t respond to Topo try Zonisamide. ---
**Author:** ![flutters](https://mvertigo.org/user_avatar/mvertigo.org/flutters/32/923_2.png) [@flutters](https://mvertigo.org/u/flutters)\ **Post date:** [December 11, 2019, 7:15am UTC](https://mvertigo.org/t/zonisamide/18757/12 "2019-12-11T07:15:57Z")
What’s the side effect profile like? ---
**Author:** ![GetBetter](https://mvertigo.org/user_avatar/mvertigo.org/getbetter/32/2761_2.png) [@GetBetter](https://mvertigo.org/u/GetBetter)\ **Post date:** [December 11, 2019, 7:44am UTC](https://mvertigo.org/t/zonisamide/18757/13 "2019-12-11T07:44:19Z")
Same as topomax but most users dont complain of cognitive decline like dopomax. ---
**Author:** ![flutters](https://mvertigo.org/user_avatar/mvertigo.org/flutters/32/923_2.png) [@flutters](https://mvertigo.org/u/flutters)\ **Post date:** [December 11, 2019, 8:48am UTC](https://mvertigo.org/t/zonisamide/18757/14 "2019-12-11T08:48:32Z")
I’m out then. The stupid bit was rough. Every other side effect was worse. I’ve been down that highway; no need to explore the frontage road.