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| Pronunciation |
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 (zoe
NIS ay
mide) |
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| Brand Names |
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| Zonegran® |
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| Therapeutic
Categories |
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Anticonvulsant, Miscellaneous |
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| Reasons not to take this
medicine |
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- If you have an allergy to a sulfonamide, zonisamide, or any other part
of the medicine.
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| What is this medicine used
for? |
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- This medicine is used to prevent partial seizures. It is used in
combination with other medicines for seizure
control.
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| How does it work? |
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- Zonisamide's actions are not exactly known. It does affect the
electricity in the brain. This stabilizes the brain and prevents
seizures.
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| How is it best taken? |
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- Take with or without food. Take with food if this medicine causes an
upset stomach.
- Take with 6 to 8 glasses of water everyday unless told to drink less
liquid. This may help prevent kidney stones.
- Swallow capsule whole. Do not chew, break, or crush.
- Medicine must be taken exactly as
directed.
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| What do I do if I miss a
dose? |
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- Take a missed dose as soon as possible.
- If it is almost time for the next dose, skip the missed one. Return to
your regular schedule.
- Do not take a double dose or extra doses.
- Do not change dose or stop taking medicine without talking with
healthcare provider. Can cause
seizures.
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| What are the precautions when
taking this
medicine? |
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- Wear disease medical alert identification for seizure disorder.
- Avoid alcohol (includes wine, beer, and liquor) and other medicines
and herbs that slow your actions and reactions. This includes sedatives,
tranquilizers, mood stabilizers, or pain medicine. Talk with healthcare
provider.
- You may not be alert. Avoid driving, doing other tasks or activities
until you see how this medicine affects you.
- Use caution if you have kidney disease especially if you have had
kidney stones. Talk with healthcare provider.
- Use caution if you have lung disease. This includes asthma, chronic
obstructive pulmonary disease, sleep apnea, or if you use an inhaler like
albuterol or ipratropium. Can cause wheezing, spasm, or a decreased supply of
oxygen to your body. Talk with healthcare provider before using.
- Check medicines with healthcare provider. This medicine may not mix
well with other medicines.
- Do not take St. John's wort. It may make this medicine less effective.
- Tell healthcare provider if you are allergic to any medicine
especially sulfa drugs (certain antibiotics, diuretics and antidiabetic
medicines). Make sure to tell about the allergy and how it affected you. This
includes telling about rash; hives; itching; shortness of breath; wheezing;
cough; swelling of face, lips, tongue, throat; or any other symptoms involved.
- Tell healthcare provider if you are pregnant or plan on getting
pregnant.
- Tell healthcare provider if you are
breast-feeding.
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| What are the common side effects
of this
medicine? |
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- Feeling sleepy, tired or dizzy. Avoid driving, doing other tasks or
activities that require you to be alert until you see how this medicine affects
you.
- Loss of appetite.
- Headache. Mild pain medicine may help.
- Nausea. Small frequent meals, frequent mouth care, sucking hard candy,
or chewing gum may help.
- Nervousness and
irritability.
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| What should I monitor? |
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- Change in seizure disorder. Is it better, worse, or about the same?
May take several weeks to a month to see the full benefits.
- Periodic blood work for kidney function.
- Follow up with healthcare
provider.
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| Reasons to call healthcare
provider
immediately |
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- Signs of a life-threatening reaction. These include wheezing;
tightness in the chest; fever; itching; bad cough; blue skin color; fits;
swelling of face, lips, tongue, throat.
- If seizures worsen or occur more often.
- Back pain, belly pain, or blood in your urine. May be signs of a
kidney stone.
- Fever, chills, sore throat, sores in mouth or easy bruising.
- Too tired, sleepy, very dizzy, or changes in balance or thinking.
- Feeling depressed.
- Any rash.
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| How should I store this
medicine? |
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- Store in tight, light-resistant container at room
temperature.
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| General statements |
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- Do not share your medicine with others and do not take anyone else's
medicine.
- Keep all medicine out of the reach of children and pets.
- Keep a list of all your medicines (prescription, herbal/supplements,
vitamins, over-the-counter) with you. Give this list to healthcare provider
(doctor, nurse, pharmacist, physician assistant).
- Talk with healthcare provider before starting any new medicine,
including over-the-counter or natural products (herbs,
vitamins).
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Copyright © 1978-2001 Lexi-Comp Inc. All Rights Reserved
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