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Ethosuximide 7yo girl
Fri, 09/30/2016 - 17:17Topic: New to Epilepsy.com
Hello,
My daughter was diagnosed with absence seizures a few months ago. I have been reluctant to start her on the medicine due to worry about the harmful effects of these medications. However after continuing to struggle in school I feel like we have to try it. She was prescribed Ethosuximide. She is an otherwise health active little girl. My questions is what side effects people noticed? How long did it take to start seeing the seizures improve?
Thanks!
Sorry to hear thatSo you are
Submitted by just_joe on Fri, 2016-09-30 - 17:48
Sorry to hear thatSo you are worried about the effects of a side effect she MIGHT get. Relax and understand that any and all medications have their side effects. That also includes over teh counter medications.Generally 5-8% of the people who start a medication get a side effect. Which means if you read about how bad it was ot it did this to me or that to me all of those posts would be from the 5-8%. Would the 92-95% of the people taking if and have had no problems with it come on here if they have no problems?I took Zarontin (Ethosuximide) years ago and it did work. Medications for seizure control can start working within days. However in order for you to see if it is controlling all the seizures it does take time. I say that because it takes about 2 weeks for her body to get used to the medication and those possiable side effects to go away. It is building in her body to get the therapeutic levels the neurologist wants. Follow the direction written. If it sats 2 times a day then try to keep the dosages 12 hours apart. Unless the neurologist states otherwise. You might want o varify that with the pharmicist.The medication should be at therapeutic levels after 2-3 weeks and it should be about the time to start counting her seizures and keep track of them. My neurologist wanted to ahev a visit after 3-6 months. With the information on the number of seizures changes in the dosage can be made. Raising it or lowering it.. That is generally what is done. so after the forst month if her seizures are down in number it is working. IF she is still having seizures but fewer then adjustments can and should be made.I hope this helps and her seizures get under sontrolJoe