Many anti-convulsiants can cause depression. I'm having the same problem with Lamictal, and my doctor is taking me off of it. It can be hard for a young person to recognize they need help, so you need to step in for her and talk to her doctors. And remember, privacy laws never prevent you from sharing your concerns with a loved ones doctor, the doctor can't share back, but can act on your concerns.

just like was said...all drugs have side effects...especially the weight loss.. petil mal seizures myself, and I aften loose weight and gain weight...all meds have different side effects...try not to worry too much

I take Keppra, Zonegran, Phenobarbital and Zoloft I do not get any of those reactions,
so better call the doctor they might have to change her medication or put her on anti depression pills.

I would also see the doctor and maybe look into a new medication. I have had terrible luck with seizure medications- Now I am on Keppra and have few side effects. When I was taking Depakote I felt terrible- went on an anti-depressant and felt worse. I hate the idea of treating side effects of medication with another medication- I really hate that! So I would suggest looking into another medication- they can introduce it slowly.

Thank you for your replies. I'm losing her. I have become the focus of all her anger. One of the main problems is, she's 20, she's right on the CUSP, you know, of adulthood. She could legally have me taken off her privacy policy thing, (I'm not telling her that). But still, even her doctor seems kind of "prickly" about me "nosing" into her business! But she's not telling him everything. I don't know, where do you draw the line with your kids... She hates me so much right now, I'm finding it hard to keep on advocating for her, my daughter is gone, and there's this vile, hateful THING in her place... my heart is shredded, the contempt, disdain, hatred, it's too much...

I am torn between being thankful for your post and being scared. My 18 year old daughter has been on zonegren for about 8 months and is going through what sounds like the same things your daughter is experiencing. I, too, have become her worse enemy and it is breaking my heart. She has always been such a sweet, loving child and this is a total turnaround. Is your daughter also experiencing psychosis? This is scaring both her and I to no end. We return to her neurologist on Monday and I am seriously and strongly going to suggest to him that she is taken off this med. I don't know if this is a common side effect of this medicine or not, but it sounds as if both our daughters reacted the same way. Just know that your daughter is the same wonderful person on the inside and she DOES still love you. She just isn't able to express it right now. I'm hoping that taking my daughter off this med will bring her back to me. My heart and prayers go out to you. I hope that all works out well for her.

I am currently taking the generic form of Zonisamide and have regular grand mal seizures. What your daughter is going through is normal but if your are noticiing this just started happening when she started taking this medication you might want to make an appointment wuth her neurologist to discuss alternative options as I have as well.

Recently my neurologist increased my dosage to 400mg/day because I continued to have seizures at 200mg. When that happened my mood changed drastically, especially when it came to mood swings. Zonisamide has been known to cause anger, aggression and depression. This weekend I experienced that for myself and got to the point where I became physically violent with my fiance. I felt like a crazy person because I am NOT that way at all. It was like I turned into the Hulk.
Since your daughter is over 20 maybe you should do some research and share it with her for her to make her own decision as an adult instead of going behind her back putting her in the position where she feels she needs to defend herself.

Here is some information I found. Maybe just remind her of the good time and how she used to be. I know you want the best for her but she ultimately has to do it for herself.

http://www3.interscience.wiley.com/journal/119264902/abstract?CRETRY=1&SRETRY=0

http://www.ehealthme.com/change_drug_interactions_side_effects/Topamax-3022410

I started researching side effects of zonegran because I have been experiencing some of these symptoms you have mentioned in your daughher. I have been on zonegran for 2 years, in and out of counseling for depression since I started it. For some reason, I personally think God and the concern of close friends, it finally dawned on me that it could be my medication. I am so grateful for mothers like you that reach out in concern. Ironically my mother has been my worst enemy lately--I'm starting to see a new perspective..thanks. Keep me in your thoughts and prayers as I'll be visiting my neurologist in the next few weeks.

I don't even remember posting this last spring, but thanks, artsygirl08, for bringing it back to my attention. When I originally wrote this, I was about to find out the truth about my daughter... that she had been sexually assaulted the summer before, and was trying to cope with the aftermath herself... last spring was when everything came to a head. I think the old-fashioned way of putting it is, my daughter had a nervous breakdown. What I took as drug side effects was actually... my daughter falling apart. It has been an excruciating process, trying to get her back. She is still out there, still seething, still resisting treatment or help. I look back through my calendar last year, at all the appointments I took her to, all the doctors, the counselors we tried, the medications, the programs, the lost days of work, the miles, the hours, the blind rage and disdain and disgust and hatred she reserves for me, because I am the one who keeps trying... because I am the one who won't turn my back on her... because I am convenient, I am safe, I am her mom...

My daughter was an honor student, a vegetarian, a conservationist, a physically active, strikingly beautiful, conscientious, personable young lady. She was in Latin Club, Marching Band, Conservation Club, National Honor Society, she won highest awards in her school for her poetry and writing portfolio, won a full scholarship to community college, and maintained Dean's List there for a year and a half... until she bottomed out...

If you met her now, you wouldn't want to speak with her more than 3 minutes. She has been robbed of... herself. And whatever wasn't destroyed by the assault, she has obliterated herself, by spiralling, by refusing, by slamming doors... Everything that was her, is now opposite. She's mean. She turns people off. She's weird. Oh my god, how it hurts to write that.

Every once in a while she breaks down and cries and is gentle and it's her, I can hear my daughter in there, she speaks from her heart... I know she's in there, that beautiful girl... but the outside, the mask, is so ugly.

She doesn't live with me now, she lives with a boyfriend... whooooboy, whole other story... God help them both... But I don't see her, and I am able to put her out of my mind for patches of time...

I still try to help, but she's not accepting, she seems to think her life is just fine how it is, she plays video games all night and sleeps all day. She is on two seizure meds and one for anxiety. She sleeps a lot, and when she is awake, she is... weird. Her comments are weird. Her laugh is harsh, her sense of humor is off. People exchange glances behind her back. Even strangers. I've seen it.

I know this probably reads as harsh judgement on her, she's been through so much, but I'm just trying to be truthful, this comes from a place of such pain, my heart, for her loss, for my loss, for her sisters' and brother's loss...

She's lost.
I'm here though. If she calls.. I keep the door open and the light on.