Zonegran (zonisamide) reduces binge eating completely in about half of people given the drug and causes an average weight loss of about 18 pounds according to a recent study.

The U.S. Food and Drug Administration announced on Tuesday, December 16th, 2008 that it will require manufacturers of antiepileptic drugs, which includes Topamax (topiramate) and Zonegran (Zonisamide), to add a warning label that the use of these drugs use increases the risk of suicidal thoughts and behaviors.

The action includes all antiepileptic drugs including those used to treat psychiatric disorders, migraine headaches and other conditions, as well as epilepsy.

“The FDA’s actions are based on the agency’s review of 199 clinical trials of 11 antiepileptic drugs which showed that patients receiving antiepileptic drugs had almost twice the risk of suicidal behavior or thoughts (0.43 percent) compared to patients receiving a placebo (0.24 percent),” according to a press release from the FDA.

“This difference was about one additional case of suicidal thoughts or behaviors for every 500 patients treated with antiepileptic drugs instead of placebo.”

People given Empatic, a combination of 120 mg of sustained-release Zonegran (zonisamide) plus 360 mg of sustained-release Wellbutrin SR (bupropion), lost an average of 12.1 percent of body weight after eleven months according to a press release from Orexigen Therapeutics, the company developing the drug.

People given Empatic, a combination of 360 mg of sustained-release Zonegran (zonisamide) plus 360 mg of sustained-release Wellbutrin SR (bupropion), lost an average of 14 percent of body weight after eleven months according to a press release from Orexigen Therapeutics, the company developing the drug.

A drug called Empatic, which is simply a combination of sustained-release Zonegran (zonisamide) plus sustained-release Wellbutrin SR (bupropion), with a minimal amount of diet and exercise caused a weight loss of 5-10 percent after six months for people who completed the study compared to one percent for those given a placebo according to a press release from Orexigen Therapeutics, Inc, the company who is developing the drug.

A drug called Empatic, which is simply a combination of sustained-release Zonegran (zonisamide) plus sustained-release Wellbutrin SR (bupropion), with a minimal amount of diet and exercise caused a weight loss of 11-15 percent after eleven months for people who completed the study compared to one percent for those given a placebo according to a press release from Orexigen Therapeutics, Inc, the company who is developing the drug.

A drug called Empatic, which is simply a combination of sustained-release Zonegran (zonisamide) plus sustained-release Wellbutrin SR (bupropion), with a minimal amount of diet and exercise caused a weight loss of 5-10 percent after six months and 11-15 percent after 11 months for people who completed the study compared to one percent for those given a placebo according to a press release from Orexigen Therapeutics, Inc, the company who is developing the drug.

The number of people who dropped out of the study due to adverse effects varied from 9-21 percent depending on the dose of each drug.

No one given the highest dose of the drugs dropped out of the study in the last 5 months due to side effects according to a press release from the company.

People given a drug called Excalia, which is a combination of two drugs, 300 mg of Wellbutrin SR (bupropion sustained-release) plus 400 mg of Zonegran (zonisamide immediate-release), and who completed the study, lost an average of 9.2 percent of their body weight after six months compared to 6.6 percent for those given only Zonegran SR (zonisamide), 3.4 percent for those given only Wellbutrin SR (bupropion), and 0.4 percent for those given a placebo. After eleven months, those who continued taking Excalia had lost an average of 12 percent of their body weight.

Zonegran (zonisamide) improves depression and mania in people with bipolar disease (manic-depression) and causes an average weight loss of 19.8 pounds after one year according to a new study.

Obese adults given the anti-seziure medicine Zonegran (zonisamide) in addition to a diet lost 11 pounds more than women on the diet alone according to a recent study.

Zonegran (zonesamide) causes an average weight loss of 6 percent of body weight after eight months compared to 1 percent for those given a placebo according to a analysis by the RAND Corporation.

Dr. Andrew (Jay) Piatek says that Zonegran (zonisamide) may be the new and improved Topamax (topiramate), causing weight loss, but with fewer side effects. Here is information that he gives his patients about Zonegran (zonisamide). Corrections as of July 19, 2004 are shown in blue.