Generic Name: Diamox (acetazolamide)
Diamox Reviews
For Pseudotumor Cerebri "I have been on Diamox for many years. Started out with tunnel vision and then found to have pseudotumor cerebri (which my mom has too). I have even had lumbar punctures to drain the fluid off my brain as well in the beginning. This medication has worked wonders. I did have tingling and numbness in my feet, finger, nose, lips but that eased off by taking Vitamin C or eating oranges (this was recommended by my doctor and it works). Now the tingling and numbness are gone. I don't know what I would have done without this medication. Now all I do is take the medicine once a day and move on with my life. Please hang in there and don't get discouraged."
For Pseudotumor Cerebri "I had pseudotumor cerebri and papilledema (an eye condition that happens when pressure in your brain makes your optic nerve swell). I was blind for 14 days. After taking Diamox, I slowly regained my vision. I also had gastric bypass surgery. This helped me reduce my weight and relieve pressure. I am now cured."
For Pseudotumor Cerebri "I was diagnosed with idiopathic intracranial hypertension in the early summer of 2013. I was put on 1000mg of Diamox at the beginning of November 2013 to keep the fluids from damaging more of my vision through swelling of my optic nerves. Felt the side effects within the first hour. Tingling in my hands and feet, some days my face. There were even days when my eyes and lips would twitch. All carbonated drinks taste like drinking battery acid. The first few weeks sucked, but it gets better with time. I just saw my eye specialist yesterday, 6 months of being on the miracle medicine, and the Diamox (and shedding a few pounds) has done its job and not a trace of swelling! I'm able to come off it in a few short weeks. Thank God for good doctors!"
For Pseudotumor Cerebri "I have been on the medication for about 3 weeks, taking 1 pill - 125 mg every night. It did not help, I still had episodes. Last week I started taking 2 pills (one in the a.m. and one in the p.m.). While it seems to be holding off the episodes so far, I feel awful. My ears were already ringing, and this has just turned it up. I have nausea and a general feeling of 'I just don't feel well.' I experience weakness and fatigue. It feels like I'm breathing in air but getting no oxygen, like I'm getting no benefit from it (does that make sense?). I slept for about 8.5-9 hours last night and still woke up completely exhausted."
For Pseudotumor Cerebri "Day 21, I had completely lost my eyesight, imagine that. Losing 20/10 vision at 25 years old. I was diagnosed with Chiari Type 1 malformation and intracranial hypertension. 100mg of prednisone a day, 1500 mg of Diamox a day. The side effects, I get a little tingle in my feet for a minute maybe 4 times a day, carbon drinks taste weird. I don't drink soda, but due to food poisoning on New Year's, I didn't have too much of a choice. The Diamox dropped my pressure in both eyes to 5, which is low. But I am regaining vision, no peripheral vision yet, but I am blessed to have something. Sitting in a room for weeks of blackness and opening Christmas gifts in front of your family with no sight, I appreciate my family life so much more. Truly blessed for my family."
For Mountain Sickness / Altitude Sickness "I don't always use medication when I go skiing in higher altitudes, but when I do, I prefer Diamox. This is a godsend when I am sleeping at 10,000 ft and skiing at 12,000-14,000 ft. I tend to get a little clumsy and do not have the focus and sharp alertness while taking the medicine. I just need to take the medication starting a couple of days before the trip for about 4-5 days. The whole process is all about getting your body acclimated to the change in altitude from sea level to 10,000 ft in a few hours. Other preparations are still needed such as avoiding alcohol, caffeine, NSAIDs, aspirin, and sleeping agents. Start drinking a gallon of water each day while on this medicine."
For Pseudotumor Cerebri "I got meningitis, and thankfully I healed. I told my doctors several times my vision is not good, I cannot see very well. I have double vision. But I didn’t have any chance to see an eye doctor in the hospital. I was discharged from the hospital with my vision problem. So I decided to go to an eye doctor. The eye doctor saw that papilledema at the back of my eye, and it was scary because he told me this is an emergency, you could be blind. I was just scared. He was a great doctor, he told me they will probably give you Diamox, if it wouldn’t work, they would put in a shunt. I went to the hospital, and they told me the same thing. They started giving me Diamox, 500 mg in the morning and 500 mg at night, 2 doses a day. I used it for 5 months, and it worked. I was cured, thanks God. But I lost weight also for helping this situation. I lost 20 kg in 5 months. I was 100 kgs, now I am 80 kgs. Definitely respect this medicine, take your medicine on time. Don’t use alcohol. Stay healthy. God bless you all."
For Pseudotumor Cerebri "I am 18 years old, and I was diagnosed with pseudotumor cerebri after an allergic reaction to long-term use of tetracyclines for acne. I went to the ER twice, experiencing persistent, debilitating migraines, double vision, and one eye turned to face inward towards my nose, and they were unable to relieve any of it. My eye doctor, after a month of different testing, diagnosed me with pseudotumor cerebri, and a neurologist started me on Diamox, and within two weeks, my eye turned straight again, and the headaches and double vision were gone. I experienced the common tingling in my hands and feet, difficulty drinking carbonated beverages, small rashes, and lethargy from Diamox, but it was all bearable after a week, and within a month, I am fixed."
For Pseudotumor Cerebri "I was just diagnosed with IIH/PTC last week. My neuro started me on Diamox the same day. Although I have had tingling in my hands and feet, as well as lethargy, the pressure behind my eyes has already started to go down. My ophthalmologist was very pleased today with the optic nerve scan and said there has been a decrease of pressure in both eyes. A little tingle here or there and a bit of sleepiness is worth saving my vision! So far, I'm a happy girl!"
For Mountain Sickness / Altitude Sickness "Works very well to prevent symptoms of Acute Mountain Sickness with no perceived side effects. I take 125 mg twice per day as recommended by the altitudemedicine.org website for high altitude hiking. This actually speeds up the body's acclimatization process and doesn't just treat the symptoms. Highly recommend it for staying well on high altitude pursuits."
For Pseudotumor Cerebri "Can I just say for the people that are stating they have tingling/numbness with this medicine. I experienced this over a year and a half ago when I was first put on Diamox, they took me off it and put me on Topamax instead. For a year and a bit, I was on Topamax and lost 30kg but the headaches never completely went away. Now I have been put back on Diamox for almost the last two weeks and I find only sometimes will I get any tingling at all... whereas last year when I first tried it I couldn't stand it. What I find works for me is taking the tablet while I'm eating, keeping my fluid up (only water), soft drinks and 'bad' foods do tend to make it worse so I try to stay away from these. I find Diamox really does work if you're prepared to go that extra mile!"
For Pseudotumor Cerebri "I have been on this medicine for approximately 4 months. The benefits that I have had with my vision and headaches have been wonderful. The things I am not sure about and cannot find much about is that I have a great deal of memory loss. I have searched this on several sites and I cannot find anything about it, so I am not sure if it is a side effect or if it is happening to me for some other reason. I have had some confusion since I have started it, and that is starting to concern me. The only alternative to this medication is to have a shunt put in, and I am not sure I am ready for that. I don't like the fact that I cannot have carbonated beverages, but I am sure that it is a good thing as I was a soda addict."
For Glaucoma "I have been on Diamox 3 times now to manage spikes in eye pressure. On all three occasions, my eye pressure soared into the 60's and 70's before I started to come down 7-11 hours later. My body temperature plummeted, I just shivered and could not keep warm for the first few hours. Within the first 24 hours, my legs weakened considerably and significantly limited my capacity to walk. My speech and cognitive function also slowed noticeably. Using Diamox for over one week triggered mood changes and suicidal thoughts. While on this, my blood pressure was on the low side. Upon discontinuation of this, my blood pressure soared to 166/110 with some fluctuations for 2 weeks afterwards. I hope sharing this helps others."
For Pseudotumor Cerebri "Diamox changed my life. I had 24/7 pressure headache for 7 years of my life. I went everywhere, even to the Mayo Clinic, and had test after test and scan after scan, and finally, my local neurologist tried this medication, and it has made me able to live again for the first time in 7 years! I was diagnosed with chronic daily headache and told I would never get better, but to everyone suffering, there is hope. Don't believe what a few doctors say, keep searching for answers. Try this medication if nothing else has worked for you!"
For Hydrocephalus "I had to take this medication due to me having fluid around the brain. The doctors stated I had swelling behind my eyes which caused headaches and lost of vision. This medicine was disgusted the least to say. When I started this medicine I was 177.lb I weighed 155 by the time I finished the bottle. I had no appetite, no sex drive, dry moth and could only drink water or a juice I found that I liked and could actually taste! Soda tasted like metal. I took this medicine for 4 weeks. In August I had Shunt surgery! That was one of the best decisions of my life. My vision is a lot better and I’m free to wear whatever I like! Hope you all get better soon! If you have another options other than taking this medicine by all means do so! You will be a lot happier and not miserable!!!!"
For Pseudotumor Cerebri "This drug has not helped relieve pressure, headaches, or visual impairments in my case. My vision continues to go in and out without notice, waking up every day with a headache and continuing to have one well into the late evening before bedtime. The side effects are awful! I have lost 29 lbs in three weeks! I am unable to hold anything down, everything tastes nasty or like I'm eating pennies. Constant fatigue and restlessness. The prickling in the hands and toes, not to mention the constant nausea. Every case is different. It's not working for me but could for someone else. I cannot tell anyone to not take a drug or to take a drug for IIH. Because every case is different, everyone will see different results."
For Pseudotumor Cerebri "I have been on Diamox since 2004 when I was first diagnosed with pseudotumor cerebri. I was hospitalized for 5 days after experiencing paralysis in my legs, severe headaches, nausea, and visual impairment. I have tried to stop taking the medication but had to return to it due to the severe headaches and cranial swelling. I have constant problems with electrolyte deficiencies and have to take additional medications to alleviate other problems. This is still the best treatment I have experienced. In addition to this condition, I also have lupus, HBP, hypothyroidism, and I am bipolar."
For Pseudotumor Cerebri "I had swelling around my optic nerves causing vision problems and also had debilitating headaches that got worse with movement and made it impossible to exercise. I lived with it for years unknowingly and got progressively worse. My doctor diagnosed me with pseudotumor cerebri. I have been taking generic Diamox for 3 weeks and haven't had a single headache. I can take my dogs for a walk now. There are 2 side effects I experience: tingling in my feet, which was very bothersome but has lessened, and any beverages with carbonation taste terrible. No sodas, flavored water, beer, wine coolers, champagne. None of it tastes normal/good."
For Pseudotumor Cerebri "I have had IIH since June of 2014 but was diagnosed 'officially' with IIH in May 2014 after my first LP had an opening pressure of 45. I tried Diamox the first time, but it made me so tired I couldn't handle it, and then I went into spontaneous remission, or at least my pulsatile tinnitus went away, and I didn't need to keep taking it. I relapsed about a week ago and had an opening pressure of 55 after having extremely loud pulsatile tinnitus for a week. I was put on 1g of Diamox, and for the past week, the whooshing noise has gotten much, much softer, and sometimes I can't even hear it. I take Vitamin C to help with the tingling and have barely noticed it. I'm thankful my body is responding well this time, but it's different for everybody."
For Pseudotumor Cerebri "I was just diagnosed last week with PseudoTumor Cerebri. I had my first spinal tap yesterday. I started Diamox today. About 4 hours after the first dose, I took a sip of Mountain Dew and about vomited. It tasted like drinking melted nails. My appetite is lessened, which I am so glad about. I am 60 lbs overweight. My mouth is dry and my lips are somewhat numb. But from everything I have read, the side effects of this medication or any other would have to be really bad before I'd say I can't take this medication anymore. I pray the meds work so I do not need a shunt. I did not think of this as a disease. I thought it was just an occurrence like reflux or migraines."
For Pseudotumor Cerebri "Effective, but not without side effects. The first month was pretty bad - my hands, feet, and legs were falling asleep, and I experienced painful tingling and cramps. My joints also had problems, and I had to wear a brace on my knee for a little while. I was more lethargic. Anything carbonated tasted awful. I couldn't drink caffeine, or my whole body would feel weird and tingly. I also had to pee a lot during the first few weeks and was quite thirsty. Over time, most of the side effects went away, and my pressure went down. My vision problems completely went away. However, a new side effect appeared after about two years - tinnitus. It is definitely being caused by the medicine because I've found that skipping a dose makes it go away."
For Pseudotumor Cerebri "Side effects far worse than Idiopathic Intracranial Hypertension (IIH) it's self. Constantly nauseous, made no difference to headaches/pressure, suffered with slight breathing difficulties & palpitations, the tingling in hands and feet were more like cramp than tingling in the end... the list goes on.."
For Glaucoma "I was given Diamox to prevent any increase in eye pressure after an ICL surgery (basically cataract surgery). My pressures were great, but the side effects from this were no fun. I experienced dizziness, tingling in my toes, and worst of all, my taste was off. The worst taste difference I noticed was in caffeinated beverages, and that's what caused me to do some looking around to see what was going on."
For Glaucoma "Its a good medicine to decrease the Eye pressure. While taking this tab - depression and dark thoughts are more and I have no interest in food, and also my hands tickle like they are in water. Now I've stopped the medicine, my eye pressure become normal and constant. After stopping the medicine it takes a few days to decrease all the worst symptoms. "
For Pseudotumor Cerebri "Diagnosed with Chiari Type 1 and Pseudotumor Cerebri in 2008. Started Diamox, and it changed my life. Within days, I was feeling so much relief. Over time, my dose went up, and the next move was an LP shunt, which has worked wonders for almost 8 years. It's starting to fail now, so my revision is scheduled, and I'm back on Diamox in the meantime. Yet again, symptoms under control with it. Yes, I have weird tingling in my face, hands, and legs, and I can't drink carbonated beverages. Oh well - I'm thankful to be functioning and not nauseous and dizzy and disoriented all day long. Diamox is the best thing, other than my shunt, for this disease. Very thankful for it."
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