Acetazolamide and Tiredness: What Users Say

• Aub...
• December 19, 2017

Diamox (acetazolamide) 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."

• Omi...
• July 13, 2015

Diamox (acetazolamide) 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!"

• Cai...
• Taken for less than 1 month
• November 28, 2014

Diamox (acetazolamide) 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."

• She...
• February 1, 2015

Diamox (acetazolamide) 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."

• Hen...
• September 23, 2016

For Glaucoma "I was taking Diamox twice daily for two weeks to reduce eye pressure before cataract surgery. Very effective in lowering pressure, but side effects were troublesome. It makes you very tired, constipated, dizzy, lack of appetite, some temporary hearing issues in one ear. A few days after stopping the pills, everything was back to normal."

• Tor...
• Taken for 1 to 6 months
• January 6, 2020

For Pseudotumor Cerebri "This medication acetazolamide was horrific at first! I had to take off work a month just to take it. I started taking a dose of 125 mg a night for a week, then 125 x 2 a day for a week, then 250 x 2 a day for a week. Now I take 500 mg ER once a day. Next week I go to 500 mg ER 2 x a day. I was so sick I couldn’t get out of bed the first two weeks. Food and drinks still taste strange, still very sick just not as bad, but sadly trying to adjust as my new normal. Still tingling in hands/feet. Sharp headaches, nausea, breathing issues, tired, eyes look weak, dizzy, always in a haze. Eating anything seems to enhance my nausea. I had trouble walking one week and had to have an epidural steroid shot in my back. I have lived with ringing in both ears for over a year now. The medicine has made my ringing worse! I can’t stop the medicine. So I don’t have a choice. I have to take the medicine or risk going blind. However, I am pretty miserable!"

• Waf...
• June 16, 2013

For Glaucoma "I was placed on Diamox along with other medications as a means of reducing intraocular pressure after being told of having ocular atrophy. It really works, but had tingling effects in my hands and feet, as well as drowsiness/tiredness."

• tir...
• February 19, 2017

For Pseudotumor Cerebri "I just started acetazolamide a few days ago. 500 mg 2x a day. I had a lumbar puncture 2 days ago and neither has relieved much of the pressure. Every time I take one of these pills, I get a new symptom. My kidney function has been weaker. The pressure in my head continues. My body aches all over. The yucky taste... that is the least of my worries. Pins and needles... check. Extremely tired and feel like I've been beaten. I feel like bricks are laying inside my hips. This stuff sucks!!"

• Kei...
• Taken for less than 1 month
• April 7, 2018

For Glaucoma "I was diagnosed with intermediate uveitis 5 weeks ago and recently started on Diamox 2 weeks ago after my eye pressure started increasing from the steroid drops I am on. The first couple of days I was much more tired and almost foggy-minded. Also had to urinate much more often. Then after the first couple of days, my body got very used to it. The only main symptom I have now is light tingling in my feet. My eye pressure was down from 39 to 28 in a week's time."

• Anonymous
• Taken for less than 1 month
• March 30, 2019

Diamox (acetazolamide) "I just started taking Acetazolamide 1/2 pill of 250 mg tab for my ringing in my left ear, and I'm feeling tired and kind of weak. I feel like going back to bed. My ENT Dr. prescribed this. Does anyone else out there have similar problems?"

• Est...
• Taken for 6 months to 1 year
• December 18, 2017

For Pseudotumor Cerebri "All I have to say is that this pill has made my life so much better. Three years ago, this pseudotumor cerebri started after having my firstborn. I was at my heaviest at 245 lb. Ever since, I've never been the same until now. Although I deal with the side effects (sleepy, muscle weakness, tiredness, tingling), being sleepy has been the worst to cope with because I'm a mother and I have things to do, BUT at least some days I'm able to function well, and that's better than nothing. I also take potassium, which helps a lot for the tingling! I hope one day I no longer have to take these pills and finally have my life back and enjoy it! BTW, I'm 21 years old."

• Nur...
• January 25, 2014

For Pseudotumor Cerebri "I was diagnosed with pseudotumor cerebri almost two years ago now, and I've had a spinal tap done after a year of crippling, painful headaches, blurred vision, bright red inflamed eyes, and dizziness. The spinal tap, unfortunately, went wrong, and I had a spinal leakage from the high intracranial pressure, with an absolutely horrible spinal headache, so I had to have a blood patch, then put on acetazolamide. With the painful tingling sensations on my face, arms, and feet, I couldn't sleep, and I pee all night. I take 1500 mg of it, 3 pills a day, and although it's helped clear my eyes, my headaches, and the wind tunnel noise in my ears from the fluid is still very loud. I'm totally off balance, and I have forgetfulness all the time, not to mention I'm always tired."

• Mni...
• March 10, 2020

"I am using acetazolamide to help with my Ménière's disease. I'm only on 250 mg but need to work up to 500 mg daily. I feel like I'm in a fog and extremely tired. The pins and needles in my hands, feet, and face come and go. Is there anyone else using acetazolamide to help with Ménière's symptoms? I can't tell if it's making them worse or better."

• mrs...
• Taken for less than 1 month
• March 19, 2018

For Glaucoma "This is the third time taking acetazolamide. The main side effect for me is the eggy taste in my mouth, constant loose bowels, numbness in my hands, feet, and face, feeling cold, tired, and weak. I think I've tried almost every eye drop on the market, and pressures are still over 40. I'm on this medication for 2 months, four times a day. My operation is on 3/5/18, really hoping the side effects ease off soon, it's beginning to get me down."

• Chi...
• Taken for 1 to 6 months
• March 20, 2019

For Glaucoma "My worst side effect experience is lack of appetite and lethargy at times, now I have some diarrhea. But my eye pressure is down to 18 in one eye, 13 in the left, as of the last check, but the loss of appetite concerns me."

• Ble...
• February 13, 2018

For Hydrocephalus "I am currently on this medication, 500 mg, 2x a day to treat the excess fluid gain on my brain that causes seizures. The first dose of this medication, I instantly had a really bad taste for soda and for most anything that I ate or drank. I experienced extreme tiredness, dizziness, headaches, and had a decrease in appetite. After about 2 days, I noticed numbness and tingling in my hands and feet, ringing in my ears, a stabbing pressure pain in my eyes, and abdominal pain. I had to pee every 20-30 minutes and had extreme diarrhea instantly after every meal, all my bowel movements are diarrhea. After telling my neurologist about it, he said they are common and to take it once a day for 2 weeks to let my body adjust, then back to 2x. I fluctuate back and forth with the once and twice a day because he will not let me stop taking it, and all of the effects still remain after 8 months of treatment, but it has decreased the fluid levels on my brain, and I lost 30 pounds are the only benefits."

• Ano...
• Taken for 1 to 6 months
• December 11, 2016

For Pseudotumor Cerebri "I am almost 20 years old and was diagnosed about 3.5-4 weeks ago. I got a lumbar puncture and then started Diamox, and it has been an awful experience. The first week and a half, I was severely exhausted, had nausea, and the taste issue, and basically wasn't functional. Then, for about a week or so, I seemed to be getting better until a few days ago when I've been very rapidly getting new symptoms/side effects like severe joint pain, itchy scalp, and waking up with my eyelids swollen half shut, and then this morning my lips were extremely swollen. I had to go to the ER to make sure it wasn't an allergic reaction, but it seems to be just a weird reaction to the meds (not allergic). I hate it. If I didn't have to take it, I wouldn't."

• Pho...
• Taken for less than 1 month
• June 23, 2019

"I have suffered with migraines and severe dizziness and vertigo since I was 6. Neurologist put me on this. I've only taken it for 2 days, but my headaches and dizziness are worse. I feel so tired. I have double vision, excessively thirsty, and tingling in my face, hands, and feet like pins and needles. I knew it wasn't going to work for my vertigo but was hoping I could tolerate it long enough to get the weight loss side effect, but I'd rather stay fat."

• Tar...
• June 28, 2020

For Hydrocephalus "I have been taking this since 2002, which is 28 years. I have never had luck with generics. Every generic I have taken doesn’t take all the pressure out of my head. There is only one generic that has worked for me, and that is by Zydus Pharmaceuticals. Now there are two other generics besides this one that do absolutely nothing for the fluid pain in my head. But this particular one works like halfway. I will feel somewhat okay for about an hour a day, and then late at night I might get another hour where my head feels good. From what I have read, my understanding is these companies who are making the generics are using different inactive ingredients, which make my body not absorb medication as fast as the fluid is filling. I haven’t worked in almost a year. I’m always sick. I’m tired of it! Generics should be exactly like the brand! When I used to take TEVA Diamox, I never had any issues. My life was fine, I was working and living. Now I’m on generic, living a terrible quality of life!"

• Cat...
• Taken for less than 1 month
• July 3, 2019

Diamox (acetazolamide) for Mountain Sickness / Altitude Sickness "I took one of these pills (125 mg) to try it before my vacation, and I haven't felt so sick in a long time. OMG, it was horrible!! It started with mild dizziness and tiredness. Not so bad, but by the 12th hour, I just wanted to check out. A lot of dizziness, very tired but couldn't sleep, nausea, and headache. Generally, I felt awful but couldn't put my finger on how else it made me feel this awfulness. I took a meclizine and some Advil and felt a bit better. The next day, I still felt a bit weird but not so awful. That stuff lasts a long time, and if you take it on vacation and have my reaction, you'll waste a lot of hours being miserable."

• Kla...
• August 30, 2015

For Hydrocephalus "I have postop hydrocephalus from a pineal cyst being removed with my pineal gland. I had brain surgery in December, all my symptoms went away, and then I got some double vision and my eyes showed papilledema. I had a spinal tap and went from 30 to 6 and then had a blood patch. I started my second round of Diamox the day of the spinal tap. I remembered the tingling and no appetite and no taste for caffeine. I forgot I would pee all night and be tired for the first little while. Just ready for these first symptoms to pass. I'm on 500 mg twice a day and gonna take vitamin C to help with tingling."

• Anonymous
• April 3, 2012

For Pseudotumor Cerebri "My daughter (6) was diagnosed with pseudotumor cerebri one month ago. She had a spinal tap done to relieve the pressure and was put on a very low dose of the medicine (125 mg) twice a day. All seemed well for the first two weeks, and now we are back to the beginning with headaches, swelling of the face, blurred vision, and unusual tiredness. She saw a neurologist yesterday who doubled her dose. Needless to say-today she was so tired that she took 2 naps! THIS NEVER HAPPENS! I am worried that these are all side effects of the medicine now. As much as I don't want her to undergo surgery for a shunt, I would rather that than have her not be able to function because of these symptoms!"

• Anonymous
• Taken for less than 1 month
• June 2, 2017

Diamox (acetazolamide) for Pseudotumor Cerebri "Confusion, lethargy, diarrhea, hyperchloremia, CO2 16, nausea, dizziness."

• Gfa...
• July 13, 2016

Diamox (acetazolamide) for Glaucoma "Miserable! I was tired. Weak, couldn't stand or walk. My lips were chapped, burning, and the corners of my mouth were red and raw. Food and drink burned when swallowed."