migraines and Topamax

[mcdegal]

I am 47 and have suffered from migraines and headaches for about 6 years.  The only thing that helped was Topamax. I used it about 6 years ago for about 2-3 months. Unfortunately, it made me extremely nauseous and my hair started to fall out.  I am so desperate for relief that I asked my doctor to try it again, but at a lower dosage.  The first day I took 25 mg and felt Like I had "morning sickness" all day.  I am supposed to gradually increase to 200 mg by the end of the month.  Will the nausea ever go away?  Is there something I could eat or vitamin to take to prevent this?  it took away my headaches when I was on it years ago.  I want to be headache free, but not sick 24/7.  Any thoughts, my doctor really couldn't answer these questions.  Thank you!

[wolfmonkey]

I took Topamax and it made me suicidal. Now I don't take anything because I'm scared of the affects.

[sara12345]

There are many other daily preventative migraine meds.  If you can't control the nausea, e.g. with Zofran, why don't you try a different one?.  If none of the other preventative meds helped in the past, then you would be an excellent candidate for being helped by Botox injections.  It usually works on people like this.  If the Botox doesn't work, then you probably need a larger dose.

[Tess6580]

I never experienced nausea with Topamax but i did experience many other side effects. It definitely cleared the migraines the best. However, over time and with the increase dose of 200 mg eventually I became aphasic, unable to recall recent events, numbness in my extremities and eventually lost my job due to the neurological symtoms. Now i am on Inderal or propranolol which is a beta blocker and only 80 mg and it helps the headaches without the side effects. Talk to your doctor and suggest it.

[msnova74]

I had severe nausea with topamax. I had to use antinausea meds


In the winter hydroxozine helped and in the summer I had to use zofran.