Taking Topamax/weakness in legs

[Brenda3]

I am 6 mos post Arnold Chiari decompression surgery and taking 75mg of Topamax daily for headaches. Recently, I am experiencing weakness in my legs as though I have no control over them. I am wondering if anyone else feels this way with Arnold Chiari w/Cervical Syrinx or could it be the side effects of the Topamax. I also have balance and vertigo issues.

[selmaS]

Hi...contrast is used to "light" up an area to make it even clearer to see smaller veins ect....
MRI contrast agents alter the relaxation times of tissues and body cavities where they are present.

Not sure if that makes sense.....

[Brenda3]

Thank you for all your input. I am getting a MRI without contrast tomorrow. I never have had a MRI with contrast and I wonder why especially if I have a syrinx. Does anybody know why they do MRI with contrast?

[redkim]

I had Chiari surgery and have weakness in the leg's, at times.  I am not sure if it's the same.  I will sometimes get the feeling my legs are going to give out, sometimes if walking too much they feel weak and I have to walk slow and take baby steps.  

On Sunday I was giving my dog a bath and for maybe two minutes stood hunched over the bathtub (mostly I was sitting) and after that my legs felt weak and started to shake.

[stephanie_C]

I also took topamx for headaches before I was dx'd w/ chiari and I agree w/ alicia. It gave me tingling in my arms  and legs and even in my face but there was no weakness associated with it. I would call your doctor.

Good luck to you,
Stephanie

[selmaS]

Hi and welcome to the Chiari forum.

I am so sorry u r having these issues post surgery..and like Alicia suggested..u should call ur dr to be sure there is nothing else going on.

Plus, u have a syrinx..the change in the CSF flow after surgery may be affecting ur syrinx as many will shrink  after the surgery...not all do, but it may be a reaction to that change....I did not have a syrinx, so I can not state from personal experience.

Many will experience  a return of symptoms and as I understand it is a
"normal" stage of recovery....

Please post an update after u speak to ur dr so we all know what the dr has said.

Good luck and I pray u begin to experience the benefits of ur surgery.

"selma'

[Alicia696]

Hi, I have chiari but have not had surgery. I was on Topamaz 200mg a day for headaches related to  chiari but I did not have weakness, I had tingaling in my hands and feet but no weakness from the topamax and I took it for 3 years. I  would call your doctor cause it may not be coming from the med. But since you had surgery maybe your body maybe reacting to it? I sure wouldnt let that go. As for the vertigo the topamax seemed to help it some but it didnt help the balance. Now im on 125mg of zonigran. its like topamax but its not working either I could take the name brand topamax but when it went to a non name brand I had bad reactions to it like bad mood swings. I hope you get some answers on whats going on best of luck to you.

Alicia