Topamax

[piratewench]

I started taking Topamax my junior year of high school, then I found out I had 4 kidney stones. The doctors think that it might have been because of the topamax, but I wasn't drinking enough water with it, so I think that could have been the problem. I want to try again and make sure I drink plenty of water..trust me, this time I will..lesson learned. First I have to collect my urine for 24 hours and send it away to be tested to see if my kidneys are functioning well. Does anyone know what my chances for getting back on topamax are? It was the ONLY thing that worked.

[helenlig]

hi sherrilynn
are you still experiencing relief from your bulimia with topamax?
helen

[selmaS]

I am on Topamax as well...still new to it and found the first 2 weeks I was a zombie...fog does not come close to how I was....but after I adjusted to the med, I am better, I still have my foggy moments, but I had them b4 too....lol....but I now know it is not from the meds.

Weight, well yeah I need to loose..and I was gaining for some time b4 I went on Topamax, I am now losing...and I can only say it has to be the med.

I am still on a low dosage, and not on it a yr...so the jury is still out...but I am doing pretty good.
I am on the med for post op care for brain surgery due to chiari malformation.

  "selma"

[ab88]

I take Topamax 100 mg once a day for migraines. I have found that it has worked wonders for me. I don't get migraines very often anymore. I was out about once a week before taking topamax and now its much less than that and when I do get them they are at least manageable.

sherrilynn- I find it interesting the effect topamax had on your eating habits as I have found it to have the opposite on mine. For the most part my appetite has decreased, except for during my period of course. I am an LPN so understand your need to not have any memory issues but haven't experienced any trouble with that.

I found at first when increasing my dosage that it made me a little nauseated for the first couple of days of the new dose but otherwise no concerns.

piratewench-best of luck with the tests. hopefully you can get back on topamax. i personally haven't had any issues with my kidneys and am sorry to hear of your bad luck with the stones! I wasn't aware of that side effect actually so I will be sure that I continue to drink enough fluids. Thanks for sharing! Keep us posted.

[sherrilynn150]

I started taking Topamax about 5 years ago , started with 25 mg, titrated up to 200 mg daily and couldnt remember anything, had difficulty with word recall and felt like tapping on my head to get the words out I called it a "topamax moment". I called it dummymax, I felt dumb on it but it did help with my migraines, so my Dr decreased my dose to what I currently am on which is 50 mg HS (bedtime). I did find one positive reaction from topamax that was unexpected; I had been battling bulimia for 30 years and since being on Topamax , my thoughts of weight, food, calories, ect isnt a thought anymore. Its as if it never existed. One time I tried to go off the topamax because I was having to many memory issues and being a RN that doesnt work well for me, I noticed the eating issues popped up right where they left off. Once I went back on it within a few days, it changed. It has been a miracle pill for me, I still get migraine occassionally, but I take imitrex for it, the first few weeks I had the weird taste issues but that subsides. I also had the parasesia in hands and feet but that also went away. I love Topamax it has given me my life back and put the crazy life of food obsession and fear of fat and calories at rest. I eat what I want , when I want , and its controlled, theres not a out of control drive, there no preoccupation anymore with food or body image, which is a miracle . I suggest Drs try this medication in there eating disorder clinics. At small doses I swear I thank God it has taken the insanity away and I cant explain the joy it has brought me, yes I have to give up some of my short term memory but I can deal with that. For instance if you were an alcoholic and you could take a pill that would take all thoughts and cravings for the drink away  but made you alittle forgetful would you take it??? I know I would . I am thankful it has worked for me, and sorry for those who have suffered, God Bless all Sherri Lynn

[Dr Santos]

Hi,
How are you? There are indeed studies linking topamax and kidney stone formation. It is important that we know the results of your 24-hour urine first and determine the extent, to be able to know the chances of getting back to this medication. There are plenty of migraine medications in the market today. Avoidance of triggers and complementary and alternative medicine like biofeedback and other relaxation techniques can also help aside from medical therapy. Take care and do keep us posted with the results of the tests done. Best regards.