Topamax

[fearfactor]

I could easily get a prescription for Topamax as I have migraines and my doc and I talked about it at our last visit.  I would also LOVE the weight loss side effect.  Anyone that has or is taking Topamax - does it make you feel nervous?  Does it make your heart beat faster and/or palpitations?  I have anxiety so I can't use it if it will make me more nervous.  Anybody have bad side effects from Topamax?

[boomer22]

Yes.....I second your comment. I have a few side effects too but not even worth talking about.  I am have suffered my entire life on and off and I am enjoying life again.  I can actually drink a glass of wine and stay in an upright position and watch a thunderstorm if I wish.  Thank you to my Neuro folks I work with, the cocktail they have got me on now which includes Topamax!.
Kristen

[Debbie5009]

I was Topamax for over 10 years I never had any of the side effects that are described here... The worst I ever had was a little twitch under one eye, slight body odor and weight-loss. I didn't have a migraine in all the time I was on it unfortunately after 10 years it just stopped working.
I would go back on it again tomorrow, if my doctor said it would work on my migraines again...

[bpdlar]

Topamax has given me a lot of side effects, however these side effects decreased and are controlled for the most part, after nearly two years of taking the drug. I started off at 25mg, and noticed the side effects immediately, including nausea, diarrhea, changes in my appetite, what I craved, what I could taste (including soda), and soon weight loss, numbness in the fingers and toes, forgetfulness, problems with word recall, and a fog that would cause me to take forever explaining something, telling a story, answering a question, etc., basically the feeling of stupidity. With time, I also developed a jerk/tick in my shoulder/arm/knee basically just random nerves.

Topamax is not a quick fix for those who are too lazy to lose weight on their own, you need a real reason to be on this medication, and should not try to extract a prescription for the purpose of weight loss, or be taking that if that is your most important reason for doing so. Many women will try to take meds made for sick people, everything from Topamax to Aderol, Concerta, Wellbutrin, etc., pretending they have what to many are very serious issues, for very shallow reasons.  This can and probably will backfire on your health in the end.

After nearly two years, my dose is at 200mg. With all of the other medications I'm taking, it is hard to tell whether the jerk/tick in my nerves is actually from the Topmax, or from its interaction with the other drugs I take. My taste is completely back to normal, and all of my other side effects, from word recall and my feelings of stupidty, to (you will either be happy, or very disappointed to hear) my nausea and loss of appetite are gone. I'm still feeling a bit tired during the days, however taking it at bedtime and going to bed at a decent hour makes a lot of difference. The weight loss evens out once your body adjusts to the medication. It is usually only temporary, and it is almost always muscle you have lost, as you should know, because you are probably too tired to do too much physically if you are not eating and are losing weight quickly. It comes back, even as you increase your dose. Trust me. I was highly sensitive to 25mg, the smallest dose possible, and I only became more immune as time went on, at higher and higher doses. It takes more than a few months to give your body a good, fighting chance to get used to new chemicals being introduced to it. This should make many of you feel good, and for those of you who it disappoints, shame on you, go for a jog, and be glad you have legs.

[Katlhp]

I was very offended to hear it referred to as dopamax as it has never affected me other than making me sleepy. I've taken it for 6+ years. We did have to increase my dosage due to an increase in migraines and the intensity. Both were unbearable. I'm at a maxed out level of 400 mg. (200 am/200 pm) It does affect my appetite and taste but that's ok with me. I'm not having as many migraines again but the intensity is still as harsh as before. The duration be less slightly. I know it's used for bipolar so it does seem to keep my mood even. Sometimes I have brain fog but I've also been diagnosed with fibro otherwise I'm fine on it.

[Startime]

Don't see why you'd be offended....you admitted it causes brain fog. Believe me, I have migraines,fibro & seizures and was on 500/600 day!!! I couldn't even remember the exact way to my daughters home and kept circling...if you think you aren't dopey in it, I guarantee your closest family do!  Dopamax is a great description of topamax.....

[I_am_healthconscious]

I am also bipolar and on armour thyroid.  I would like to share my experience with you.  As you know it is very impt for us to take "right amounts of stuff" or things backfire.  I cycle very often.  Personally I found it took a year to get all the antidepressants out of my system.  the withdrawals were all the nightmares and depression and pains you mention exactly.  At night taking just .25mg topamax keeps me even.  I take 2 drops of green tea extract drops at lunch in water instead of antidepressant. These are super super potent.  Also helps make you less dopy. Holistic doc prescript. Yes, I have some eye issues.  From reading your post it sounds like you were taking WAY too much of that topamax.  Would you consider tapering down and keeping me posted as a buddy?  I_am_healthconscious.  I truly feel your pain personally as I have alot in common with you.  

[I_am_healthconscious]

Reduce the dosage with the help of a physician.  At 25mg I have minor hair loss, take at night & only have vivid dreams.  I would guess you are on too much and not aware of it?  what do you think?  Alittle works just as well...just a thought

[Rhilo]

I accidentally took topamax, and lost complete motor skills to my arms from the elbow down and my whole head I lost the ability to speak and everything felt tingly but I couldn't feel it when someone touched me, I ended up being completely paralyzed for 8 hours and my temperature was extremely high, I sat in a fridge with ice down my shirt and was still over heating. I thought I was dying. It's been almost 2 weeks now since this happened. After I got the feeling back and was able to use my hands again my veins started constricting and I had to keep pumping the blood back into my hands by making fists and if I stopped my veins got right and then my hands got cold. It was literally the worse experience of my life. I called the hospital for an ambulance and figured out I was losing my ability to speak and that's when I dropped the phone. I had lost the ability to do anything except cry. I do not think anyone should ever take this drug, I don't want anyone to ever go thru what I went thru. Which may have been an allergic reaction but it also could have been because my mom has seizures and I don't so it attacked me differently. Please be careful and does anyone know why my motor skills are still off and if I could be dying?

[jenny82301]

I am on 200mg looking to raise to 300mg so far i havent had any side effects other than the tingling and that has even gone away congradulations on the weight loss of 70lbs that is a lot of weight to lose I am looking to loose 55lbs I know I can do it because my head aches and my appetite is completely gone please write back and tell me how you are doing now

[daughertym]

I've been taking topamax for 3yrs now and take 300mg a day. I've been lucky and haven't had any side effects really. I take it for severe migraines along with imipramine, 225mg at bedtime. It is also a seizing medication used to treat migraines. I've been taking them together for 3 years now and they help but don't completely take them away. As for the weightloss, in the last year I've lost almost 70lbs. I know it's from the topamax because I have a bladder disease that makes it very difficultfor me to loose it on my own, I had surgery on my bladder a year ago and the weight started falling off with no help from me. I don't really exercise or watch what I eat, I eat what I want just in moderation.

[angelpaws71]

I started taking Topomax since June 2013 because the VA doctor I never met before told me I was bipolar even though I was told I was ADHD my whole life from other veteran Admin doctors, even childhood shrinks said I was. She put me on Topo 50mg twice a day. It didn't do anything for me except make me lose 40lbs. I thoughts she was nuts. I never thought I was bi-polar and felt nothing emotionally taking this stuff except tinging in my fingers once and a while and I was a little tired. That's it. Even up my dosage myself to 100mg twice a day to think maybe I would get something out of it. Nope just tingling once in a blue moon in my fingers and tired once in a while like always. No memory loss or other problems other people have mention. But losing weight still. New VA doctor said I do have ADHD and may have Aspergers and she wants to test me for it and she put me on Ritalin at 5mg 3 times a day and I said I like this Topomax for weight lost and wanted to continue (wanted to get back down to my Army weight. Gained a lot of weight after I got hurt in the Army) she said just take the Topomax at bed time so instead of taking 50 mg twice a day I just take 100mg at bed time. So far so good with all the meds.

[TrinityParadise]

Any changes in how this has affected you? I have ADD and take Concerta and now take 50 mg of topamax at bed time. How has it been going?

[maini4200]

I am on Topamax and Gapapentin for migraines for 5 months and have slowly worked up to 150 mgs a day of Topamax and 400 mg of Gabapentin. My migraines are gone and I only get headaches once in while. I tried Topamax in the past and was afraid to try again, but my neurologist advised side effects are because a dosage is too high for your body to adjust to.  I started at a low dose and went up by 12.5-25 mgs a week or two weeks at a time to build to the current dosage. After 5 months I've been taking 150 mg a day for only the past two weeks. I highly recommend if you are going to take Topamax you build up the dosage.  I started with 25 mg a twice a day and built up from there as I could handle it.  I am being treated by the University of Washington and really believe this was the best course of action.  I only have tingling in my little toe once in a while and I am never ever hungry and I love water as a result. I'm just saying if you have migraines there is  hope out there and if you take the treatment slow enough, it might be helpful without adding addition turmoil to your system.  Good luck!  I would never recommend this course of treatment for weight loss alone.

[Tessie777]

I have been on Topomax for almost a year now. I have lyme disease along with life long problems with migraines.  At first I thought the topomax was a miracle cure as it took my headaches away.  Then, about three months into treatment I started getting severe insomnia and after a day of painting doors I was in severe body pain.  I ended up in hospital with a ck count of 18000 which no doctor could ascribe to anything. I had all the symptoms of a heart attack and kidney failure, except I had neither. After they sorted me I was on only 50mg and I just felt I could not move upwards. My face kept tingling and was numb on the one side. As I had Bell's Palsy before the drs said it was the palsy that showed up again. I also had no taste and I would at times get a "melting" feeling. It felt like my arms or legs started burning up and then melted.  I often felt like I stood in a puddle of myself.  I had two more of the severe painful muscles episodes after a normal day of working in my home and when I started forgetting the names of people I know I knew something was wrong.  I could not stand the burning sensation, which my neorologist said is quite normal, anymore.  I could not remember my phone number and I was forgetting what I was doing.  As I am a lecturer at UNi level I could no longer afford these symptoms.  My GP has agreed to slowly wean me off the tablets and I am on 25mg every alternate night.  The tingling is disapearing and I could do some gardening without severe pain in the muscles. My sleep is also returning. I do not think the side-effects of this medicine is worth using it as a weightloss pill.  Now that I am going off, the so-called lyme symptoms are also getting better and my thinking is that there are much better ways to get rid of a big or small problem than taking this risk.

[Bama929]

I also have been taking Topamax for about 6 years (I am 27) for my seizures.I take 450mg/day to control my epilepsy. As high as the dosage sounds, I have adjusted to most the side effects after many months, if not years to find what meds are best for me. I still have problems with remembering things and the "sudden loss of words", and confusion at times, ordeal all the time- and sodas still taste horrible. I did lose around 15- 20lbs when i first began Topamax, which I was concerned about considering I am 5'1 and dropped to 92lbs. But now my weight has leveled out for my size. As for the memory concerns-  My suggestion for anyone who has these symptoms and wants to continue on this drug is to keep a planner and a list of "things to do" on hand at all times. I still can not live with out my planner or my notebook I carry on hand all day-  of course I have always been one to have a planner... There is hope- I promise.
However, I would not recommend this drug just for weight loss simply because the side effects aren't worth going through for a short term period. Good luck!  

[somewhereinhere]

i am new to this site and i just read ur post..i know it was made years ago. i know it is not a good idea for ppl to take this med jus to lose weight or any other medication for that matter because of the severity of the side effects. but in that being said..i am someone who has struggled with my weight my entire life and have done every diet in the book..and healthy eating and exercise..life changes do work yes..however, this medication is prescribed now for eating disorders mostly bulimia and binge eating disorder; and thats why i have been prescribed it. I have binge eating disorder so im hoping this medication, at a low dosage, will hopefully help me with my urges in my binging and my obsessions with food and the depression and much more that comes along with it. I dont expect or even want this pill to make me lose the weight even though i have about 50lbs to lose, i want it to assist me into controlling my disorder and allowing me to make healthy choices and not just some quick fix.

[notpinky]

I started on Topamax only a few days ago.  I am taking it for migraines and hoping to lose weight as well.  So far, I have not lost any weight.  I sort of believe that the reason it works for losing weight is that it makes people lose their appitite which for me is really not going to help a lot.  I do not over eat and already have to remember to eat.  The Topamax is making me a little quesy so I am probably already eating a little less than before.  I can tell that I am having a little trouble remembering some tasks that I would do on a regular basis on the computer and that is worrying me.  I am still on a verly low dose because I am in the "building up" phase.  I really hope this works.

[Guillerma]

I do not know what Topamax you all took or have taken but I have been taking it for some time now and yes, at first it was weird but that is why my doctor recommended I took it at night while I slept.  Yes, I still had tingling and I was forgetful during my tappering of the medication, but I finished my Bachelors, my Masters in Science and now half way through my PhD. and I love not having migraines.  Yes, I lost 30 pounds and I not only stopped having the killer migraines but I look good and still continued my studies, which I thought (according to all the stories I was hearing) would have to drop out of school.  I am so blessed because in my family we have lost several to Aneurysms and I didn't want to be another statistic in my family.  Topamax has been a blessing for me and my family.  I have no issues.  It is crazymax at all.  TAKE IT AT NIGHT NOT DURING THE DAY PEOPLE---HELLO!!!!

[martyallen77]

I'm 22 and I've been on Topamax since November.  I'm losing my ever loving mind!!!  One of my friends is a doctor and when he found out that I was going to start taking it, he didn't want me too...he refers to it as Crazymax, and I now understand why.

It has helped with my headaches.  I don't have them every day like I did have, and I have lost some weight.  I wouldn't recommend taking it just for the weight loss though.

I finally got my appetite back when I started working out again, before that I was to the point of eating 1 meal a day...and having to force myself to eat all of it.

I have to make lists all the time, or put things in my phone so I don't forget.  I forget where I'm going.  I'll be driving down the road and begin trying to figure out where it is that I'm going, because I've forgotten.  There have been mornings that I've washed my hair 2-3 times in the shower because I don't remember doing it.

[michiganblue10]

after you adjust, your appetite returns to normal as does your metabolism.  It works great for migrains.  I have suffered since I was 12 (44 now)  and this is the first drug to really help.  I notice mild symptoms of what others complain about but nothing significant.  try it....you can always stop

[Amber_91]

I'm bipolar and am on 42 pills a week. I've gained so much weight and on top of that I had a baby 7 months ago. My doctor is putting me on topamax soon for weight loss. Any other's with bipolar disease and taking topamax?? I'd love to hear how it's been for you.

[eve260]

It's good to hear someone else out there had the same problem I am having.  I feel disorganized, confused and foggy.  I am forgetting words, talking slower, thinking slower....  I once forgot my own car, where I was, and why I was there.  It lasted only seconds but it was scary.  It feels like the beginning of Alzheimers and I am only in my 30's and it started when I started taking Topamax for Migraines.  The instructions said to not stop abruptly or the symptons will be worse so I have to go see my Dr. to get me off.  Yes it is a scary situation to be in, almost like Russian Roulette.  You don't know when the brain will give up on you, and you know deep within yourself that it is going in that direction.  I really hope I regain my faculties when I get off this medication.

[rachelhargrave]

I take topamax for my bipolar and i have lost 68 pounds in a year. I started out at 195 and now down to 127. i have had no side effects from the drug. Blood work has came back normal. My husband has lost 45 pounds so far. he is on it due to his weight.  

[joey68]

I started Topamax 2 weeks ago. So far I haven't noticed any serious side effects and I have lost 14 pounds. I am thrilled. My back pain has decreased extensively, which is why I started the Topamax. I have several discs in my lower back that are protruding and smashed together. Anyway, I would recommend Topamax to anyone who wants to lose weight and minimize pain. It may not work for everyone the way it works for me but it is worth a shot. My Doctor is my new hero! Good luck to everyone out there.

[Pooks420]

It sounds to me like you have Fibromyalgia. (Just sayin) because you hurt all over and your muscles hurt . With the migranes and or headaches. Look into it and see if it matches your problems. Try doing some research on it, www.osteopathic.org/fibro...Don't stop ther though because there are a lot of websites you can learn from. Good luck and Hope this helps. don't let anyone tell you it's not a disease. IT IS...

[Case67]

I have been on 50mg of Topamax twice a day for about 3 weeks now.  Definitely have nausea and constipation; however, absolutely no weight loss. If anything, weight gain.  Coca Cola is horrible!  I don't eat much at one sitting but get unbelievable hunger pains throughout the day and night.  Have never in my life experienced such hunger pains.  My mood swings are incredible.  I cry at anything/nothing and then scream at the top of my lungs in my next breath.  I have also noticed difficulty in attention, concentration and recall.  The good news is my migraines are less frequent.