Imitrex symptoms and conditions

I was prescribed 25 mg Metoprolol-XL for irregular rapid HR episodes and slightly increased BP (after all the tests to rule out heart disease). It did the job, but I began to suffer with insomnia (a common side effect). So for the last month and a half, I've been only taking half the dose (I made sure that it was the type of tablet that was ok to break...it is, but they do caution you not to chew or crush it). No more insomnia, and the irregular HR has not returned, BP remains normal.
I figured out that the cause of the palpitations etc. was delayed anxiety attacks from a recurring family situation (the delay made it hard to link the cause and effect until I started journaling). Knowing that was the beginning of being able to better cope with the situation, so I thought I would be weaning myself off the medicine. However, I also am a migraine-sufferer and realized that I have not had to take an Imitrex since starting the metoprolol (3 months!). I used to get 4-5 migraines a month...now I may get none, one, or two and none so bad that one Ibuporfen can't handle it. Not so sure I want to stop taking it now.
New problem: Since cutting the dose, I find that any exposure to warm environment or to mild exercise, where I would normally only sweat mildly, if at all, now my scalp sweats profoundly, so much so that sweat runs rivers down my back, my chest, into my eyes and ears. The rest of me only sweats like I normally ever did. Is this because I decreased my dose...will it last forever? I did read that one should not go off this stuff cold turkey and that one of the things that would happen if you did could be excessive sweating. All I did was go from 25mg to 12.5 mg! What if I go off it completely...what am I in for??

I have been on Topamax for four years. 25 mg in the am and 25 mg in the pm. I have experienced the weight loss and the migraines have completely gone away along with my wittiness and ability to remember why I am in the bathroom with my pants around my ankles. I have passed up my exit on the highway on my way home several times.... not really sure why or where I think I was going........ I have found myself on a freeway and had to search the signs to figure out which direction I was traveling and then realized I was going to moms.........don't even remember getting in the car but have stuff with me that I was bringing her. I have woken up in the middle of the night in a panic and always have the word right on the tip of my tongue. I feel like I have alzheimers. I am 34. I started out having severe ocular migraines when I was 17 (I don't have head pain) and ended them at 30 after spending weeks in bed, days in ERs and hours heaving into the toilet........ hours, straight, not even able to take a complete breath. I wouldn't even have the strength to hold my head up anymore and I would just lay on my side an heave in my bed, until I would pass out. The MRI showed brain damage and necrosis (dead brain tissue) of my brain from my migraines. I was originally diagnosed with strokes. Imitrex would raise my blood pressure so high the MD's and RNs would hold me out of fear I was going to stroke out. My life just stopped..... I couldn't even move.... ever, I couldn't look out a window, listen to a radio, watch T.V, have a conversation, smell food, perfume......... anything without getting sick. Topamax stopped it all. And yes, I got stupid with the meds....... I lost my train of thought, but I can go outside. I lost some weight, but I can eat, I have lost some, hair but I can work...............I feel like I have more of a life now than I did before. Anytime you introduce a drug to your body you are going to have effects........there are trade offs. If you had what I had, you will be willing to have the trade off. I had gotten to the point that I would have been better off dead, because I wasn't living. My migraines started off manageable and progressively got worse over time. I have to admit, I have tried to come off of the medication... who wants to be tethered to meds all of there life? But when the migraines came back, I quickly went back on the meds.....Drink plenty of water, stay off other stimulants, don't smoke!!!! titrate your doses and then don't miss them.

I first started on Topamax when I was 20 for seizures 100mg twice daily. But before that, throughout high/middle school, I was on Depakote 250mg twice daily to control my grand mal seizures, and Imitrex 100mg to control my migraines(about 3x monthly). When the switch was converted the only side effects I remembered was weight loss, I lost about 40 lbs in 1 yr. Also I was taken off the Imitrex and the Topamax also controlled the migraines. I am now 28, and in the past 8 yrs I have had only 1 migraine! I work in a health profession now and try to recommend Topamax for migraines as often as I can just from experience, but I can understand that everyone is made differently and it is not always going to work the same as it did for me. And one last note about Topamax, it just came out in a generic about 3 weeks ago(4/1/09) for anyone that is concerned about insurance copays and might want to give it a try.

I am new to Topamax. Just started for severe/horrific migraine pain - I have been getting migraines that lasted 8 days long without relief for the past few years, popping imitrex like m & m's. Mine seem to be related to a drop in barometric pressure as well as to being perimenopausal. They were ruining my life. I am currently on the 25 mg in the am dose and 50 mg pm dose schedule to titrate up to 50 mg twice daily. So far I have had only 2 migraines in the past 30 days instead of 8-16!!! I am a much happier person- I can't even describe it. People at work even tell me I LOOK different! I do however, have some intermittent tingling/numbness in my fingers mostly, passes quickly, little back pain, and some little headaches that come and go. I can so deal with these. I have only had to take Tylenol or Motrin on three occasions in the past month. I used to take two imitrex and still had take 400mg of Motrin and 1000 mg of Tylenol just to numb my migraines. Can I tell you I used to be somewhat non-functional and still go to work everyday- I am a nurse!
So far Topamax has given me my life back because I seriously considered driving into a tree one day on my way to work before starting it. Wish me luck.

I have been using Topamax now for 8 years off and on. I stopped the Topamax about 3 months ago, something I do once or twice a year to try and feel 'normal' again. Then last month I went to see my regular doctor because of numb, pale, swollen, achy fingers, swollen ankles and feet, and for a papercut on my knuckle that overnight turned into a radical staph infection. The NP ordered a full blood panel and the results came back positive for Lupus. I have had so much pain in my hips and knees, more frequent headaches (not migraines), insomnia and vision trouble. The past two weeks I have been super irritable and nauseous. I still need to have a 2nd opinion and/or referral to a rheumatologist, but is all of this related to taking the Topamax? I take 2 Imitrex injections if a migraine comes on and am hesitant to start the Topamax if it has indeed induced Lupus. Am I crazy or is this common??? THANKS for the feedback...SM.

I am almost 41, and have had migraine headaches most of my life which I could manage with 800mg of Naproxen Sodium, or a Norgesic Forte, and when Imitrex came out, I could just administer that. Six months ago, my headaches got so frequent that I had to start taking my Relpax (similar to Imitrex) and/or Fioricet more than 2X per week. According to my neurologist, this is a no no, as both of those meds can couse rebound headaches. He started me on Topamax, 50mg per day. It did nothing. He bumped it to a 100, nothing. Now I'm a 200 mgs, I am still have a migraine in left temple as I write this. I have the tingling, the daytime sleepiness, but my mind is fine, and my appetite is just swell (regretfully). What the hell am I going to do now? Ask him to bump me up to 400 mg? Now I have these headaches every "F"ing day, and I can't take anything. I just have to suffer.

Topamax is NOT working!!!!!

I,ve had mirena for 2 1/2 yrs and it has been the worst 2 1/2 yrs ever! I went to the ob 8 months ago to have it removed and my Dr. would not take it out she said that there was no possible way that it could be causing my 6 days in a row migraines that only respond to imitrex nothing else. So for the past couple of days I've been trying to make an appt to have
mirena taken out but the appts are like 2 weeks wait. I removed it myself this morning took a while to find it, hope this doesn't offend anyone I just wanted it out that bad. I really hope I start to feel better and that all the symptoms tat I have been having are not all in my head. My symptoms include no menstrual bleeding but instead a viscous cycle of Pms, cramps, headaches and fatigue that never go away. For the past 10 months I,ve had migraines and have been taking imitrex consistently. I don't ever feel like getting out of bed and my 2 oldest kids don't understand why I'm so ill and my youngest 2 1/2 says mommy has a headache, all day long. I'm curious to know if any one else has had migraines or chronic neck pain? Thanks.

I thought I had sinuses for years..got test for allergies and was founded to be allergic to nothing! Despite having at least 3 infections a year and on my 3rd nose spray, zyrtec, nyquil at night..ect..because I was contantly congested and had drainage & headaches..3-4 infections a year.. She ordered a cat scan and was told that my sinuses had spurs but was clear; my septum was severely deviated and I needed a ENT to have surgery to correct it...The ENT wanted to do major surgery which included a plastic surgeon... so I went for a second opinion to another ENT that was well known who told me I had rebound headaches..and referred me to a neurologist..my goal was to get off all the meds (nose sprays, nettie pot, antihistamines..nyquil..ect..) ..he was a dinosaur and was convinced that although I had a severe deviated septum~he didnt want to do surgery but wanted me to stop all meds I was on and to go to his neurologist that he liked *(another dinosaur) who put me on Topamax..50mg in the morning and 50 mg at night..I had panic attacks right away so he added 20 mg of klonopin at night to help with that and flexeril to help me relax...he hinted at me going to a pysch doctor which pissed me off right as if I was psychosomatic or something... and stiffled me a few times when I tried to talk to him about my drainage and congestion~he wanted to hear none of that because he already made his mind up what I had and "sinuses" didn't jive with his impression that I had migraines.

All of the sudden within days I really did have migraines..they just hit me! HARD...I had to call him and tell him I was in excruciating pain on the right side...he called in Imitrex inj. and they worked within 5 min. and my Topamax went from 100 mg total > 250 mg/day! I had at least 6 shots since and the side effects of the Topamax have profoundly changed my personality...I have no word recall..like being stoned in the 70's but worse because I have a special needs child and I need to engage her and am like a zombie! I have ALL the same sx that are mentioned but notice one that isnt noted which is my tongue is raw as well as my throat...all the way down into my stomach...I am having to take zantac for acid indigestion~it is like my insides are raw!
I am also having extreme constipation...I lost weight in the first 2 mos. where I couldn't eat nothing..but now I am eating cause it's there but it is not leaving me even when I take multiply doses of my old standby... I am drinking tons of water..at least 64 oz a day but it is not helping. My eyes are burning at times...I need my reading glasses all the time now. Some days my heart is beating out of my chest for no reason..at rest..I just feel ill like something is not right at all! I don't go nowhere & have become a hermit. My headaches are gone but I feel I am just a shell of a person and want to get off...I am slowly weaning off by doing it 25mg at a time for one week at a time....then another 25mg another week......I know I will have migraines but I will just bite the bullet and suffer through it till I am off this poison....I have some injections left..MY main goal was to be off meds and these side effects are horrible! Once I am completely off I am going to a good ENT that can do the surgery to fix my sinuses so that I can hopefully be drug free as I intended. I too wasn't told of these side effects at all. So much time & $$$$ wasted! I think if I stay on this too much longer it will truly do long term harm!

I have been taking Topamax for about 6 months now. I have been on several different everyday medications for migraine prevention and Topamax has been the best one. I was first prescribed Relpax to help relieve the headaches. I eventually got to a point where I was getting migraines every day/every other day (insurance only covers 12 pills per 20 days). I was later switched to Imitrex - which is MUCH more effective (1 100mg tablet) but my insurance only covers 9 pills per 30 days (unbelievable).

Just wanted to give you guys some background on my situation. I have been through 2 MRIs and a CAT scan, visited a neurologist, done 2 sleep studies, spent 2 months on a breathing machine for possible sleep apnea causing migraines. My family doctor, my neurologist, everyone I saw was unable to determine the cause of my migraines.

THE GOOD NEWS is I was referred to an UPPER CERVICAL SPECIALIST by my old chiropractor. This may not sound believable but my headaches have decreased to about 2-3 per month since I've been treated by my new chiropractor. My old chiropractor was the type who did a complete adjustment on my spine/hips and cracked my neck both ways every time I visited. The upper cervical specialist focuses on C1-C2 vertebrae and uses calculated heat readings to determine where there is inflammation and there is no twisting/turning involved. Look up upper cervical chiropractic on google and see if these treatments will help with any of your headaches. It has helped my situation dramatically and I will continue seeing this specialist and probably come off of the topamax in the next few weeks.

This is a weight of my shoulders.
I have been experiencing many of the symptoms that have been posted here and cannot begin to tell you what a relief it is that I'm not alone. I have been using the Nuvaring for 6 months. Some of the pros were convenience, larger breasts ( I went from a full C to a DD), and more lubrication. My side affects were extreme leg pain, excessive weight gain (about 30 pounds), increased appetite, fatigue, head aches, irritability, heart rate increase, dizziness, gas, bloating need I say more? Last night I took it out immediately because I finally put all the pieces together. It's amazing to know that I'm not alone in all of this. The weight gain was so fast that I have stretch marks that are extremely deep and I have belly fat for the first time in my life it has sprung right on my stomach. I'm only 19 so this is quit concerning for me... I went from 165 to 195. I have stayed around 165 for 5 years and the fact that I put on this thirty pounds was extremely concerning. I am grateful I know what's the issue, and hopefully with more energy and a decrease in appetite, I will be well on my way to my old self.

I saw my family doctor on May 16th for a new onset UTI. I hadn't had one of these in about 8 years but I knew how bad they could get if you didn't get them treated right away. I did the over the counter URISTAT for 2 days until I got an appointment. After doing the UA dipstick, they confirmed my UTI because of the high leukocytes and gave me sample packets of LEVAQUIN 500 mg. b.i.d. for 5 days. I went home thinking, "Hey, this will be easy and I will feel great in a few days." I WAS NEVER SO WRONG ABOUT SOMETHING IN MY WHOLE LIFE!!!! I took my first dose that evening and went to bed. I woke up the next morning with a headache so bad that I almost passed out when I lifted my head off the pillow. The UTI went away after a few days, but the migraine stayed for over 2 weeks. The left side of my neck felt like I had been hit from behind with a baseball bat and my scalp became so sore from the pain that I couldn't even use a blow dryer on my hair. I made 2 more trips back to the doctor complaining of the horrible migraine headaches, light sensitivity, neck pain and joint pain. He put me on IMITREX, PROPANOLOL, APAP, and FLEXERIL to control the migraines. I MAXED OUT THE DAILY DOSAGE ON THESE MEDS EVERY DAY WITH NO RELIEF! I went back to the doctor again and he decided to run some lab tests. The next day, my headache had started to get better but I noticed a lump under my left armpit (large pea size) and that I had significant joint pain in my right middle and index finger. My middle finger would hardly bend in the mornings when I got up and the stiffness in my neck was still there. Later that day on my way out for a mini vacation with my family, my doctor called to tell me that my ANA had come back positive and he wanted to send me to a Rheumatologist to rule out things like LUPUS, RA, etc. Needless to say, I was totally freaked out for the remainder of my trip until I went back to the doctor to review my ANA Titer. My titer was high at 1:160, but he keeps telling me not to worry because this happens all of the time and an ANA and high titer is not definitive. I want to also note that one of my friends and my husband have also had very similar experiences. She was convinced by the physicians that she had Lymphoma because of her ANA and titer and my husband was certain that he had RA. Both are negative!
I am still concerned about all of this even though I am feeling better and it may be that I have permanent side effects from this. I was a totally healthy person and there was nothing going on besides a UTI until the LEVAQUIN was introduced. It has been almost a month since I took this drug and the things I have been reading online are horrible. I am sure that I will never take one of these antibiotics again. My advice to anyone else is to READ< READ> READ! There are some excellent websites out there and of coures the blogs are great for information from other patients. A good site for information about positive ANA's is:
http://www.rheumatology.org/public/factsheets/fana.asp
Also, read up on LEVAQUIN and the other FLUOROQUINOLONES. I did not know that these are the drugs that will be used to treat people in the event of a biological war. It's pretty scary....

The NuvaRing is pure EVIL! I am 23 and I started it on a Saturday and today is Tuesday and I just took it out after only four days. I have had a migraine since the day that I started using it. Migraines that wake me up in the middle of the night. I have tried Tylenol, 600mg Ibuprofen, plus Imitrex and although the pain seems to go away slightly, I still have a dull throbbing in my face and back of my neck. And its gets so bad that my eyes start watering and I can’t even drive home because its hard to keep my eyes open. I will NEVER, EVER use NuvaRing again! Its not worth the pain that I am in. Oh yea, my doctor had previously prescribed me Elavil (which is an anti-depressant medication) for migraines. I was on Elvail before in February (not on NuvaRing then) and the Elvail worked perfectly to cure my migraines. But not even the Elavil will help with my migraines now since I started NuvaRing. NuvaRing is horrible and I DO NOT recommend anyone take it. I will never use it again. I am praying that my body goes back to normal in a couple of days since I stopped using NuvaRing.

Other side effects I experienced with NuvaRing:
-Always tired, could sleep all day
-No strength to work out (I LOVE working out!)
-Moodiness
-Tender, swollen breasts
-One episode of vomiting

Ladies, NuvaRing is not worth it to me. The risks/side effects just outweigh the benefits, that’s just my opinion. I hope this helps. I will keep you posted as to how I feel ANR (After NuvaRing, lol) Good Luck Ladies.

I was on 200 mg/day of topamax for migraines. It did lessen the frequency and severity of the migraines. I lost 20 lbs and looked great. I felt horrible. I was suicidal and paranoid, cried frequently and thought that I was going to die. I was very tired, probably due to the topamax and the fact I was only eating about 500 cal per day on a good day, I was only rarely hungry and then would feel full after a few bites. I loved being thin, but was too tired to enjoy my life. I'm a nurse and couldn't remember anything, so I wrote everything down. My husband said that talking to me was like playing charades, because I couldn't remember the words for what I wanted to say. People would talk to me and my comprehension was very poor - it was like they were talking in another language that I didn't understand very well. I had always been sharp and quick witted, but on Topamax I was lost in a brain fog. I went off the drug under an MD's care. It took a while to feel like my old self, but life is now normal.

I was considering going back on it to lose the weight I put back on, but after reading all the other posts, I realize it's just not worth it. No, not everyone experiences all the awful side effects, but the side effects are not rare and some of them are horrifying. One of my friends who went on it couldn't even remember her children's names and she was on just 25 mg. I think this drug can make you feel like you are dying - just like a cancer patient at end stage. You don't want to eat, there is little enjoyment in life, your brain is foggy like you've been going through chemo and you feel incredibly sad as if you're going to die.

My advice would be to use the drug only if absolutely necessary. Try acupuncture, other migraine meds or seizure medications before this one. If you are taking it and notice that you are having extreme side effects, ask your doctor to be taken off it. If you can take it and the only side effects you get are a little pins and needles and an aversion to soda, go for it! But please note if you have strong emotional changes and try to eat healthy while on topamax.

Been taking Topamax 300 mg a day for the past 4 year. I also take 450 mg of Wellbutrin. This is to help with migraine. Although my total count of Zomig pills I took last year was 120 pills and some of those I broke in half so I wouldn't have to use a whole pill for a migraine. So that mean, with the Topamax and Wellbutrin combined, I still had at least 123 migraine this past year. Three months of migraines. That's insane. I can't stop the "Dopamax" because my doctor says it would be really bad with it. I have terrible memory loss, forgetfulness, and loss of words that is embarrassing. The nurses did not inform me of the side effects when I first started taking it and I thought I was going crazy. I started looking up ADHD on the computer thinking I had developed it as an adult. I was made at the nurse when she asked me how I was doing remembering things and and if I was stumbling for word......I wanted to slap her off her stool.........at that point it was NOT funny.

Allow me to introduce myself, I am Christopher Wunsch. I was a practicing Critical Care RN for 13 years active practice, until September 2002, the onset of my disability at age 34.
Until Sept 2002, I had been a healthy adult with very few medical problems. I had elevated cholesterol since I was in college that I know of, and I had always chosen to eat right and exercise regularly. which had no appreciable impact on my cholesterol.
In 1999, my father had bypass surgery at age 58, and it was decided that I be started on statin therapy, and I was started on 10 mg QD, which I tolerated well until September 2002, when I began to have terrible unrelenting headaches, disorientation and confusion. I would sleep for 14-18 hours per day, therefore I missed a lot of work over these 4-6 weeks. I had a CT scan done at a local hospital, despite my persistent request for an MRI scan. The CT scan was normal. After the 3rd visit to our local ED, I was discharged home with a diagnosis of a probable Migraine Variant, and was given Imitrex, which I could not even figure out how to give to myself. I called my PCP at home after we were sent home, and I requested he order an MRI scan for me, which he agreed to and was done the following day. revealing multiple scattered lesions throughout the grey matter of my brain. When my PCP received these results, he referred me to a Neurologist who diagnosed me with a migraine Variant. My wife and I sought a second opinion from the University Hospital and Clinics in Madison, where I was evaluated by a Neurologist who specialized in MS. When I was evaluated by him in the clinic, he did not think what I had was MS at all, he did not know for sure what I had, but was quite sure it was not any form of MS. I was sent home, to be rechecked in a few weeks.
Over the course of the next few weeks, my symptoms of Headaches, Lethargy, Fatigue, and confusion had worsened, only now it was accompanied by Ataxia and slurred speech. My wife called to UW Madison and spoke with my Neurologist who informed her that I should be re-evaluated as soon as possible. We dropped off our 2 year old son at my parents and headed to UW Madison to be seen again. When we arrived, I was given a mini neurological exam, which I failed terribly, and I was admitted. I was hospitalized for 28 days, I underwent a brain Biopsy, which revealed multiple areas of vacuolization, mitochondrial changes under electron microscopy revealed thickened disarrayed cristae, inclusions of lysosomal and autophagic vacuoles.
The Differential diagnosis from the Brain Biopsy was a new Variant CJD, a Mitochondrial Disorder such as MELAS, and a few others. My muscle biopsy done at this time, was suggestive of a Mitochondrial Disorder such as MELAS or MERRF. I was started on a Mitochondrial cocktail, which consisted of 12-14 Vitamins, amino Acids and Ubiquinone. I was scheduled to transfer to a nursing home, pending bed placement. When one of the residents suggested increasing my CoQ10 dose, which was done, now 150 mg BID.
Over the next few days, I began to become more alert, less confused, and less ataxic.
I was discharged home with aggressive Physical, Occupational and Speech therapies which continued for approximately 15 weeks. After several months of rehabilitation, I tried to go back to work as a Workers Compensation Case Manager, and after a few weeks of trying to do this, I was approached by my boss, who informed me that what I used to do in a couple of hours, was now taking several days, and was inconsistent with employment, and suggested I return to Disability, which I reluctantly did. A few months later, I had neuro psychiatric testing done, which revealed cognitive slowing and other issues consistent with significant frontal lobe pathology. After this occurred, I saw Dr. Beatrice Golomb on Good Morning America one morning, talking about a Statin Effects Study she was going to be doing, I never thought for one minute, that my Lipitor use could have had anything to do with this illness and disability, but I enrolled. After about 1 year in this study, I was informed by Dr. Golomb, that "Lipitor was the likely causal contributor to my diagnosis of MELAS, as well as the holes in my brain as evidenced on my Brain Biopsy.
I havd done probably thousands of hours of research into this, and I have found that most Doctors do not nor will not listen to your opinion no matter how much proof you have, nor how many studies you have found that prove your case. It is going to be a lifelong battle for me, but for each person I can get to not believe the lie that cholesterol causes heart disease, and convince them not to take a Pharmaceutical, thats just one step in the right direction.

I was given Metoprolol, a generic for Toprol-XL several months ago, for high blood pressure. It was prescribed after I was determined to be allergic to Lisinopril. ( It caused a cough that lasted 3 months; I sounded like a TB patient.) Anyway, I have been taking Effexor for years, for anxiety attacks. Now that I take Metoprolol along with the Effexor, I am so tired and drained all the time, that I am contemplating quiting work. I go to the grocery, come home and lie down. I can't seem to have energy to breath correctly. My Dr. won't believe that this has anything to do with meds. I have now developed blood and mucous in my stools, diarrhea, and very urgent BMs. This all started after taking these two meds in combination for about 4 months.

I'm a 26 year old female and I've been on Topamax since March 2007. It has completely gotten rid of the debilitating headaches I experienced 3-6 times a week. It also got rid of my anxiety. I got my life back, my antidepressant kicked in at the same time. I experienced all the usual side-effects, tingling hands and feet, forgetting words, memory problems, loss of appetite, but was COMPLETELY pain-free. I still am. However, I never remember anything now, forget whether or not I did something, paid my bills, etc, lose things constantly, and I have lost about 20 lbs. Not good. I look anorexic. I have bones sticking out. Eating is hard. I forget to eat and drink all day and food is just unappealing. I feel fuzzy and stupid and slow. Not sharp like I used to be. It has killed my confidence and self-esteem. But I was wondering if any women out there got yeast infections while they were on Topamax. I've had one monthly since I started it, and my doc said it's a rare side effect. Oh yeah, I've had mild hair loss and mild to moderate acne now. This drug, it is such a 50-50. Living with chronic pain, those headaches were awful. But doubting yourself is awful too. Anyone have similar experiences?

I have been taking Imitrex for 7 years now. I cut them in half...not sure if I should though. Anyway, I think I may have finally realized what could be the cause of these migraines. Just 6 weeks after my son was born, I got an IUD with hormones. I started getting migraines about 3 months later but I did not put it together. Now I have the NUVARING which is FULL of hormones and am up to about 10 migraines a month...I feel stupid I didn't connect it sooner. I am not 100% sure but I am off all birth control as of a week ago and am just waiting to see how this month goes. My husband made an appointment to get the snipped so I never have to be on BC again.

I hope this helps because I am scared to keep taking Imitrex for the rest of my life and I want to be the fun person I used to be!

Thanks for all your comments, it is great to have somewhere to turn!

I have been on Topamax for a little over a year. I've had most of the side effects; tingling, numbness in the fingers, dry mouth, forgetfulness, and weight loss - love the weight loss. All the side effects have sort of slowed down as I've been on the medication longer. The weight loss has slowed and I've even began to get my appetite back- I'm afraid I'm going to start gaining weight now! I've lost about 40 pounds and I needed to lose it, so that was wonderful. I've had a very hard time losing weight all my life so this was wonderful.

I was addicted to Coca Cola and this med also helped me kick that habit because I lost my taste for the carbonation.

Does anyone know if the weight loss usually evens out after about a year or a year and a half? I need to lose about 30 more pounds and was hoping that I would continue losing weight!

Anyway, I was on the Topamax for headaches and it has completely helped that! It has truly been a God-send for me. Other than monthly hormone headaches, I don't get migraines hardly at all!

I am wondering about having my doc up my dosage for the weight loss aspect????

I no longer take Imitrex as it makes my migraines 100x worse, more frequent; but I was reading following side affects everyone has.... Ive dealt with the queasiness, feeling lethargic and such....

But some of the ones not listed that I had was extreme abdominal and stomach cramping where I was in fetal position (i kid you not), my back felt as if i had a warm heating pad to it (kind of a benefit on cold days!) and from the calves down, I felt as if I were walking around with 25 pound weights on both legs; I felt very weak and could barely move.

Anybody ever experience any of this!? :(

Hi everyone, I am a 36 year old with severe endometriosis. I was diagnosed at 17 and was offered a hysterectomy at that time, since I would never have children (So they said, 5 miscarriages but 2 babies, later, I had them all fooled). I have had 6 surgeries throughout the years for severe pain and endo growth. Finally, I asked for a hysterectomy to avoid all of these problems. My Dr. asked me to try Lupron first for relief. I have to say, I am so glad I did!!! I have felt better on the Lupron than I have in years. In addition to this, I have been taking 5mg Aygestin as back therapy (Norethindrone) and I take Calcium replacement daily. It has been wonderful. I have felt good, LOST weight, but do have annoying hot flashes the first week after the shot, but they go away. Additionally, I have had fibromyalgia for the last five years, and my pain symptoms have gone away with the Lupron +add back therapy. I think the 5mg of Norethindrone is the key to preventing the terrible side effects that Lupron is noted to have. I would recommend the shot, only with the additional Progestin- along with a multivitamin with calcium. I am GLAD I did! A hysterectomy may still be in my future, but for now, I have options.

I was put on Topamax around thanksgiving time 07 for Bipolar disorder. Over a week my dose was raised to 100mg/day. Immediately I began experiencing muscle cramps in my Legs that were intermittent. It wasn't too severe so I decided to give it time. Also, I was an inpatient at a Psych facility when I was put on Topamax and was also placed on a few other things at the same time. Recently, the pains in the legs have become severe and I have been getting pains in my arms as well. In addition to this I have been getting tingling in my face and hands and numbness in my throat. It has been difficult to breathe at time, especially if I really relax, then I suddenly realize that I am not breathing at times. My eyes feel like they are going to pop out of there sockets. I tried talking to my Psychiatrist and was told to go to the ER. At the ER I was told to goto my Psychiatrist. No one will listen to me!!! Finally yesterday I decided to take myself off of the Topamax. It's hard to tell if things are any better yet and I imagine it will take time. I have noticed what I believe to be improvements though. I guess the moral of this story is sometimes you have to use your own brain and do what you know is right for you.

Hi All, I am a 37 year old mother of 4, with a history of severe Hemiplegic migraines (up to 14 a month). I've been on Verapamil and Topamax for 7-8 months with a gradual increase of the Topamax to 150 mg a day. Before I start writing this I have to preface it with two things: First, Before Topamax I was one of those women my friends refer to as a "Supermom", I home school my kids and used to love it, we normally have a lot of fun and I have a successful, happy marriage. Second, on Topamax, I went from 14 migraines a month to 0. It didn't happen over night, they went away as we ramped up the dosage, but for the last few months I have had no migraines, I can feel it occasionally when my head is fighting one off, but nothing an Advil won't stop, and for those of us who've lived with trying to care for kids while having migraines (especially Hemiplegic) you may understand why I initially put up with the following: I started out with the tingling in my hands and feet (that went away in a couple of months), word finding difficulties (which never really went away, I just learned to accept it),occasional blurred vision which never lasts very long but which has been an issue the entire time I've been on the med, and weight loss ...I am 5'4" and was only 118 lbs to start with, and have nearly "disappeared" into a size 0 and 105 lbs, and it doesn't matter how much I eat, I've been trying 3 meals, snacks, cookies, candy, you name it, I can't gain weight. I was never nauseous, no diarrhea, I just don't get hungry... I had to start wearing a watch at one point to remind myself to feed the kids, because if they didn't ask, they weren't getting lunch until 2:00 because I wasn't getting hungry! Soda does taste like metal (fortunately I don't drink it normally anyway), and you do get loopy with one glass of anything alcoholic.
Then to add to the lovely appearance of skin and bones, my hair is falling out. Before Topamax I worked out regularly, I am even on commercials for my gym (recorded a year ago), since Topamax, I was so tired, depressed, and so afraid of losing weight that I stopped working out. Now a woman who has always made it a goal to set a good example for my daughters that a fit body is the goal, not a thin body, has her mother in law telling her that she looks "bulimic"! In August I noticed I was crying a lot, then I thought well, maybe it's the Topamax, so I started drinking more water and it went away... so I've been very careful to drink A LOT of water and only decaf tea while on this med, but apparently that wasn't enough, because a few weeks ago my husband pointed out that I stopped showering every day. I have been crying at the drop of a hat for a couple of months again, and I have never been someone to cry in public, I have even started crying in front of my daughters friends' mothers and near tears in front of her teacher over the littlest things... then last weekend I found myself with four hours to myself in my house for the first time in months and I was thinking about how I might be able to use it for unspeakable things like running away, or worse... if those aren't signs of a pretty severe depression I don't know what are, fortunately I recognized them and put them together with the memory problems, etc. As for the memory loss, there have been problems with that for months as well, my daughter has been telling me I "have a bad rememberer" , This weekend everything culminated and other people were recognizing the memory issues that I had been keeping private until now (including my husband). Before that, I would be in the kitchen cooking and forget what I was doing, I went to drive to a party this weekend and forgot where I was going, so I called a friends husband and he had to tell me four times where to go before I could retain it (at first he thought I was joking) and then I still couldn't remember the name of the place, only the # and street, I haven't been able to remember routes to places I used to drive... I'll find myself sitting at a light not sure where to go, and making mistakes with our money because I forgot whether I did or didn't pay a bill (something I've never done, we have always had excellent credit). On Topamax I went from feeling like an attractive, successful, good mom,with a happy family... to constantly stressed, even by things I had previously enjoyed doing, and a completely depressed failure... but I had no migraines. I have now been weaning off the Topamax for a few days. I was playing phone tag with my neurologist... so due to the urgency of the problem I took myself down to 100 mg a day. I have since spoken with my neurologist and I am going off of it completely... by the way don't ever discontinue this med without ramping off of it, doing so can cause a seizure. I am unbelievably grateful that I put 2 and 2 together the weekend I had time to myself and got lost going to the party and I already feel more awake, less tearful and depressed... I know that things will be ok anyway. I hope that anyone reading this who is having memory or emotional issues on Topamax and just brushing them aside (because they don't want to risk going back to the migraines or whatever), will get off this med. Please realize that this med could have cost me, my kids and my husband a lot more than my migraines ever will. I have never experienced depression before Topamax, and I can't say that I'm completely back to myself yet, but I hope that when I am off this med I will find normal again, and I pray it will be without migraines, but I know that I wouldn't wish these past few months that I've put myself and my family through on anyone. Now, I need to go take a shower :) , then I'm going to my neurologist to pick up some 25 mg samples to continue ramping off! Good luck to you all!

I started Topamax October 12 my Neuro said start at 25 mg and work up to 50mg in the morning and 50 mg at night. The first week I was tired like most people have mentioned. Almost instantly Diet Coke tasted terrible. I was a little dizzy and light headed. DC still taste flat but the other symptoms have gone away. I have never experienced the tingle or weight loss. I am on a low does. No stomach problems for me. One thing is my cramps this month were 2x worse than normal . I am 45 and on Topamax for migraines mostly I think hormonal. I am going to give this a fair shot. I really have not felt more energy. I really wish it would help in that way. I am also taking wellbutrin and prozac for depression that runs in my family all the way from my Great Great Grandmother. I too have have a mild headache off and on when I would normally have a migraine and a advil took it away. I had to take an imitrex last night, and am hoping that is the end of this hormonal headache for the month!

My Dr. started me on Toprol XL when I was constantly complaining of migraines. Imitrex worked the first couple times I used it, then it didn't any more. My blood pressure was not real high, but higher than normal so he suggested Toprol XL. He told me it would lower my BP and help prevent migraines. I started with 25 mg, worked up to 100 mg a day. I've been on it for over a year now and only have migraines about once every 3 months or so whereas before they were coming 2 and 3 times per month and lasting 2 to 4 days each time. My BP is normal and all seemed fine. About 5 months ago, I started having problems keeping my contact lenses in, especially at the end of the day or when I was tired. My eye doctor asked me what meds I was taking. Turns out one side effect of Toprol XL is drying of the eyes. After wearing extended wear contacts for 20 years, only taking them out once a week, now I have to take them out every single night. Other than that I really can't complain. It's worth it to me to not have the migraines. I have not noticed any of the symptoms on this web site.