Psychiatric attention symptoms and conditions

Hello.

I have been taking topamax for bipolar II disorder. The first week or so, I experienced some very unpleasant side effects. I would become very disoriented while driving and get lost in locations that had previously been very familiar to me. I would also lose track of my thought process mid-sentence. An avid runner, I was unable to exercise for about a week. However, these side-effects have since subsided. I do experience a decrease in appetite, which is fine for now, but I'll have to see how that pans out in the future.

One thing I'd like to point out is that I would imagine topamax to be very unpleasant for somebody who does not have a mood disorder. I feel that it truely restrains my impulses (I suffer from impulse control disorder), and it has worked wonders for me in terms of my mental illness. I believe that topamax is a great alternative to some of the other medications for bipolar disorder in terms of weight gain. On the other hand, I think that those who do not require psychiatric attention would be better off with a drug that does not serve as a mood stabilizer.

That's just my opinion. Good luck!