Tingeling symptoms and conditions

I was placed on Topamax, off label, for suspected bipolar illness (now disproven). My cognition, word finding abilities, memory has been so adversely affected that I am now on disability. I had 5 kidney stones due to the development of Renal Tubular Acidosis, nearing renal failure (a side effect doctors don't warn patients about). This in turn led to osteomalacia, softening of the bones, only discovered after I broke all three major bones in my leg and snapped off my foot stepping off the lowest seat of a bleecher. I've suffered tingling in arms, hands, legs & feet (nerve damage), lesions in the brain, muscle spasms, heat & cold intolerance, insomnia etc... Although I lost weight, I gained it back (then some) as soon as I reduced the dosage of 800 mgs. Upon stopping the drug to save my kidneys, thus my life, my kidney function returned to almost normal within a few months, although there is residual damage. All other side affects remain two years later. Losing weight is not worth dying! Beware of this drug being used off label! I would never trust this drug!

Topamax is off label for weight loss. I was put on it after gaining about 35lbs from Seroquel. It took the weight off like it was supposed to. My dose has recently been stepped down because I'm back at my normal weight of 135 (I'm 5'11").

When I first started taking Topamax diet soda and other sugary things tasted really strange, which my doctor says he's never experienced before. I also had a numbness and tingling in my face and hands for about an hour or so after taking the pill for a while.

One more thing that I noticed about this drug is that while on it my vision went from perfect to needing to be corrected by glasses. I have read a few things about vision problems associated with Topamax but I am not sure if it caused my nearsightedness or not.

Thanks for letting me share my thoughts.
M.