My doctor put me on Topamax for migraines, but I can not handle t...

Well first of all it says all over my drug info sheet NOT to stop taking it suddenly because it can cause seizures, even if you never had them before so that didn't make any sense. My MD put me on 25mg once a day for migranes. After a week I went up to 50 mg and stayed there. Given what I experienced I can't imagine how people start at such high doses. First of all, I experienced just about everything...pins and needles, nausea, diarhea, all carbonated drinks taste flat, word-finding, slurred speech, forgetfulness, weird dreams, short of breath, overheating. And.....NO MIGRAINES. I was convinced I was going to tell my MD to wean me off at my follow up visit because it was so bad. Then, around 3 weeks, almost all of the symptoms went away. Now all I have is very mild pins and needles (almost like I need to reposition because my foot is falling asleep) that comes and goes, and cannot taste carbonation (which is actually quite a bummer). I have gained 2 of the 3 pounds I lost and my bowels are gradually getting back to normal. I would say you should have started on a smaller dose, bumped up much more slowly to make sure you could handle it and NOT suddenly stop taking it. Oh, and by the way, when the drug info insert says "this drug may intensify the effects of alcohol", don't dismiss that. I was at a wedding on my 4th glass of wine (shouldn't be a problem, I'm a big girl and I ate a big meal) and suddenly it felt like I had just done a beer bong. It was like getting drunk in 4 minutes. I got so violently ill that night, the next morning and the entire day, as if I had alcohol poisoning! 4 glasses of wine! So unfair. I am happy and migraine free now on 50 mgs.

Your pharmacist is a moron and you should threaten her with legal action.

You CANNOT stop taking Topamax suddenly. I have been weaning off this toxic gunk for almost two months at the rate of 25 mg every five days. I was told by the epileptic foundation that stopping suddenly could cause a sequence of seizures that could result in a brain hemorrhage and possibly death.

I talked to my pharmacist (who gratefully isn't as stupid as yours) who told me that I am weaning at the standard pace and that usually the topamax is out of your system 3 weeks after you stop taking it. However, I have interacted with a lot of people online who have had difference experiences on this drug. I think much of it depends on a) your dose b) how long you're on it

Some people have been off it for years and claim to suffer minor after effects.

I have weaned off it from 250 to 75mg and I am having all kinds of negative effects but one thing that is a relief is that my brain doesn't feel like a 110 year old Alzheimer's patient's anymore (although it still isn't what it was pre-Topamax).

CALL YOUR DOCTOR AND ASK WHAT YOU SHOULD DO ABOUT THE FACT THAT YOU JUST STOPPED TAKING IT.

And, fyi, people start at high doses who are epileptic. This drug will not combat seizures in epileptics on a low dose. It was started at 125mg while on dilantin and then decreased on the Dilantin while increased on the Topamax. currently on Keppra while weaning off the max and much happier.

I have been on 75mm twice a day now for 5 months for migraines and am so happy, the only side effects are the pins and needles, some slight changes in my vision at night, mostly in in the semi-dark i see weird shadows where I shouldn't but otherwise I have only had a handful of headaches where I used to have 10 or more a month. I am down 20 pounds and still losing, but can still eat everything I used to, just am not as hungry as I used to be. I do notice that I get drunk quicker than I did before, I attribute it to eating less than before, just have to be careful when I go out now, because with less headaches, I am going out more! Good luck to everyone, I have to say, it's made more of a positive effect on me than a negative one.