I have been taking Topamax since 2002 for migraines. I started o...

Hi. I was on Topamax for about a year for severe pain in my foot. I had nerve pain on the front outside part of my foot so bad I could not walk. I am also a sufferer of chronic migrains and have been hospitalized several times a year for them. I stopped having migrains - didn't realize until now that it was probably the Topamax. I didn't know why they stopped and didn't know that Topamax was used for that. I took it for just over a year. 100 mg a day at bedtime. I lost 40 lbs, the pain in my foot went away, and I haven't had a severe migrain since. I have been off of it for abou 1 1/2 years now, but want to go back on it because of the weight loss and some other nerve pain I am having with my ciatic (sp?) nerve. I did experience tingling in my leg and toes and soda was flat. I didn't know what the leg tingling was from until I read this blog. I can deal with soda being flat because I really don't need the sugar!! I love Topamax. It worked GREAT for me!! The pros far outweigh the cons for me. But everyone is different!!

If you are still having pain then you should tell your doctor. If you tell him/her that Topamax worked for you, they should easily start you back on it. It is not a narcotic and it was working. I have notice weight gain after I went off of it for awhile to get pregnant. I did not notice it at first. My diet is usually the same. However, I feel you need to take a break from the drug for a few months and then hop back on it to get the a full affect. I am not sure if your body gets immune to it or what. But I notice when I stop taking it for 2 or 3 months and then start it up, it works great. It is just a pain to go off of it because you have to gradually go off. I f you are at 100 mg, you must take it down..75, 50 25 and then 0. I also suffer from Mycosis fungoides (t-cell lymphoma) it attacks the skin, for some reason being on Topamax clears up the skin. When I start seeing an outbreak or PMS headaches start acting up, I then know, It is time to give Topamax a break.

You shouldn't be off topamax for two days and then back on it. Not a good idea on this med. You need to wean off this drug. Cold Turkey can result in seizures among other adverse problems.