I've been on Topamax since just Tuesday, 10/9/07. I find that I ...

I will be on Topamax for one year. I have had all the horrible side affects. I do not recommend it for mere weight loss. This is a very serious drug. I take it for migraines. I had 8-10 migraines a month and constant headaches everyday of my life. Topamax gave me my life back. Unfortunately, I am currently losing my hair at a rapid rate, and I am debating about going off of the medication. Though, I do not wish to return to a lifestyle that is hindered by pain, I am a woman and I like having hair. I wish you well, but I strongly advise you to think about your choice. I take 200mg. a day, my health is extremely important to me, but losing my hair is just sad. Good luck with your choice. I truly wish you well in your decision.

I have been on this medication for migraines for about a month and a half now. I take 25 mg in the morning, 25 at lunch, 25 at night. I have to say that I am just now really truly noticing the negative effects of it. The diet coke taste goes away :) but the mood swings....not for me. I've had the very VERY dark thoughts as well and counted them off as nothing... until I read your post and my mouth hit the floor. :) I have also noticed that lately I tend to be doing something one minute, and the next it seems like I've just been walking in circles for twenty minutes and I can't tell you what I have done. It's almost like blacking out but not that severe. I've also noticed tracers at night on headlights when I am driving (and not just on headlights, it's almost migraine-inducing, it's everything. It reminds me of that scene in Look Who's Talking when he is looking at his hand wave and it is slowly tracing across the screen....) Also, my mom is on the same dosage for the same reason and she had gone up to 100 mg in the beginning (per day) and had severe speech slurring. And, when I went up to 75 mg (per day) it was the wierdest feeling ever, but my face started smiling on one side and I couldn't control it. It was really embarassing and kind of scary. I called the pharmacist and they pretty much told me to deal with it, or deal with the migraines. This morning I decided to deal with the migraines and I am going off of the meds in a few days. I warn you, and I say this as a person who has been very negatively affected by this medication, don't take this drug as a weight loss pill. Go diet, jog for heaven's sake. Don't kill yourself over it.

I too had the horrible mood swings....HORRIBLE....I took myself off...finally saw my doctor and told her that I cannot be on something that makes me so nuts!! She kept me off...I went to a neurosurgeon for the migraines and was prescribed nuerontin...no side effects at all and no migraines....also he gave me Zomig....so maybe ask about those

i have been on the same dose and went up to 50 mg for weight loss. I have since stopped it as the side effects are not worth my weight loss. I experience the same as you and then the feeling of dread and uselessness, fatigue, nausea, dizzy and most of all foggy all the time. Would love to talk
my e mail is mysticaldust023@hotmail.com.

quick being a fuckin puss
im 13 and ive been taking that shit for migraines since i was 11
you are just overreacting, its all mental what you are saying
so shut the fuck up to you people that just take it for losing weight
i actually have a reason to take it

I started Topomax about 2 weeks ago. I'm ramping up gradually 25mg/day (now @50) to 100mg/day. I was on Topomax about 3 years ago and it worked very well for preventing & reducing the frequency & intensity of
severe, debilitating headaches that occurred 3 to 8 days a month and could last a few hours to as long as 2 weeks. Unfortunately, after about a year the Topomax became less and less effective for the headaches so I was weaned off to try something else.
During the ramping up phase 3 years ago, and again when I was weaning off, I experienced mood swings, poor concentration and brief moments of memory loss. BUT it did get better and it was definitely worth it to get some relief and quality of life back. I am, again, experiencing those same side affects, but am hopeful that my body/brain will respond as it did before.