Topamax and ankles

I was on topamax for about 2 years. I took it for frequent migraines caused by my sinus's. I had all the normal side affects but got used to it after awhile. The only one i didn't get used to was the hair loss. During this time I started allergy injections and now i'm up to my maintenance level. So i decided to ween myself slowly off the topamax. I have been off for about 2 months now and I have been fine on the headache side, but i have started to get other symptoms (i think withdrawal symptoms). They have progressively gotten higher in number as the days go by. First my hair loss has not stopped. I gained about 10-15lbs, I am edgy and climbing the walls all day. I have a really hard time relaxing. I recently developed horrible insomnia, and about a week ago i started having digestive problems including water retention, bloating, gas, irregular bowl movements, and acid reflux. And I've recently had bouts of tightness in my chest and throat which make it difficult to breath (lasts about an hour). I didn't have any of these symptoms while i was on the topamax (except the hair loss), nor did I have them before it.
I am seeing an endocrinologist in a few weeks to make sure nothing on that front is causing any of this, but i really feel it's from taking and going off the topamax. If you can find other ways to deal with your migraines, DO!

Topamax may help some people, but for me it is poison and I've tried it twice! This second time around I tried it longer and went to higher dose. I'll just list the bad side effects that I had this time, although I had some of the same the first time. By the way, I took it for migraines. The first time a couple of years ago I was on 25 mg a day. Then, this time decided to try again since migraines were so bad thought I would give it another chance. I went from 25 mg to 100 mg a day slowly increasing as directed. The side effects started occurring right after the first couple of days, numbness in my hands, jaw area. Then sometimes numbness in my feet. Started to feel bloated in my stomach, waistband on pants a little tighter, and also noticed a little fluid retention in my fingers and ankles. I would forget a word here and there, or when typing, type the wrong word. Eventually it got so bad that I would sit there and think to myself, ok I know this is the right word but should I actually say it or type it? Friends thought I was in a bad mood when I wasn't. I would get very very quiet and I didn't want to leave the house. Thank goodness my husband was understanding. We knew it was the drug. And we knew I would stop taking it! Sometimes my back and sides would ache which is unusually for me, and I drank a lot of water. I lost my appetite completely but still did not lose weight at all like others say they do, if anything I think I gained in fluid retention. The skin on my ears started to burn and itch, then the skin on my face started to itch. I felt nauseous almost every day. I also felt like I was completely encased in cement, this is about the only way I can describe it. You just do not feel like yourself at all. You have that foggy brain feeling people mention. You know you don't feel like your normal self, but you feel so lousy you almost don't care. It's a scary feeling. This was all in one month, I figured I had given it a chance but that was it. Even with the warnings about seizures I quit taking it immediately. I would rather have migraines than have all of those side effects. Also I wonder what is it doing to your other vital organs if it can have those effects? For those who do not experience any of this, I'm glad, but I have to say very surprised.

I had a really bad time on this medication. Side effects included -

swelling of the feet and ankles, loss of memory including names of close friends, sleeplessness, psychosis, paranoia, loss of appetite. I lost my mind, in fact. Far from "taking the edge" off my highs, it magnified the high to a previously unreached level.

I took topamax for about 5 days and quit 5 days ago (for weight loss). The side effects are driving me crazy! My ears are ringing, my head has a burning sensation, I can't type fast anymore, I can't speak coherently, I haven't been able to sleep (only 2 hours per night) until last night and I finally drank a glass of wine with 2 benadryls! My ankles are burning some, too. I used to be relatively smart, but now I can't even make things connect now.
Will I ever get back to normal???
I can't handle the burning sensation and the ringing in my ears!!!
Why is this so easy to get when it is so bad?
Help! Oh yeah! I used to read allll the time! Now, I can only read for a few minutes and then my eyes and head begin feeling very strange.
I'm so upset about this change in my body. It wasn't worth it!!!