Topamax and anxiety

My experience with Topamax was unreal. My doc gave i to me for anxiety/depression/weight loss. The weight loss began working right away but so did the disaster. By the time I had been on Topamax four months I was fired from my job, having an affair with my husband's best friend, spending $1000 on a credit card no one knew I had and spent 10 days in a psychiatric ward. There they determined that the Topamax had made me manic. A feeling of unreality had set in along with an intense feeling of well being, and aggressiveness. I am putting my life back together now after getting divorced, finding work in a new field, and trying to repair the damage done to my relationship with my kids.
My best friend called me tonight to tell me that her daughter who is also taking Topamax has become almost anorexic, is also getting a divorce, is now on medication for heart palpitations and will not speak to most of her family. It IS dangerous!!

I have been on topamax for about 7 months now for migraines && im about to get off of it. Im 18 years old and "trying" to do college but ive had so many side-effects its crazy. I cant go to the bathroom w/out taking laxatives cuz i just cant go ne more i literally have to take something everyday or i will be stopped up for a week or more. Ive been depressed and my anxiety has gotten worse.I take 150 and they want to put me up to 175 but i refuse because ive heard of people losing their hair taking it especially when they have a b12 deficiccency...which i have. I have horrible mood swings i can be happy one minute then sad or mad the next and i never used to be like this. Ive now started getting my migraines back so im stumped on what to do. I cant word things right....i was trying to say i didn't like something and instead it came up "im not to high"... yea so its deff a crazy drug but it can work for others and not. Not for me!

My experience was a seven day short-lived trip through hell on Topamax.

I began experiencing a constant headache for several months in February 2009 (no prior history of headaches). I am healthy 32 y/o male. After multiple MRI's and CT scans came back negative I had a very severe headache that sent me to the ER. The ER helped arrange for me to see a Neurologist, who after patient listening to my laundry list of symptoms concluded I was having migraines (even though I had no sensitivity to light, sound, or nausea). I had been doing a decent amount of research on headaches and didn’t agree that they were migraines but decided, he’s the neurologist, I should trust him. Let me also say at this point, I am not a person looking for a pill to cure my problems, but I was getting desperate as my headaches were ruining my life. I was prescribed Topamax.

I was suppose to start with three days at 25mg, then go to three days at 50mg, and finally up to 100mg per day. The first three days were uneventful when I hit 50mg and then 75mg…I was out of my mind. I read these messages and see people at 400mg with no problems…it makes me cringe to think of dosing that high. I stopped at 75mg…here were my side-effects. Tingling in my face, lips, hands, arms, and fingertips, chest pains (I do have GERD and it jacked up my GERD bad!!!), pain in the back of head, taste confusion (soda tasting flat), and pressure in my eyes and temples…But those are NOTHING compared to the complete feeling of anxiety that over took my body. I had a mild nervous breakdown at work, became paranoid to the point where I was afraid to do routine tasks. And the MUSCLE SPASMS…those are the worst part. I have muscle spasms all over my body, just random fluttering of muscles in my chest, arms, back, neck, head, and face! I became suicidal and had the worst night terrors ever, of things, that I wasn’t even afraid of.

I have been off Topamax cold turkey for four days now and the anxiety has significantly subsided. I have worked through a lot of the anxiety with my wife and I now believe that stress is the cause of my headaches, not migraines like I tried to tell the doctor…but the muscle spasms have not stopped (they have decreased) yet…but I can’t wait for the Topamax to leave my body.

I used to think these messages boards were part of the problem, but they are very helpful. Do your research before you put anything into your body…trust yourself and if you disagree with your doctor, get a second opinion. This has been a life changing event for me.

Health and Happiness to all

Hi there. A number of years back--maybe 8 or 9 years, I was prescribed Topamax for bulimia and mood swings. I was on a dosage that eventually went as high as 75 or 100 mg. At first it improved my mood and decreased my bingeing, which was very encouraging, but I began to have really awful side effects. First was the cognitive stuff: I couldn't remember people's names and even simple logic puzzles like how to fit a pair of shoes into a shoebox correctly stumped me. Soda tasted flat. Then my moods became somewhat erratic and I began to have intestinal discomfort. Then, even more oddly, my skin started having trouble healing from minor wounds. My hair became brittle and began to fall out. At that point I gave up and stopped the medication. It really felt like I was undergoing some kind of slow poisoning, like arsenic or something.

Now, I've developed migraines and my neurologist has put me on a small dose of 25 mg at bedtime. I've been highly reluctant to acquiesce after my former experience but nothing else has worked and I sometimes have headaches that last over two weeks at a time. I'm wondering if anyone else has experienced side effects at 75 mg but not at 25?

Hopeful in NY

I have been on the med for 4 yrs now (I think). 300 mg/day. At times, especially during the winter I get cold hands & feet where they become numb (& tingly from med. I assume). Fingers may turn white. I have thin skin in those areas (can see veins, redness). I wear double layers of clothes during winter/some spring & I live in Missouri (during the day, sleep). Still have tingling some in toes & fingers, ringing in the ears, memory & word loss, little stuttering/thought process before speaking, dry mouth. Fatigue - but I am a busy person. Stomach issues - constipation (but I also don't eat very well). Anxiety - Welbution generic the whole time I have been on this. Weight loss has been nice. After reading a lot of your comments I am wondering if it is time to get off of the medicine & see how I feel

I have been on 50 mg topiramate for a while now. It is part of a 5 drug mix used to address bipolar, anxiety and adult residual add. I take the topamax in one dose at night. When I first started it, I DID try to titrate up to at least 200 mg, but never made it past 75 mg. I took it in the morning, and, after about a week and a half on 75 mg, somnolence kicked in big-time and I was a zombie.
My Dr. and I kicked it back to 50, and moved it from a daytime drug to a night-time drug, and I have not really have problems since. It certainly still seems to have some mood stabilizing benefits for me, even at the relatively low dose I am taking. It also has helped with the awful headaches that I used to get far more frequently than I do now. I do not think that I ever received a weight benefit from it, but it seems that most people generally do not at this dose. Late last year, I had to switch to a different physician. Sadly, the new practicioner is no replacement for the former.
I have gained weight over the past few years for a variety of reasons. A somewhat sedentary lifestyle, social and emotional eating, too frequent consumption of caloric alcohol, (once a week or so,) as well as weight-gain contributory atypical anti-psychotic or mood stabilizing drugs have all helped put me in an unpleasant location on the BMI chart.
I have been enrolled in a hospital-associated, medically-monitered weight-loss program for several months and have een successfully losing weight. My new psychiatrist felt that an increase in topamax dose might be beneficial. I am going to attempt moving up to 100 mg, provided that I feel the change is warranted, and that the side effects do not kick in as before. The aforementioned practitioner has a tendency to be pixelated with respect to the approach towards a patient. This person does not seem to put much effort into reading, absorbing, integrating and using patient file information very well. For instance, this physician would miss the importance of the fact that topamax can cause an acidosis condition, and that the hospital diet typically intentionally puts patients on a diet that causes ketosis. These two conditions together would be unpleasant, to say the least. The doctor never even asked what type of diet I was on....
This is not the first time such an oversight has been made on the doctor's part, and it is my own educational background and awareness that has kept me from being the victim of the doctor's inattention and carelessness, not to mention probable nasty outcomes had I followed the instruction without question.
I am fortunate to be educated about this stuff, and so I do not have to rely on the practitioner's judgment alone. I am shopping for a new one, actually.
As it is, I am not on the hospital's most common diet, the ketosis-inducing one, and so I am not worried much about the potential acidosis due to topamax.
( I am not on the ketosis diet because I am aware of the problem such a diet can cause for bipolar disorder management, independent of any drug interactions. I read about this, consulted with the dieticians and weight-loss center physician, and chose a non-ketosis diet. I have been losing weight at a regular pace. the speed of loss is slower than with a ketosis diet, but safer for me. All it demands is better behavior on my part, but that is life.)
But I want to communicate a few things here.
First, I see that many people suffer not only from adverse effects, but also from arguably adverse treatment by physicians who either are not aware of a drug's information, are marginally aware of it, are not aware of their patient, or some combination of the above, or perhaps they just don't care.
There is also a clear tendency for many docs to balk when the patient's experience doesn't fit the prescriber's leaflet, resulting in dismissal of the patient's concerns and experiences, and may lead to arguably unnecessary tests and diagnostics rather than discontinuation of an offending drug.
Be aware that such treatment is indicative of a problem with your doctor, and the relationship between the two of you. Don't allow yourself to be tossed off that way, especially with no resolution to your problem; get a second opinion. Second, topamax is a specialty drug, and should be prescribed by, and treatment should be monitored by, a specialist. namely, this specialist should be a psychiatrist or neurologist, depending on what you ar taking the topamax for. Even if topamax had been prescribed for you for migraines or weight loss, the doctors most likely to be most educated about its main and adverse effects are psychiatrists and neurologists. There are a very few internal medicine or family practice docs who might be "with it" enough to be following the literature on this type of medication. A sub-point to this is a suggestion that education and information can only help you, and you should seek it out. Don't just read about a diagnosis, or about adverse effects, though. You'll run the risk of getting "medical students' disease", finding that your symptoms seem to match the disease descriptions for all manner of ailments. A general education is actually more useful. Text books can be a great help. Where you find something in a text is a bit advanced for you, try a more elementary text. Texts are available at libraries, so you don't have to buy them all. But reading up on psychology, understanding a little about metabolism, having some familiarity with medical terms, such things can save you from the results of a doctor's distraction, disinterest or disdain. It can also be immensely comforting just to understand how one's body works, and how drugs work within it, when one must face a disease such as Bipolar, Depression, Anxiety, Diabetes, etc. College intro level classes are thorough enough to demonstrate how a 25 mg pill can cause such disruption or such relief in a person's life. Eating certain things, and at certain times, sleeping well or poorly, ambient temperature, hygiene, reading habits, ALL of these things can have a profound effect on a person's day-to-day life. All of those factors, and more, can effect the physiology of an individual. It is good to know a little about how the system works, the better to maintain it. Some pop-sci books are pretty good, too. "You: The Owner's Manual" for instance. But some may read such books and find themselves wanting more information, and this is where any number of college texts about anatomy and psysiology, neuro-physiology, psychology and physiology, metabolism, diet and nutrition, genetics, etc. will come in handy. For those with insatiable curiosity and a deep desire to understand and manage a given disease or condition, there are usually medical texts available specifically covering THAT condition. For instance, those with Bipolar might wish to read at least parts of the text Manic Depressive Illness:Biolar Disorders and Recurrent Depression by F. Goodwin and K. Jamison. This text covers most of the meds those with bipolar would be interested in, it surveys the research done to date, what is known about combo therapies, adverse effects, including hair loss and weight gain, it covers patient experiences, as well as physician descriptions. One of the co-authors, for those who do not recognize the name, is not only a top researcher of affective disorders, but also suffers from manic-depression. The text is almost a good a friend as a patient could have, especially if your own physician is lacking in knowledge about your condition.
Third, several posts express a desire to report adverse effects, as well as doubt that a given personal physician would do so. If you have suffered from adverse effects, and want to report it, you do not require your doc, family practice, psychiatrist, or whatever type, to do so. There is a government website available for the reporting of adverse effects, and it is available to consumers, too. The report data goes to the FDA, which sorely needs such reports, as the drug companies are less than honest with THEIR submissions of information, and the dissemination of research data leaves much to be desired when it comes to the publication of information that is less than glowing about any given drug. I believe that you can find the reporting website on the FDA's site, or some link there. I wish I could recall it here for you.
Fourth, topamax, like most complex drugs for complex diseases and conditions, will affect each person very differently. Some will have little or no problems with adverse effects, while others will find the drug to be anywhere from uncomfortable, intolerable to damn near, or actually fatal. fatalities have occurred with topamax, as they have occurred with almost all, if not all, drugs. There is always a risk for adverse effect, sudden sensitivities, allergic reactions and other wonders and horrors of medicine. This is the nature of it. You have a bad reaction to anything that your body comes in contact with at any time for reasons we do not undrstand and can not even yet identify. Your typical cough syrup could, without warning, suddenly produce in you a rash that could kill you. But the conditions and diseases that drugs treat can be just as awful, and leave us with no option but to take the drugs to survive. Most experiences are not so extreme. For those that are, the greatest sympathy. But just because one had a bad experience with a drug doesn't mean the drug is wholly bad, evil, toxic, or should be banned, or that the drug company should have a class action lawsuit lobbed at it. Drug companies are NOT, in general, being fully honest with their disclosures. But banning a drug because some people react badly doesn't address this, nor does it do any good for the segment of the population that benefits from the same drug with little trouble. I have had very bad experiences with some drugs, but do not feel that these medications should be banned. i know other people who depend on them, and I would not deny them just because I lots hair, gained weight, experienced akasthesia, etc. The individual reaction to a drug requires, sadly, at this time in history with our very limited unerstanding of pharmacokinetics and pharmacodynamics, individual trials. And those trials will often have their share of troubles, too. That is how we find out what works for us and what does not, and that is where we re right now. Maybe in two or three decades, with better understanding of genetics, genomics, epigenetics and related fields, we will be able to customize our cocktails with less trial and much less error. I would love a day when a blood test will tell us who will benefit the most from which drug while having the least adverse effects. I hate going through trials. right now, what I am taking is working without giving me problems. For that reason alone I may decide to NOT try and increase the topamax as my current psychiatrist would like. After all, she wants to increase it so that it might help me lose more weight. I am already losing weight without the increase, and the increase might bring adverse effects, or the additional topamax could simply destabilize my currently very stable mood. The last would then require me to go through another dreaded drug trial to find a new cocktail, a mess I have not had to endure for nearly two years now. I do not think that, for me, the additional POSSIBLE weight loss benefit is really worth the possible adverse effects. The doctor is rather casually experimenting with my life, probably curious to gather more data about topamax's efficacy as a weight-loss drug. I am not so sure that I want to rock my boat. I get the benefits from topamax that i am interested in, mood-stability and headache prevention, from the 50 mg that I already take. I'd rather not exp-erience what most of the posts here have described for adverse reactions, and I most especially do not want a rather casual, needless sort of medication modification to set off a chain of events that results in mood destabilization. That said, I am glad to have topamax available for me to take, as I am fairly sure that it contributes to my cocktail, turning down the amplitude of my highs and lows at a mere 50 mg per night. I would be sore to lose it, and do not want it banned. But I do not think I would want to take more than I am taking now. The somnolence I experienced in the past at 75 mg was not comfortable, and was the type that prevents any meaningful work from being done, anything from reading to laundry to following a conversation. I would not like "pins and needles." I hate it enough when I hit my elbow or when my foot falls asleep! And I really hated akasthesia that I experienced when I tried ability, a drug that made me right sick, but that I know absolutely saves others from oblivion, like my grandmother. I hate the adverse effects, or the experience of them, but I do not hate the drugs. and while I may dislike the drug companies, it is not just because drug have adverse effects, it is for the more perverse behavior of the companies themselves. One still has to try and be, if not positive, rational about one;s experiences. It is healthier to see experiences with drugs as learning experiences. Not everything in life is fun, but try to make everything have some value in experience.
I wish you all better days, and calmer, too. May you all find good and caring doctors, and develop excellent therapeutic relationships with them. May you know your diseases and conditions, own them, control them and thus conquer them.

Nov 5 2008
I have been taking topamax since april of 2008, about 6 months now. Just recently I was increased from 50mg to 75mg for my migraines. I have short term memory loss, nausea, no appetite at all, shortness of breath, trouble sleeping, and all of a sudden terrible anxiety and panic attacks which started out of no where. I feel like my heart is beating out of my chest and I am going to die. It is horrible I cant stand it. I went to the ER and got the standard tests and they said my heart was fine and to follow up with my regular Doctor. No matter what I do I cant calm my self down it is just aweful. I am not sure I can live with these side effects, its too muc

Hi all...I've been taking 25mg. of Topamax at night for 5 days now. Unlike most of you I have not experienced the tingling in the extremities or the weird taste in the mouth or even much tiredness at all other than what has happened as a result of my weird side effect. I was prescribed Topamax by my neurologist for my migraines. I've had them since I was 12 years old. I'm 49 years old. The got worse during peri-menopause which is kinda normal given the hormonal fluctuations, but was told by my neurologist that they would very likely subside significantly when I became menopausal. Well folks, I've been menopausal for 5 years and for the past 2 years my migraines have been the most horrific of my life. I have approx. 15 to 18 migraine days a month, some of the headaches lasting 3 bloody days. So it comes to this...Topamax. In the past I have suffered some pretty rare side effects from some very benign medications so I guess I shouldn't really be surprised that this is happening to me now. The first night I took it I slept like a baby. The second night I was slightly 'hyper' but managed to get to sleep. But for the past 3 nights it's been hell. When I lie down in bed, my body feels as though there are electric currents shooting through it and coming out my right leg. I have to move my right leg or go completely bonkers. Fortunately my daughter is away at university and so I can sleep in her room. So I lie there...on my left side...with my right leg hanging over the side of the bed swinging and swinging and swinging as hard as I can just so that I don't scream. It's awful. Last night was the worst. I saw dawn this morning. I just got off the phone with my pharmacist and he told me that I had described a classic case of RLS - Restless Leg Syndrome. And guess what? Topamax is used to trest RLS!! For bleep's sake! So nice people I am suffering a completely opposite side effect to the one that seems to be the most common one...tiredness. Has anyone else heard of this? Experienced this? It seems to all focus down to my right hip and leg. I have to move it vigourously or go nuts. I am so tired today but that's because I got like 3 hours sleep. I fell asleep from sheer exhaustion after my husband left for work at 7:30am.
A side note...I also take 75mg of Effexor for panic disorder and my neurologist told me that this is a very good mix of meds for migraine prevention. My top dosage for the Topamax will be 75mg taken at night.
I'd really appreciate any feedback on my side effect. Thanks in advance.

D.

I started right out 3 years ago on 100 mgs. and within a couple weeks migraines were virtually gone! I thought it was a miracle! Only slight side affects for a couple years and only an occasional migraine but not a three day long one. So, I figure, small price to pay for all that relief, right? Now, for the last 6 months or so I'm falling apart! My memory is just gone! Sometimes I'm afraid to leave my house because I'm afraid I'll forget my way back home! I can hardly concentrate long enough to put a meal together and it just took me 4 tries to remember how to spell concentrate! Thank Goodness for spellcheck! I've lost 42 lbs. that I can ill afford to lose and I now I have started to have these anxiety things that I've never had before. I feel scared and nervous and no idea why. I was on a couple of drugs for allergies, a couple for arthritis and a vitamin. I dropped everything except the Topamax and the DR. put me on a 1/2 mg. Zanax twice daily for anxiety which seems to do nothing except make me sleepy. Now it seems all these side affects have just bloomed and I have this constant ache over my right eye which isn't a migraine but never goes away. I'm afraid to just stop the topamax because of what I've read about suddenly stopping. Doctors are no help, they won't even admit there is a problem. They just wanted to check my thyroid.It was fine.

I have been taking Topamax, 25 mg. for one week. Today was the first day I took 2. My doctor prescribed it for migraines, which I was having several times a month. The past few times I thought I was having a heart attack! I read about the side effects before I began the medicine so I have been waiting on everything to begin. So far the only thing I have noticed is I have a weird sensation in my mouth and sometimes in my throat. The only way I can describe it is if I have been breathing something caustic, such as smog or smoke, or a lot of dust. One thing I am going to try is a mouthwash called Biotene or Biotene. It is for dry mouth. Maybe it will help. Has anyone else experienced this and/or tried Biotene?
I read with interest what everyone has written. I drink soda all day and will be integrating more water because of one of the posts. So far though, my cokes taste the same. Is it only Dr. Pepper that tastes differently? I have also been getting winded easily and thought it was just me. The one side effect I am READY for is the weight loss. I gained 20 pounds in a year after I quit smoking. Anything to help with that is welcome.
So far though I have not had any migraines and I always have one with PMS. No increased anxiety but I have been on Zoloft for several years for depression. Maybe the Zoloft will offset the Topamax in that respect. I can be somewhat scatterbrained at times and as an assistant principal, I have to stay focused all day. Now that it is summer I will be able to relax a bit and it's ok if I am more absent minded than usual. Except that I have to work on a research project. But hey, does anyone really read that stuff??
Thanks everyone for sharing and I will check back in if anything changes. I am curious to see how things will go.

I have been on Topamax for 4 months and so far the migraines I have suffered for 40 years are gone. Great Some side effects like can't stand carbonated drinks. Reaction time is a little slower. I stress out a little more then I used to. I get really tired at the end of the day. I used to be a night owl but now love my sleep. Question to you all. Any one had problems with their teeth? Such as pain, fillings falling out? Let me know.

I've been on Topamax since Sept 2007 and the only side effects I have had were at the beginning were the tingling in the hands and feet when I was brining my dosage up. Soda tastes awful but I no longer drink it and that is a godsend after being a heavy drinker of it for years. I do find there are time when I can't find the right word to say, or I forget what I was doing, but I deal with it. I have lost 20 pounds since being on the medication. After being on it for 6 months the tingling is gone, I usually counteracted it by drinking plenty of water in the morning, that got rid of it. The drug has taken away the migraines, and regular headaches I have suffered from for years. It has also stabilized my moods and taken away my anxiety issues. I'm 36 and have never felt better. Topamax is definitely not for everyone. For those that are suffering, please do contact your doctors and try to get off the medication.

I took Topamax for only 4 days. I ended up in the ER on Feb 22nd because I felt like I was going to pass out, getting dizzy, couldn't concentrate or think, numbness, rapid heart beat, shortness of breath and this was intensified by anxiety from all this stuff going on. I stopped taking it immediately. I have had episodes of these same side effects since then. I had these side effects last week and missed 3.5 days of work. I have been doing pretty good this week but today I had to leave work because the same side effects came back. I had to have someone come pick me up form the side of the interstate half way on my way home because it got so intense I could not drive. My doctors have done blood work and I am waiting for the results.

I'm a 26 year old female and I've been on Topamax since March 2007. It has completely gotten rid of the debilitating headaches I experienced 3-6 times a week. It also got rid of my anxiety. I got my life back, my antidepressant kicked in at the same time. I experienced all the usual side-effects, tingling hands and feet, forgetting words, memory problems, loss of appetite, but was COMPLETELY pain-free. I still am. However, I never remember anything now, forget whether or not I did something, paid my bills, etc, lose things constantly, and I have lost about 20 lbs. Not good. I look anorexic. I have bones sticking out. Eating is hard. I forget to eat and drink all day and food is just unappealing. I feel fuzzy and stupid and slow. Not sharp like I used to be. It has killed my confidence and self-esteem. But I was wondering if any women out there got yeast infections while they were on Topamax. I've had one monthly since I started it, and my doc said it's a rare side effect. Oh yeah, I've had mild hair loss and mild to moderate acne now. This drug, it is such a 50-50. Living with chronic pain, those headaches were awful. But doubting yourself is awful too. Anyone have similar experiences?

I've been having breathing issues since last Sunday (so for one week now) and ended up in the emergency room yesterday because I was hyperventilating so bad at work, I nearly fainted. My lips, hands and feet were tingling. On the way to the hospital my hands, feet and lips became numb. Then my muscles started to cramp and I lost the feeling in my hands (at this point, I was struggling to hold it together and not cry, so I was having some anxiety as well). At the hospital, I had my lungs x-rayed, blood work, urine tested, and an ekg---all normal. They gave me some Ativan and said it was probably anxiety. I still couldn't breathe. I was anxious because I haven't been able to breathe properly for a week and no one has an answer for me! When I talk, I get winded. If I have to move around and talk at the same time, I am gasping for air. If you read the information sheet on Topamax, it can cause something called "metabolic acidosis" which can be quite dangerous. My blood work came back normal. You can have the pH of your blood tested to see if this is the case. If your pH is too low, then the you may be experiencing this. Read your Topamax literature. For me, I decided to take myself down to 50 mg from 75mg anyway, just to be on the safe side and hopefully, I'll here from my headache doctor tomorrow and will follow up with my internist on my own. It's very scary. Please be careful. Good luck to everyone. Oh, yes, and if I forget that I wrote this, it's the Topamax! :)

I am going to begin taking 25 mg of Topamax at bedtime tonight. After reading all of these posts I am a scared. I was prescribed Topamax for bipolar disorder. I am currently taking Lamictal as well. I always gain weight on psychotropic drugs and need to lose about 15 lbs (all of which I have gained over the course of being on Lamictal). Any who-my psychiatrist said that this medication may help counteract the weight gain I have experienced. Although I do not consider my self an overeater now. I do hope that it helps me to not like the taste of sodas though. I am addicted to Mt. Dew and caffeine, which I wouldn't mind stopping. Anyway, I am supposed to increase my dosage by 25mg per week until I reach 75mg per day. I am also supposed to go back and see my doctor before I increase the dosage beyond 75mg. I just hope I do not have the horrible side effects I have read here. Some of them I know I can deal with especially if they are temporary but the anxiety/depression/shortness of breath/lack of energy/morbid thoughts are the main ones that concern me. My psychiatrist said that with this medication I should drink plenty of water. He said that it could cause headaches and other side effects if I'm not sure to drink plenty of fluids with this medication. So, I am planning on hydrating myself really well today before taking it this evening. I'll post back and let you know how the side effects are going. Is anyone else on a combination of Lamictal and Topamax or on it for bipolar disorder? I'd like to hear more of your experiences.

I've been on Topamax for over a year for hormonal migraines, and it's working great for the headaches. I started out at 25mg twice a day and now I'm up to 100mg twice a day. I've lost 40lb (mostly due to the drug -- but my appetite is starting to come back) and have just recently started experiencing the anxiety and tingling in the extremities. I've always felt I've had trouble concentrating and "finding the word", but I attributed it to lack of sleep because I have two small children. My most recent side effect, however, is most worrisome, which is the reason for my visit to this website. I am experiencing severe abdominal pain, almost constant, and it seems to be increasing. I had abdominal pain and diarrhea when I first started Topamax last year, but it stopped after the first month or so. I'm just wondering if maybe long term use can cause ulcers or other stomach problems. Anyone have any experience with this? I know from experience that Topamax dosages have to gradually weaned up and down, so I'm considering decreasing my dosage to see if my stomach problems will stop. I'm just in so much pain, yet my migraines have almost stopped now with 200mg a day, that I'm reluctant to change my dose.

I just started Topamax for Bi Polar. I replaced the Seroquel I was on with it. I have been having some really bad headaches before I went on it, and I am still having them. I have lost 6 pounds in a week. Can someone tell me from their experience does the headaches seem to go away with more dosage. I was on 50mg of Seroquel and with the Topamax I am only on 25mg right now.

Hello to all! I have been taking Topamax 200mg twice a day for eleven years for epilepsy. I have had all the symptoms previously mentioned. You will get your apetite and taste back! I still get the tingly sensations in my feet at times, but no longer in my face nor hands. I still have trouble remember really easy words; for instance, answering machine and sometimes have trouble explaining what I mean. About two years into the medication I developed anxiety, never corralating it with the medication. About three years later I decided to get treated by a physician and began taking xanax. I am begining to wonder however, if the topamax is the underlying factor. I am going to taper off the drug to see. I hoped this helped. Good luck to all.

I've been on Topamax since just Tuesday, 10/9/07. I find that I get very tired a couple hours after taking it and I have horrible nightmares and very dark thoughts, too. Diet coke tastes so HORRBILE which is bad because I loved my diet cokes, but then again I guess that's good b/c I need to stop drinking them anyway. My worst side effect is that I have horrible mood swings. Is this normal? Is this going to go away over time? Because if not, I'm going to stop taking it now. This is not like me and I am not going to subject my family to this - losing weight is not THAT important to me. Thanks for any help. :(

P. S. I'm taking 25 mg in the morning, afternoon and evening.

I can't believe all of these posts, wow. I was starting to feel as though I was alone with all of the symptoms I was experiencing. I started this drug 2 1/2 weeks ago at 25mg am/pm and am currently up to 75mg am/am. I have really bad chest pain/tightness and mild shortness of breath. As someone else had mentioned, pop is enhanced not dulled, seems as though its like pins on my tongue. I have been forgetting words but not too bad, just for a couple of seconds. The anxiety is the worst, sometimes I lay in bed and the chest pain will increase and I get so axious it feels as though I'm going to die. I went to the ER last night but they did an EKG and told me my heart was fine that the chest pain most likely was not related to my heart. (I'm a 22 year old male and have never had problems with my heart) These chest pains only started after starting this drug. I'm ready to try something else. This was the first drug I was put on for my seizures, my doctor said it could possibly help the seizures/headaches/weight. These side effects are just too much.

I started taking 100 mg. per day of Topamax a month ago and have ok results, I still have a dull headache everyday but it doesn't turn to a migraine but I have no desire for food and carbonated drinks taste flat and it has changed my mood also. I would like to stop taking it.

Taking Topamax for 2 years started out at 25 mgs 3 times a day for a mood stabalizer (bi-polar). Had tingling in hands and feet sometimes in face. Lost waight, pop tasts nasty, sleepy, short term memory loss, slurred speach. Now I take 100mg at bed time have no symptoms except I still am able to controll my eating (had a problem with over eating) no more road rage but I still felf a little depressed and did cry so I was not to stable until Citalopram 10mg at bedtime and Adderall XL 10mg in the morning was added. Now I finally feel like a totaly normal person. No more anxiety, mood swings, crying, paranoia,or any other weird stuff. I feel pretty good. Rarely I get pins and needles in my hands or feet or I forget where I put something.

Im 39 years old I have been on topamax for 3 months now on 50 mg a day first and now for the past month it was increaded to 75 mg a day. I have begun to have panic attacks/ nightmares. I also suffers from memory loss and inability form my words ( I guess thats the best way to describe it) my neuro gave me topomax for what he calls complicated migraines where my left sarm and leg became numg along with headaches and neck pain. The pain has decreased although the occurrrences have not subsided and Im not sure if Im going to saty on the Topomax. I have lost 8 pounds. The panic attacks and anxiety and debilitating.

I have been on 100 mg of topamax twice a day now for over three years. Most of the early side effects have worn off like soda tasting bad and the memory loss. I never had any hair loss. Also the weight loss has stopped and I did gain it back which really stinks. Anyway, the reason I was looking, was that in the last several weeks, I have been suffering horrible body aches and joint pain. My hands and knees hurt very badly. I am 39 years old and hate to think that arthritis has set in so quickly. And I know that I can't have the flu with no other symptoms and so often. Does anyone else have these symptoms? Also I wonder why these could have started after so many years of taking it.I have tried to wean myself off in the past and the migrains came back full force.

My Dr. Prescribed Topamax for anxiety. I've tried all the other anxiety meds and nothing seemed to work. This one worked great for the anxiety. But the side effects are getting to me. I can take the tingling hands and feet. That actually happened it seemed non stop at first, but went away after about three months. The main problem I've had is the weight loss. I was at a good weight to begin with, 5'6" 130lbs. but after four months I'm down to 105lbs. I can't gain any weight no matter how hard I try because I'm constantly Nauseous. When I do get my appetite, I can only eat a quarter of what I used to before I get nauseous again. I also have found myself at a loss of words A LOT!!!!!! So, tomorrow I'm going to see if there's something else my Dr. can think of for me to try.

My Dr. Prescribed Topamax for anxiety. I've tried all the other anxiety meds and nothing seemed to work. This one worked great for the anxiety. But the side effects are getting to me. I can take the tingling hands and feet. That actually happened it seemed non stop at first, but went away after about three months. The main problem I've had is the weight loss. I was at a good weight to begin with, 5'6" 130lbs. but after four months I'm down to 105lbs. I can't gain any weight no matter how hard I try because I'm constantly Nauseous. When I do get my appetite, I can only eat a quarter of what I used to before I get nauseous again. I also have found myself at a loss of words A LOT!!!!!! So, tomorrow I'm going to see if there's something else my Dr. can think of for me to try. I was on Effexor which was good for anxiety, but the sexual side affects were terrible.... Gosh, what do I have to go through for a good love life??? lol

I have a prescription for topamax now for 3 weeks and I have been scared to death to start it just because of the side effects of nurontin. Those were nothing compared to what I have been reading for topamax!! I have badly damaged nerves, plus I take many other meds such as oxycontin, norco, soma, baclofen, phernergan, levid and xanax. I am waiting on my nuro doc to tell me if taking topamax is ok. My memory is my life....I have a great ability to multitask about 12 things at once and do them all at 100% and have a memory like an elephant...I dont want to lose that and from what I have read, topamax will do it to me. I can handle the nausea and anxiety because I have meds for that. I wear strong glasses already because of my bad eyesight...I am afraid of making it worse. Please give me your opinions. I have a home to take care of and a husband and 2 young daughters...my husband does so much for me and the thought of this drug making me hate him or treat him bad is more than I can handle. He does it all for me, get me out of bed, take me to the bathroom, get me dressed sometimes..I am scared. Someone please give me some advice.

Tinay from Houston

Hi,
Doc put me on Topamax for PTSD due to MVA. I am at 200 mg and having tingling in fingers and acrid taste in my mouth. Thinking I might stop taking it and just suffer the anxiety and stress. As others, I have lost some weight with the drug, in weighing the pros and cons guess I will check with my doc and see if he can reduce the dose. I was having trouble sleeping and getting flashbacks of the accident and the Topamax has helped but I really don't like the side effects. Best of Luck to all.

topamax- started 2months ago...the sinus trip is unbearable! i always sound like i have the flu! haven't lost a pound and i am craving sweets like crazy. i hate the tingles everywhere! the thirst is unquenchable. i feel like i am suicidal. i hate my husband when i use to love him. i am also on effexor er 300 mgs topamax 200mgs ....i have now decided to go off ALL of these drugs. iwas first put on them when my mom died because of anxiety.......then when my daughter went to jail. more stress....more drugs....zoloft...attempted suicide....effexor er...for the pass 4 yrs...i am no longer suicidal..i am at peace with my moms death. my daughter has grown up and has stated a family of her own with her husband .... do i really think i need to be on these drugs any more???? nope! comin down the hard way starting tomorrow...need encouragment people! drudogs

i only have been on it for about 2 or 3 days its horrible tingling in my feet hands arms, i walk down stairs i think i am going to fall, i loose concentration, i am not taking anymore because there is something about it i dont like, i dont really have much of an appetite at all. over top of that i have anxiety and i dont smoke anymore so i have little bouts of pains in my chest. i dont want to be to thin. i already lost 10 pounds people say you loose weight well i dont want to be a walking zombie. i will stick with wellbutrin and alprozolam i will study something better than topamax

I am taking 100 mg at bedtime for bipolar type II, I was on 50 mg for 2 weeks. I told the doctor of the tingling in my hands feet and face and she did not even know that was a side effect of the med. I also have been having some pretty bad anxiety soon after I take my dosage at bedtime. I feel like I am seeing little black bugs every now and then. Other side effects...some short term memory loss, sometimes cant think of the right words, general scatterbrained..but alot of these things i had before I was on the Topamax ...they were just intesified when I started taking it. Well, one good thing has come from it, i have lost 6 pounds in the past 2 1/2 weeks. But that is the only positive thing. I am seriously starting to think it is beginning to trigger a mood swing. (not a good thing) If it doesn't start to improve soon I will discontinue this med.