Topamax and appointment

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!

I have been on Topamax for the last year for migraines but during the same time period, started having problems with my eyes. I thought it was an infection from my contacts so I stopped wearing them plus my eye make up. I have been to 5 doctors and they all seem to think it's "Dry Eye Syndrome" and I have been having them insert plugs into my tear ducts and I am constantly putting lubricant drops in my eyes to relieve the burning and itching. It dawned on me this weekend that this All started the same time I was prescribed this medication. I have stopped the pills since Fri.

My question to all: Does Anybody have been having similar problems and will it go away or is the damage done?? Will the doctor.s admit to knowing anything?
Thank you!

I'm 24 and I have had increasingly more migraines as I get older. I now have them 2-3 times a month, and they sometimes last 3-5 days. I went to the doctor, for the first time for migraines, three months ago and he just gave me a to take as needed. those were gone quickly. I had another appointment a few days ago and asked to be put on a daily preventative med. he prescribed topamax. what concerns me is the dosage. he gave me 200 mg to take twice a day. I have never taken any daily med for migraines before, and I see that most people start at 25 mg a day and gradually increase the dosage. I'm very sensitive to medication and I'm worried I can't handle 400 mg of Topamax right off the bat. I was considering cutting the tablets into halves or quarters and starting myself on a lower dosage. perhaps I should just call the doctor for clarification. is this dosage too high for a first time taking Topamax?

any advice much appreciated,

Sarah

I have been taking Topamax for chronic headaches migraines. I am really frustrated after trying Topamax for the second time. I tried it for about four months early in the year and here I am again trying the drug once more. I am using 100 mg both times and see no results even this time around. I have only been on it for about two months. My neurologist tells me to be patient, but it's really hard to when my life is ruined and I cannot work as a hairdresser (product fragrances and chemicals that trigger headaches). My career may be over and I am only 23. I just don't understand why I am on epilepsy medication. All of these problems have lead me into depression, which is a whole other topic. My neurologist keeps scheduling me for followups about once a month which seems pointless and extremely costly. I feel like I am getting taken advantage of money-wise. I want to stop taking my medication and try chiropractic care. I know better than to quit cold turkey... Should I just call my neurologist and cancel my appointment and ween myself off my medication???

I have been a migraine sufferer for over 13 years and have run the gammut of medications to prevent and deal with them. My mother took Topamax a couple of years ago with disastrous results. I didn't realize, but I guess she was so loopy and forgetful that it was enough to cause my grandmother and stepfather to perfom an "intervention" to get her off of it. So, here I am a couple years later starting it myself, wondering if the side effects are worth the trade off. I'll be honest and say that I love Coke. I mean, loved. Carbonated drinks of all ethnicities taste like slimy metal now. How disappointing. And considering that if I went a day without drinking a Coke, I would get a wicked migraine, I've resorted to putting Crystal Light Energy (Wild Strawberry) in my water to give me the needed caffeine.

I've also noted tingling in my face, kinda like numbness. Nothing that is earth-shattering, but noticeable. I get dizzy a lot. I've also lost about 5 lbs since starting the medicine. And today, I could not find the word "prescription" in my mental warehouse. Not a difficult word on a normal day. I've only been on Topamax for a week though. I'm going to give it a good month to see if the side effects dissipate. But if I get any stupider, I'm going to have to go another route.

update....
i have begun to ween myself off topamax as of last week. i was taking 75 mg a day, now i'm down to 25 mg a day. i have noticed a HUGE change..i am pretty much BACK TO MY NORMAL SELF...i will continue until i am OFF THIS MEDICATION.
my depression has ceased, my fits of rage, GONE. i no longer have anger fits towards my poor husband (i feel so horrible for the way i had been acting towards him because of this medicine), and the whole sex drive issue, completely back to normal again (THANK GOD...my husband was about to go crazy..as was I! lol)
i am making an appointment with my doctor next week to see about another preventive, but until then, i have to keep a few hydrocodones on hand in case i get a migraine (and it's a definite that i will...). Hydrocodones are the only thing that get rid of my migraines...the Relpax and such make me feel like i'm about to have a heart attack and really dont relieve my migraines.
I just hope i can find a preventive that will work...WITHOUT these side effects (depression, etc). My migraines are so frequent that it is a must that i find some sort of preventive.
Best of luck to you all out there that are either still on this med, or getting off this med. i recommend the latter of the two.

I have been on this drup for about 6 months at 50 mg twice a day. Within the last two months, the effectiveness of migraine prevention has seemed to have worn off, and I have noticed an abundance of hair loss. Has this happened to anyone else out there? I have an appointment with my physician to see what can be done about the migraine issue because I cannot go back to 4-5 migraines a week! If any of you have any experience with this type of issue and Topamax please post or let me know! Will the hair loss taper off or get worse?