Topamax and crap

I had all of the above side effects when I was on this crap. Topamax is highly dangerous. I now have developed Narcolepsy, have problems with my joints, my memory has trouble here and there for simple things. I am only 29, and haven't taken this stuff for about 4 yrs. I have permanent problems now that I have to live with for the rest of my life. I didn't have a choice in the matter. I was ordered by the court to take a psychological evaluation. They asked some questions and determined that I was Bi polar. Topamax was the drug they put me on, and look where I'm at now. I also have Migraines, which I had way before this poison, and my advice to everyone is that this stuff is dangerous, don't take it!

I've been on this garbage for about 2 months and today will be my last day. Just a bad feeling deep within my body since I've been on it. It's really hard to explain, along with all the other SE's, the terrible soda taste, tingles in feet and hands...I find, for me, stay away from ALL forms of alcohol and no headaches...forget this med!

Just one question I have been on this stuff at the beginning dose for less than a week. My eyes hurt, my head is about to explode, I am sick as a dog, I lost 5 pounds, I can't eat, constipated, can't sleep, can't function, ringing in my ears, and the ADD is unbelievable. I am a medical transcriptionist I kind of need to be able to work, no work, no pay. Topamax is going bye-bye for sure but how long till the side effects go away?

I was given topamax to treat headaches and cyclical mood disorder. I was not given any info about side effects or that, at the time(April of 2006), the drug was not FDA approved for treating mood disorders. I took about 3 25mg tablets a day for 6 weeks and started noticing pain in my chest, stomach, back, and neck, my heart felt irregular as well. Towards the end of the 6 weeks, I felt so bad that at times that I had to crawl to the bathroom at home because my body and heart felt so weak. I weighed 135 pounds before starting the drug and 117 after, lot of weight to lose for me in such a short period of time(my weight very rarely fluctuates at all). I started noticing that when I would eat a large meal, I would then be hungry with an empty stomach an hour later, and about 15-20 minutes after taking my 2nd pill for the day I would feel shooting chest pains and become slightly dizzy, I would take my third pill at home a couple before bed and the symptoms were even worse. I called the on-line nurse late at night a few times and they would say it was just anxiety, my friends and family that knew about all this would also say that I was just worrying too much. I decided to take matters in my own hands and started doing research on the drug. I found all the information I needed, that was not given to me, decided I was experiencing some of the specific side effects people had noticed. I finally decided on my own to stop taking the drug after my doctor told me that all this was because I wasn't taking a high enough dosage, I still can't believe that she said that!!

Now that I've had some time to look back and gather myself a little, I know that I also experienced side effects such as dizziness, loss of taste, decreased sex-drive, Loss of wittiness, feeling like being in slow-motion, slurring speech, heartbeat going from 64bpm sitting on the couch to 128bpm after walking to the bathroom to pea, difficulty breathing, basically felt like crap but was too drugged up to really notice.

It did stop my headaches and stabalized my mood but I think the improvements in mood were primarily due to the fact that I wasn't all there. DEFINETLY NOT WORTH ALL THE SIDE EFFECTS!!!

As soon as I stopped taking this, I felt much better in the head, noticing that I was probably running on about 70% for the past few weeks. Also gained back all the weight very quicky. I felt like myself again and was rejuvanized in my life!! Primarily all the side effects disappeared and I moved on with my life. Unfortunately the chest pains slowed down but did not disappear. I felt like, and still feel like, I had a broken Sternum. I went to the same clinic and had numerous tests done(EKG, blood tests, X-rays), everything came up clear. I have had to tell some of my friends, numerous times in the past year, not to restle with me or hug me too hard because it hurts.

I have not been taking any perscription drugs for the past 14 months because of all of this and now have recently started feeling increased pain in my chest(the chest pains never completely went away) . I do not have health insurance but am going to get this all checked out ASAP, I will post again once I find out what's going on.

I know that when i got off of effexor, it was a nightmare!!! I had night sweats, chills, nausea, and my mucles would tense up around my torso and neck. It made me feel like i couldn't breathe. My doctor said it was just withdrawls, but it scared the crap out of me!!! He put me on topamax a few days ago, i'm yet to have any problems. I'm really looking forward to the weightloss!!! Does anyone know if topamax is as bad to get off of as effexor??? please get back with me soon!

I fel like my face is twitching all the time, and my eyes are moving. I have the tingling feling in my hands/fingers and feet. Soda taste flat. I can't stand the blightness of the light outside and always have the shades pulled. My concentratiotion is crap, and sometimes I feel like I am losing it. Been making stupid mistakes at work. I really have to check my work over and over again. Taking Topamax for Migrains, just going on my 3rd week. Please tell me it gets better! I don't know if I can continue with this....I am getting desperate.......

I started on Topamax about a week ago after coming off Seroquel. I am bipolar and had a break through in June. My doctor had me on Seroquel to control any possible rapid cycling. Unfortunately the Seroquel made me anxious so after 7 months we agreed to try Topamax.

So far, my stomach is upset if I eat too much. Soday tastes like crap. I have minimal tingling at 150 mgs. Chocolate upsets my stomach. I feel ditzy. I can't sleep more than three or four hours. And I am having to pee all the time.

I am going to have a referenced EEG in three weeks. Hopefully at that time the neuropsychiatrist will determine what drugs I really should be on. I am losing weight but I don't think it's worth it.

I started Topamax about a week ago. Also after starting Depakote which made me gain weight. They stated they would start me on the Topamax due to help with the migraines that I have had all my life and weight loss. I had a recent MRI which stated that I have been having mini strokes. I am a 30 yr old single mom.. Who now has been at home for a week because I feel so ill. My doctor has me taking Topamax at night and I am not sure if anyone else has had these problems but I am really confused between dreams and reality. I wake and think that there are things there. That really are not there at all. Then because I am scared to fall asleep because of what I might dream of since they are all nightmares and I cant seem to get out of them even when I am awake. I feel like crap the next day and have a migraine. Due to lack of sleep. I also deal with Fibromyalgia and Chronic Fatigue. I tell the doctors that I am always falling alseep at work. All the meds they give me make me sleepy anyways on top of that. I work 2 miles from where I live and I cant make it sometimes without falling asleep at the wheel. I do not understand why these doctors do not see fit to help me more. This is all affecting my job and life...

I started on Topamax a month ago and the first five days were wonderful. I bounced out of bed in the morning after a good night's sleep and felt wonderful all day. I take fifty mg. at night. On the sixth day I noticed I ached in my head and legs. My head felt like it was stuffed full of cotton and after a few more days I was having a hard time thinking and my sleep patterns started getting messed up. Two weeks into this pill and my legs were stiff and my feet burned while my arms ached and my hands and fingers tingled and twitched. I'm a newly wed and love my husband but you'd never know it if you were in our bedroom the past couple of weeks. He keeps asking what is wrong and all I can say is I think it's the topamax. After I snarled at him Saturday he looked at me and said...you have to get off that crap, it's doing you no good whatsoever. I agree with him and am making an appt. with my doctor today. I only hope she listens to me.