Topamax and depakote

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.

Hello All,
I"m a 50 year old Mother and Grandma who takes Topamax as a Mood Stabilizer for Bipolar Disorder. I took it about 5 years ago and about 6 months after I started taking it I was struck down with debilitating diarrhea, nausea, loss of appetite, extreme weight loss ( 26 pounds in one month ). No one knew what was wrong with me. My psychiatrist actually upped my Topamax dose because I was becoming depressed and having severe mood swings. I was sick for 8 months. I saw a new psychiatrist and he stopped the Topamax because it just was too over medicating at that time and started a different mood stabilizer.

I didn't put 2 and 2 together. I just was happy that the diarrhea and nausea for the most part was gone. I still have nausea frequently but that is from a totally different cause.

In December we discussed that the new mood stabilizer was no longer working so we went back on the Topamax. In April the diarrhea and nausea this time accompanied by vomiting started. I was ready when it started tho even tho I didn't know the cause. I got hooked up with a GI doctor, started probiotics immediately, started eating organic yogurt with as many live active cultures in it as i could find. I would only eat plain boiled rice, boiled macaroni, toast, ripened organic bananas and drink lots of fluid. No gatorade but pedialyte because gatorade has citric acid in it which can be irritating. Pedialyte doesn't. I also drank decaf ice tea with small amounts of sugar.

Now today I read that Topamax can give you diarrhea and if you have a history of diarrhea tell your doctor. Great, just great. Trade my mental health for my physical health but having diarrhea at the most unopertune times does affect my mental health. What am I going to do?

I refuse to take a weight positive mood stabilizer and that is all I'm left with. Like Lithium, Depakote. they will make me as big as a cow. I'd rather have diarrhea to tell you the truth. I don't think I'm gonna tell him.

Missyk10atx

I have been on Topamax for 2 1/2 years at 250mg for migraines and have decided to get off because of side effects. I have had all mentioned: mood swings, dehydration, not sweating,tingling, dizziness, loss for words, short term memory loss,numbness, fatigue, GI problems, anorexic weight loss,rage... And this all began from the starting 25mg dose!
The migraines decreased from 24 a month to 12, at best down to 6 or 7, but I seemed to hit a plateau then back to 15.
I saw three different doctors and all wanted to simply increase the Topamax or add another med (Depakote, beta blocker, etc.)
Finally, I found that a problem with my neck may be causing the headaches and treating that has reduced them enough for me to try and get off the Topamax. I still rely on the Relpax to get me through the bad days, but I'm hoping I can get free of the Topamax for good!
I just encourage anyone thinking of starting Topamax to investigate all possible migraine causes before starting!! Topamax doesn't cure the migraine, it only blocks the pain! And the side effects are not worth it if you can find another way to alleviate the problem!

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.

2 yrs ago I was diagnosed with peripheral neuropathy. I have been on Topamax since, because of the severe pain it causes. I have never experienced weight loss and I was on up to 400mg a night. I am now on 200mg a night. My tastes are fine and my drinking sodas were never like metal. But for the fatigue of the disease I also take Provigil in the morning. I have noticed my eyes have changed. Never gave it a thought to be Topamax. Plus I just got new glasses again 3 months ago and am seeing a change in my sight again. Also there is a noise in my ears,not ringing,but sounds like crickets. Never had that before. I was on 2 other meds but I took myself off of them because I really don't like taking so many. The others had worse side effects. Until they find a cure for this disease it looks like I'm stuck with Topamax. This is one pain I will not and can not live with.

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 was on Topamax for 10 months at 100 mg twice a day. At first I experienced severe dizziness and actually passed out twice, so my doctor decreased the dose and had me increase it slowly, every two weeks instead of every week. The entire time I was taking Topamax, I was dizzy when standing, no matter how slowly I stood up, although I stopped passing out. I also experienced cognitive side effects such as memory loss, inability to 'find the right word' (I know everyone experiences this sometimes, but I was constantly having trouble speaking). I was in my first year of graduate school and had switched to Topamax, because I had been taking Depakote for over a year with little improvement in my migraines, and when I started my doctoral work I started having migraines daily. The Topamax did wonders for my migraines, reducing them to twice a month, but I had a severe decline in my academic performance due to its side effects. I had excellent grades as an undergraduate, but I had to take a leave of absence from grad school and switch to another medication and am now hoping that when I return to school I will be able to succeed. I actually considered changing my career choice and staying on the Topamax because it worked so well for my migraines, so if you aren't in school I would recommend you try it if nothing else has worked for you.

I started with 25 mg for migraines and upped dosage by 25mg pweek for 4 weeks till I reached 100 mg per day. Right away this didnt work because you cant half the pills because the taste will kill you. but once I adjusted to the 50 mg it was ok. There are side effects. I have cured my life long addiction to coca cola. I can no longer drink soda, it tastes gross, really vile, and I have lost almost twenty pounds sfter one month. The no soda gave me incentive, so I have been dieting, but the topamax only seems to help. I have only had one migraine this month, on the monring of my periods arrival. This hasnt happened in twenty years. Ive been on all sorts of meds throughout the years. I love topamax. I have had some other side effects. I am diagnosed as bipolar, and do not take medicine because the depakote made me a zombie. Life has been much easier, although on the days I up my dosage I was a bit hyperemotional. Nothing too bad though. I was, however, unable to drink two glasses of wine on this medication. I did have some spacey moments, and tingly fingers as well. Like I said before, nothing compared to Depakote, and nothing that I wouldnt trade for ONe hormonal migraine a month. I love this stuff.

I went onto Topamax last year and almost died. Following the graduated increase schedule, every time my body came close to acclimating to the drug, the new dose would hit it like a ton of bricks. By the time I had reached the target dose, I was scarcely able to think, had difficulty getting out of my chair, and couldn't focus my eyes.
The schedules do not work for everybody. I was an idiot. My (former) doctor was too difficult to communicate with.

When I finally got it right, it was a tiny dose. Beats the daylights out of Depakote.

I started topamax on Tuesday for bipolar disorder. My pdoc started me on 50 mg and I took one in the am and got really sleepy so I cut back to 25 mg at night and went back to 50 mg on the weekend. I was surprised to feel the effects the first day. I thought I had gotten a flat pepsi at lunch and then realized that my tastes had already been effected. I got the tingly hands and have noticed that my leg muscles have been twitching some. The very first day I felt like I was in a fog and I definitely don't want to feel dumb. I'm hoping that cutting back and titrating up more slowly, as well as taking the medicine at night will help. The side effects I can stand as I withstood 6 months on Accutane for acne which was waaayyy worse.

Hi-new here and new to Topamax! I am taking Topamax for BiPolar. I have tried a dozen different drugs and they all seem to make me gain weight. Thsi seems to not have that listed as a side effect. As a health careworker I am very dedicated to being on top of knowing the side effect of my meds. I have been having issues with hair loss and thought it was again issues with my thyroid but must have been the Depakote-still hasn't stopped-guessing it's not going to huh?
Anyhow, I have tingling in my face-anyone else??? I have found that soda tastes HORRIBLE! Not such a bad thing though! I have found that my appetite isn't too vast either.
Anyhting I should be seriously worried about???

I have had migraine for 26 years, I took depakote for 12 years before taking topamax. Now the sensation of what I feel in my mouth is wrong. It helped with my migraine but now I have something that every doctor I've seen hasn't heard of. It made me loose 85 lbs., quit sweating, not sleep.... Doctors give me phych drugs to mask the mouth thing, but I'm allergic I'll take migraine over all the things extra this drug has given me also. I think it is dangerous because I QUIT eating I had to make myself eat. This is hard to do when you are absolutely not hungry. Has anyone else had the mouth sensory reaction?

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...

Okay, I'm 15 and I take 200 mg per day of Topamax for Bipolar. I had read to page 3 and hadn't seen anyone taking it for that, or admitting it.
I'm also diabetic and I take Metformin (Glucophage-fage?) for that, and I take Naltrexone for cutting addiction, and I take Geodon for Bipolar, I guess. I also take Lunesta to sleep.
I take the Topamax in the morning with Metformin and Geodon when I get up around 6:30. When I wake up, just about every morning, I feel soo nauseous until I have something in my stomach. If I feel too sick, I can't eat, and my mouth starts to water and I just have to sit by the stool and pray something comes up so its over. I don't know if Topamax causes this though, but its horrible.
So after I take my meds, I get to school and I usually eat breakfast, sometimes even if I have eaten at my house before school. So I don't really see much on the weight loss side of things, which is another reason I was put on it, because Depakote made me gain 80 lbs.
When I get to first hour, which used to be P.E, and is now English, I am usually not prepared. I still don't have last week's assignment done.
2nd hour P.E. I never used to participate in, and now I am, that might be because of the class change, but I'm not for sure. I didn't get the make up work for Health done though, even though I got an A+ on the Test we had today.
I don't think I've mentioned this yet, but I am in the gifted program in my school, so I am very capable. Just so you know. Keep that in mind while reading this.
3rd hour Algebra. I usually sleep. If I'm awake, I have to concentrate extra hard, because the number and letters just don't make sense, and not because its Algebra. Today in math was a special scene because I said something wrong about a problem, it was like, 74 - 66 and we had to find the middle poin And do something so it was 70 + 4 and 70 - 4 and I thought the 4's were 6's so I said so. And he agreed and then he realized I was wrong and made a big deal about it. And all the guys started laughing and all I was thinking was not to let them see me cry. So I held it in until my throat was on fire. But I still cried a little bit.
4th hour. If I'm not asleep, I'm refusing to do work in Science class. Like today, I got sent to the office for not having the supplies to work on the project.
5th hour. I don't usually sleep. This is a class like Home Ec.
6th hour Art. I'm usually really defiant, refusing to do work, complaining about the assignment. I hold a steady C in that class.
7th hour Spanish. I never sleep in here, and I have a 95% A in here. I like this class.
When I get home, I am on the computer for all hours of the evening. Until its time for bed. But when I go to bed, I end up laying there for like, an hour or two, even though I have taken the Lunesta.
You know, I think I just rambled on about nothing. I think there are very little useful facts about Topamax side effects in here. Oh well.
So, to sum it up. When I'm at the CPU, my legs fall asleep. When I get up from the chair, I'm all achy and sore. In the morning, I'm nauseous. I sleep all day at school. I have no motivation. I get to feeling like a want to drop out at least once a week. I want to cut at least once a week. Although its been more than a month, thank you. I procrastinate like everything. I don't do homework. I spend all my time on the computer. I don't have many friends, because they don't like the way I act/seem.

talk to ******

anyone have a problem with Steven Johnson's Syndrom? I don't, but someone else told me they did. I've been on Tomapax for 2 years due to boipolar disorder, along with Depakote. Can't think of any new side effects except the loss of a bit over 60 pounds & lovin' it. But you guys are scaring me, will have to keep an eye on things. Am seeing a new GP & a skin dr. soon, so I'll let you know.

Positives: I lost the ninety pounds I put on with Depakote in just over a year. Full seizure control.

Negatives: Occasional tingling in extemities. Hands and fingers feel cold frequently. Speech problems--can't recall the words I'm looking for.