Topamax side effects

I have been on topamax for about 8 months. I started with 25, upped to 50, upped to 100 a day, then went to 300. now i have a raging diarrhea that I cannot control. I can't eat anything anymore. I have had seizures and at this point don't care anymore. So yesterday I simply stopped taking it. I am done. I just want to eat something and stop sitting on the stool. My poo has gone completely green at times....that is stomach bile. This medication is terrible stuff and should be removed from the market!

i was put on topamax for migraines back in aug 07.

well, i stopped it like 5 months ago. (2june 08) i still feel "out of it" like i'm here but im not. headaches came back but i would rather deal with them than all these side effects. i got severe panic attacks and nervousness, MAJOR HAIR LOSS, AGORAPHOBIA (FEAR OF LEAVING MY HOUSE CUZ IM SCARED TO HAVE ANOTHER PANIC ATTACK), i constantly feel dispatched from my family (i have 3 boys and a husband) every day i feel sick or tired, or both. which led me to stop the meds. (25mg am and 25-50mg pm) i weaned off over like 2 weeks (on my own cuz the neuro told me not to stop it and its all in my head.

i had to quit my job cuz of the panic attacks that just happen for no reason.

i still feel all the side effects even though i have been off topamax. hair loss, panic attacks, depression, "high" feeling all the time, cant hold a normal conversation. i have changed soooo dramatically from when i first went to the neuro and started this HORRIBLE DRUG. poor concentration, i don't feel like i want to be involved in anything- i just wanna lay on the couch with an ice pack on my head. i don't know what to do. my neuro doesn't know i stopped the drug and i was so mad at him for putting me on it that i didn't go to my last appt. now i have to wait until January to see him.

muscle spasm in my eye, very very embarrassing, I am an English and language arts enthusiast in college and can't process words or thoughts anymore, no sex drive what-so-ever, high, high anxiety, terrible taste in my mouth, bad breath, tired all the time,

I have been taking topamax for five months now. My friends and family have been so worried about me that they have accused me of doing hard drugs. I thought that some of the side effects I was experiencing were from stress in my life. I am a 26 year old girl who has battled migraines since puberty. Now I have about half my hair left, acne like you have never seen before, ( I have never ever had acne in my life!), depression, high levels of anxiety, and my vocabulary has shortened to that of a 6th graders. I have always been a thin girl, usually around 125 and I am 5'8. At this point, you can count every bone in my body, see every vein. it's pretty discussing. I am going to wean of 25 milligrams a week, and deal with my migraines in a different way, so that I can become the person I once was.

I am a 21 year old female and have been on Topamax since October of 2006. I am up to taking 250mgs a day having a constant headache and getting a migraine about every week. I have had such a range of side effects and symptoms that I can't tell the difference nor know where to begin. The most recent is muscle spasms in my eye lid and leg that won't go away. I have spasms infrequently all over, but these have been pretty constant. I also tire very easily though I always get 8 hours of sleep a night. Though those are not always 8 full hours of sleep, because I do have boughts of insomnia. I have also dealt with the intestinal problems to the point of thinking that I had appendicitis. I have had multiple trips to the hospital for abdominal pain and severe migraines. I have had the vision problems - blurred, dizziness, vertigo, and the weird one were my eyes jerk back and forth. I rarely have all at once and they have come and gone throughout the 2 years, but they have come back

I think the most mysterious one of all are the lypomahs - these little painful nodules under the skin that just appeared. They are mostly on my abdomen, but have found them on my chest as well. Any one else heard of this?

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

Topamax is off label for weight loss. I was put on it after gaining about 35lbs from Seroquel. It took the weight off like it was supposed to. My dose has recently been stepped down because I'm back at my normal weight of 135 (I'm 5'11").

When I first started taking Topamax diet soda and other sugary things tasted really strange, which my doctor says he's never experienced before. I also had a numbness and tingling in my face and hands for about an hour or so after taking the pill for a while.

One more thing that I noticed about this drug is that while on it my vision went from perfect to needing to be corrected by glasses. I have read a few things about vision problems associated with Topamax but I am not sure if it caused my nearsightedness or not.

Thanks for letting me share my thoughts.
M.

I recently started taking topamax for migraines. After increasing my dose to 75 mg twice a day, I am almost migraine free. However, my hair is extremely oily and having to wash it with a clarifying shampoo twice a day. Nothing else has changed other than my this medication so I am assuming it is a side effect of the Topamax. Has anybody else experienced this?

I am on 300mgs of topamax a day for epilepsy, and my side effects are the flat tasting carbonated beverages. But the worst side effects is the feeling in the bottoms of my feet. They feel as if my sox are all bunched up and stuffed between my toes, and knotted up under the balls of my feet. It is a miserable feeling. I get the tingling feelings as well. My wife and I love hiking and I a try to stay in shape by doing 4 miles a day on my treadmill. I am 60 years old. I have to really push myself mentally. I hate this feeling. I don't mind the flat tasted, as I can do without the carbonation anyway, but the feet stuff has got to go.

I have been on 200mg of Topamax for almost a year, which helped my headaches immensely so I tried to ignore the itching. The itching got so bad (especially when I get hot and would sweat) that I had to go off of it. I have been off of it for about 4 weeks and I still itch, does anyone know how long this will last or if it will ever go away? If I am going to itch without the drug anyway, I might as well take it and have relief from my headaches.

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.

Like most of you I took Topamax, the killer for me was the flat drinks and food tastes being off or rank. I take it for my lower back as I have nerve issues and have difficulty walking because of the pain.
I am going back to neurontin. It worked great. Its also been tested and helps for migraines too! Check with your doctors about it.

I'm a 24 year old female, the doctor put me on topamax about a year ago for my migraines, since they stopped making midrin. It made me sleepy beyond anything. Food and drinks started to taste odd, I stopped taking when I lost insurance because it was $170.00 a month. I had been wondering if I should take it again and now after reading this stuff, I am not going to be doing so, while the weight loss would be nice, I don't need to lose my memory at 24 when I have a 3 year old son to worry about, thanks to call that have posted. :D

I've been on Topamax for 3 years for migraine and it works most of the time. I am currently having a hard time with the usual side effects of memory loss, hair loss, word recall problems, coldness, depression, no sex drive, and am developing a cough. BUT I had a side effect that has not been mentioned when I first started taking it (25 mg in am and pm -- I'm now on 50mg in am and pm).
For about 2 weeks, I would get in my car to go to work and miss my turns because they would cognitively come up too soon (this is after 15 years of going to work the same way everyday). I had to be extremely conscious of my surroundings when I drove or I'd miss all my normal turns. I got lost in my own neighborhood once going home. At work, I'd get up from my desk to go to a co-worker's desk and arrive there amazing fast to my mind. I was experiencing time/space/distance distortion. It became fascinating to me, but it passed.

I just started on topamax and it has done wonders for me i suffer from cyclic vomiting syndrome and have suffered for many years making my teenage years absolutely horrible in and out of hospitals all the time, despite some minor side affects i have my life back i can go on vacations i can spend the week end at a friends house without being scare i might end up in the hospital its an amazing miracle drug and i thank my doctor for finding it and prescribing me it.

I've been on Topamax for almost a year. I've had auras for years which were misdiagnosed as hypoglycemia episodes, then started having grand mals after detoxing from alcohol (I'm sober now), continued to have them in sobriety (I guess I messed up my brain from alcohol). I tried Tegretol but it made me groggy. Anyway, a few months into using Topamax I stopped sweating completely and got the numbness and tingling in my extremities, which drives me crazy. I also have trouble with urination, I've been put on water pills. I live in a desert climate and during the summer had bad problems with overheating, had to drink so much water that I had trouble with water retention and my electrolytes got messed up. I had no idea that it was the Topamax--the doctors put me through multiple blood tests, I discovered it might be the medicine by doing my own research online. I'm tapering off Topamax and trying the Low Glycemic Index Treatment to see if I can be off meds and not have auras because I don't want to be on seizure meds if I can help it. The withdrawal is pretty bad--anyone else have the problems with no sweating and wicked withdrawal?

I was on Topamax for about a year. I lost 50 Ibs because, I did not have an appetite. I decided to go off of it. Then I started to gain weight back and wanted to go back on it but, I had terrible itching and every time I got sweaty or in the sun I would start to itch. Now it has been about 9 months that I have been off of it. I have problems with migraines and I also would like to try it to help lose weight but, I am trying to weigh the risks because I don't want that itching problem to start back. Oh yeah...I did not have many problems with memory loss or anything. I liked how I could think everything out more slowly. Basically...I felt like I could concentrate better on stuff and not have racing thoughts. So that was a plus for me. Also had tingling in my toes for about the first 5 or 6 months on it.

This is my second time to use Topamax and I am having a different side affect now. I am getting very hot and breaking out in cold chills at the same time. The top of my head was so hot yesterday I had to wet it before I came to work. Has anyone been having problems like this? It says decreased sweating but mine is the opposite.I have the increased body temp. I thinkl.

I just got off topamax after being on 800 mg/day for over a year. Unlike most of you, I used it to treat seizures. Because of the side effects (slurred speech, bad memory, and NO sex drive) my doctor to switched me to Lamictal.

After just one week, my sex drive is back to normal, my memory is better, and I'm more confident in my speech.

I was only on 25 mg of Topamax for two months and had to stop due to the terrible side effects of mouth numbness, taste aversion and severe dry mouth. Unfortunately, the side effects have gotten worse and persisted now for six months after going off this medication. My personal thoughts: Topamax is the worst drug on the market, has negatively impacted my life, and my neurologist could care less. These symptoms are with me 24/7 and only mildly helped by expensive mouthwash and lozenges specially formulated for dry mouth. Actually, eating certain foods makes these symptoms worse and I am afraid this is permanent, but can find no scientifically plausible evidence to explain such lingering effects. If anybody else has experienced such long-term symptoms after going off this medication, please share.

Oh My God! Reading all of these is like reading about myself. In the last 8 weeks I have gone from being a somewhat normal person to a babbling idiot! I cannot concentrate on anything, cannot function in any normal manner, have become so depressed it is all I can do to get out of bed and get my kids to school in the morning and get myself to work,,,,,,,,we have never eaten out so much in our lives! I miss more work now then when I had migraines, and my doctor will not listen. I have tried to tell him that the Topamax is not working for me, but he insists that I keep taking it. I have tried cutting back, and the effects are worse then, I become edgy and irritable, and really cant function then. What do I do? I have developed a terrible wheezing and now have to use an inhaler and breathing machine, and have never had to use one of these before in my life! I have 8 year old twins, and am only 41 years old and am not ready to die. This is the worst stuff in the world and should be taken off the market! ****** (don't know if this is allowed here, but if so, somebody please contact me with any suggestions how to get off this terrible stuff)

I've been on topamax at 400mg 2x a day for about 8 years now. It is a great drug but it has HORRIBLE side effects! It ( along with lamictal) gives me WONDERFUL seizure control. And it is safe for pregnancy. BUT it has destroyed my memory. short term and long term I cant remember much of anything! The sexual side effects is just awful. It makes reaching an orgasm almost impossible! I am very scared that I may have full blown alzheimers by the time I am 30!

Has anyone gained they're memory back after stopping topamax?

difficulty in quick memory recall. delayed response in some things. muscle fatigue (especially in lower extremities) ...but fewer migraines!

Topamax makes things taste yucky!! things like soda, beer, etc. And I've typed a whole report before or listed something on ebay and only looked back later and called myself a STUPIDAS# because of all the misspelled words- should of used spell check- which if you take Topamax make sure your spellcheck is on! Don't know why but the med will slurr your speech and brain. I do still get the occasional migraines while taking it so I'll stop it, plus tired of the spelling probs I have while on it. But my doc says I should be persistent with it, just like everything else out there... there's always a price to pay! Other than that, no side effects like stomach pain or weight loss like I've heard in others. Oh but it will make you tired..especially at first..very tired!

I have been on Topamax since Jan of 08 for complex partial seizures. I was very pleased with it at first but started having
some more unpleasant symptoms. My hair recently started falling out about two months ago in massive handfuls! I was
and am very upset about it. I did have the tingling in the hands and feet when I first started taking it and I don't drink sodas
at all which I did all the time before. I did not lose weight at first but did a couple of months ago when I got very ill with a GI
problem. I actually lost about 20 lbs in about a month. This is when my hair started falling out. I have had a lot of labs
drawn and my TSH was undetectable but my thyroid levels (T3 and T4 are normal) and my antibodies are normal as well so,
there is no telling what is going on?? I just want off of this medication before I am bald!!

I was started on Topamax late 2007 after a week long migraine that did not respond to my usual migraine medication, Relpax 40mg and Xanax 1mg and I needed the second dose 2 hours later. I was given samples of Topamax 25 mg with a schedule to slowly increase the dose. The first 3 days I noticed an improvement in my migraine. By the 4th day, I started coughing. As I increased the dosage of Topamax, my coughing got worse and more frequently. I had to return to the doctor a week later for the cough. I thought I had been exposed to bronchitis because I had worked in the church nursery.
However, the doctor heard a wheeze with my cough and stated I had asthma. This came as quite a surprise because I have never had any lung problems or asthma problems and I am 52 years old. I was referred to a pulmonologist who put me on 2 inhalers (one steroid, one rescue inhaler, nebulizer treatments, chest x-ray, Oxygen to be used a night.
I was still having severe coughing spells every time I moved or tried to talk. I would have to run to the bathroom every time I started to cough because the coughing was so violent that I experienced severe urinary incontinence every time I coughed. I checked the internet and with my pharmacist, both stated that developing a cough was very common with Topamax. After learning this, I slowly reduced the Topamax until I could stop using it. As I was reducing the Topamax, my cough started to decrease. When I mentioned to my doctor about my problems with Topamax, he stated that Topamax did not have any respiratory side effects. I had a brochure from his office for Topamax that stated Topamax should be used with caution with people with lung or asthma problems.
I am now taking 800mg of Magnesium, CoEnzyme 100mg, and Vitamin B 2 100mg twice a day as a preventative. These supplements were prescribed by my neurologist. Since starting these supplements, my number of migraines has decreased.
Kay/redpoppies

I have been taking 300mg of Topamax BID for 4 years. I also am Taking 300mg of Lamictal BID. I have had all The same side effects that have been listed. I still get some numbness and tingling in my hands, feet or legs from time to time. The weight loss eventually leveled off for me. (My Dr. said that would happen). I lost 30lbs and gained 10lbs back. the confusion and memory loss was a big deal for me, but I had finally found a great combination of meds that controlled my seizures. I found B12 shots and no caffeine really helped keep my mind clear and gave me back my "verbal capacity" (you guys know what I mean).
Overall I think it's a great drug. It defiantly changed my life for the better.
I Tried 4 others before I tried Topamax.
Nothings gong to be perfect.
Jessica, Tampa,FL

i have been on this for 5 weeks topamax and am now very depressed and anxious and having suicidal thoughts and bad upset belly and am now coming of it does anybody think that this is the cause

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 about a month now and going to give it a couple more to see if it is the med for me. I use it for migraines. I usually get at least 6 migraines a month - this month I got 4 and only one was really bad. I am very disappointed that beer no longer tastes good and am hoping that if this med does work to reduce or stop my migraines that my taste sense for at least beer will return. Also, I had an odd experience last night - I had 1 1/2 Mai Tai's last night - both of my arms went totally numb/tingly - not just my hands and not just a little tingly - totally scary numb/tingly to the point of considering an ER visit but I assumed the alcohol in the drink just exacerbated the side effect. I may become a non drinker if this med actually works. Guess you have to take the good with the bad! The cognitive stuff---that only lasted the first couple weeks thanks goodness for me. Not giving up yet!

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 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.

In August I started taking Topamax and every week i am to up the dosage now I am taking 50mg in the morning and and 50 mg at night because my headaches was so bad that I had to quit my job because I couldn't serve food and vomit at the same time. Now that my headaches have gone from everyday to about every other day I have noticed the indigestion. Because I had because sick so long the doctor suggested I had a reflux and it would correct itself.I started looking at all the medication I was on and the list from the pharmacy never indicated indigestion on as a side effect for Topamax.My appetite is non.Weight lost about 20 lbs but I could afford that and then some. I try not to use the upstairs of my home if no one is there because of the dizziness.And simple chores around the house go undone.I have bounce $130 in bank fees this month and can't figure out how and gave the finances over to my husband to keep up with and I am a math major in college this semester.This is how bad things have gotten some simple words i can't recall how to spell . I have to use the dictionary. It's bad.

Ive been on Topamax for almost 3 years. Was on 100 mg/day for 1 1/2 yrs. Couldn't take the spaciness so I went off of it. A new Dr. put me back on 50mg/day 6 months later because my headaches were so bad. I'm doing great. Headaches are less frequent. Maybe 2-3 per month but not so violent. But lately I've developed this twitching under my left eye. It's constant. Could it be the Topamax???

At 50mg a day, Topamax, taken at night, makes me feel very heavy, tired and numb all day. I have been on it for 3 months so far. I also have other side effects mentioned in previous posts. I hate feeling tingly in hands and legs (from the knee down) and sometimes in my face. It is supposed to go away - soon? I get a bad case of my legs falling asleep in almost any position I sit in other than total upright (which is not comfortable). My lifr-long instiable appetite is hardly affected. I'd say maybe a little bit. I do notice taste difference in drinks and food, sometimes more than other times. I need this medicine for Migraines, it has help relieve my symptoms, but I think I need to continue to increase the dose because I still get Migraines and feel pressure in my head a lot.

well, i guess i am not alone. this is the second time i have been on it. i weighed the pros and cons and figured that the migraines were worse than the depression, mood swings, and the inability to compute simple math. well, i feel differently now, and i think i am going back off of it again. my sex drive is also gone, but i have had a problem with that and the depression for years, just not this bad. i feel i have yelled at my children way too much lately, cuz it is making me so crabby, and i don't think that it is worth it. after reading some of your posts, it has helped me make the decision to go off of topomax for good. i could deal with tingling, bad taste, and weight loss (the only good side effect), but not the other horrible effects.

I've been on Topamax for a year and a half now. I started with 50 mg. and am now up to 100 mg. I did have the usual side effects of the tingly fingers, feet and arms the first six weeks and then that went away. Food and soft drinks tasted funny for a while, but that too went back to normal. I did lose 15 pounds and I didn't really have it to lose in the first place, so I upped my workouts with weights to compensate. My migraines have gone from five a week to one, so it's helped me BIG time being on this medication. My eyesight, however, has suffered. I used to have 20/20 vision. I now need reading glasses. I'm sure it's because of this medication, but to be honest, I'll take the glasses over being in that severe pain five times a week.

I am almost 41, and have had migraine headaches most of my life which I could manage with 800mg of Naproxen Sodium, or a Norgesic Forte, and when Imitrex came out, I could just administer that. Six months ago, my headaches got so frequent that I had to start taking my Relpax (similar to Imitrex) and/or Fioricet more than 2X per week. According to my neurologist, this is a no no, as both of those meds can couse rebound headaches. He started me on Topamax, 50mg per day. It did nothing. He bumped it to a 100, nothing. Now I'm a 200 mgs, I am still have a migraine in left temple as I write this. I have the tingling, the daytime sleepiness, but my mind is fine, and my appetite is just swell (regretfully). What the hell am I going to do now? Ask him to bump me up to 400 mg? Now I have these headaches every "F"ing day, and I can't take anything. I just have to suffer.

Topamax is NOT working!!!!!

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 have been on Topamax for 2 months and it has been horrible. I started at 25mg at bedtime and worked up to 50mg at night and 25 in the morning. I wish I never took it at all. I have had numerous migraines with the medication except now my tongue goes numb every time. I can't remember anything and I am in a fog all the time. I had to take a trip to the emergency room for tachycardia that occurs every time I stand. It goes up from normal to 166bpm. The cardiologist insists the Topamax is causing orhtostatic hypotension. I stopped all of the Topamax on Monday and it is now Saturday and I still feel horrible. Migraines are horrible but being stuck on your couch all the time because your hr increases sharply and you feel like you are going to pass out is worse. My hands and feet tingle all the time. I feel out of breath and I have always been very active. I now feel anxious all the time (never like this before). I feel like I am not myself and I am going crazy. I do not trust myself because I do not feel like myself. Has anyone else had these symptoms? Do they eventually go away? The cardiologist can't guarantee that they will ever go away.

I have been taking Topomax for migraines for about 3 years now. Staying at the 75mg at night dosage. Going to 100mg just does not work for me. GI disturbances too severe. Diarrhea mostly. Early on same as a lot of the other reports, tingling in hands, bad tasting soda, some hair loss, and intermittent upset stomach and diarrhea. Memory not as good as without the med and balance a little off. All of these have diminished in intensity and frequency. Up side, weekly headaches that forced me to go to bed gone. Being an irritable wretch because my head hurt, was about to begin to hurt, or just got over hurting gone. At this point in my life the pros still outweigh the cons and as long as that is true I will continue with the regimine.

I have been taking 25 mg. at bedtime of topamax for the last week. I was prescribed topamax to end my chronic headaches. The last week has been very difficult for me. In just 7 days I have gone from being sharp, aware, motivated, focused and in control... to scattered, unable to focus, can't remember my pin # that I have had for 20 years, stop mid sentence because I can't remember what I was trying to say, unable to hold a conversation, unable to think clearly, unable to interact with my children. My family says I have turned into a zombie. I am not safe to drive and cannot work. I did not take my topamax last night and won't be taking it anymore. I would gladly have my headaches back if I could just feel like myself again. I had no idea it would affect me so negatively in just one week on such a low dose. (25 mg)

Be so careful before taking this medicine. My doctor didn't discuss any of these side effects with me, but I did research the drug online before I took it and was aware there were serious side effects, but it never seems that serious until you actually endure the side effects for yourself. The drug is not for me.

I was thrilled to lose about 15 pounds so fast, but lately I have noticed so much hair in my brush that I could make a wig. I am not willing to lose my hair or eyesight. Working in pharmacy, when this first came out I put myself on it b/c I heard about the weight loss. I also have had a few seizures and an MD prescribed it, but I know what caused those seizures, some bad behavior, and I know im not epileptic. thought they told me once you have one you're prone to them. As long as I stay a 'good girl' i have had no seizures. It sucks thinking about gaining back this weight though. Willpower and the gym I must, i must.

I have just started taking this drug today for drug and alcohol cravings. After reading all of the testimonials about the drig on this website, I am definitely scared. I definitely won't go up to more than 50mgs a day. I just weighed the possible side effects against giving into a craving that might kill me. It took me 3 weeks since I've had this medication to start it. Wish me luck! Mahalo and Aloha from Kauai!

oh my God I wish I had read this sooner I thought I was going crazy! it seems like the doctors just don't know about the side effects of a lot of these drugs, because I have had ALL of those symptoms- the tingling, the muscle pain, the aches, the feeling of bugs crawling, the itching, the one I have the most now is pain in my arms and legs now to the point where today I cannot lift my arms past the front of my chest or over my head. So I barely stand the shower and barely get ready for work. When I told my doctor this last week, he said, hmmm, I don't know, lets just give it a few more weeks and see. I've been on Topomax for 5 weeks. I started at 25 mgs and worked my way up to 100 mgs slowly. Each time I add more mgs I have more EXTREME fatigue, and spaciness, dizziness, etc. My legs and arm and back pain did not start until the past 2 weeks. THIS SUCKS. But having migraines sucks too. I have lost weight. But I just don't know that I can live like this. The migraines are new for me, as a result of an accident I was in on January 26th. The side effects of the Topamax outweigh the pain from my accident. I might have reconsider taking this. Although I must say, this drug is the kind of medicine that definitely takes a while to understand how it will work for you. A lot of the effects will wear off. A lot of my spaciness or "Paula Abdul" moments as I like to call them, are getting so much better. I'm sitting at 100 mgs and really don't want to raise the dosage at all. I will talk to the doctor and see what he says. That's the other thing... doctors tend to give people too much or dont know how much to prescribe. Starting people off at 50 mg is too much. I take mine around dinner time as it tends to kick in around sleepy time and if I increase I ALWAYS increase on a Friday so I can regulate over the weekend. PS. I also have blood clots in my legs so being on Coumadin doesn't help things either!
GOOD TIMES!
I'm just so glad I'm not alone!!!
Caroline

i have bee on topamax for 2 years started out low amounts now i am up to 100mg at night and 50mg in the morning and i will take 50mg when needed for a headache if i get one thru the day . that is all i love it. no more in the bedroom all day missing life sick. no more head splitting open just shoot myself painful headache. i feel great and i function raising three boys two teens and one pre teen. im not saying that they don't give me a migraine but i can control them thanks to topamax. i hope it never loses its effectiveness because i will lose my piece of mind. oh before i go ,weight gain ! i am an semi-active person. i did not gain the weight at first but as i got older i did . but i work it out and keep going. i would rather 10 lbs more on my tush than a migraine busting my head open. so work out a bit ,go for a walk ,choose a good eating regimine, and lose your headaches.

Initially, numbness and tingling in extremities which subsided, but memory loss and loss for words is very uncomfortable, and my neurologist suggested caffeine every AM to compensate, which helps some, but not enough. Difficulty reaching orgasm has become very frustrating as a side effect, but is better than the horrible headaches every day. What a choice!!1

I have been on topomax for nearly a year and have many of the same problems you guys have but a new one has popped up on me that scared the shit outta me and no one can seem to figure out what is causing it.
During sex just before orgasm my brain felt like it was going to explode!!
All I could do was hold my head in my hands and roll on the bed. this pain lasted for almost 8 hours. the next day i felt fine and went motorcycle riding and while racing my buddy and while passing him(More Excitement) It hit again and it was all I could do to stay on the bike. Went to the hospital and they did cat scans mri ,mra tests and have found nothing wrong w/my head .So my ? is could this be coming from my topomax??

Topamax can cause blindness. Please read about all of the side effects of your antipsychotic meds carefully, and never think you are immune to them. These are powerful drugs, and no one truly knows how they will effect each individual brain.

Hello, I started taking Topamax a year and a half ago for my migraines ( I was getting them almost daily- still am). My neurologist started me out at the normal dose of 25 mg a day and kept raising it up until I was at 100mg twice a day at which point I just quit taking it because I felt like it was just making things worse. Anyway, in the beginning, I did lose my appetite and things tasted terrible... especially carbonated beverages. I lost probably 15lbs. I quit taking the topamax for about 6 months and gained about 20lbs. I just started taking it again about 2 weeks ago and my appetite has actually increased. Has anyone else experienced this? I am hungry all of the time. I did not have a problem concentrating or remembering things last time but this time I do. Funny how it effects you differently each time you take it...