Topamax and insomnia

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?

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 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 only started Topamax three days ago (25 mgs, but it will be increased to 100 mgs over an eight week period to help me adjust), and I've already experienced the loss of appetite, crazy mood swings, insomnia, eye aches, and head aches. I haven't had a migraine, though, so that's nice, I guess.

Ive only taken the pill 2 times so far. Already looking for the reason why my Dr. Pepper tastes bad, and I haven't slept since I took the very first one. I studder and can not complete sentences after I take it. I have a call in to the Dr. He said it will go away. Im not so sure I believe him. Insomnia I am a single mom, and work in a nursing home how unsafe....

I took Topamax about 6 years ago for migraines, and experienced no side effects. Just started it up again 3 days ago, and I feel like I am totally drugged and my head is spinning, can not drive, can barely hold a conversation, only started with 25mg, and can say that each day I feel a little better, but the only difference this time is that I am on Lexapro and my Dr. said the side effects could be worse till I get used to it..anyone else take this combination? And how long till I can function again?

I take topamax for migraines. I'm still feeling this out. When I first started about 2 months ago I went through all kinds of crazy symptoms. My husband thought I was loosing it. For some reason my doctor wanted to start me out right away with about 50 in am and 50 at night. The first month was rough.
I read the pamplets and took myself down to a lower dose and worked up slower as the company suggest. I not only had tingly hands and extremties.
But outburst of weeping and anger like never before. Like triple the pms symptoms. There were just all kinds of weird things. In this 2nd month I am taking 100 in the am and 25-50 in the evening. I am now experiencing the acne, itchy skin, inability to concentrate, apathy. Insomnia. In general I don't get chronic headaches. But have yet to see menstrual migraines subside. Sill feeling my way through this. You cannot stop this med abruptly. As many meds. Do not tell you how dangerous they are to stop abruptly. I think every one is individual. Soda's are not flat for me, but enhanced. More carbonated. Which I like. Strange I know.

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.

Topamax is w/out a doubt the WORST drug I've ever been on. It made me brain dead. I couldn't find a job on Topamax. I would be in interviews and would space out and couldnt' answer questions. People looked at me like I was crazy. I felt like I had Alzheimer's at 38, especially when my neuro prescribed Exelon, the drug for Alzheimer's to counteract the cognitive side effects. As I said, couldn't find a job, had no insurance. My topa-lovin' neuro was giving it to me and getting me on the patient=ass program through Johnson/Johnson, the maker's of TM. She didn't want to help me get on another anticonvulsant PA program. Finally, I had to charge another med on my credit card because I couldn't take this toxic gunk in my body anymore. The decay of my mind has escalated to the point that I don't know if I will ever be back to myself again. BEWARE of this drug. I haven't even covered the eye pain, insomnia, headaches, leg cramps (i can go on).

I have been on topamax for almost a year now. I had been having a nearly constant migraine cycle for three months which had to be broken with migranol nasal spray. I then started on escalating dosages of topamax. By 100mg I realized that life was wonderful but that I couldn't retain much information which was a problem as I had just gone back to school for an advanced degree. Upon consultation with my doctor, we reduced my dosage to 50mg and things improved dramatically.

I have experienced some fingertip and toe tingling which have been completely tolerable. I take the medication right before bed so that I don't have problems with fatigue during the day. I do get out of breath easily when I exert myself and carbonated beverages taste horrible. But my migraines are under control.

I have a Ph.D. in molecular biology and a few years of neuroscience research under my belt. I would like to say that it is EXTREMELY important for people to understand that no medication is going to work identically for any two people. What works for one person, may not work for everyone. I know people who swear by imitrex but this medication does absolutely nothing for me. You have to be your own advocate when it comes to medications and treatments. Your genetics will also determine how well, if at all, you respond to any medication. For some topamax is a life saver, for others it will be the bane of their existence. This will always be the case for any medication. Be tolerant of others' experiences and understanding of each others' pain and progress will be made.

My sister in law has been taking topamax for at least two years now for migraines, I think 50mg a day. She has developed serious issues, which she nor her doctors believe is from the drug. She has back pain, moodiness, sleeplessness, extreme muscle cramping. Most recently, her legs have become extremely swollen, larger than any pregnant woman I have ever seen. The skin on her feet is breaking open and peeling. The doctors can't find the cause, but I think it is the topamax. Has anyone else had this swelling?

The doctors haven't been able to determine if I had a stroke or drug related (symptoms- if the slurred speech, facial palsy, memory problems, problems with working memory, and a 30+ drop in IQ points, weakness right hand). I had an open MRI and nothing was abnormal. They took me off the topamax and there has been no change and put me on verapamil sr. Trust me the verapamil is horrible as cause anxiety, insomnia, increase in appetite and congestive heart failure. At this point, the only thing that the topamax is responsible for was a decrease in appetite ( Yup, I had a stroke). I can't wait to get back on the topamax.

I had a really bad time on this medication. Side effects included -

swelling of the feet and ankles, loss of memory including names of close friends, sleeplessness, psychosis, paranoia, loss of appetite. I lost my mind, in fact. Far from "taking the edge" off my highs, it magnified the high to a previously unreached level.

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.

sleeplessness during the night.......drowsiness, no energy, and feeling lethargic during the day and produces alot of gas!

I have been taking 25 mg Topamax, 4 doses per day, for 5 months now. I am taking it for nerve damage in my ankle. I have previously taken Neurontin had to discontinue because weight gain.

I have lost 10 lbs and have trouble sleeping at night. I also have short sttention span.

After reading these horrific side effects, I am not alone. I have only began taking topamax 25 mgs once a day and then I am suppose to increase it to 200 mgs. in a month which I am not sure I am ready to do that. I take it for migranes, I have had tingling in my feet and numbness in my hands, sleeplessness and loss of appetite. But I feel that I am getting better even though I am suppose to increase he dose next week, I am not so sure what I am going to do yet. Any siggestions?? I am going to call the doctor but then again it is not really his call , it is mine, do I want to live with the headaches? or can i stand the side effects until my body gets use to the medication?