Topamax and synthroid

I took Topamax for 6 months. I am a control freak by nature and really liked the drug at the start when I took 25 mg.; however, like most people who take Topamax know, you increase the dosage until you get to 100 mg. By the time I got to 75 mg. I was a basket case. I did lose weight and I was really calm; however, I thought I had Alzheimer's. My short term memory was shot and was slowly effecting my long term memory. I was constantly at a loss for words and stuttering all the time. For someone like me who is extreme control freak this was very debilitating. I also had constant tingling on my nose (I know weird) and my fingers. My husband begged me to stop taking Topamax because he could see the difference in me. Like everyone else my Migraines completely went away and so I thought the benefits outweighed the side effects.. The doctor said that maybe 75 mg. was to high so he put me back to 50 mg. It didn't change. Finally after 6 months I was almost a vegetable. I stopped talking which is extremely unusual for me. I stopped hanging around my friends and family and wouldn't deal with my kids. My daughter finally came up to me and said I don't know who you are, but I want my mommy back. That was all I needed. I weened myself off and within 2 months was back to normal. Unfortunately, my migraines came back full force 4 days a week. The good news is that about a year later I was having a physical and the doctor said that my thyroid was off and needed to start taking Synthroid. I have to say I couldn't believe it, but ever since I started taking Synthroid my migraines have completely gone away. From having them 4 days a week to maybe have 1 or 2 a year since being on Synthroid. I have been basically Migraine free for almost 2 years. I highly recommend that people, especially women, talk to their doctor to see if their thyroid could possibly be causing migraines. I have had migraines since I was in college 20 years ago.

One thing I do have to say is that the company that manuf. Topamax listed all the side effects. It did say that Topamax could possibly cause Neuropathy, loss of memory, weight loss, etc... It also stated that the symptoms should disappear after 6 weeks; however, it some cases they didn't. I respect that they were honest with their research and were very clear in the side-effects. I have many friends who use Topamax and thank g-d for it everyday. They had no side effects from the drug and have been living happy lives.

I have been on Topamax for several years now for crippling migraines. I now take 125 mg at bedtime. I once tried to take myself off of it but, the headaches came back worse than ever So... I went back on. some say that it works because migraines are like a type of seizure. I sure don't know but I'll do anything not to have them like I used to. Recently at night my arms and legs get numb; sometimes one side sometimes both sometimes all I feel is my trunk. It is really scary, but more scary for me is the headaches with the intense nausea that accompanies them. You just can't function. Lately I also feel very tired too! Every one tells me it is just stress from work and "perimenopause" (just what I need more hormonal fluctuation to cause headaches) I really wonder if all this increased fatigue could also be the Topamax ... I mean I could easily sleep 11 hours per night if you let me! Has this happened to anyone? Did perimenopause complicate your treatment?

Hello, I have been on Topamax for about 2 months now for severe and unexplained dizzy spells\vertigo. I am at 100mg. The spells are gone thank God, because they were debilitating, but the side effects are HORRIBLE! First it was me just feeling like an idiot, dropping everything, forgetting words, losing my train of thought mid sentence... I am a hair stylist so this could be quite embarrasing. Then I got the crazy weird tingles everywhere, but they are kinda cool. Except when they wake you up in the middle of the night. AHH! But luckily the stupidness has worn off, and the feeling like I never get enough sleep has too. But now I AM LOSING SOOO MUCH HAIR! Like handfulls of it. I took a ziplock bag of it to my Dr. and (extreme, I know...) he says "yeah, that can happen..." not to me! I'm a hairdresser! I think I may go off of it... Has anyone else experienced this??? Soda still tastes like crap most days, but I don't like it much anyways. It can up your anxiety level at times too, i think. The positive is that it keeps you from overeating. The side effects get better, as in not as constant, but they never completely go away.