Topamax and topomax

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.

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.

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 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??

ok i have been taking topomax for about roughly 7 years. at one time it got so bad with the memory loss they put me on the alzhimers med. that they proscribe for about everyone with alzhimers. i have had clumps of hair fall out so they put in a prescription for hair loss. i once weighed 100 lbs size 0 im 5 ft tall and i am usually about a 7-8 . the topomax i was taking it for my toruretts syndrome and every so often it causes a clich ill have face freezing that will last for and hour to 3 days or make it worse. ill get hives i get aggressive angerd very easily at the drop of a pin and wont eat at all because i forget i forget everything i once stared at a wall for 3 hours i couldn't move my body or eyes my mind went blank like someone shut off the electricity . plus bad acne ( um when i first took it it was like i was getting high with my entire body tingling like when ur foot has fallen asleep even my eyes felt like that) i have sufford some vision problems everyday and forget what and where i was going it has made me have some psychological problems increase
i have now recently stopped taking it i still get rashes i am always cold hair is still falling out still hear a ring in my ears i see things that aren't there like little firecrackers going off in my vision or blackouts like when u get a migraine i am always itching tingly all the time aggravated all the time
but now i eat i have gained like close to 20 lbs but i am more focussed in some things it helps when i am in class to stay focussed but not really because im not used to being so alert but i think i like not feeling foggy anymore

I started Topamax in November of 2007 the usual 25mg and worked my way up to 150mg. I have always had pretty thick hair and now have hair loss in the widows peak and top part of my hair. Needless to say I am devastated. I have cut myself down to 50mg in the am and 50 mg in the pm. My Neurologist states that she has not heard of hair loss but even this web site and the drug company states that it can cause hair loss. I have with the help of a very good massage therapist determined that my migraines are cervical so I am seeking a second opinion and taking myself off this drug. Not worth the hair loss if I don't need to be on this drug.

I started taking Topamax 3 weeks ago, 25mg for the first week then up to 75mg starting week 2. I am also on Effexor,150mg 1 per day.. I feel good and have had a loss of appetite. My thinking is a little fogged and I must concentrate a bit harder. I started taking this as a pain medication and it works. I am also overweight and know for a fact I've lost. I find myself eating better choices and much smaller portions. My moods are good and I like this medication. Thanks for letting me share ! (:

Laurie

Been taking Topamax 300 mg a day for the past 4 year. I also take 450 mg of Wellbutrin. This is to help with migraine. Although my total count of Zomig pills I took last year was 120 pills and some of those I broke in half so I wouldn't have to use a whole pill for a migraine. So that mean, with the Topamax and Wellbutrin combined, I still had at least 123 migraine this past year. Three months of migraines. That's insane. I can't stop the "Dopamax" because my doctor says it would be really bad with it. I have terrible memory loss, forgetfulness, and loss of words that is embarrassing. The nurses did not inform me of the side effects when I first started taking it and I thought I was going crazy. I started looking up ADHD on the computer thinking I had developed it as an adult. I was made at the nurse when she asked me how I was doing remembering things and and if I was stumbling for word......I wanted to slap her off her stool.........at that point it was NOT funny.

I take 200mg a day (100mg in the morning and 100mg at night) for seizures. It has been my miracle drug. Granted the side effects were awful. But I did my research before starting it again. I had taken it previously for migraines and couldn't tolerate it. If you take the appropriate vitamins while taking it you can help to alleviate a lot of the side effects that you may have. Topomax can absorb some critical vitamins out of your body which causes some of the side effects. The vitamins that I take are: a high dosage of a Super B Complex (tingling, numbness, fatigue, speech). L-Carnitine (memory loss), Biotin (hair and skin). There is another website with postings similar to this which is where I discovered other patients taking Topomax that had discovered using the vitamins helped. Once I got on a good regimen of vitamins it made a big difference. I still experienced and am experiencing weight loss (but I just had a baby) so I am not really upset about that. LOL Anyways, I hope that information helps someone out there. It sure did help me. If I can find the research link that had the vitamin listing that it depreciates I will post it.

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 have been on Topamax for four months for epilepsy and I love it. I do experience some of the above mentioned side effects but my seizures were not grand mal seizures they were absence seizures. so the memory loss thing is a non issue for me, as far as depression, didn't get that one, weight loss; glad to have it, tingling; not that bad; the coldness; really only bothersome at bedtime so I take a bath at night, a really hot bath. Confusion, I was confused a lot because of the seizures so, again don't know which is worse. For me I feel this is a miracle drug. I'm not sure about the abdominal issues that is my only concern right now, that is what I am dealing with constipation and maybe some menstrual issues??

I was doing just fine taking 50 mg of Topamax but I was still having minor headaches. My doctor said to go to a neurologist because there may be a tumor to worry about. He doubled my morning dosage and added an evening dosage so now I am taking 200 mg. a day. I started the insanity on Friday. By Monday i went grocery shopping and couldn't remember what I was shopping for. Thank God i brought my husband with me...when I could remember that he was with me. And then when I remembered to ask him what we came for I needed to remember where it was. Upon returning home I offered to help my 7 year old grand daughter with her spelling homework. Do you how embarrassing it is to not remember how to spell first grade spelling words? Tuesday was Mardi Gras and we went to the movies so I was saved any further mind questions. Then along comes Wednesday and I returned to work. Well, I tried to get to work. I got lost. Here I was at Walgreen's trying to figure out what I was doing out at 6:00 in the morning. What day was it? The looks on other's faces when you ask them these question is not something funny. So, I get back in my car and aim in the direction I hope is work. Luckily, I remember where I habitually stop for breakfast. My memory comes back again and I make it to work. I am on time and all is well. Now, the day begins.

I haven't had a period since December. Here it is February. And no, I am NOT pregnant. I can't concentrate. I ate 2 chicken nuggets for lunch and am full (now that is a healthy lunch, huh?). I was addicted to Dr. Pepper and now can't even stand the smell of it. I can't walk and chew gum at the same time. I found a note that I wrote sometime yesterday that really scares me because I don't remember writing it. It says, " Headache @ 1:55 no known trigger jut sudden movement to pick up papers from bin over desk. Nausea as well. Need to go to sleep forever." Good feeling to have? Depression is kicking in.

I just called my doctor and he says decrease the medication down to 100 mg. Ummmm...How about I decrease it down to 0 mg and I take a Imitrex or 2 and a hot bath with a nap when I get home and live to see my grandchildren grow old! I think living with a migraine or 50 is far better than what I have been feeling this past week.

If anyone can tell me that it gets better in less than 2 weeks I will stay with it but 1 more week of this and I will be a patient in a mental hospital. I can't even play Nintendo with my grandson...NOW THAT IS DEPRESSING!

I'm a 26 year old female and I've been on Topamax since March 2007. It has completely gotten rid of the debilitating headaches I experienced 3-6 times a week. It also got rid of my anxiety. I got my life back, my antidepressant kicked in at the same time. I experienced all the usual side-effects, tingling hands and feet, forgetting words, memory problems, loss of appetite, but was COMPLETELY pain-free. I still am. However, I never remember anything now, forget whether or not I did something, paid my bills, etc, lose things constantly, and I have lost about 20 lbs. Not good. I look anorexic. I have bones sticking out. Eating is hard. I forget to eat and drink all day and food is just unappealing. I feel fuzzy and stupid and slow. Not sharp like I used to be. It has killed my confidence and self-esteem. But I was wondering if any women out there got yeast infections while they were on Topamax. I've had one monthly since I started it, and my doc said it's a rare side effect. Oh yeah, I've had mild hair loss and mild to moderate acne now. This drug, it is such a 50-50. Living with chronic pain, those headaches were awful. But doubting yourself is awful too. Anyone have similar experiences?

I have been on Topamax for a little over a year. I've had most of the side effects; tingling, numbness in the fingers, dry mouth, forgetfulness, and weight loss - love the weight loss. All the side effects have sort of slowed down as I've been on the medication longer. The weight loss has slowed and I've even began to get my appetite back- I'm afraid I'm going to start gaining weight now! I've lost about 40 pounds and I needed to lose it, so that was wonderful. I've had a very hard time losing weight all my life so this was wonderful.

I was addicted to Coca Cola and this med also helped me kick that habit because I lost my taste for the carbonation.

Does anyone know if the weight loss usually evens out after about a year or a year and a half? I need to lose about 30 more pounds and was hoping that I would continue losing weight!

Anyway, I was on the Topamax for headaches and it has completely helped that! It has truly been a God-send for me. Other than monthly hormone headaches, I don't get migraines hardly at all!

I am wondering about having my doc up my dosage for the weight loss aspect????

Have been taking 400mg of Topamax for 7 years for severe chronic pain condition. Currently experiencing some new issues. Originally had only wonderful things to say, never had any complaints and thought Topamax was doing it's job for me. Tried going off once after developing kidney stone (thought was only side effect), but new med made liver enzymes escalate. Doctors just exploring which of these troubles may/may not be attributable to Topamax. Currently taking several other meds, as well. Which came first, chicken or egg?

I've been on Topamax for over a year for hormonal migraines, and it's working great for the headaches. I started out at 25mg twice a day and now I'm up to 100mg twice a day. I've lost 40lb (mostly due to the drug -- but my appetite is starting to come back) and have just recently started experiencing the anxiety and tingling in the extremities. I've always felt I've had trouble concentrating and "finding the word", but I attributed it to lack of sleep because I have two small children. My most recent side effect, however, is most worrisome, which is the reason for my visit to this website. I am experiencing severe abdominal pain, almost constant, and it seems to be increasing. I had abdominal pain and diarrhea when I first started Topamax last year, but it stopped after the first month or so. I'm just wondering if maybe long term use can cause ulcers or other stomach problems. Anyone have any experience with this? I know from experience that Topamax dosages have to gradually weaned up and down, so I'm considering decreasing my dosage to see if my stomach problems will stop. I'm just in so much pain, yet my migraines have almost stopped now with 200mg a day, that I'm reluctant to change my dose.

I have been taking Topomax for quite some time.Tried it several years ago, the mgs were not high enough (only 25mg/day).My doctor didn't really know the prpoer dosage.It didn't help the migraines.My new doctor has me on it again.50 mgs/day.Here's the good - NO MIGRAINES! Here's the bad: Acne at 45 years old, tingling doesn't even describe my legs or face, ringing in the ears, remembering names and places just doesn't happen, I'm eating less but gaining weight quickly,& one last thing- Itchy spots that I would describe as "hot spots" if I were speaking of my dog. Still sticking with it because I don't have the migraines.I tried to slowly take myself off and the headaches came back.What choice is there?

I have been on Topomax for 2 years now at 200 mg. for mood stabilization. I was recently hospitalized for my depression and they upped my Topomax dose to 400mg saying it was the "therapeutic dosage". I went into the hospital weighing 116 pounds and I am 5' 6" tall. I started having diarrhea within a couple days. By the tiime I left 2 weeks later I had gone from a size 4 to a size 2. A month and 1/2 later I had lost 15 pounds, had severe abdominal pain everytime I ate, diarrhea every morning, nausea, and had absolutely no appetite.

My psychiatrist insisted it was not the medication and I went to a gastroenterologist for the full workup- ultrosound, colonoscopy, endoscopy and surprise surprise they found nothing. My Gastro doctor concluded it must be the meds so I started backing down on the Topomax and already the diarrhea has stopped. I am at 250 and up to 101 pounds now. I am taking in over 1200 calories a day but I still can't seem to gain weight. My doctor still doesn't believe it's the Topomax but it all points in that direction. Instead they insist I'm just not eating enough But I make sure to force myself to get down 3 meals plus 2 ensures and some snacks. I still am waiting to get some appetite back. I know some women would love to be in my place to have to try to gain weight but I feel like I'm dying all the time. I have no energy, I can't even get up in the morning to take care of my kids. My fiance left me because he got so fed up with my "sickness" and thought it was all in my head. I have my mother living with me now just to help me take care of my own children and it breaks my heart that I don't have the enery to play with them. I can't see my psychiatrist for 2 more weeks so I am taking my level of medication into my own hands which I know you are not supposed to do but at this point it's that or lie in bed feeling like I'm just wasting away.

Hello, everyone. I didn't know there was a page like this, but I'm glad there is. I've been on Topamax for 3 weeks because the medicine I was on for 2 years didn't do anything and the headaches weren't going away at all anymore; they were continuous. The first week at 25 mg I had the tingling for a day or two, the involuntary muscle twitches, the terrible mouth taste, and the chest pain. All but the terrible taste went away by the second week at 50 mg but I started getting wobbly legs and dropsy. I read an article somewhere where a person on Tomamax called the drug Stupamax or Dopamax and said anyone on it turned into a box of rocks. The box hit me at 3 weeks and 75 mg. I'm not wobbly anymore, I'm still irritatingly dropsy, and I am doing things that only a person with half a brain would do. Plus, my ears have been ringing for two days, and today I feel like I'm in a tunnel and everything is far away. I'm getting ready to call my doctor. On the OTHER hand, I haven't had a headache that lasted for more than a half hour in 3 weeks. So what's best? Going back to headaches or continue to evolve into a box of rocks?

I started taking Topamax 2 days ago and I have already noticed side effects..such as the flat soda...numbness in my arms and face at night...BUT the worst part are the morbid thoughts at night ( I take only 25 mg at night) I have the most bizarre dreams and I wake up feeling like I havent slept for days. I am taking it due to severe migraines which result in seizures. I am horrified after reading some of the posts here. I am wondering if anyone started out with any of these side effects and then as their body became accustomed to the medication did they pass?

I've been on Topamax since just Tuesday, 10/9/07. I find that I get very tired a couple hours after taking it and I have horrible nightmares and very dark thoughts, too. Diet coke tastes so HORRBILE which is bad because I loved my diet cokes, but then again I guess that's good b/c I need to stop drinking them anyway. My worst side effect is that I have horrible mood swings. Is this normal? Is this going to go away over time? Because if not, I'm going to stop taking it now. This is not like me and I am not going to subject my family to this - losing weight is not THAT important to me. Thanks for any help. :(

P. S. I'm taking 25 mg in the morning, afternoon and evening.

I can't believe all of these posts, wow. I was starting to feel as though I was alone with all of the symptoms I was experiencing. I started this drug 2 1/2 weeks ago at 25mg am/pm and am currently up to 75mg am/am. I have really bad chest pain/tightness and mild shortness of breath. As someone else had mentioned, pop is enhanced not dulled, seems as though its like pins on my tongue. I have been forgetting words but not too bad, just for a couple of seconds. The anxiety is the worst, sometimes I lay in bed and the chest pain will increase and I get so axious it feels as though I'm going to die. I went to the ER last night but they did an EKG and told me my heart was fine that the chest pain most likely was not related to my heart. (I'm a 22 year old male and have never had problems with my heart) These chest pains only started after starting this drug. I'm ready to try something else. This was the first drug I was put on for my seizures, my doctor said it could possibly help the seizures/headaches/weight. These side effects are just too much.

I've been on Topomax for about 3-4 months now. I've had memory loss, slurred speech, decreased concentration (I have to re-read something several times to understand it) tingling in the hands and feet, depression, increased anger, loss of appetite, weight loss. I'm now at the point where I have a rash on my leg, severe nausea, and abnormal bleeding. I going to follow up with my neuro and PCP to see what's going on so we'll see. My migraines have decreased from 3-4 a week to maybe 1 a week, so it has been worth it so far so I can function for work and for my kids as a single mother. I've suffered from migraines for about 10 years and can't take the pain no more!!! If anyone has experienced the nausea, rashes or bleeding please reply.

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?

Started 50 mg Topomax a week ago and to help lose weight gained from my lithium. I'm already on a mood stabilizer lamictal so I didn't need it for mood - only appetite suppression. The first day I did notice that my taste for diet sodas changed - I thought something was wrong with the can and threw it away and got another, but no, it was the same. Oh well. My appetite is pretty much zero, which is fine with me since I gained over 30 pounds since starting lithium seven months ago. I don't feel any tingling or any wierd sensations - but I did feel lethargic/"stupid" the first day (and I'm definitely not that!) - so I switched to taking it at night only and that took care of that. I still feel tired when I take it at night and a little slow in the morning but by the time I get to work I'm good to go. As far as how I'll do when my psych ups the dosage I'll have to see - I'll be sure and post. I think everyone tolerates meds differently and you need to research any drug before you take it.

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.

Hi Everyone,
I have been taking Topamax 25 mg for 1 week. I can't stand it. Today I am to up my dosage to 50 mg.I am not sure if I want to do that. The side effects suck.. I think I would rather just deal with my migraines, at least I know how to do that since I have had them for over 25 years. I have tried everything and nothing has worked so the Dr. and I thought we would give this a try.
I am trying to keep my place of employment happy with trying to cut down on the migraines but nothing works.
Most days I just want to give up.
Hopefully we will be able to figure something out.

I can't stand the pickhands and feet, the stumbling like I am drunk( and I dont' drink) nothing tastes right anymore, I have the shakes and I ache.
And all it does is makes me sleepy and like I am in another world.
I went to work today and made it half an hour before I came home because I stumbled and almost fell over. And when the boss talked to me it was like I wasn't there. So I came home. I don't know but I don't like it at all.

I have been using topomax 100mg daily for 6 months now. I started at that dose immediately, as I was having occular migraines on a daily basis. I experienced terrible side effects of memory lapses, tingling in my face and hands, & speech issues for about 6 weeks. It was about that time that I also realized carbonated beverages were tasting like liquid tin. I also have decreased appetite, and have lost 35 lbs. The side effects were awful in the beginning, but I was told they would subside after my body adjusted to the medication. So, I kept telling myself the effects were due to the medication, and would eventually go away, and they did. I have to admit, those 6 weeks were awful. My kids, hubby and I would joke, because Mom just had a "loopy" topomax moment. As of today, the only side effects are the liquid tin taste of carbonated beverages and loss of appetite, and I am now experiencing difficulties sleeping, which could be caused by something else. For me, the 6 weeks of feeling like I was losing my mind were worth going through, as I am continuing to lose some needed poundage, and most importantly, I am headache free!

Extreme moodiness, one day I love everybody, the next day I hate everybody, from my husband to my co-workers, even the lady at the gas station. Causes either extreme paranoia (from my husband is having an affair and Im going to get fired) to the other end of the sprectrum, TOTAL whimsical carelessness! Not me at all! Im typically very grounded, very stable, very predictable, very reliable, very easygoing, the office manager of a large corporation, with my husband for almost 14 years.

on a good note, I have lost approximately 6 pounds in 2 weeks. However, my feet, legs, fingers and hands tingle frequently to the extent that it is quite annnoying. Pins and needles annoying, at any given time. During traffic, in a meeting, its caused me to drop things.

After reading various posts, it causes concern to nerve damage. Its not worth the risk. I am going to back myself off of my prescription. If you are on topomax, and see any warning signs, Consult your physician!!

Is loss of sex drive a problem when you are on Topamax? Also, does the weight loss stop?

My wife is getting really skinny. She pops off at me when I ask her a question....and I have given up on sex.

She's free of migranes though and I guess that is all that matters. She's been on it for about a year.

I have been on topomax for 2 years for seizures. They had my dosage up to 200-250mg at one time and now I am on 100mg 1x a day do to the side effects. Now being on the 100mg I just don't feel like the topomax is working or worth taking. So, I stopped taking all together 2 days ago. I have had no side effects and I feel great. I think that topomax is great in the beginning and then being on the med for a prolonged period of time messes with your body, mind, etc..

I have been on topomax for about 10 days(50 mg for first week and 100 mg since then). I have severe hair loss, loss of apetite, memory loss, loss of words, confusion, not able to think clearly, mood swings and depression. I am worried at all these side effects. I sometimes think, if I have to chose between severe headaches and all these, is it worthy to continue Topomax? My Doctor only warned me of tingling effect on fingers and toes and nothing else. Today I had been to another doctor for second opinion and he actually asked me a few question as part of check up and the it struck me that all these things are happening to me. I was kind of ignoring these effects so far thinking they are part of post partum depression.

hair loss frontal..
been on topomax for 3 years 200mg nightly to control migrains. Went to all types of Dr and did all types of blood work finally it was decided that the Topomax is causing the hair to fall out. Yes I take vitamins and fish oil and super omega-3. It is hopefull that the hair will start to grow back I would hate to be bald at 36.

I have been taking topomax 100mg twice a day for one year. I began taking it for seizures and headaches. I weaned myself off of it in December feeling that it was unnecessary being that I've always been on lamictal as a monotherapy treatment for my seizures and that the dizziness, memory problems and tingly feelings were not worth it. Now the ten pounds that I originally lost and kept off for all this time has came back on and all the while I have been exercising 1 1/2hrs a day (which is new to me) and it isn't helping. I am back at my normal weight of 123 whereas I was happy to be 113 while on the drug. I am going to begin taking it again to see what happens... I don't experience the symptoms I spoke of before-unless I take too much because my memory is bad.

Im 39 years old I have been on topamax for 3 months now on 50 mg a day first and now for the past month it was increaded to 75 mg a day. I have begun to have panic attacks/ nightmares. I also suffers from memory loss and inability form my words ( I guess thats the best way to describe it) my neuro gave me topomax for what he calls complicated migraines where my left sarm and leg became numg along with headaches and neck pain. The pain has decreased although the occurrrences have not subsided and Im not sure if Im going to saty on the Topomax. I have lost 8 pounds. The panic attacks and anxiety and debilitating.

I am taking Topomax for migraines. I always start everything at a really LOW dose since I have a lot of probs with side effects. Started at 15 mg and went right away to 30mg (15mg twice daily) the second week because I was dying from headaches. The other antidepressants prescribed for constant daily headache prevention all of a sudden weren't working. I didn't want to take my abortive med for migraines every day (Amerge) so I was curious if Topomax might help my daily headache pain. Possibly my daily headaches had become migraines... so hard to tell one from the other anymore. I teach exercise for a living and so much of my headache pain is exercise induced. I found that while on topomax, all of a sudden 2 Advil would take away a headache I would get after exercising which never happened before. I would take two Advil before doing some of my hardest exercise to prevent a headache and for the most part that worked too... and that never worked before. I had tried all kinds of NSAID's before and after exercise at the advice of my neurologist to no avail. I did have one diffuse headache yesterday that might have been a true migraine and I took Amerge because Advil didn't help. I have been on the 30 mg two week now. But, now the downside. Since on the 30mg I feel like my chest is heavy a lot of time when I do water exercise... I am exhausted a lot doing my usual routines... I feel edgy, can't sleep well at night. I HAVE to have a two hour nap after teaching in the morning or I can't function mentally or physically. I sleep well for that nap time. Seems like I have thermoregulation problems. I teach water exercise and if the water is a little cold it bothers me and it never used to. Then in the pool awhile I feel hot. Same when I sleep.. I need a lot of covers, then I throw them off. Then they are on again. No I am not menopausal yet. My brain is hazy on topomax as well. I take bellydance lessons and sometimes I realize I can't remember what my teacher just told me. Now people reading this, don't think that just because this happens to me, it will happen to you. I know people who LOVE topomax with zero side effects. They don't tend to write in to posting boards. Also, sometimes side effects go away. Be patient if you want to give topomax a shot. I am thinking I am going to go back to 15 mg again... and see how I tolerate that. Because I teach exercise, the hardest thing is to feel the heaviness in the chest and the lack of ambition. This is not me. It is great not to have the headache pain, but I don't know if this is the drug for me. I was excited about the "losing weight " side effect , and I could see how skinny people who lose their appetite easily might be affected, but it takes a lot to stop me from eating LOL darn! I did read in another chat some poor chap had sinisitis for months and took TONS of antibiotics before finding out Topomax gives sinisitis type side effects in a small amount of people. So if you get sinisitis, don't take antibiotics before checking out if topomax is the culprit.

My heart goes out to every person out there trying to find the magic bullet for their headache, siezures, whatever... ADVICE.. .start with SMALL doses... you may be able to get used to side effects if you work up slowly in ALL drugs. In many drugs that didn't come in small doses, I took out 3/4 of what was inside just to get a mini dose. Ask your doc if you can mix one capsule or one pounded up tab of your med with juice and store it in the referigerator. You can drink say 1/8 cup a day of the juice to get 1/8 of a capsule. It is a lot easier than chopping up a tab into eighths. Also ask your doc about childrens doses that come in liquids with droppers. Topomax makes taking smaller doses easy with the sprinkles.. you are encouraged to open the capsule and sprinkle as little as you want on food. Good luck all. L.

I started taking Topomax three weeks ago and have been feeling spacey, dopey and drowsy since. My sleep is interupted, my feet and legs are numb and tingely much of the time and I have a hrad time concentrating. My skin is very itchy, too. But, what disturbes me most are the postings about hair loss. My hair is thin and fine to begin with -- I can't stand to lose any hair. My doctor didn't warn me about this. Also, I've not lost any weight on the drug, although I did give up drinking sparkeling mineral water as the taste changed dramatically. I am about ready to ask to be taken off the drug, although I haven't had a single migraine since I started, and before I was getting 4 - 5 a week and they'd last 1 - 3 days (and some up to 8 days), so this is a big improvement.

I am on topomax for bulimia. it has been amazing considering the fact that i have no appetite and diahhrea all the timeand my menstrual cycle is off. also, i have the tingling sensation in my hands and feet, which hasn't gone away in a month-isn't horrible, though. i wake up in the middle of the night and very early in the morning. (never had sleeping problems like this before). also, very thirsty all the time, dry mouth, but can't seem to drink enough fluids. however, this has medication seems to help my eating disorder like nothing else. i'm going to half my dosage and see if this continues to work. although the side effects are there, until i'm comfortable enough to do this on my own and not binge, this medication has been a a life saver for me! it's worth it b/c of the appetite suppressant issue. i have no urge to use symptoms at all.

I started taking Topomax about two months ago for NDPH, a form of daily migraine..I have been on a number of drugs, the latest being lyrica, which resulted in bloating, weight gain and lethargy but finally gave me some relief from headaches..The addition of topomax has helped relieve them further. At first the side effects were brutal! Dizziness, sleepiness, stupidity, slight paranoia ..dis-connect from reality...I almost passed out cold several times and friends said i turned white then yellow...not good...I had this wierd thing happen where I totally forgot what I told a couple of people and vociferously denied having promised to do something for them, only to remember a few days later that I actually HAD promised to do it for them..I called them with abject apologies, blaming the drug..but was not believed. So, I lost a few friends PERMANENTLY due to topomax..I have never had a blackout but it sounds like one, except that I later remembered the event..My eyes have been super dry and irritated. The only lasting physical side effect is a horrible one. I hate to be indelicate, but there is no way to describe this in a pleasant manner...Since the day I started topamax, I have not had a normal bowel movement..I have nothing but what i would call "explosive diarrhea" morning and night..I have to wear those awful shields to bed at night now to keep from soiling the sheets..I am hoping it will go away and don't know if I should see a doctor or what. It atarted when i started the drug so must be related..I hate to stop taking it as it has helped my migraines a lot, and also the bloating..I now take 75mg a day. Any one else experienced thisz?

I have ben on Topomax now for 2 month for Servere Migraines. Although I am Free from Migraine pain I suffer from bad eye burning, extreme weight loss/lack of interest in food, and I now need anger management. I may not stick with it.

My husband has been taking Topomax for a year along with Wellbutrin and Lamictal for Bipolar 2. He also has the often tingling, he describes it as crawling bees, on his feet, numbness in his hands. He bruises very easily now, and the worst symptom is the chronic muscle bursitis and joint aches. We were'nt sure at first, but after every test in the book came back negative, and realizing the pain started when the drug was started, he is finally off of the drug and the pain...unfortunately, the mental symptoms may soon reoccur. Has anyone else dealt with this?

I have been on Topamax 50 mg at bedtime for 8 months. I have lost 17 pounds and only get headaches once a month. They last an hour or two and not 3 months. My feet tingle, my vision is a little worse. My stools are always loose. I never had that problem before. Never. I am very happy with the medicine though since I am a fulltime worker and mother and function while I wait for my Imitrex to work if I do get a headache. Great medicine concidering I have been on lots since I have been 10 yrs old and now have weaned off everything but Topomax. I am now 43 yrs old. and living.

My daughter has been on topomax for about a month. She went from 25mg to 50mg and was doing fine. When she upped it to 75mg everything went crazy. We have started coming down on it two days ago by dropping one of the 25mg pills at night. She has been staring into space, unable to concentrate, doesn't understand that she is acting wierd. Also, she started losing control of her bladder. She doesn't realize when she really has to go.

Does anyone here have positive side effects on topomax??? All I have read are negative ones!

As for me it's been a blessing. I have noticed some side effects annoying, but not to the extent that I don't want to quit it.

If you are experiencing side effects to the point that you want to kill yourself, first of all call your doctor IMMEDIATELY! Check with your doctor to see if other medications you're taking could be causing your feelings.
I've noticed that many of you who are feeling suicidal are also taking Effexor or something else that could be interacting with Topomax. Check into it, and don't stop EVERYTHING at once!!! Doing THAT just might kill you!

Always wean off the drugs with the help of your doctor. If you don't agree with your doctor then go to another one or at least go to the ER and they will help you. Don't take matters into your own hands. Doing it yourself puts your life in risk.

If you think you are suicidal then remember you are not thinking objectively. YOU NEED HELP. If you make a foolish decision you will not only destroy your life, but the lives of many people who love you. GET HELP NOW. Please.

I have been on Topomax for a year. I was put on this medication for the prevention of migraines. Since being on Topomax, I have not have one severe migraine that required hospitilization. I have been able to take care of them at home with Imitrex and a pain killer. This is huge for me! I have lost 45 pounds which is all I needed to lose but this was a nice side effect from the medication. I do suffer from some of the other side effects that truly hinder me somewhat but I choose to work around them. The word retrieval problem is getting better as I give myself a little more time to think through what it is I want to say. The tingling is much less pronounced than what it was. For the sleep problem, my doctor put me on Lunesta which has helped. I personally have found this drug to be very helpful. For those of you who have not, I am very sorry and truly hope you find something else that will be beneficial.

I have just been prescribed Topomax for migraines. Is there anyone out there who has had a good experience with this medication and would recommend it?

I am a 36 year woman who has suffered from depression and migrianes. In the past couple of years, my depression has been much imporoved by stopping the use of alcolhol (duh) and finding a spriritual way of living. I have been managing it with Wellbutrin 300 mg a day, and have felt pretty well. My migraines, however, have been ever present and have continued to be a problem 2-3 times a week. My docotor suggested Topmax as a solution, and frankly, all heard was it could help with my migraines and one of the biggest side effects was weight loss. Yippee! Fewer headached and weight loss? Practically a miracle!

I am usually very careful about researching any new drug I take before I even fill the prescription. I have to admit I did not do this with Topmax. I sincerely wish I had.

The first thing I noticed was the lethargy. It was all I could do to crawl out of bed, go to work, and then come home only to crawl back again. I also got very angry and depressed right away. After 7 days, I went to speak to my pharmacist in tears on my lunch hour from work to ask her if this could be from the medication. I had just spent the morning in a rage over nothing, unable to think clearly and I just felt really out of control and in a fog. She said most of the side effects should pass in 2 weeks, and to give it about ten more days to seeif things improved.

I took Topomax 100 mg for nearly a month, and decided after that I would rather have migraines than suffer from all of the side effects I was experiencing. My side effects included severe depresssion, anger, confusion, problems with memory and concentration even my speech.I was lethargic, had aching joints and muscles, and generally I was exausted all of the time no matter how much I had slept. I had no energy to do anything. I was confused, had problems muli-taskng at work, and became suicidally depressed. Something that has not been a problem in years.

I have ceased taking the medication all together after consulting my doctor, and am feeling a little better after just a few days. I hope to be back to myself soon. It has been a horrible experience, and I will never take another drug again without fully researching it's side effects.

I was put on Topomax for migraines. I've worked myself up to 125 mg in about a week and a half. (Probably a bit too fast, but the migraines were killing me.)

I went on a trip the same day I started Topomax. I was convinced the entire city made disgusting Diet Coke. Then I got home. Needless to say, it was the Topomax.

Tingling in palms of hands.

Mild, constant nausea. Nausea worse after eating oily food. "Clean" foods such as water, mildly sweet ice pops, blueberries, celery, etc., taste wonderful. I think this propensity for not wanting to eat fatty foods is making my stools just a bit harder than they should be, which causes a bit of tummy pain and gas.

Also, I got my period two weeks early. which is just unheard of for me. That might have been a side effect of going off the beta blockers. (My last preventive migraine treatment.) Just noting it in case someone else has had a similar experience.

As for the migraines, it's a bit early to tell. They were awful when I was on the 25-50 mg dose, but I guess that was to be expected.

Good luck, everyone. Btw, what do you do for the nausea? Phenergan?

On 200mg twice a day morning and evening about a year now for neuropothy(sorry about spelling). Hands and feet. Used neurontin for about 8 years and put on weight. topomax initially took off about 30 lbs. I weight 300 male. Anything carbonated tastes bad, beer soda etc. I prefer water, lemonade, tea, coffee. Now neurontin's patent is about to run out and the makers have come up withtheir subsitute which is Lyrica. Your dr will be suggesting you try this one. It works basically the same as neurontin, maybe just more potent so you take less and they have a new patent. Probably add the lbs too. It affects my sex life in that cannot seem toget to an orgasam as easily so I avoid it. Many drugs for my condition have this affect since they affect seratonin in the brain and thus have a bad affect on sex life of men who still want to be sexually active. Sorry to be so frank. Actually, the topomax does not help all that much with the pain I experience but I do not want to be too quick to switch drugs. Lyrica is still not available through insurance companies in this country although I here they are working on it.

I have lost 20lbs in a month since being on topomax although
i'm on 400mg a day and dry-mouth and always tired any one else have this problem.