Topamax and zombie

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.

Hi all,
Unfortunately, I didn't read all of these comments before I started taking Topamax.
I have migraines for 25 years, and decided to try Topamax.
Week 1-25mg, Diet coke tasted strange. Tingling. Tiredness. Forgetfulness. Can't think clearly. Hard to spell. Or do any task.
Week 2-50mg...a zombie-all of the above and more. Couldn't remember how to get back to my house..and I was just 5 streets away.
I stopped taking Topamax 2 days ago.
I feel much better.
Plz beware.
Having migraines for so many years (i am 38 now) I learned how to control them and Imitrex does work for me.
If I need to choose between having migraines 3-4 times a week and the side affects of Topamax-I choose migraines.

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

My wife has been on Topamax for 6 months and I feel our relationship is in the gutter. Lack of affection , no sex drive and she zones me out (like a zombie). Doe anyone have the same problems with their loved ones?

You know, it's very irritating when people post "STAY AWAY FROM THIS OR THAT" etc ... just because *they* or someone they know had a problem with it. I've been on Topamax for about 4 months now - up to 300mg/per day, only side effect is the metabolic acidosis if I overexert in the heat (which is damn annoying) - I haven't yet reached tharaputic levels because the weight-loss hasn't kicked in, so I'm liable to get close to the 800mg per day dosage. All this AND I'm prone to kidney stones to begin with! So please stop all the screaming about how freaking dangerous it is just because it didn't work for YOU, hell, pennicillin KILLS people too but you don't hear people screaming about how terrible it is, do you?

Topamax? Did you mean "Dopamax"? That's what my new doctor said it is reffered to as in the mental health field. Dopey is exactly what I was while I was on it. I was prescribed it to help control weight gain while on anti-depressents. Hours after taking the first dose, I turned into a zombie. My head felt heavy. I could not focus enough to even read. I felt like everything was happening in slow motion and I wasn't able to drive. My family said I looked like I was constantly "doped up" and my eyes were always glassy. After a week of dealing with this and having to have my family drive me around, I decided enough-was-enough. The worst part was the withdrawl symtoms from it-constant ringing in my ears, sudden and frequent light headiness and the feeling of passing out. The cake-topper was the feel of a sudden electric pulse going through my head. My new doctor warned me before that I would experience that. Thank god, because I would have freaked out.

I'm on 50 mgs of Topamax, and it's really fuckin" me up man. Listen to this crrraaaazzzzzy ass story. My Mom took me to MCV (Virginia's State funded Hospital) on Monday, August 28th to pick up my seizure medicine and she dropped me off in front of the Gateway building and told me to go in and wait for her while she went and parked the car. No big deal. Nothing I couldn't handle. I've done this before I started the Topamax. Yeah, right........Well, I went in and sat down for a minute then got up (before she got there), crossed the street over to the pharmacy and got my meds. Crazy thing too was I got on the elevator and went up to the 3rd floor, thinking that I was supposed to meet mom up there. After I started walking down the hall I finally realized I was supposed to have waited for mom in the Gateway building before got my meds. So I got back on the elevator and went back down to the pharmacy and back over to the Gateway building and found her. I thought she was gonna be mad, but she wasn't. Anyway, on the way out of the Gateway building I almost walked out in front of a moving ambulance.
I am like a walking zombie. I have been on Lamictal (anti-epileptic) but the Neurologist is slowly building me up on the Topamax, another anti-epileptic, so that I can quit the Lamictal altogether cuz she's worried about a rash I have developed. Lamictal is known to cause life threatening rashes. She doesn't want me to quit the Lamictal until the Topamax is completely at 200mgs in my system for fear I would have a seizure. So for the time being I will be a zombie without an appetite. I barely eat anything. I'm always thirsty though. And driving.......HA! Forget that! I don't even WANT to try it. I might kill myself or someone else and/or end up lost somewhere. Wouldn't that be a bitch!
I'm willing to see this thing through though. I'm tough and think I can handle it.

I have been taking Topamax for 4 months. I got up to 100 mgs but went back to 75 mgs and am going to go to 50 mgs to see if things improve. My migraines have diminished 90% which is wonderful. I've gone from 128 lbs to 116 lbs and don't need to lose more but I am not hungry ever. Food has no appeal to me. I feel nervous all the time. The tingling of my fingers doesn't bother me or the forgetting of words which seems to be subsiding. But the nervousness is driving me crazy. I feel like everything is bothering me and my life is slipping away. I've had constipation but think it's because I'm not eating properly. I'm going to see if I can get away with taking only 50 mgs of Topamax. I love not having the migraines but I don't want to live like a zombie either. Anyone feel like this?

i only have been on it for about 2 or 3 days its horrible tingling in my feet hands arms, i walk down stairs i think i am going to fall, i loose concentration, i am not taking anymore because there is something about it i dont like, i dont really have much of an appetite at all. over top of that i have anxiety and i dont smoke anymore so i have little bouts of pains in my chest. i dont want to be to thin. i already lost 10 pounds people say you loose weight well i dont want to be a walking zombie. i will stick with wellbutrin and alprozolam i will study something better than topamax

I've been taking Topamax for a couple months now and am up to 200mg per day for both my Trigeminal Neuralgia (right sided facial nerve pain) and migraines that I was having 2-3 times a day. I now only have migraines 2-3 times a week which is so much better and my trigeminal neuralgia is under control, no pain as long as I take the medicine. I have frequent tingling of my hands and feet, I feel drowsy alot, but there are some times where I go one to three whole days when I can't sleep at all and I feel like a zombie and I'll even try taking tylenol PM to try to sleep but still can't. That is such a horrible feeling. When I finally do get some sleep, I'll sleep for like a whole day and night and then I am so relieved and back to normal. I used to love diet pop but now it just tastes totally bitter, so I pretty much just drink water which is good. I've lost about 8 pounds of weight and hope to lose more, sounds like others of you out there have lost some weight on this drug. Thats a good thing right? Like some of you out there, I also have that tip of the tongue thing where you know what you want to say but you can't say the words some times, and that is very frustrating. But on a positive note, I have friends that don't take anything and it happens to them too! I have had lasix surgery on my eyes and since being on Topamax, I have had to get some glasses and contact lenses for my eyes which is quite a frustration for me. I don't absolutely have to wear them, but things are just too blurry now if I don't wear them especially when I drive. Overall though, I am happy with the fact that my migraines are so much less frequent and I feel like I have a much better quality of life than before. I hope as time goes on my sleep patterns will even out, I have a feeling that they will. Good luck to all of you out there! ;-)