TOPAMAX Reviews (TOPIRAMATE)Average Rating: 3.0 (1824 Ratings)Filter ResultsCompare TOPAMAX with similar:
Type: Rx Drug
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More on TOPAMAX: Reviews Summary | Drug Safety Information
| RATING | REASON | SIDE EFFECTS FOR TOPAMAX | COMMENTS | SEX | AGE | DURATION/ DOSAGE | DATE ADDED |
| 5 | cluster headache | Worst is drastic loss of appetite (I'm already skinny), and many things taste metallic... chocolate cake tastes like rusty nails!... always this metallic taste in my mouth after eating anything. Not on high dose but feel a bit 'dazed', usually need a nap during the day. | Seasonal (summer) severe cluster headache bouts for many years, previously tried Sandomigran, Tegretol etc. Topamax is brilliant and actually works. Still have to go for the oxygen occasionally but so much better than ever before. Not game to up the dose or I'll starve to death; at present forcing myself to eat (mainly fruit)... but would rather suffer from malnutrition than full blown CH any day. | M | 60 | 2 months 25mg 2X day | 2/27/2010 | 5 | Cluster Migraines | Tingling in fingers, depression, carbonated drinks tasted odd | The tingling comes and goes but is more rare now. The depression also comes and goes. I've had to give up soda, it was all I used to drink but they taste awful now. A good thing I guess. It helped with the headaches immensely though. | M | 36 | 6 months 50 mg 1X day | 4/21/2010 | 5 | Migraine | At the start i suffered, confusion, memory loss, nausea, no sex drive, depression, anxiety. | It was really difficult at the begining . .the first 3 months. Before taking Topamax i quit smoking, alcohol, caffine, and cut down sugar in take dramatically. I drink 2+ litres of water every day, and do a little bit of light excercise 3 times a week. The last 4 weeks have been really good. Nothing is perfect, but it is beter than suffering everyday. My advise to anyone out there, give it time! Work with it, and if you need to change some habit like i needed to . . do it! Slowly , slowly it does and will work for you. I felt like giving up so many times, but i am happy that i did not. At the end you are the best judge. | M | 35 | 5 months 100 2X day | 9/18/2010 | 5 | Migraines | weight Loss(25lbs.), slight memory loss-trouble finding that specific word, numbness/tingling of hands and feet at first but that tapered off. | Topamax has worked miracles for me although I don't think it's the answer for everyone. I was experiencing a constant headache pain of about a 3 on scale of 1-10, with migraines 1-2 times a week. Since starting this drug 6 months ago I've had a total of about 3 migraines and that constant pain is gone. The side effect of weight loss is an added bonus for me but I did not lose any weight the first couple of months that I took it. The numbness/tingling was irritating at first but the benefit of not having a screaming headache was so worth it. I do notice that I cannot come up with the right words sometimes, but there again, I'd rather deal with that than be laying in bed writhing in pain for days! All in all, it's a wonderful drug but it is not one to be messed with, it's a neurological medication and can do a lot of damage if it's not taken properly or for the right reasons. Take it as prescribed and if something doesn't seem right, call your doctor immediately! | M | 40 | 6 months 50mg 2X day | 12/11/2010 | 5 | Tonic-clonic Seizures | Tingling in feet, hands, face -- sometimes painful; cognitive impairment for the first few weeks; bad memory loss -- especially with names, etc.; mentally slower in general; the good stuff -- weight loss!!! 25 lbs. so far w/ no change in diet. | Despite the side effect profile of topamax, this drug works wonders for me in terms of completely stopping my grand mal seizures at 400 mg a day. So I'll take being a little slower mentally and seizure-free. At least Topamax doesn't make me really tired like the other drugs or make me hungry and fat. Moreover, I've lost weight without changing my eating habits or appetite, which rocks! It's a hard med to get used to in terms of side effects, but once your body adjusts to it, after about 1.5 months, then its smoother sailing. | M | 30 | 4 months 200 MG 2X day | 1/2/2012 | 5 | migraines | loss of appetite, irritability, mild tremors, occasional eye twitching | I started with 50mg per day for migraines and recently was moved up to 100mg per day since the migraines got a bit worse. The side effects are so mild, I'll take them any day over the head splitting migraines that were causing me to pop imitrex like candy. | M | 34 | 2 years 100mg 1X day | 7/25/2012 | 5 | Bipolar Disorder- Rapid Cycling | The tingling everyone talks about, but it went away. Food and pop taste different, loss of appetite, lost about 20 pounds in first month, some cognitive problems... | Compared to everything else I have taken (risperdal and olanzapine for years upon years, lithium, depakote, and probably some others), Topamax has been amazing. So far. By that I mean I have never had such an immeadiate and positive response to a medication, with such minimal side effects. At first the tingling was kind of intense, and it really did make me stupid, but those things slowly faded away. That, or I'm just not noticing that I'm dumber than a box of rocks, haha. No seriously, every once and awhile I feel like I get stuck in a rut and I can't find the word I'm looking for, but compared to when I was zonked out on risperdal and olanzapine, this is a cake walk. Weight loss... meh... I swim alot, and the topamax dropped weight I probably didn't need to lose that much. I actually have to remind myself to eat. I'm at 300mg a day right now, 100mg three times a day. Not quite to where my moods need to be, so eventually I might go to 400mg. | M | 21 | 3 months | 2/9/2006 | 5 | Migraines | Tingling fingers- went away Lack of appetite - Improved when only took medication at night instead of splitting up in two doses Irritability - Not going away Fatigue- Still an issue I saw a comment that said | Migraine miracle drug. From 9 Imitrex a month to no more than 2 a month now. I am still concerned about mood swings and appetite. | M | 40 | 6 months | 8/8/2005 | 5 | PGTC Epilepsy | Occasional inability to find a word, sleepiness | For past 6 years, tried 4 different drugs in every conceivable combination. PGTC seizures "grand mal" still occurred every couple of months, and for awhile they were every 3 weeks. Finally stopped monotherapy and added Topamax (300 mg/d) to existing Lamictal (300/d) dose. I've been seizure-free since 12/06. Hard to tell about concentration, mood changes, etc. because I've been through so many drugs and so many side effects- what is normal anymore? But I can definitely live with this combination if it lets me drive, work, and live normally. | M | 22 | 6 months | 7/4/2007 | 5 | Migraine / Chronic Headaches | Began at 25, then 50 mg. At low dosage, experienced panic attacks and shortness of breath. Possibly d/t transitioning from Depakote, which while it eliminated my headaches, it made me feel emotionally flat and chronically tired. Ramped up to 400 mg before headaches were under back under control. Experienced mild cognative disfunction at 400 mg, side effects gradually worsened after 2yrs at this dosage - (confusion, language problems, trouble concentrating, short term memory problems) Also had trouble sleeping (staying asleep), became very sensative to caffeine. Reduced to 200 mg, reduction in side confusion/cognitative effects. However, still have trouble sleeping. Headaches are still well controlled at 200 mg. 1 headache (mild) in 10 months since halving dosage. | Is not quite as effective as Depakote, but side effects (so far) are more tolerable to me than that medication. | M | 39 | 3 years | 7/10/2006 | 5 | Scizo-Effective Disorder | Wieght Loss, Memory Loss, Loss Of Appetite, And Confused Sometimes | I Have Not Really Been Taking Topamax For A While. But I Am 5'7" And I Weigh About 190 lbs. I Hear That It Also Helps You Lose Wieght. If Anyone Wants To E-Mail Me About That Subject Please Do So. | M | 16 | 14 days | 6/28/2006 | 5 | Bi-polar (rapid Cycling) | Loss of weight (yippie!), Yes it took a little getting used to in the begining, but it was worth it. I don't have any tingling or those other problems I have read here. | I feel like a normal person (Sanity) on this unlike other drugs like lithium or depakote. Those make me feel stupid. I am taking 300 mg per day. I love this stuff. I also take 200 mg Tegratol per day and 300 mg Welbutrin. | M | 45 | 1 years | 12/26/2004 | 5 | Mood Stablizer and Weight Loss | Tingling in the hands, Some slight memory loss in the first few weeks, but it went away. | Lost 45lbs in the first three months, taking 175mg/day. Was much better than Zoloft, Effexor or Paxil, Didn't have the side effects of nausia and diarea Like the other medications. | M | 31 | 2 years | 10/14/2004 | 5 | alcoholism & migraines | A not unpleasant tingling in the feet, and difficulty comprehending simple concepts, which went away when I lowered the dosage and spread it out, and a kind of spacey feeling that also diminished when I lowered the dosage. Also some loss of sexual desire. | As far as alcohol goes I find with the topomax I have really lost all desire for it. A long time ago I cut out a clipping about a study done using it w/some alcoholics & how they either quit or cut back dramatically. This is what a boozer loves to hear because he wants nothing more than to have his cake and eat it too. Thank God that so far I haven't had any severe side effects. I lost count of how many times I went on the wagon and wound up drinking again. Seven years ago I passed out at the top of the stairs and landed at the bottom w/out even putting my arms out to break my fall, so, yeah, I got daily migraines, & although not 100% perfectly the topomax has helped me with that too. | M | 54 | 30 days | 10/20/2004 | 5 | Migraines | Minor Dizzyness and some minor speech problems (I have learned to slow down and think a few more nanoseconds before speaking)but none of the other major side-effects posted with the drug | I've been taking Topamax for for 1.5 months. My average Imitrex injection rate was 12 per month. Since starting the Topamax, I have had three Imitrex injections, one when I had just started taking the medicine, one after driving for about 12 hours, and the last one after a 17 hour flight. I am feeling better now than I have felt in years. I started at 25Mg/day for 2 weeks and am up to 25Mg 3 times per day. I will stay at this rate for a while to see what happens. I am very happy with Topamax and would recommend it to anyone with migraines. Just don't ever start right in with a high doseage! | M | 39 | 45 days | 7/14/2004 | 5 | Epilepsy | Mild and Intermittent Headache, Some occasional tingling in feet | For me, Topamax has been a WONDER DRUG. I have been on Depakote, Tegretol, Lamictal, Trileptal, Klonopin, and Gabitril and this is the first drug that actually WORKED! I have a mixed type of epilepsy, with Grand mal seizures, Absence ("petit mal") and myoclonic seizures. I have not had a single grand mal seizure since starting it, and my absence and myoclonic seizures are practically gone..my neurologist and I are extremely satisfied at my 100MG BID and will eventually increase to 200MG. | M | 16 | 3 weeks | 10/6/2002 | 5 | Epilepsy | Memory loss. Slowing down. | Drug is very good for controlling seisures. Since i started using Topamax 200 mg twice daily in combination with Tagretol my seisures got under control. Problem with topamax is memory loss; it shows when talking, reading, listening music, watching tv. Processing speed is slower its hard to keep up with world around. | M | 29 | 5 years | 1/21/2005 | 5 | Sexual Addiction | tingling, mild confusion (but not too bad), mixed-up words, some paranoia, bad tasting carbonated beverages, weight loss. | Really helped control the addictive cravings. Ramp up very, very slowly. I did 25mg week for 2 wks, then increased by 25mg per week stopping staying at the same level for an additional week until stable. It is not a race. | M | 41 | 3 months | 1/3/2008 | 5 | Addiction to Crystal Meth | Tingling sensation in hands/feet/face and slurred speech. | After many attempts to quit meth on my own, my mom took me to a psychiatrist and he put me on Topamax + Provigil. The Topamax was remarkably effective at reducing my obsessive cravings and compulsive drive to use meth. The Provigil greatly reduced the withdrawal symptoms. If you or a loved one wants to quit meth, this combination of medications will dramatically improve your chances for a successful outcome. | M | 26 | 4 months | 1/22/2008 | 5 | Severe Migraine Aura (No Pain) | I've had some increased anxiety and slight tingling in my head. Not many problems at all. | I had daily migraine auras (silent migraines) for about 10 years. They got so severe they were debilitating. After 3 days on Topamax the migraines went away. With Topamax, I could feel the pre-aura come but would end abruptly and the aura would never develop. This is the first and only drug that ever worked on my auras. My aura blindness went away, I'm losing a little weight, no more attacks and I have some increased energy. With my increased energy comes a little anxiety though. So far I'm happy. | M | 44 | 1 weeks | 1/28/2008 |
TOPAMAX (TOPIRAMATE): Topiramate is used alone or with other medications to prevent and control seizures (epilepsy). This medication is also used to prevent migraine headaches and decrease how often you get them. Topiramate will not treat a migraine headache once it occurs. If you get a migraine headache, treat it as directed by your doctor (such as by taking pain medication, lying down in a dark room). Topiramate is known as an anticonvulsant or antiepileptic drug. FDA Approval Date: 1996-12-24 (Sources: U.S. Centers for Medicare Services, FDA)