TOPAMAX Reviews (TOPIRAMATE)Average Rating: 3.0 (1824 Ratings)Filter ResultsCompare TOPAMAX with similar:
Type: Rx Drug
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Results are sorted by Gender with females listed first (reviews with no gender reported listed before females). Key to Ratings: 1=LOW (I would not recommend taking this medicine.) Page: 1 2 3 4 5 6 7 8 9 10 11 12 13 14 15 16 17 18 19 20 21 22 23 24 25 26 27 28 29 30 31 32 33 34 35 36 37 38 39 40 41 42 43 44 45 46 47 48 49 50 51 52 53 54 55 56 57 58 59 60 61 62 63 64 65 66 67 68 69 70 71 72 73 74 75 76 77 78 79 80 81 82 83 84 85 86 87 88 89 90 91 92 |
More on TOPAMAX: Reviews Summary | Drug Safety Information
| RATING | REASON | SIDE EFFECTS FOR TOPAMAX | COMMENTS | SEX | AGE | DURATION/ DOSAGE | DATE ADDED |
| 5 | Neuropathy | Initially: fatigue, somnolence, weight loss, tingling in hands, decreased libido and bad taste in my mouth. Now: A lot of trouble with memory, loss of concentration, forgetfulness, unable to think of words, still decreased libido. | I started taking this medication back around 2000 for neuropathy resulting from an injury to my brachial plexus (a large bundle of nerves that run from the spine through the neck/shoulder/arm). Though I have experienced several side effects with this medication, none have been severe enough to make me stop taking it. It has literally been a Godsend for me as it has helped tremendously with my pain. I started on 25 mg per day and have worked up to 200 mg TWICE daily (I believe that is the max dosage). I have lost quite a bit of weight while on this medication but it was intentional. I knew weight loss was a potential side effect (benefit!) so I used it along with proper diet and exercise to lose the weight. So, it has been beneficial to me in more ways than one. The only real side effects that I still really struggle with is the neurological issues such as losing my train of thought in mid conversation and the issue of decreased libido. That has been very difficult on my marriage | F | 39 | 8 years | 8/17/2008 | 5 | Bipolar II- Rapid Cycling | Initial weight loss, cognitive impairments (memory retention), tiredness, extreme lethargy. | I'm a Bipolar II, rapid cycler, who recieved a lot of relief from this drug. That being said, I had to get through the inital phase of some mucky, adverse side effects in order to get where I am today-- enjoying the mood balancing effects this drug has given me. Everyone's different-- for some people the side effects are too extreme when first taking a drug and they automatically go off it. Most all of the side effects I experienced with topamax went away within 2-3 months. Today, I don't feel tired anymore, sleep patters have normalized, I'm not an anorexic, etc. Though cognitively.. I'm a tad less sharper (word recall) and yes.. that frustrates me. But hell.. I'm a rapid cycling bipolar, I think I'll take a stable mood over a lack of word recall any day of the week. Anyways, every body system is individual and really, you shouldn't let this post determine your med choices. Talk candidly with a doctor and do your research. You never know how (your) body is going to react. None of us | F | 23 | 1.5 years | 9/10/2008 | 5 | migraines | Soda tasted flat in first year- taste returned; Thinning of hair in second year- has remained thinner; struggle with trying to find the right word. | This drug changed my life because it cured me. In the past- I awoke every day with a migraine. It was a huge problem. I had problems with daylight, certain smells, excessive sound. nausea. I suffered from every type of migraine- cluster, hormonal, and the type you get while you dream.I had the aura with the bright zagged lines and also would go completely blind for about twenty minutes. All this was cured by taking Topamax 50 mgs. twice a day. I occasionally get a migraine, one every other month, no where near the severity of what I endured previously.It was impossible for me to work 5 days in a row before, now I am an excellent employee. | F | 52 | 5 years | 9/19/2008 | 5 | Migraine Headaches | Initial metallic/flat tasting of my dr. pepper. Had to switch to coca-cola. No change in taste of the light colors of sodas like Mt. Dew. Either I got used to it or it did not change the taste of Coke. Coke tastes great to me now! No other side effects. | It's ashame to read all the other negative feedbacks. I realize all our bodies metabolize drugs differently, but this drug has been a life-saver for me. I was having daily headaches with about 4-5 migraines a month. Dr was frustrated with me killing my liver with mega dosage of acetaminaphen and other over the counter medicines I was using, so she tried me on Topamaxx. WOW what a difference. Even after 2 years, If I forget a refill and go a couple days without it, the headaches creep back in and remind me why I take this drug everyday. I take 100mg at bedtime. | F | 34 | 2 years | 9/23/2008 | 5 | Chronic Migraines | Diarrhea, initially quite severe - controlled by taking probiotics 2x daily and iron tablet daily (I'm slightly anemic); occasional tingling in my hands & feet - I just remind myself that it's better than a migraine; and inability to come up with the right word now & then. Anything carbonated tastes simply awful, so now that I've eliminated those famous triggers alcohol and caffiene, I've got water, herbal tea, and a couple juices left to drink. But migraines regularly put me to bed three and four days at a time, several times each month. I can tolerate these side effects. | My neuro. had me go on a nightly dose of melatonin to help me sleep well and a 2x daily dose of alpha lipoic acid (can't recall the specific reason). She recommended Migrelief, which I was already taking, but I had to stop because the magnesium was contributing to the diarrhea and so now I take just the feverfew & B2 separately. I take 100 mg of Topamax daily and have an extra supply of 25 mg. tablets so that I can increase my dosage during ovulation & menstruation. | F | 48 | 9 months | 9/27/2008 | 5 | Bipolar II - Weight loss | Weight loss, severe tingling toes, loss for words, fatigue in begining, carbonated beverages taste flat | I am taking 200 mg a day and I am taking it since February 2008. My doctor prefered trying on me Topamax over Lithium since I was already overweight and had a binge eating problem. At first, I was only taking Topamax and experienced a mild depression period. Since then, I am taking Wellbutrin with it and it is working great ! Now, every side effects have are gone (be patient and don't worry, the fatigue and the memory loss won't be permanent) but I am keeping the weight that I have loss (50 pound in 1 year) and no more binge eating ! As for the tingling... the solution is to take a supplement of potassium and I garantee that you will be free of it ! | F | 36 | 13 months | 4/8/2009 | 5 | Migraines | Weight loss, tingling, cognative functioning diminished at first, loss of appetite | TAKE VITAMIN B SUPPLEMENTS. Specifically FOLIC ACID. Topamirate depletes folic acid, & if you look up symptoms of low folic acid they are nearly identical to Topamax - fatigue, tingling, congative problems. But the weight loss is still a side effect even if you take B. Once I upped my folic acid intake, I eliminated most of the negative side effects. I went from 3 migraignes a week to at most 3 a month. Love it. | F | 27 | 3 years | 4/8/2009 | 5 | Pain | When I began taking my Topamax and Tramadol mix I felt dizzy and light headed. I felt like I was watching someone else’s life happening. Very tingly hands, feet and face. Also very thirsty. No appetite at all. | I was prescribed Topamax (100 mg) and Tramadol (50 mg) after having three epidurals in my spine for pain. I have to say that after about 6 weeks I started to relax and the combination of the two drugs had done the trick. It was a rocky start. I have lost about 40 pounds in the last 8 months. I have also stopped the Tramadol as I do not need that any longer but still take the Topamax. Still occasionally have the tingly hands, feet and face. The new generic Topiramate causes very weird dreams so I may go back to Topamax and pay the higher fee myself. Not sure yet. | F | 52 | 8 months | 5/8/2009 | 5 | seizures | none on the Brand Topamax for nearly a year... then switched to the generic and I had immediate problems within 9 days...rapid heart beat, panic attacks, seizures and depression...have no idea why..but am going back on the brand name asap. | I tolerated this med( brand name) well....didn't have any weight loss ( darn). But also, no memory problems that I couldn't blame on age anyway..=) | F | 63 | 11 months | 5/27/2009 | 5 | bilateral vision loss migraine | initially: extreme tightness back of neck; considerable numbness/tingling fingertips; unbelievable mental confusion e.g. inability to retrieve words, recall affected, occassional 'disorientation', dizziness, nervousness; rapid weight loss of about 25 lbs, slight hair thinning. Now (18 mos later) have barely noticeable numbness in fingertips, and weight loss has maintained at 20 lbs, however I feel and am healthy. I still have mild problems with memory and word retrieval, recall, etc., but it's nothing like in the beginning. | At this point I consider topamax a life saver....just a bit frustrating when I "can't find that perfect word" during a conversation! If this is a trade off to my migraines, and the frightening experience of total vision loss, I am more than willing to do my best to tolerate these side effects. Every rose has its thorn as they say! | F | 61 | 18 months | 5/28/2009 | 5 | Migraine | weight loss (forgetting to eat), tingling in fingers, fatigue then mild less need for sleep | Started at 25 mg once a day with severe fatigue, no real change in migraines. Upped dosage to 50 mg once a day and migraines have decreased from approximately 4 to 5 every week to 1 to 2 every month. Will take the side effects, as they are less debilitating than the migraines. As a side note, I am on the generic topiramate. | F | 39 | 2 months | 7/14/2009 | 5 | Fibromyalga | Weight Loss (30 lbs in 2 months) - Hair falling out (mine is very thick so I am good on that one) - Unable to focus on specific tasks | I started out with a low dose of Topamax 2 years ago and now take 100 mg in the AM and 100 at night. I feel much better. The weight loss is great, although the loss of appetite can be dangerous because I forget to eat all day long sometimes. I am currently taking Klopnopin at night for sleep/ RLS , but my Dr just changed me to Amitriptyline which I decided I am not going to take after reading the stuff on here. I am starting my masters this month so i will probably get something to help with the focus issues if it continues. | F | 23 | 2 years | 8/3/2009 | 5 | migraines | initial 2 weeks only-dizzy, nausea,...; after 5 yrs, noticing memory issues that isn't "cute" and way too young to be part of the aging process. | It's been awesome! Lost weight at first, but you can't depend on it as a diet drug; no side effects and used to have 1 migraine/wk to none; but recently noticed memory problems that isn't normal and realized it has to be the topamax; not sure what to do? | F | 41 | 5 years | 8/23/2009 | 5 | Migraines | right now not many | Here is my WARNING! I have been on Topamax for 2 years when I first started I had the normal tingles but i had those before soem memory lose but I had those with the Migraines, blurry vision had that to with the headaches BUT! in 2/09 I filled my script and when I got it home my pills looked wrong I called the pharmacy and was told that they filled it with a genric, which never told them to but it was cheaper I was told same formula big deal... the doctor had changed my dosage so when I started to have issue's I thought it was because of that. it was not everytime I took this generic drug I was in fact making myself sick. I had intense pain,stomach spasms, severe blurry vision, migraines got worse,my heart would race to the point I thought it was going to jump out of my chest, my hands started to swell, the last straw came when i passed out and had to have 6 stitches in my knee. I talked to my doctor again and this time I told him I was not taking topamax anymore unless he wrote me another prescrition and made sure that it was not filled with generic.. I happened to be in that small percentage of people that can not take generic drugs. Generic drugs are not all the same. so please before you give up on Topamax look at it and make sure it is not generic. | F | 42 | 2 years | 9/23/2009 | 5 | Tingling in my fingers for first few weeks. Loss of Weight. Eye Twitching. Diarrhoea. | Was on 150mg and migraines began to come back so increased to 175mg which I stayed on for about 6 months till the migraines appeared agan so I went to 200mg but this was when I began to experience severe eye twitching and diarrhoea. As soon as I lowered the doseage back to 175mg, the eye twitching stopped and so did the eye twitching and my migraines are very few and far between. I think it is important therefore that a Doctor makes sure to prescribe this according to the weight of the patient as obviously 200mg was enough for a person much heavier than I was. Although I have experienced side affects, I would not stop taking Topamax as it has changed my life. I used to get Migraines at least once a week and swallow numerous pain killers and now I might get a migraine about once every 9 months. | F | 3 years | 9/18/2009 | 5 | Reflex sympathetic dystrophy | memory loss, hair loss, weight loss, attention span loss I seem to slur @ a high dosage, not be able to find what I want to say or be able to find the right word. | This medicine was not a cured but does manage my pain during the winter months. The highest dosage I've ever been on was 1600mg and I weighed in @ 150 lbs and droped to 98lbs. I use it during the fall, winter and spring and come off it during about the end of April and go back on it @ a low dosage starting in September and go up to 200 mg twice a day. If I have a flair up the dosage increases! I come off of it because my mind needs a rest and my hair seems to get week. | F | 22 | 6 years | 10/4/2009 | 5 | Seizures | I have been on this medication for so long now I barely notice the side effects anymore. The main side effects I had were not being able to come up with words I was thinking of and being distracted. I've gotten used to that by now though. I switched from Depakote to Topamax and lost about 50 lbs in a very short amount of time. I had gained a lot from Depakote,but foods def taste different on topamax. | I am very happy with this medication. I have been seizure free for almost 10 years and will continue on this until my dr feels ok taking me off. | F | 27 | 8 years | 10/21/2009 | 5 | Migraines | Tingling, Weight loss, Memory loss, Fatigue, Slurred speech, Hair loss | I started Topapax 6 weeks ago after I was taking Imitrex almost daily and experiencing rebound migraines. I started at 25 mg. and moved up to 100 mg. over 4 weeks. Immediately I noticed my appetite was gone and I was in a fog. My weight dropped 7lbs. in a week which was a good thing. I'm a Director for a major corporation so I researched the side effects for a few months prior to taking the medicine on the advice from my neurologist. The fact was either I was going to miss work for migraines or deal with short term side effects and not suffer from the migraines. The hair loss was short term, over the first four weeks and it seemed to stop.At the six week point my appetite is back more, not completely but I do get hungry more than I did initially. I am still losing weight, my fatigue is gone and my memory is completely back to normal. My doctor told me there is a "hump" to get over with the side effects and I feel great. I had one migraine in the past six weeks when I went from 75 mg up to 100mg and one Excedrin migraine took care of it. I assumed it was a side effect of moving up in milligrams. Normally I would have 3 per week without Topamax. Good luck to everyone and stick with it.I plan on continuing with the Topamax, I can't take the pain of having migraines multiple times per week and Imitrex would spike my blood pressure which is normally low. Scary. | F | 30 | 6 weeks | 11/7/2009 | 5 | Seizures | Cognitive Effects | I don't have seizures, but if I miss a couple doses, I will have seizures. So, I have to make sure I take it as prescribed. The cognitive effects don't seem as bad anymore, or maybe I'm just used to them...I have been taking it for a long time. That's kind of scary, though, if I'm just used to the cognitive effects. I haven't had a migraine for a long time and I noticed that this medication is used for migraine prevention. That might explain my lack of migraines, which means it's effective (for me at least) in preventing migraines. That's a nice plus. | F | 37 | 8 years | 11/8/2009 | 5 | Migraines | Fatigue, brain fog, lack of motivation, word finding issues - all diminished with time and I was able to go down in dosage when needed if I had a large project that involved numbers and return to higher dose as needed. | I want to offer a word of encouragement for those who are trying to decide if they should take a pharmaceutical product, try natural approaches, or just give up. I was diagnosed over 40 years ago with migraines and I've been on everything out there - Inderal, Midrin, different diets, adding salt, Caffergot, BCP, Maxalt, Imitrex, the list goes on... In 2009 my doctor suggested I try Topamax and though it doesn't have the perfect side effect profile, it changed my life. Before Topamax I always had to have a plan b for what I would do if I got a migraine. Since Topamax I can just live life. The more I learn about the migraine brain and the nerves that cause the pain, the more I believe I do need the treatment of Topamax. Start low and go slow. I take 50 at night and I sleep solidly and wake up usually without my alarm. Initially had a little weight loss, but that went away. Diet Pepsi tastes weird, but that's a small price to pay for a migraine-free life! | F | 48 | 11 years 50 mg 1X day | 11/22/2020 |