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 length of time drug was taken longest to shortest. 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 |
| 3 | Migraines | loss of appetite, memory problems, word recall issues, slurred speech, mood swings, weight loss | I started Topamax about 2 years ago and been suffering from Migraines for 4 years. First I was on Verapamil, but when that didn't work my neurologist switched me to Topamax. At first I was beyond excited; I thought it was a miracle drug. I could have hugged my doctor. Topamax allowed me to complete my job without multiple absences; it gave me hope. Then my doctor increased my dose to 50mg- I started suffering from terrifying mood swings and horrific depression. Within a week I was back to 25mg and have been on that ever since. While this medicine does do wonders for my Migraines (have cut them down to one every couple of months), it's side effects are hideous. The memory problems have gradually come on and within the past couple months I've started experiencing slurred speech and severe recall issues. Where there was brain fog before, now there is a solid wall. Since I'm in graduate school, the drop in IQ is taking a severe toll on my performance. I'm currently searching for an alternative. | F | 24 | 2 years 25 1X day | 5/18/2010 | 3 | Migraine | Temporary: Ringing in the ears. Tingling (prickling) in fingers and toes. Long Term: Hair Loss and loss of hair health. Lower immunity. Blurred vision. Irritability. Mental lethargy. Difficulty waking up. Memory issues. | I have had chronic Migraines for years. I have tried most of the medications available for the prevention of, as well as the releif of the migraine once they do occur. When I started with Topamax I was happy with the results in spite of the immediate side effects of the tingling feelings,vision & difficulty waking in the morning. Soon though I started to notice my hair, which had always been long and thick, started to fall out and dry out. I tried all the commercially available hair products to help with this but nothing really seemed to help. I was really willing to go the distance for a medication that helped with my migraines since the migraines have had such a devastating affect on my life. They didn't help. I didn't lose all of my hair, it leveled off but it has not improved at all. The most disturbing side effect, that I don't read very much about, is the effect on the immune system. As a 46 year old woman who was not ill, other than some stress, I was surprised when I got Shingles. I mean I was shocked. I have always had a robust immune system. I have been catching colds and taking longer to heal from scraches than I usually do. I spoke with my neurologist about this, and the fact that the Topamax doesn't seem to be working as well as it first did. He didn't seem too concerned about the shingles (it was on my side) and didn't have an alternative to the Topamax that I haven't tried so he prescribed me a new anti-depressant to "boost" the effects of Topamax | F | 46 | 2 years 50mg 3X day | 4/20/2010 | 3 | Bipolarll BPD | weight loss .. which was great. Some tingling in feet that went away in time and lost words. I couldn't find what I was trying to say sometimes.. frustrating | Topamax worked ok for me, I liked the weight loss (finally a med that helps you lose weight!) I didn't like the fact I couldn't read (focus) on it tho.. that was frustrating, as was not being able to get thoughts out fast enough. I went up to 125mg a day. Would be willing to try it again tho. | F | 45 | 2 years | 1/31/2010 | 3 | migraine | memory loss, difficulty spelling, concentrating and writing, tiredness, tingling in extremities and face (fixed by taking CoEnzyme Q10), difficulty sleeping | I began taking Topamax over 2 years ago to prevent near daily migraines. It has reduced the frequency of my migraines by about half and has made them more responsive to my rescue meds. I am considering going off it however because of the devastating side effects. I used to be an A+ student, I graduated from high school with a 4.0 GPA. Now, I am struggling to make grades in college, and not because I am too social, I barely even go out because I always feel so exhausted. I have trouble concentrating, remembering things, spelling and constructing sentences. I had more to add to that list but I forgot it, which is typical. Very bad memory, compared to my very good memory before starting Topamax. I used to be quick as a whip, but not anymore, I am very very slow. I also have difficulty sleeping and have needed to get glasses since starting Topamax. I am glad I am not the only one who is suffering from these effects and I hope that once I go off the med I can get back to my old self. | F | 19 | 2 years 100 MG 1X day | 3/29/2010 | 2 | migraine prevention | early on weight loss, that stabilized, possibly trouble 'finding words' | took it on and off for a few years with vaying dosage. May have helped a little reducing migraine frequency but as I was overall still have several episodes a month did not feel that it was worth it. | F | 47 | 2 years 50 mg 2X day | 8/3/2010 | 2 | Migraines | Hair Loss, Exhaustion/Fatigue-the worst ever,Memory Loss,Word Loss,Weight Loss | I kept taking this because I was having daily headaches and this really works for migraines. The side effects became WAY too much. I couldn't get off the couch-thought I had chronic fatigue.I would stay away from this after reading other comments-and I lost a lot of hair!! | F | 46 | 2 years 100 mg 2X day | 2/23/2011 | 2 | Migraines | I was on Topamax for almost two years at a peak dose of 100mg/day. As soon as i started taking it i started experiencing severe neuopathy in my hands and feet and very problimatic cognitive side effects. As a student not being able to recall the answers to test questions when your grade is based solely on test scores is a huge issue. after about a year and 1/2 on topamax I started having migraines again despite the high dosage. A few months ago I stoped taking all of my meds including topamax and my migraine frequeency has not gone up from where it was while I was on topamax,and the neuropathy has stoped, however the cognitive effects still bother me very much. | I would recoment trying other preventitive meds before resulting to topamax. | F | 20 | 2 years | 6/20/2006 | 2 | headaches | At first all carbonated drinks tasted flat and I felt heavy and weighed down. These initial side effects went away after a month, but my headaches did not. It turned out my headaches weren't migraines afterall so the topammax had no impact on them. I did lose twenty pounds pretty quickly however, which was great, but then I becamme increasingly paranoid until I felt full out crazy and had to stop taking it - in spite of loving the weight loss aspect. A neurologist told me that Topamax can cause severe paranoia in some people. And boy did it ever. Almost ruined my life. I've tried taking small amounts again at times since I gained the weight back, but I become tired, paranoid and worried about stupid things almost immediately, so it just isn't worth it. Which is really saying something, since I'd almost be willing to give up a finger to lose twenty pounds. I guess I'm not willing to give up my mind. For the record - not everyone reacts like I did. My psychiatrist had never heard of anyo | F | 36 | 2 years | 4/1/2006 | 2 | hemifacial spasm | sleepiness, loss of memory, visual trails, extreme weight loss, rapid breathing, kidney stones, abdominal pain beginning titration. | I would never recommend an active person try Topamax. It completely devastated my personality. It was the worst 2 years of my life and feel like I missed two years of my life. | F | 33 | 2 years | 5/13/2007 | 2 | Migraines | Impaired my speech, made me stutter and forget words. Felt Dumb! Wanted to sleep all day long. Couldn't increase dose because side effects worsened. Didn't help headaches | F | 34 | 2 years | 8/20/2007 | 2 | migraines | brain fog, weight loss, tingling in fingers and toes, hair loss, possible lose of bone density. insomnia | when I first slowly got up to 200mg. a day, could not function at all. spent most of the night walking the floors, couldn't relax or sleep. the Dr. put me on xanax, while we reduced the dosage. was more tolerable at 100mg. but after 10 mths. started losing hair, decreased to 50mg. my last 2 bone density tests have been terrible. found some articles on topamax possibly reducing bone density. I am now off topamax, and taking Boniva for my bone loss. as expected the migraines are worse, but not horribly so. I want to take the topamax, but am afraid of the bone loss and hair loss. | F | 60 | 2 years | 11/29/2006 | 2 | seizure | severe hair loss, insomnia, memory loss, no motivation | I have memory loss, I have never slept through the night once since I have been on it. I have been on it for 2 years 6 months and the reason I haven't switched to another medication is because I am allergic to several other ones I have tried. I haven't had any more seizures though. | F | 49 | 2 years | 8/18/2004 | 2 | tbi | Still had severe migrains and had neck stiffness bones in my back and shoulders crack. Lower back pain | F | 49 | 2 years 100mg | 10/17/2014 | 1 | migraines | -extreme loss of appetite and weight loss (I was literally never hungry and the thought of food was nauseating- I lost a total of about 40 pounds in two years and at my lowest I was 99lbs and 5'6) -Irritated mood and generally very quick to anger -cognitive functions became very difficult, it was hard to focus and simple things like adding negative numbers became very complicated for me -withdrawal from being weaned off of this drug was the absolute worst thing I have ever experienced This drug ruined my life. Please, please consider any other option first. | F | 19 | 2 years 25mg | 8/7/2014 | 1 | Epilepsy | Major weight loss, loss of the ability to pretty much function at anything, loss of appetite, extreme fatigue. | This drug is just plain ridiculous and should not be prescribed to anyone. I lost 50 pounds in 3 months, I was overwieght so this wasn't a horrible side effect in my eyes but the weight loss was initially the reason I had to go off of it. I was never hungry so I would go a day or two without eating or eating very little and dropped down to 105 lbs and I am 5'8". I also loss the ability to function cognitively, I was an honors student in middle school with a 3.8 GPA and after about 6 months of being on the medication they referred me to a learning specialist because I was doing so poorly in school, my IQ tested at 70 which by definition is mental retardation. They took me off the medicine and I eventually regained my cognitive abilities and managed to make it through college with a 3.6 GPA. DO NOT TAKE THIS DRUG. | F | 24 | 2 years | 8/5/2009 | 1 | Mood stabilizer/depression | metallic taste. I felt like a zombie and was totally disassociated from the world. I was on it for 2 years which are actually lost to me because I can't really remember them. | It did help stabilize my mood if being a zombie and being totally unaffected by anything is what you are going for as a result of a prescribed medication. The withdrawal symptoms when I quit taking it were unbelievable I felt like a heroin addict. Sweating, shaking, dizziness. I could have curled up into a ball and died. | F | 40 | 2 years | 10/8/2009 | 1 | Epilepsy | Unable to read, write,spell. (Thank God for spell check) my whole train of thought is gone. I feel like a fourth grader again. I forget memories, everything. If you can take something else, TAKE SOMETHING ELSE!!! | F | 47 | 2 years 600 mg | 7/27/2015 | 1 | Migraines | Tingling, HAIR LOSS!!!! Mood Swings, Irritability, Loss of words, Loss of sex drive, Paranoia, Anemia, Low ferritin levels, weight loss | This drug should be banned!!! It was the worst 1-1/2 years of my life!!! The Hair loss was horrible, especially on the right side of my head. The texture of my hair also changed and felt and looked like straw. I thought this was all due to the birth of my twins. NOT. It also led to extreme anemia and low ferritin levels. I cannot believe that doctors are allowed to dispense this medication! I have since stopped taking it and finally after almost a year my hair is growing back and my anemia is gone!!!! Don't let the few good things said about this drug continue to give you false hope - it is extremely dangerous! I feel so bad for those of you who are still on it. GET OFF IT IF YOU CAN! | F | 42 | 2 years | 1/1/2009 | 1 | Chronic Migrane | Metallic taste, confusion, facial numbness, tingling in hands and feet, anxiety attacks, major memory loss, slured speech. | I took this while I was pregnant for chronic migranes. My Neuro actually had me on 200mg a day and I was turned into a ZOMBIE! I hate his medicine! It cause me to have an anxiety attack at the top of the St. Louis Arch. To make this worse I was still getting massive break through pain and poping codine like tictacs. I was so glad when my new Neuro stepped me off this and replaced it with Amityptyline (Elavil) for maintance and Imitrex Injectable for break through relief. | F | 27 | 2 years | 2/7/2008 | 1 | Migraines | Brain fog, fatigue, palpitations + increased HR, tingling in fingers, weird feeling in stomach after eating, depression, suicidal thoughts, anorexia | I became severely depressed and started having suicidal thoughts on this medication. Kept taking it because it was the only thing (at the time) I found to stop my daily migraines. Lost a lot of weight and basically stopped eating all together with the appetite suppression from the med + the depression. Still struggling to get back to eating a healthy amount after being off the med for a year. Avoid this medication if you can, it's not worth the physical and mental strain! | F | 21 | 2 years 100 mg 1X day | 9/10/2020 |