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 | Migranes | weight loss, loss of appetite, tingling in face and hands, loss for words | I started getting really bad migraines in high school and nothing over the counter helped anymore. When I started taking this is was great! My migraines were completely gone within a week and a half of starting with the low dosage but my doctor worked me up to 100 mg a day. After about 7 months I started getting dull headaches that were lasting longer and longer to the point where I had a dull headache for about a week. At that point the side effects were not worth it especially since it interferes with birth control as well. I weened myself off of it and have gotten some headaches here and there but I have not had migraines like before ever since. Advil usually does the trick now. Oh I was on the generic version just fyi. | F | 19 | 1 years 50mg 2X day | 1/11/2011 | 3 | Dizzy spells | hand and foot tingling - going to "sleep" - numbness - decreased over time, but never went away. spend alot of time searching for the right word - quite severe, actually. dizzy spells did decrease - i could function again, drive, walk, didn't fall out of bed anymore (yes, they were that severe). and they did decrease the SEVERITY of the migraines i experienced - but actually (i think) increased the number of them. | i actually set an appointment today with my neuroligist to discuss getting off topomax. it is making me so forgetful that i am getting worried about alzeheimers symptoms. I can't spell anymore (and can barely type) and i used to win spelling bees. i can't do my job properly. i am a salesman and the other day, i literally had to go and look up the last four digits of my social security number to activate a debit card. i couldn't remember them. how can i sell anything when i am tongue tied? this is misery | F | 45 | 1 years 50 mg 2X day | 7/25/2011 | 3 | Depression | It did not relieve ANY of my mood issues in any way; however, I gave this medication a 3 because it helped me to quit smoking and to control my overeating--I lost 50 pounds. | F | 29 | 1 years 50mg 1X day | 9/15/2011 | 3 | Bad Migraines | Loss of appetite, Anxiety attacks, lack of motivation and depression. | Initially Topamax helped stop the migraines which was a blessing in itself. However, I did have to cut down on the dosage that I was taking and even now I don't take it every night. Even though I haven't had a bad migraine in several months, I feel like I've lost nearly a year out of my life from all the side effects I've been experiencing. You take the medicine to help you have a better life per se.....not to withdraw into a shell and shut the world out. But again - Topamax did (does) prevent my migraines. | F | 37 | 1 years | 9/1/2009 | 3 | Migraines | Weight loss, hair loss!! | This medicine worked great for me as a preventative for my migraines. I lost a little weight which was nice also. However, my hair started falling out and breaking off rapidly after about 6 months of taking it. It didnt occur to me that it was because of topamax until I googled side effects. I lost about 1/3 of my hair and it continued to fall out after I stopped taking it. It wasnt worth it! | F | 25 | 1 years | 11/10/2014 | 3 | migraines | Blurred vision, irritability, paranoia, depression, trouble sleeping, weight loss, mood swings, hair loss, fatigue , always freezing | The first few months on it I felt dizzy, almost high, and was constantly stuttering my words. I went from having daily migraines to about 1 a month. What I thought was typical depression spiraled into the worst feelings ever, hopelessness, anxiety attacks and constant fatigue. As the months passed it all got worse. So far I've dropped about 22 pounds, and I cry for no reasons at times. My hair began thinning horribly about 7 months into taking the med. I've had my vision checked, all is well. I take 50 mg each night but I've decided to go off the med due to the negative side effects. It helped my migraines so much which is the only plus. It's been a little over 1 year and these effects have intensified GREATLY. I rarely sleep peacefully. Time for a change! | F | 25 | 1 years 50mg | 12/10/2015 | 3 | Migraines, Intracranial Hypertensio | Metallic taste for carbonated beverages, confusion, "out of sorts" feeling, slurred speech, headaches, eye pain, forgetfulness, tiredness, can't spell, took away my speed, trouble remembering, blurry vision, floaty things in my vision, constipation, lack of appetite, lost of interest in just about anything actually... | I started taking this after coming off Diamox for IH. At first it made my headaches worst, so I stopped taking it. Then a few months later and alot of headaches/flare-ups I decided to give it another try. I have been on it for a year now and I am trying to figure out if I should stay on it or ask to find another migraine med. (aside from imitrex and high dose of naproxen) I do like not having headaches everyday but is it worth having all these other side effects that interfere with your life as well? What to do? | F | 29 | 1 years | 2/4/2009 | 2 | migraines | loss for words, decreased libido, hair loss, thirst | sexual satisfaction has returned. Thirst normal. Hair loss still occurring. Off of topamax about 6 weeks. Didn't really help my migraines enough to endure side effects. | F | 60 | 1 years | 7/16/2008 | 2 | myoclonic jerks | Medicine stopped clonic jerks but is continuing almost 50 lb. weight loss despite trying to stop it. SEVERE MUSCLE WEAKNESSS, LOSS and FATIGUE that is continuing to get worse almost daily!!!!! Very very scary!!!! Initial hair loss and personality change, brain fog. Those lifted but do feel more "flat." Very concerned about buzzing feeling throughout my body and the shortness of breath and fatigue. Pins and needles in arms and legs. Hate being on the drug. | F | 52 | 1 years 125 mgs | 12/11/2014 | 2 | migraine headaches | tingling hands and feet, any amount of caffeine causes my face to tingle and/or go numb | It took me a good 6 months or so to determine that it was topamax+caffeine that caused my face to go numb. For a long time, I thought it was topamax alone. I have been able to virtually eliminate the problem by eliminating caffeine. | F | 30 | 1 years | 1/2/2010 | 2 | MIgraines | Initially nausea, loss of appetite; Then: excessive weight loss, exhaustion, cloudy thinking, poor coordination; and most recently: Paranoia, hallucinations, aggressive behavior, angry outbursts, placed in mental health facility. | I am married to the man who took this medication. From my perspective: The past month has just been hell on the whole family. When my husband began hearing and seeing things that were not there I feared it was another medication, the fentenal patch, because he had been taking topomax for some time. His symptoms got worse quickly. He was not eating, sleeping, became angry at times and at other times was a sweet-heart. He would be hot, then cold and shiver. He became paranoid, thinking people were coming to hurt us. He even called the police telling them there were several men sneaking around the yard (we live out in the country)swearing he could here them talking on walky-talkies. The mood swings were terrible- everyone was walking on egg shells not knowing what to expect next. It got to the point where he was shoving one of our kids out of the way to "get" whatever he thought he saw. He also became physically combative with me when I tried to stop him from going after "them". I finally had to trick him into going to a hospital where they sent him to a "mental facility." Once there he was immediately sent up to ICU, for 3 days, as directed by the psychologist. He weighed in at 125 pounds-well below normal weight for a man that is 5'11". During his stay at the hospital, he was taken off both fentenal patch and Topamax. After returning home he began taking the Topamax again and within two days he started talking to people that aren't | M | 35 | 1 years | 11/21/2009 | 2 | seizures | severe tingling, numbness in feet and hands. Hair falling out. Mood changes to the point where I cannot even stand myself. Inability to find the correct words (which I thought was due to my epilepsy). | I have been on 300mg/day. I have tried other medications but have other side effects. I really want off the Topamax because the tingling and numbness is out of control. It is so bad I dropped a large soda in my lap at the movies because my hands were numb. I am having a difficult time even walking because half the time I can't feel my feet and when I can they are tingling or burning. I wish I had the weight loss every one else is talking about. | F | 34 | 1 years | 9/27/2007 | 1 | severe insomnia | diarrhea, severe stomache cramps, vision problems, hair thining (possibly due to the huge weight loss) hard to know which came first, the chicken or the egg? low blood pressure, dizzy | NO WONDER!just got out of the hospital after dealing with the side effects of this drug for the last year. Having no clue that it was the Topomax causing problems. The first few months taking it it, looking back, it was OK. I am also, being treated for blood clots, so major discussion on which was killing me; the overdose (by the Dr.'s) of Topomax or of the toxicity to the blood thinners. (which is very rare) But reading here, I can see that in fact my dosage of Topomax was indeed rather high to say the least! 300mg every night for sleep! For four months I just layed in bed in pain and couldn't consume anything but water & even that would go right through me. I have been blaming the sight problems on age, but sounds to me like it may have been just another symptom to blame on the Topomax. Yep, lost A LOT of weight, but way too fast. Not the diet I would recommend. Besides you feel so bad, you can't enjoy it! PLEASE FOLKS!!DO NOT LOOK TO THIS AS A WEIGHT LOSS PILL!!! IT NEARLY KILL | F | 44 | 1 years | 8/2/2007 | 1 | migraines | Constant tingling of feet and hands, severe lack of concentration and being able to think straight and make decisions, even simple ones, my head felt like it was floating above me and swollen inside, and worst of all severe hair loss! | At first this drug seemed to work for me, but then didn't and doc kept increasing the dosage to no avail. I am also going thru menopause so I didn't know what to blame the side effects on. It wasn't until I had lost almost half the volume of my hair that I found this site and realized what was going on. I am still losing hair after weaning off 2mos. later. Please someone tell me this will stop before I'm bald! Bottom line_this drug is not worth the side effects.[ | F | 52 | 1 years | 11/5/2007 | 1 | Bipolar | I was on the topamax (100mg/ day) because I gained 20 pounds in the first six months of taking Zyprexa. The side effects of topamax are HORRIBLE! I had intense rage and memory problems, hair loss, anorexia, and it also aggrivated a stomach ulcer and caused problems with my kidneys as well. Needless to say, the rage alone outweighed any benefits it was having on mood stablization. The appetite supression worked but was unnecessary due to the fact that I was also on Geodon, (40 mg 2x/ day) which did not cause the appetite increase like the Zyprexa so I didn't need anything else. I went off of the topamax, and all of the symptoms went away, except for the ulcer which I'm still dealing with. EVIL EVIL Topamax! | I would not recommend Topamax to anyone, the side-effects (even the most common) FAR outweigh any benefits of this drug in my opinion. | F | 27 | 1 years | 7/18/2005 | 1 | migranes | i am writing regarding my sister and what these drugs have done to her no problems except headaches now seizues after topamax | this has been the worst nightmare to watch my 46 year old sister completly go downhill on topamax she had headaches and went to see a neurolgist she has always been healthy beside the migranes now after being on the drugs she has been having seizure which she never had in her life everyday now and alot of them | M | 44 | 1 years | 7/25/2006 | 1 | Depression / Weight control | Aphasia, Memory Loss, Sleep irregularity, Irritability Leg cramps, stomach pain, Lethargy, Acne, Hair loss, Weight gain | This has been a year of living hell. I have actually been binge eating on Topamax even though I had lost over 120 pounds on Atkins prior to starting Topamax. I have tried to atribute by side effects to other blood pressure meds I am on, but have finally come to the realization that the little pills I have been religiously taking to make myself better have turned me into a drooling idiot. The one positive is that my migrains have gone away, but there may not be much mind left to feel pain. | F | 43 | 1 years | 7/12/2005 | 1 | Migraines | I am a chronic migraine sufferer; this means 10++/month, sometimes back to back so I cannot tell where one ends and the other begins. Topomax reduced them by maybe 10%, but Dopomax was my nickname - made me very stupid. You MUST drink plenty of water to mitigate this effect. Also, if you must take anti-biotics, you must reduce or stop Topomax. I told my gyn, but she did not know about this drug interaction, and the pharmacy did not either. My neurologist later told me that anti-biotics will cause the Topomax to incorrectly metabolize in the liver, resulting in a negative impact to cognitive function. I was very very confused the week I was on, and made critical errors at work recalling the sequencing of events. A very bad trade for only 10%. | F | 50 | 1 years | 2/21/2007 | 1 | Bipolar 1 Disorder | It caused KIDNEY STONES (6 to be exact)! Also, if I didn't eat every couple of hours, I felt like I would collapse; some low-grade fevers as well. For the first couple of weeks I was on it, & every time the dose was increased: I forgot certain words; had headaches; had trouble writing words on paper; forgot to eat, which some ppl think is great, but I am hypoglycemic. I have to eat. I lost weight the entire time I was on it. | Topamax should be taken off the market in my opinion. I had to be hospitalized for kidney stones, which doctors determined were from taking the medication alone. Yes, I lost weight on it. BIG deal, compared to the crap I had to go through. Every time the dosage changed (and when I titrated off of it) it sent me right into rapid cycling. What a nightmare! Please do not take this medication- Kidney stones are awful, and they happen to more people than you realize on this med. | F | 28 | 1 years 100mg 2X day | 12/8/2010 | 1 | Complex Migranes | Lack of sexual appetite (coupled with the depo shot for birth control which also affects your sex drive), affect on menstral cycle, weight loss, mood changes, numbness and tingling in fingers and toes, fatigue, overall anyone considering staying on this drug should look at the side effects after a year. | Unfortunately, my doctor put me on this so that I can limit my chance of a stroke and there are few other drugs like this. My husband and I are going to wean me off of Topamax and try acupuncture. You have to wonder if the side effects are truly worth the benefits... | F | 24 | 1 years 125 2X day | 3/20/2011 |