TOPAMAX Reviews (TOPIRAMATE)Average Rating: 3.0 (1824 Ratings)Filter ResultsCompare TOPAMAX with similar:
Type: Rx Drug
|
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 |
| 4 | Mood Stabilizee | PARETHESIA (tingling of fingers and toes-I'm a hair dresser, very BOTHERSOME!) ZERO APPETITE (I would rather not have food in my home. I am obsessed with WATER, it is ALL I want. Not even close to kidding. If I eat it's because A. I MAY vomit B. Someone makes me. WEIGHTLOSS(RARE cases would you Gain weight anyway; however lack of appetite, my huge water intake, no soda ect... THINGS I'VE NOTICED: 1. No serious side effects if you slowly up your dose. I STARTED at 25, now at 200. 2. It is WORKING as a MOOD STABILIZER 200mg, combined with 300mg bupropion sr. 3. (I went nearly a year without my period and since starting Topamax four months ago, I've had a period every month?? I don't know Why the Fuck that is. I've been irregular my WHOLE life. I should probably report this to someone important lol... 4.You will prooobably cry a lot when your dose changes but give it 1-2 weeks. It DOES work. I have been on EVERY. THING. | F | 24 | 4 months 200mg | 4/19/2014 | 4 | Bipolar/Migraines | Food after taste. Blurred vision | Prior to going on Topamax I had ECT. It had a reverse effect on me, because I couldn't get any stupider | F | 51 | 4 months | 12/7/2008 | 4 | Severe Migraine Headaches | I now take 50mg. in the morning and 75 mg. in the night, and eachtime I had to increase my dosage by 25 mg. I would feel dizzy and lightheaded for about a week, but then that would go away and I would feel back to my normal self. I have been on the medicine for 4 months and I lost 11 pounds, which is great! | My migraine headaches, which I started getting after 2 car accidents and 2 failed back surgeries, came as frequently as 3-4 days a week and were a 7/10 to 10/10 on a pain scale. In 4 months, that number has been reduced to 1 to 2 migraines a week with a 3/10 on a pain scale. I just take my 5 mg. Zomig when I get my little migraine now, and the headache goes away within an hour. Topamax has given me my life back. Before Topamax, I used to spend 3 to 4 days a week in bed. Now I spend 1 to 2 hours a week in bed at the most waiting for my very small 3/10 pain level migraines to go away. I reccomend Topamax to anyone who is having severe migraines.It is truely the miracle drug! | F | 25 | 4 months | 1/22/2005 | 4 | Migraines | Tingling & numbness in hands & feet; increased thirst. | I have been taking 50 mg for 4 months and have enjoyed a significant decrease in migraine attacks. I still have a couple every month but am content to handle those with Imitrex and Motrin. The tingling and numbness was very noticable in the beginning. It would come and go, but each instance would last less than one minute-not bothersome to me. I don't encounter that side effect much anymore. As for a change in appetite... I noticed a change in taste within the first week. I now prefer my food more on the bland side; I have consumed 12 oz. of Dr. Pepper daily for years, but now it doesn't taste as good. I didn't notice a decrease in appetite until I had been taking it for about 3 months. I have been using antacids more frequently (I rarely used them in the past). All in all, I will continue to take this med as long as it keeps the migraines away. Life is MUCH better now. | F | 41 | 4 months | 6/30/2007 | 4 | migraine | tingling in toes and fingers | F | 45 | 4 months | 10/21/2008 | 4 | daily chronic headache | weightloss, loss of appetite, picky eating, dull feeling like i was slow and couldn't comprehend things correctly. elbow pain | has made me slightly tired i used to go to bed at 10 30 now it is 9 30. lost 20 lbs after 3.5 months on this drug and everything that i want to eat just doesnt sound good even when i feel hungry, it's weird. no bad headaches even though i still get little normal headaches but i can still function, unlike before. i would like to feel more alert but i resently switched from 25mg to 50mg so it might take time for my body to adjust. all in all i would say topamax is a good thing so far. | M | 17 | 4 months | 10/22/2008 | 4 | Bi-polar | At first, short-term memory loss that drove me crazy! (locked keys out 5-6 times a week, did laundry without putting in the clothes, etc....) but went away after 3 weeks. Now, spatial skills not what they were, but I'm fine with that. | No weight gain side effect as with other mood stabilizers. In fact, I think it makes me less hungry. Great drug for bi-polar people. | F | 32 | 4 months | 4/8/2004 | 4 | migraine | Sleepiness and irritability, easily overwhelmed. Stomachaches w/o gas. | Side effects eased after I had taken it for a few months, but in the beginning, while adjusting the dose, I almost lost some friends because of the extreme irritability because I was SO sleepy all day. | F | 44 | 4 months | 12/3/2004 | 4 | Migraines and nerve pain | These things went away in time: troubles finding keys on the keyboard, confusion, ability to drive, concentration. Still having these ones: Memory loss, soda tastes flat, food tasted funny, tingling in hands, feet and sometimes nose, metalic taste, drowsiness, inability to reach a full orgasm, can't spell. | I am taking 50mg's in AM and in PM. MY headaches pretty much dissapeared until I had an ESI, now I am considering upping my dose, but I am concerned about having more sexual side effects. I think the med may have saved my life in a way. If you can give it a chance and wait out the initial side effects it will be well worth it. The more water you drink the better off you will be with the side effects. | F | 36 | 4 months | 6/27/2006 | 4 | chronic migraine | Some memory problems, mostly an aphasia which is different from that coming from middle age, stress or migraine. Tolerable. The extreme tiredness went away after about eight weeks; carbonated drinks still taste nasty but I can live with that. | Hoped Topamax would reduce prodrome symptoms of migraine (extreme crankiness, food cravings, unable to follow logical thought processes, poor sleep, etc.)which were present even when pain/aura/nausea were not. I took six weeks to reach full dosage due to the tiredness which may have been partly due to other stresses. The migraines are much reduced and the worst of the prodrome effects are gone, which was my main goal. Topomax has considerably improved life and my interactions with family and friends. | F | 49 | 4 months | 7/12/2006 | 4 | Bipolar II Disorder | Some eye pain, weight loss, change in menstrual cycle? | I've been using Topamax with much success - weight loss, mood stabilization (on a higher dose, initially , I was on about half of what I'm on now), all it promises. I'd like to add that I also take Provigil (on an 'as needed' basis) and Klonopin, which is probably why Topamax works so well - in combination (my opinion). I've experienced minimal side effects (some eye pain, weight loss), but I had a few questions I was hoping to get put to rest. Recently, I went to psych, and he gave me a lab slip to check my CO2 levels while taking Topamax --- what exactly is the relationship between Carbon Dioxide and Topamax? Second question ... I've lost the 20ibs I gained (and than some) while taking depakote/neurontin, and in the past, even then, my menstrual cycles have always been light and never over a week. I'm not on birth control, and lately, my cycles have been really long and heavy. It makes no sense to me because I've lost weight and usually my body responds to that by lighter perio | F | 21 | 4 months | 6/2/2006 | 4 | Alcohol cravings & OCD | The cravings and OCD were greatly reduced, almost nil. However, I started getting severe acne & my hair is falling out. I am wondering if anyone else has had this happen. At the same time I was put on this medicatin, I was also put on Trazodone & Cymbalta, so it is difficult to know if the Topiramate is the cause. | This medication does make me feel very strange, rather disconnected and I often times have trouble finding the words to express myself....which was never a problem before. I am encouraged enough by the cessation of the alcohol use AND OCD that I really do want to be able to take this medication. | F | 59 | 4 months 50 MG 2X day | 3/5/2011 | 4 | migraine | I have a persistent metallic taste in my mouth that I hope will go away. Anything carbonated tastes pretty much awful. I get tingly hands and feet and around my mouth, but control that with potassium glutonate taken in 4 doses of 200 mg spread throughout the day and that has eliminated that completely. | As someone who never had anything remotely resembling a migraine until 1/20/2010 when I had a full up basilar-type migraine 1,300 miles from home on a business trip complete with blindness, partial paralysis, and a screaming headache and ended up with an incompetent doctor in a small hospital (he told me my normally low blood pressure dropped precipitously and i almost passed out, patted me on the head and sent me back to my hotel room), this drug has been a real relief. I went from that incident to persistent aura without infarction-basically visual aura symptoms that were continuous and so bad my husband had to come get me where I was on my busness trip and bring me home and take me to a neurologist. i have tried every other drug out there to stop the aura and the subsequent headaches, and so far this is the only one that has had an effect at any level or if it worked, did not make me outright sick. We are still dealing with some pretty significant issues, I have been in status migrainosus since 12 September, with the best we have been able to do is knock the headache down to a 2 or 3 on a scale of 10 on a daily basis. but without the Topomax I would be having uncontrollable aura as well and totally unable to function. At least this way, I can function when the pain goes down below a 4-5. FYI Based on clinical studies if you are taking more than 200 mg day of this for migraine you are probabaly not getting much benefit. the clinical studies on migraine patients are p | F | 48 | 4 months 50 2X day | 10/3/2010 | 4 | cluster headaches | stupidity - memory loss, trouble forming sentences, finding the right words, loss of concentration, loss of appetite, taste changes, tingling in extemities, lack of energy, confusion | I recently started back on topamax after a new cluster began. I took this drug 5 years ago and it stopped the cluster after about one month. The side effects can be hard to deal with but no where near as bad as the daily headaches. If your Dr puts you on a 100mg or higher dose to begin with, find a new doc. This stuff requires you to start slow and build up to a dose that works for you. Start with 25mg at night for a week then 25 at night and 25 in the morn after a week, then 25 in the morn and 50 at night for a week, then 50/50 for a while. I was able to drop down to 50mg per day taken at bedtime to limit most side effects and still keep the pain away. I eased off the drug after 4 months and was OK as the cluster had passed and was headache free for 5 years. I'm working back up to 100mg per day now since this cluster started and have just has the first 3 days in a row with no headache. I will continue to take the med like I did last time knowing what to expect. I quit drinking carbonated soda (and beer) last time and never started back so no problems there. This med really makes soft drinks taste like crap but the caffine wasn't helping the headaches so it needed to go anyway. The side effects ease up after a while, especially if you can get by on a lower dose. I still keep some triptans around in case of a breakthru headache but I know with the topamax I can survive till the cluster passes and and all the side effects will be gone soon after I discontinue use of the drug | M | 37 | 4 months 50mg 2X day | 4/12/2010 | 4 | migraines | Rated from the most dominant side effect to least dominant side effect: Initially menstruation cycle was every 2 to 3 weeks, then it all together stopped!, tingling of fingertips, loss of appetite, weight loss, fatty foods(like butter/margarine)and soda taste different, lack of concentration, occasional blurry vision. That pretty much covers it for me. | First off, I want to address, I there is a MAJOR difference in side effects between TOPIRAMATE(the generic form) and TOPAMAX!!!I can't stress this ENOUGH! I went from MEAN, ANGRY, IRRATIONAL, UNSOCIALABLE while being on Topiramate, to back to normal when switched to BRAND NAME TOPAMAX!!! It definately works. It took away my migraines that I have been treated for with maxalt, immetrex, vicadine, for 8 plus years. I still get an occasional headache, that I can treat with an Excedrin migraine. I can handle that. | F | 44 | 4 months 100 2X day | 3/27/2010 | 4 | Migraines | Tingling in hands, feet, and face; depth perception; ten percent loss in body weight - which is typical with this drug | I started having migraines about 7 months ago and after many test the diagnosed them as genetic migraines. Being a very young teenager, my neurologist was weary to put me on this drug. My mother is a pharmacist and agreed to help me titrate up on the drug. I started losing my appetite while on 25 mg and titrated up 25 mg per week. I did not experience any help with the migraines (which were an everyday thing) until about a month of taking the medicine, which I got to 100 mg a day. It still did not get rid of them completely so we decided to bump up my dose to 150 mg a day. This is when I started experiencing the tingling and numbness in my hands, feet, and face. We went down to 125 mg a day and after continuing to be on this medicine it has helped me tremendously. If suggested, I would give this medicine at least two months to work. Like any other drug, it might not be for you, but it has given me my old life back - before the migraines. | F | 17 | 4 months | 1/31/2010 | 4 | daily migraines and trig. neuralgia | A reply to Helpless412: Your email address is invalid so I am writing you back here. I started to lose weight after being on 25 mg twice a day for two months, and then it was only about a pound or two a month. My previous medicine made me gain 15+ pounds in 6 months. I started at 115 lbs/ 5'3", so that is a lot of weight to gain. I have not changed my diet, (vegetarian), full of whole foods, and no junk food. What I have found is that the more Topamax I take and the longer I am on it, the sooner I feel satiety or fullness. I am almost back to my normal weight. As far as being tired, I have fibromyalgia, so I am tired all the time anyway. But what I have found is that when I increased the dosage of Topamax, my fatigue would worsen for about 2-3 weeks, then subside. It was worse in the beginning at the lower doses. Going from 25 mg a day to 25 mg twice a day was harder than going to 25 mg in the am and 50 in the pm, and then the easiest was 50 am/50 pm. At the that point, I think I was only extremely fatigued for about a week. I wouldn't say I am slow to react (as in if I drop a cup or in driving), I would say one of my worst problems is word loss, dyslexia (which I never had) and the inability to write down phone numbers or spell things as people are dictating them. I will be increasing my dosage soon. I too have reservations as I do not want to worsen my fatigue, but it has always been temporary, so for me it is worth it. Good luck and don't give up hope! | F | 41 | 4 months 50 mg 2X day | 2/28/2012 Patient History | 4 | migraines | weight loss, increased uri, stomach irritation, messed up my periods | F | 32 | 4 months | 4/10/2006 | 4 | Mood Stabalizer | Memory Loss, anxiety attacks, numbess / tingling hands and feet, heavy arms, weightloss, dry mouth, lack of appetite | Weightloss has been a benefit. Must remind myself to eat. No more flying off the handle. Still trying to get the afternoon anxiety attacks under control and the memory loss has been a frustration to deal with but hopefully will go away soon. Not being a raging loon is more than worth it. My family is very thankful. 100 mg at dinner time in lieu of anti-depressants. | F | 41 | 4 months | 12/19/2005 | 4 | Encephalitis/Meningitis-Seizure | Tingling in hands and feet, often nose and lower face. Onset of hair loss/breakage @ 15 weeks. Taste of foods altered. Soda/carbonation taste is awful. Difficult recalling words and sometimes stuttering. | Side effects come and go. Soda/carbonation is no longer awful, but not as good as before. My neuro won't let me take other med's due to efficacy, however, this is probably unique situation. | F | 32 | 4 months | 1/4/2006 |