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 |
| 3 | Anxiety, Frustration | At first I had the whole "cant spell anything, cant find my car, etc" I also lost like 10 lbs. I couldnt drink pop because the carbonation made it taste awful. I was taking this in combination with lamictal and wellbutrin. No sex drive either. Not sure what caused it. I'm now a lot hungrier! | Here's my issue. I decided to go off of the Topamax and lamicital because I am going back to school and I wanted my head to be clear. I found out that I didnt like to be frustrated, angry and grumpy all of the time. I gained about 10 lbs quickly in the meantime. I put myself back on it and still NO WEIGHT LOSS!! I couldnt get in to see my Dr so all of this was done without a dr's help (All within a 3 month period) Has anyone else gone back on and not had any weight loss? I know its trivial but its really affecting my self esteem I feel awful all of the time...not fitting into my clothes etc. I am a part time model so this is really scary. Does MORE topamax help?? Ps,. I didnt put myself back on the lamictal, just the wellbutrin. Email me at [email protected] Thanks | F | 33 | 4 years 150 1X day | 10/11/2011 | 3 | Migraines | Tingling and numbness in hands and feet (worse in the real cold), soda tastes bad (that faded after time), hair loss, weight loss, memory loss, light trails when I'm over tired. My main concern is recent tho. I'm left handed and lately if I write a lot my hand seems to get tired and weak. I literally can NOT form a letter. That's a new unknown to me and not mentioned that I've found anywhere else symptom. | F | 36 | 4 years 100 MG | 7/14/2013 | 3 | migraines | At first I had awful side effects. Ringing in my ears,food taste bad...irony, numbness in feet and hands,weight loss (30pds),andmemory loss,extreme energy, up all night cleaning. Long term side effects are numbness in hands and feet, tired all the time,mood swings, even had to get on depression meds, loss of memory gets worse, but all the weird food tastes go away and weight stays maintained. The plus side of it all is the migraines have almost went away completely andi do have headaches weekly. I have been so depressed and have had zero sex drive...to which has lead me to take myself off this drug. I have been hearing how many divorces this has caused by this drugs side effects. I have completly changed as a person in the last 4u yrs and blamed it on everyone else but me? | F | 36 | 4 years 100mg | 1/17/2012 | 3 | Siezures | Weight loss Speech Memory loss | F | 36 | 4 years 500 | 12/22/2011 | 3 | Migraines | Topamax has improved my migraine severity and frequency. I used to get headaches about 6 or more times a month and they would usually last 2 days- so I had a headache almost all the time! I also taught 1st grade, so you can imagine it was awful!! Topamax took my migraines away almost 100% Now I only get 1 if I have insomnia ( menopause :( ) and haven't slept well for many nights. I am realizing that the side effects besides thinner hair, weight loss of a few lbs and some muscle cramps might be worse than I thought. I was reading others experiences and I think my vision problems & crushing fatigue may be related to Topamax? I think I may need to go off it! My neurologist prescribed it as my reg. dr won't even prescribe it! Hint Hint that it's serious stuff, but when you have a constant migraine you don't really care! I also am tired of being a complete couch potato. I have NO energy anymore at all. I also have lost my memory & feel stupid. Ok time to try something , anything else- there must be another option?!? Does anyone know of one? I take Sumatripan when I get a migraine- it doesn't work too well & insurance will only pay for 10 tablets a month. Sorry this is so long! Never written such a rambling rating - see? Dopa max! | F | 51 | 4 years 200mg | 4/24/2015 | 3 | Epilepsy | Cognitive motor slowing, trouble finding words, trouble thinking, memory problems, pins and needle feeling, initial weight-loss, but you will regain this back. | Topamax is an effective anti-convulsant. However, it's hard to function normally while on this drug. The good thing is that it is mostly secreted by urine. As for it preventing migraines... HA! That's a joke... | F | 25 | 4 years | 1/11/2010 | 2 | Borderline Personality Disorder | Extreme weight loss (went from 180lbs to 105lbs and I am 5'8")), mood swings, suicidal thoughts, crying spells, extreme rage, restless feeling inside | My incompetent ex-psychiatrist prescribed me Topomax after I gained quite a bit of weight on Trileptal. He failed to warn me or my family that there is a risk of adverse effects in this and all psychiatric medication. I have BPD and always had horrible mood swings/rage/anxiety, but instead of helping with any of my symptoms, the Topomax worsened them. I would wake up sobbing for no reason, would start thinking suicide was a logical option, severe anxiety that I attempted to quell with drinking and INSANE weight loss. You just can't eat. I apparently was high risk for an eating disorder and the Topomax triggered Anorexia that I have been battling for years. Instead of switching the meds, my psych assumed the side effects of the drug were symptoms of my mental illness and upped my dosage which in turn made things worse and he would up them more. I finally figured it out after doing some reading and stopped it all together. Of course I still have BPD symptoms (depression, anxiety, fear of abandonment, etc.), but what the psych had assumed were symptoms of the BPD all went away with the Topomax. I've since dealt with my BPD in therapy and refuse medication and am a perfectly healthy, functioning adult. Topomax may help some but it also may cause the opposite effect! If you show any early signs of an eating disorder or already suffer from one: STAY AWAY. This shit made me think I was legitimately insane for four years! | F | 23 | 4 years 300 2X day | 4/13/2012 | 2 | Severe Migraines | Memory loss and lack of focus as well as lack of sex drive. I am also on wellbutrin and birth control so I wonder how these might be working together (or against each other). Anyone out there in the same situation? | Depression has taken over enough to where I recently cut down my dosage to 50 mg per day, It hasn't helped so I intend to keep weaning myself down until I'm off. My headaches seemed to be less frequent in the beginning but now I think they are the same as before I started the topamax so the side effects just aren't worth it any more. | F | 50 | 4 years 75mg 1X day | 1/5/2011 | 1 | Migraine | memory fog; aphasia; in the middle of a sentence I would actually forget what I was saying and have to cover by making a stupid joke or something; difficulty processing new information; terrible short-term memory; coordination problems - worse in morning - especially with hands - dropping a lot of things. | I started tapering off about a month ago because I am having trouble learning and managing tasks at work. | F | 42 | 4 years 100 2X day | 7/8/2011 | 1 | Mood stabilizer, migraines | Word loss problems, short-term memory problems, weight loss (extreme at highest dosage), intestinal disorders including acid reflux and diarrhea. | This med. seemed to work for mood and migraines but then I started having side effects that interfered with my quality of life. I tapered off and felt awful. I went back on it and the side effects were too much. I now realize that I had side effects from toperimate that I did not realize were from it until I stopped it. I thought that I was getting unstable (or something like that) so I started it again for about 5 months. It did not help so I am dropping it. The worst thing is that now I feel depressed and in a brain fog. As it works out of my system, I hope that I start feeling real again. I do not have time to feel bad on a drug that is supposed to help. By the way, I gained about 15 pounds back and have nothing to wear because I bought smaller sizes. That is depressing, too. I will not take it again. My dr. never checked me with bloodwork or anything and seemed to think I should just deal with it. | F | 55 | 4 years 200 mg. 1X day | 4/21/2010 | 1 | Migranes | Dizzyness, Fatigue, Tigglyness, Suicidle Thoughts, Moode Swings, Irritability, etc | STAY AWAY! None stop problems right from the start. You will be amazed at how your headaches go away at the start, but dont be fooled the side effects dont go away and only get worse over time. My Dr. tolled me my minor side effects at the start such as tingly hands, fatigue during the day, and slowness would subside, yes they did. But what the dr. did not tell me was the many other long terms side effects that would come after that. It has taken me years to realize that my symptoms of; irritability, frequent chest pain, abdominal pain, mood swings, depression, suicidle thoughts, confusion, slow thinking, insomnia, urinary discharge are ALL a result of this medication. Its really unfourtunate that this med has all these side effects as it does rid the migranes temporarily, but its not worth all the extra mental, emotional and physical pain. Coming off it now for good, feel wayyyyyy better, and will deal with my headaches natually. | F | 4 years 125 1X day | 4/1/2012 | 1 | back and leg pain | I have had six surgeries on my back,the last was 18 months ago and was a posterior fusion with hardware.I was taking Topamax for going on 4 yrs.and until recently going off it didn't realize that it was causing exageratted pain in my legs.After quitting the topamax my leg pain is alot better and at times even goes away.This is a sorry drug,My wife also took it at 25 mg. a day and we both had shingles,how weird is that,it caused my hair to fall out,skin dryness,eye weakness,cloudy thinking,no sex drive,sleeplessness,deep depression(you will not even know yourself,out of character)loss of interest in everything you loved before.My wife had scarring on her kidneys two years later from only 25 mg a day!I would advise you not to start this drug,it is very dangerous to your health,if you are taking it please go off it and you will see clearly how bad it has been.It clouds your thinking while on it till you don't see.It also makes you very paranoid and thin skinned about every little thing,yo | M | 54 | 4 years 100 mg. 2X day | 6/23/2013 | 1 | Severe Optical Migraines | Major weight loss to the point I looked "gaunt" in the face, periods stopped. Stroke symptoms/froze, could not move. Hospitalized for dehydration. would get into the SUV, approach light in "turn lane" & realize I didn't know where I was going? Would sit frozen.Forgot my child's name during an introduction. Would call out to her & forget her name. Same feeling as "It was on the tip of my tongue" but ALL DAY--everyday. Typing skills began to suffer. Would misspell wrods. much liek thsi. Dyslexia? Began to feel incompetent as a public speaker. NEVER had problem with freesing before! Could not memorize key points. Would have to rely on my notes on motivational topics--not good! | Stopping Topomax--ANTI-SEIZURE drug-not MIGRAINE DRUG. Stopping cold turkey causes SEIZURES. Expect weightgain and cravings. Titrate down SLOWLY. (frozen)could not command body to use motor skills. Stupified state. Like amnesia. Could not remember important pin codes/passwords or phone #. Yes, there will be crying jags, feelings of hopelessness and body aches, nausea, tingling in your limbs, fingers and toes. To stop this drug you will experience withdrawals similar to individuals kicking a narcotics addiction. Drink plenty of water and milk for calming, take plenty of magnesium and drink Gatoraide for potassium to eliminate dizziness and nausea. Force yourself to walk everyday and get plenty of fresh air and rest. Do not DO THIS ALONE. Get a doctor to assist. common dosage is 100-150 mg. At 400mg I kicked it. MIGRAINES WILL RETURN. I have changed my lifestyle & avoid stress. | F | 42 | 4 years | 11/27/2006 | 1 | Depression, anxiety, mood swings | Confusion, memory loss, word recall issues, spelling problems, handwriting change, general cognitive changes/disfunction, dehydration. Felt stupid, dopey, and anxious. The only benefit was the slight weight loss and ability to maintain lower body fat percentage. I couldn't perform basic/core functions of my job (executive/lawyer) without assistance. | Started at 25 mg, increased to 50 mg. At 50 mg, the side effects were too much, decreased to 25 mg. Doctor said there was no way the side effects were related to a relatively low dose of Topamax. Thus, I did not realize that the side effects that persisted were related to Topamax until I quit taking it under guidance of another physician. | F | 43 | 4 years | 5/11/2007 | 1 | back and migraine | I loved the weight loss and the no migraines. But the side effects sucked. One day I woke up and you could see every vein in my body they was glowing. Doctor took me off right away. I stuck with the med for so long because my headaches are so extreme. Never again at least o don't have numb lips tingling legs feet of hands anymore. | Has anyone had issues with their veins glowing.while taking topmax and what is exactly the cause | F | 41 | 4 years 100 | 5/6/2015 | 3 | Bi-Polar Disorder | After reading this, I know now WHY ALL MY HAIR WAS FALLING OUT 3 years ago!. I cut all my hair off thiking I had some hair disease, and it was the topamax from reading this forum! Happily, all my hair has returned, in all it's glory. I can't really say I have any side effects anymore. Initially I had memory problems, BUT I also was in a severe car accident at the same time and had a concussion so I wrote it up to the concussion. I might have lost about 8 pounds. I had serious dry mouth. But all the side effects are gone now. I love my Topamax and get real nervous if refill time rolls around and I don't have any! | This site have been very informative. | F | 38 | 3.5 years 400mg per 1X day | 7/26/2011 | 5 | migraine | I've run the gambet of side effects over the course of my three years on Topomax. The ones I still get from time to time are tingling in limbs (when I don't drink enough water), taste changes, phantom smells, random thoughts, thoughts of suicide, loss of memory (trouble concentrating...but this could be old age too), grasping for correct word (again the age thing), weight loss (loss of appetite). All of the side effects are cyclical for me and as long as I am aware that they are related to Topomax I just deal with them. The worst was getting through the first three months on the drug while I cycled down from 75mg to 50mg. I know that I am on a low dose, but getting through the side effects was REALLY difficult. My doctor told me about NONE of them. | I was getting crushing headaches for 2 weeks out of every month and getting them for 2 weeks straight. I get about 2 headaches a year now, and I can kick them with some Advil. Topomax ROCKS!!! Even with all the crazy side effects. I found this website because I'm wondering if you all are taking Topomax or the generic Topiramate. I'm on Topomax and my insurance company is MAKING me switch. I am very worried (unreasonably I'm sure) that I will have a reaction to the generic. | F | 39 | 3 years 50 1X day | 12/27/2010 | 5 | Migraines | Tingling in hands and feet. Hands would not be able to un-bend for a few minutes. Forgetfulness. Memory loss. Cannot come up with words. Some Weight loss. Very tired, and always tired. | I experienced migraines since I was atleast a baby. I went to a neurologist a few years ago after noticing things like Excedrin and Ibuprofen would not work. The Neurologist diagnosed me with migraines. Frequency of them were about 80 to 85% of the month. He started me on Topamax. It has worked wonders. Since the Topamax, the frequency has maybe been 1 or 2 every few months. I am currently starting the process of going of it to see if the migraines come back. I want to try to go off because I do not want to become dependent on the med. If they start to come back, I plan to go back on the Topamax. | F | 22 | 3 years 50 to 100 2X day | 3/27/2011 | 5 | cluster headaches | Really the only side effect I have had has been that carbonated soda's taste flat....and I needed to stop drinking those anyways. | Best thing the doctor ever did for me. I was suffering from cluster headaches for 7 years prior to taking the topamax. | F | 41 | 3 years 50 mg 1X day | 5/24/2010 | 5 | Severe Migraines (since teen) | Loss of vocabulary (soooo glad I've read all your posts - I thought it was age !) Lost 25 lbs the first two months from loss of appetite. Weight stable now, although appetite iffy. | Worked great on my migraines. Now I only get one if I don't eat regularly. It was three yrs ago, but never had the tingly extremities...? And, I never noticed the flat pop. But...just over the past few weeks - Coca Cola hasn't tasted as good as it usually does. I HATE not being able to "think of a word"...I teach - so I have to turn my "loss" into a quick classroom activity..."OK class, what's another word for.....?" | F | 42 | 3 years 100 mg PM 1X day | 7/27/2010 |