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 |
| 4 | mood stabilizer | hair loss, slight dizziness now and again | This drug was a tremendously effective mood stablizer. And I had none of the bad side effects that I read in so many cases. But as time goes by, I've noticed a gradual hair thinning that has become too much to deal with as a young woman. I have just finished discontinuation. But I want to encourage others to not be scared off by what you read, for me it was great except for this one little thing. | F | 30 | 1 years 50 2X day | 11/29/2010 | 3 | migraine and weigh loss | My doctor describe me this medicine but I had no idea it was such a strong pill and with so many side effects i have been searching the internet all night because i have never taken any medication for anything in my life,this is my first time,i was having a lot of headaches ,maybe anxiety ,stress went I went to the doctor,i was working and i would feel sick and almost passed out,lots of pain in my head... around my eyes, like my head was going to explode,plus i gained 35 pounds i transformed... | So she said this medicine will be good for me. Now i have been feeling really weird lately i cant sleep at all for like 3 weeks, my eyes are wide open all night long i wait for my alarm every morning.i am so tired but cant fall sleep. everytime i take the med my eyes twitch its so annoying , i feel a little depressed and dont wanna do anything.After I eat i feel the food stuck in my throat.but thats good cause I need to lose weight anyways.i just wanna sleep im going to see my doc on dec 10 and i think im dont wanna take it anymore i dont feel good about taking meds anyways,its not natural,its not me, my headaches are gone and i dont feel sick anymore.... so.... its confusing... i dont know what to do.... im going crazy if i dont sleep!!!!!!!!!!!!! | M | 31 | 1 months 100 mg 1X day | 11/26/2010 | 1 | Migraines | Severe insomnia, mood swings, crippling anxiety and agitated thinking, depression and inability to go to work due to nonstop weeping. Also sexual dysfunction, hair thinning, weight loss and tingling in limbs. | I had high hopes for this medication, but found the psychiatric side effects unbearable. At first the side effects seemed innocuous enough. I slept great, lost a few pounds and felt better. Then the tingling worsened in my limbs, hands and feet. My neurologist dropped me down to a "pediatric dose" of 50 mg per night, but things grew worse I lost interest in sex and was unable to achieve orgasm. I could not sleep due to severe anxiety and agitated circular thinking. My mood swings worsened until I was crying uncontrollably and unable to go to work. My doctor never warned me of psychiatric side effects. I immediately tapered off the dose over two weeks and the side effects disappeared. My migraines have not returned, however, I'd find them preferable to feeling so unhappy and unable to function. | F | 46 | 6 weeks 75 mg 1X day | 11/23/2010 | 4 | Migraine | I experienced numbness in my face, hands and feet; slight dizziness; short-term memory issues; concentration problems; word-retrieval issues; saying the wrong word and not even realizing it! Also, mild hair thinning, weight loss (30 pounds over a year), and face twitching. | Topamax has been a godsend to me, even with its many side effects. As a teacher, the short-term memory and word-retrieval issues have been tough. However, it was much tougher trying to live my life with 16-20 migraine days per month! Now I experience perhaps 4 migraine days monthly. My quality of life overall is much better. If I were younger, high school or college age, and had to learn a great deal of new material I could NOT function on topamax, but at my stage of life it is fine. I would also like to note that the side effects have lessened over time. They were more severe the first year and are not very noticeable now. In my situation, the benefits have far outweighed the drawbacks, although I can see how for other people this might not be the case. | F | 37 | 3 years 25 mg 3X day | 11/19/2010 | 3 | Dystonia; spasmodic torticollis | I have been trying to slowly build up to 75 mg a day (1 25mg in the am and 2 in the pm) and can barely tolerate 1 25 mg in the am and 1 in the pm. At first it calmed and relaxed me, but the last few days, I have been having irritable mood swings and been starting to get a little depressed. I tried to take 2 the other night and actually felt like I was going to have a panic attack! It's so up and down with this drug. Kind of like good days and bad days. I have been weaning off of sinemet (100/125 3x day) to start this medication for dystonia. I am no longer on the sinemet, and today I could only tolerate taking a 1/2 of a topamax pill! Oh, and not to mention crazy dreams and waking up in the am drenched in sweat sometimes. Is this all normal? Will these effects go away??? These mental side effects and mood swings are actually kind of scaring me and the doctors office wants me to wait until Monday when I come in to see if I feel any better. I kinda feel at times like I am goin | F | 41 | 2 weeks 75 mg 2X day | 11/16/2010 | 1 | Bi-polar Disorder | I had Weight Loss, which I welcomed due to my excessive weight gain as a result of taking many different antidepressants. But the worst side effect was the Memory Loss which after more than 2 years after discontinuing the Topamax my memory has not returned at all. I always had a great memory and a phenomanal vocabulary, all of that has disappeared. I had a a neuro-psych test that showed my I.Q. dropped 11 points & a subsequent MRI showed I have 'White Matter Disease' i.e. pre-dementia. | A study showed that 11.2% of those that take Topamax experience memory loss, but all my psychiatrist told me was that I would lose weight. My neurologist sent me for an EEG which indicated I was having seizures. I never had any of these symptoms prior to taking Topamax and he suggested I stop taking it. | F | 53 | 18 months 100 mg 1X day | 11/16/2010 | 2 | Migraines, cyclothymia | Tingling in my hands. Numbness in hands and arms. Facial twitches. Depressed mood. Sleepiness. Lack of motivation. | I had high hopes for this drug, but it just was not for me. In a very short period of time, I began to experience the severe side effects. I don't think it is a bad drug. I just believe it was wrong for my particular body chemistry. | F | 43 | 10 days 25 2X day | 11/9/2010 | 1 | Bipolar/mood stabilizer | I had INCREDIBLE memory loss. It was so bad that I did not even know I had it. I failed a mini-mental exam at my doctors, I am 39 and they thought I had early onset dementia. Then it was realized I took Topamax. Ive been weaned off of it for 6 months and I have had no memory improvement. Very discouraging. | F | 39 | 3 years 100 2X day | 11/9/2010 | 4 | Migraine | hand and feet tingle, metallic taste, carbonated drinks taste weird | It was the constant migraines that gave me an inability to think and find words and consult a neurologist in the first place, so I can't say that the Topomax has made that worse. My functionability has improved greatly because my constant head pain is mostly gone. Still working on figuring out the perfect dosage. I have an ocassional migrain sneak through, and my neuro gave me Imitrex as a "rescue" drug for that. The combo seems to work. I was told by a relative who is a pharmicist that Ambien CR may have been the cause of some of the initial "word loss," but I don't know that for sure. As a person who makes a living with words (I'm a reporter) the loss of words and concentration is frightening and decidely inconvenient, to say the least. But it actually seems to be getting better. Drinking pop is no big loss. My appetite seems to be about the same, but I was losing weight with the constant headaches. | F | 43 | 1 months 75 mg 1X day | 11/7/2010 | 4 | Migraines | Immediate effects that went away after a few weeks: tingly hands and face, and sleepiness Others that persisted through treatment: Loss of appetite, weight loss, memory loss, confusion, a euphoric feeling (I always felt super happy, even when bad things happened), anxiety, and hyperness Effects after stopping: weight gain and continued anxiety and memory loss | My migraines were exercise induced & the neuro put me on Topamax. The migraines stopped! I always read people talking about being depressed on it, but mine was opposite. I was always SUPER chipper. Tragedies like death, heartache, hating my job & other things I would normally be upset about didn’t even phase me. It felt really good! I tolerated the other side effects until I started college. That’s when I noticed that I couldn’t concentrate or remember anything. I used to be a phenomenal speller & a great student, A's & B's. Not anymore... I was so hyper that I couldn't sit to study. If I managed to, then I couldn't remember what I read & had to re-read everything, but still couldn't remember. I failed 2 classes... I weened myself off Topamax & have been off it for 6 months, but still have anxiety & memory issues. I have a terrible time thinking of words & how to spell. Feels like my brain can't process anything. I just want my intelligence back! | F | 25 | 2 years 100 1X day | 11/1/2010 | 4 | bulimia, mood stabilizing | Had taken this before at only 25mg twice a day and it is great for controlling most of my binges (recovering bulimic and binge eater), lost weight the first and second time I was placed on it. Though I had tingling in my extremities. However, second time around I was placed on 50 mg twice a day, and I have horrible memory, concentration problems, stammering, and word recall--so much so that my pdoc has decided to lower my dose (though this could possibly be in combination with Lamictal I am on as well) | Really great and I love it's beneficial effects in terms of controlling my bingeing tendencies, yet the cognitive consequences outweigh the benefits considering the fact that I am a college student. | F | 20 | 12 months 50mg 2X day | 10/28/2010 | 5 | mood stabilizer | a bit of forgetfulness | My doctor desribed me as "soft bipolar". Or I would describe myself as a high functioning depressed person that becomes agitated sometimes. Topamax has really smoothed out my moods. My only complaint would be that I feel a bit dulled. My best friend noticed this too, that I'm not as witty or sharp. But my boyfriend finds me a lot easier to live with. No negative physical side effects at all--maybe because I do split my dose up to 3x a day. Also, I lost no weight. I did not want to, but I see a lot of people want to use this for a diet drug aand it may not happen for you. | F | 29 | 1 years 50 3X day | 10/21/2010 | 5 | Migraines | weight loss 10 lbs, improved sleeping, better mood. At original higher dose, experienced tingling arms and legs, difficulty finding words, periods of deep sadness, nightmares about dying. | At age 46 I had my first MAJOR migraine, with vomiting and sharp pain that lasted 10 hours. Then the migraines started coming once a week. After trying several other meds unsuccessfully, Topamax STOPPED them completely. It was such a relief to me and my husband and kids! My original dose was 50mg 2x/day, which I did for a year. At that dose I had some negative side effects. After one really terrifying nightmare, I decided to try cutting my dose in half to see if the headaches stayed away. It worked! The bad side effects -sadness, trouble finding words, nightmares have gone. Everyone's body chemistry is different. For me, this drug has given me my life back, (allowing me to hold a job) where before I would have to miss a day of work a week. Also, I can be the best wife and mom for my family. | F | 49 | 3 years 25 2X day | 10/20/2010 | 5 | Severe migraines | At first, a TON of side effects...OMG--carbonated drinks tasted awful, severe cognitive impairment!!! Virtually no word recall when speaking or even reading from a book. I would even have a hard time pronouncing words. I am a teacher and it was very frustrating trying to read and teach and speak to parents, etc....Memory loss....sometimes I would make a wrong turn on a route that I would drive everyday. This medication is called "Dopamax" for a reason. I wasn't overweight, but I feel like this medication has kept my weight stable (low) and allowed me to indulge a little more and exercise less (none)..LOL. If you are not overweight, don't expect a weight loss. | Even with the side effects, I LOVE this medication. As you can see, I have been on it for three years and plan on staying on it for the rest of my life. I had debilitating migraines that lasted days. I am a teacher and would crawl under my desk in my office until a substitute was called and then would be out for a day or so afterwards....they were that bad. I had the traditional aura and then exactly 20 minutes later pain and nausea that lasted for 8-10 hours. Then I would feel like my head was in a vice for 2 days afterwards. I have had two migraines in three years when I was having 1 a week on average, sometimes less, sometimes more. I tried 3 different migraine medications and they did nothing. | F | 38 | 3 years 50 mg 2X day | 10/18/2010 | 1 | seizure | Extreme sadness/depression-the worst I've ever experienced in my entire life. I never knew a medicine could do that to a person. THIS MEDICINE SHOULD HAVE A BLACK BOX WARNING ON IT. IT IS DANGEROUS. Memory problems, problems recalling words, problems with math (remembering how to do algebra for tests, etc.)Saying innapropriate things, weird thoughts, back pain, severe mestrual cramps, joint pain, eye twitches. | Topamax should have a Black Box warning on it-the strongest warning the FDA puts on any medication.In my opnion, it is a dangerous drug. On November 29, 2009, I had my first and only seizure. I was standing in front of my suitcase packing and the next thing I remeber is waking up in an ambulance, disoriented, vomiting and crying. I had no idea where I was or what had happened to me. I was 42 years old at the time, with no personal or family history of seizures or epilepsy. They did some preliminary testing-bloodwork and a CT scan at the hospital. When I got home, I began seeing a neurologist and had an EEG, MRI, and more blood work. I had none of the markers of epilepsy and was not diagnosed with epilepsy. My doctor, an elderly man in his late 70's told me I had "abnormal brain waves" and that I needed to go on anti-seizure medicine. He wanted to put me on Keppra and I said how about Topamax (only knowing that it suppresed one's appetite). If only I knew then what I know now! Hindsight is 20-20, as the saying goes! He told me I would be on it for the rest of my life. I didn't drive for three full months. I started out slow, titrating up my dosage. I was supposed to work up to 200 mg in the morning and at night, but when I got to 75 mg AM and PM, that was too much for me. The cognitive/memory side effects were terrible. I often couldn't retrieve words. This was really bad as I am a college student. I have a 4.00 GPA that I have worked really hard | F | 43 | 11 months 50am/75pm 2X day | 10/17/2010 | 1 | migrains | stomach pain, hair loss, word loss, memory loss, mood swings. | You know what you want to say but you cant get it to come out of you mouth, this medicine really messes with your brain, only good thing is the wait loss. | F | 33 | 100 2X day | 10/11/2010 | 5 | migraine relief | I have experienced lack of appetite, tingling in hands and feet, and cognitive dysfunction/fogginess. I have had a problem with "word finding". | I have had migraines for years with little relief from medication. After a two week migraine in May that had me took me on a brief trip to the ER, I went on Topamax. I'm a fairly articulate and well spoken person so I was EXTREMELY concerned about the cognitive side effects of this medication. While I have noticed it myself, my family and friends say they have not. I was originally very concerned that it was affect my job and my ability to speak, but it hasn't. It's the word finding that I find utterly confusing. I will know the word I am trying to say, but it just won't come out. This medication has all but stopped my migraines. I still have menstrual related migraines, but I have gone down from 7-10 debilitating migraines a month to 1 or 2. After a brief follow up with my neuro, I am dropping my dose to 75mg to see if it keeps the headaches at bay and possibly helps the cognitive impairment I am sure is there. A lot of people almost scared me off this medication, but I was determined to give it a try. Do not let another person's experience change your mind about trying this. Everyone will be different. | F | 29 | 4 months 100mg 1X day | 10/7/2010 | 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 | 1 | cyclothymia-rapid mood cycling | HAIR LOSS!!, confusion, weird thoughts, stammering when talking,tension in my neck, anxiety | PLEASE anyone considering this--- DONT take it. I feel as if I have dumped toxic waste into my system. I am a 43 yr old female, in good physical health of normal weight-- I have a very mild mood disorder-- My internist prescribed lamictal and I broke out in a rash and was only on it for 3 days. I waited a week and started the topamax. After 6 days, my hair has thinned out to a point that i am freaking out about it. I have beautiful, thick, healthy hair and it is wispy, fine and i can feel the wind blowing on my scalp. I know, i know, someone out there will say its from something else, but let me stop you-- i am taking NOTHING else, have a good diet, and exercise regularly. The reason my internist chose this class of drugs is because i was non responsive to ssri meds and of course did not want any weight gain-- if you can take something else-- please ask for an alternative drug. If you do not have any other choice, I wouldnt recommend this unless you have seizures etc and have NO OTHER OPTIONS--just make sure that 10-40 lbs that MIGHT come off is worth your hair--may not happen to you-- but what if it DOES-- believe me, I am not trying to scare anyone- just to warn you honestly--there are no hidden agendas in this post. I just dont want you to go thru the hell I am trying to save my hair....if it works for you- thats super. if you havent tried it- DONT | F | 43 | 6 days 25mg 2X day | 9/29/2010 | 1 | Frequent Migraines | LOUD ringing in my head, "numbness" in my head, trouble thinking and remembering (which was ignored because I had a head injury several years ago) - but it's worse! Tingling and muscle spasms in my extremities, kidney stones, and now ... wait for it ... WORSE MIGRAINES!!! I have had 1-2 every single day for the past 2 weeks now, and there's no end in sight. I ran out of meds a couple of months ago for 2 months so was off it completely -- I felt great and had only a couple of headaches around my period time, which is normal. | I'm going to stop taking this drug TODAY and take my life back. Don't get sucked in by doctors and drug companies -- save yourself! | F | 46 | 2 years 100 mg 2X day | 9/26/2010 |