TOPAMAX Reviews (TOPIRAMATE)

Average Rating: 3.0 (1824 Ratings)

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 ANTICONVULSANTS

 Type: Rx Drug

  

TOPAMAX  (TOPIRAMATE):  Topiramate is used alone or with other medications to prevent and control seizures (epilepsy). This medication is also used to prevent migraine headaches and decrease how often you get them. Topiramate will not treat a migraine headache once it occurs. If you get a migraine headache, treat it as directed by your doctor (such as by taking pain medication, lying down in a dark room). Topiramate is known as an anticonvulsant or antiepileptic drug.   FDA Approval Date: 1996-12-24 (Sources: U.S. Centers for Medicare Services, FDA)

  

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Key to Ratings: 1=LOW (I would not recommend taking this medicine.)
5=HIGH (this medicine cured me or helped me a great deal.)

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RATING  REASONSIDE EFFECTS FOR TOPAMAXCOMMENTSSEXAGEDURATION/
DOSAGE
DATE ADDED
 
 1  Epilepsy everything outlined as "side effects" described on BNA. Much worsened seizures, vivid dreams, auditory hallucinations, movement disorders, insomnia, only to name but a few. F 48 7 days
25 1X day
3/16/2010
 1   Update from 9/2009 and 11/2009 about my daughter. Its amazing how bad the side effects were and how they continue to slowly go away. She continues to get better and better every month. Each month I think wow she is doing so good then the next month its even better. I just noticed a week ago that she now has perspective- I didn't realize how little she had until it started coming back. Also we are concerned about memory loss- she is showing some signs of that- we are watching- hopefully that will improve-to those of you not experiencing side effects that is awesome, but please be careful if they change your dosage-you can be overdosed on this medicine! If you are considering this medication for the first time there are plenty of other things I would try before this. I hope one day this poison is taken off the market in the meantime. BE CAREFUL!! F 41
1X day
3/16/2010
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Patient History
 1  migraines (preventative) Straight up stupid. I'm glad I'm not the only one who experienced a drop in intelligence while taking this drug. It not only made me slower at performing normal tasks like spelling but also made it difficult to do things that are second nature, like telling time. They were so effective in making me "slow" that my husband scratched out the topimate and wrote "Brandy's Stupid Pills" above them. STOP taking them for an IQ boost. F 31 2 weeks
25mg 2X day
3/16/2010
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 5  Bipolar 1 Weight loss, inability to concentrate (read a book), lethargy, trouble remembering words, slurring when tired. This drug literally saved my life. Some of the side effects wore off eventually. I have no problem reading now and have normal energy levels. The weight loss leveled off as well. I still have the occasional memory or speech problem but it's a small price to pay for the results. My mind no longer races a thousand miles per hour. This truly is a wonder drug for mood disorders--it has also worked for family and friends. Just make it through the first few months--the reward is worth it. F 36 8 years
200 MG 1X day
3/11/2010
 3  Migraines Tingling and complete numbness in hands, knees and feet at times. Eye twitching in right eye, which has become more frequent with increased dosage. When I am no longer hungry I HAVE to quit to eating. It feels like could probably sleep for days. I'm spacey and have trouble grasping words. My performance at work has declined. I've lost 18 lbs.=D During my increases I become emotionally unstable torn between crying and being mean... I've been getting headaches/migraines for 15 yrs. I experience about 15+ days of headaches a month. The severity of my headaches has decreased but the days that I have them hasnt. I've titrated up to 300mg/day. But I took only 50mg 2xday for a year, just recently have upped my dose to 150mg 2xday. I don't really mind the side effects. Just wish the eye twitching would stop. F 29 15 months
150 mg 2X day
3/10/2010
 2  migraines cluster headache bipolar weight loss, soda tasted flat, slowly lost my taste buds (took almost three months to get any sense of taste back), memory loss, felt like a zombie, severe fatigue, eye pressure. This drug was terrible for me. I missed school frequently and my grades went down. I looked skeletal, became more depressed (and I couldn't eat to feel better because I couldn't taste anything!) When I was reading up on the drug, I realized the eye pressure was a really serious side effect and I stopped taking it. I learned my doctor was a moron. She didn't titrate me up on the med. She put me on a high dose all at once and I know this made my side effects worse. Now that I have a good doctor I am considering trying topamax again. I can't live in this much pain all time. I have chronic migraines, cluster headaches, and bipolar II. It's just not worth it. If topamax can help at all, I will force myself to tolerate the side effects! F 19 2 months
100 mg 1X day
3/6/2010
 5  cluster headache Worst is drastic loss of appetite (I'm already skinny), and many things taste metallic... chocolate cake tastes like rusty nails!... always this metallic taste in my mouth after eating anything. Not on high dose but feel a bit 'dazed', usually need a nap during the day. Seasonal (summer) severe cluster headache bouts for many years, previously tried Sandomigran, Tegretol etc. Topamax is brilliant and actually works. Still have to go for the oxygen occasionally but so much better than ever before. Not game to up the dose or I'll starve to death; at present forcing myself to eat (mainly fruit)... but would rather suffer from malnutrition than full blown CH any day. M 60 2 months
25mg 2X day
2/27/2010
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 1  migraine prevention Very Lethargic, had to take a nap after work, trouble finding words (felt very spacy), extremely thirsty (would wake up in the middle of the nite to drink water), hair loss, depression, and irritability (got written up at work for over reacting to something), major leg cramps. I took this medicine over the summer last year and I basically slept the whole summer away. I HAD to take a nap after work and I was still able to sleep at nite. I stopped taking this medicine when my friends kept telling me I seemed sad. I lost a relationship bcuz of this med. I had no desire to do anything, let alone have a relationship with someone. I even lost my desire of working out. Had NO ENERGY!!! Basically, it caused symptoms of depression. F 34 3 months
1X day
2/27/2010
 1  Headaches It was almost as if I had a stroke, My fingers, hands, and legs were non stop moving. Fingers were curled under. I could not work because I could not remember my job! I do not recomend this drug. Yes the weight loss might be nice but I would rather be over weight then twitching all the time and not remembering nothing. F 32 4 days
50 1X day
2/27/2010
 4  migraines tingling in hands, feet, face, difficulty thinking of words (cogn slowness), depression, weight loss, extreme coldness. Most of these side effects decreased/disappeared after about a year. I started taking Topamax in college when I was getting a few migraines per week. It has helped tremendously, and I now only get 1 or 2 headaches per month. The side effects are a little scary though, and I definitely think that Topamax has affected my ability to think/concentrate. Beyond the normal hand/feet tingling, I have experienced some really weird feelings a couple of times when I feel like my hands or arms are enlarged. This will last for a few minutes and then go away. I lost about 10 pounds when I went on Topamax, but have gained most of this initial loss back over about 2 years (I think it was mostly from the medicine initially affecting what foods were appealing...I can now drink soda and it doesn't taste flat). Also, when I first started the medicine I was cold all the time, to the point where I couldn't hold a drink without having napkins around it because it would make my hand too cold. I started taking B12 vitamins which seemed to help. Depression has definitely been a side effect on and off throughout. I am on a plan now to wean myself off over the next few weeks. While Topamax has worked wonders on my migraines, it has to be weighed against all of the side effects. I would recommend it as a last resort, after trying some of the other drugs out there that have less serious and numerous side effects. F 24 3 years
75 mg 1X day
2/25/2010
 2  Extreme Migraines This has been the worst month of my life. I have never felt so out of touch with my life. The first night I took this drug, I felt like another person. I can't think clearly. I can't focus on anything and this seriously causes major problems with daily life. It has also made me experience extreme nausea and stomach upset. I use to love soft drinks, however that has since changed. They taste horrible now. I have tried Depakote ER, Amitriptyline, Maxalt, and Stadol Inhaler. I am just beyond words with this process. I just don't think I will be able to continue this course of treatment for much longer. F 29 1 months
50 MG 2X day
2/25/2010
 1  Migraines Stupid as a rock, mood swings galore, eye pain, throwing up 20x a day+, inability to remember words, couldn't form sentences, colder than normal, got lost driving 2 miles home from work one day, gained 25 lbs. in three weeks (went from size 2 to size 10), annoyed by everything, felt down repeatedly and hit head 6x (now concern of possible brain damage from falls - gee thanks), off balance the whole time and had to switch to flat shoes, stomach pain, eye pain and blurriness, etc. (there's more but I'm still lacking a memory and most of my brain). I make my living in court as a trial attorney. Since taking this drug for my migraines, not only did it not help the migraines, but I've become dumber than a snail with a lobotomy and have had people staring in wonder as I crash into walls from the lack of balance, and utter completely scrambled and ridiculous phrases meant to be sentences. The day I left work to go home two miles away and got lost (same route for 10 years), I finally realized that maybe it was the medication. Did I mention I lacked insight too? I had such radical side effects that the neurologist discontinued it immediately with no gradual reduction. I'm still stupid after 10 days off of it, but I can at least find my car most of the time now. Each morning I go on-line and read Google listings or something similar to see how screwed up I still am speaking out loud. I also started talking to inanimate objects, but it's okay since my cat and dog think I'm quite eloquent. Another week on this junk and I'd probably have thought the inanimate objects were answering me. I'd say I won all arguments I had with myself, but I could never remember the subject matter long enough to complete conversations even with myself. I'm avoiding large butterfly nets and men in white coats now. I hope none of this is permanent, or I'm in trouble at work! F 55 20 days
25 MG 2X day
2/25/2010
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 1  rsd loss of words, short term memory loss,bone pain,headaches,mood swings 24 days of hell,and to top this off,after this short time, My doctor said I had to be WEANED off this drug, I could not believe it. Next time I will read everything I can and ask every question before even taken one pill. F 48 24 days
50mg 2X day
2/24/2010
 4  Migraines Weight loss :) Good for me. soda tasted flat,almost like a chemical. EXTREMELY tired.Tingling in fingers and feet. Dizzy. And pressure in head.. loss is breathing, felt like elephant on chest. I have been taking Topamax for a month now and lost 20 pounds which is great. But at first my head hurt slightly a lot.. And i constantly felt like i had a elephant on my chest, and always needed to take a deep breath like a short breath wasn't enough.. i felt trapped. I felt tingly in hands and feet. i felt dizzy and unbelievably exhausted.. But felt like i couldnt concentrate much in school either. M 14
25 1X day
2/23/2010
 1  severe migraines LOST 10 pounds in 28 days, Slurred speech, couldn't spell, trouble thinking of the right words, couldn't complete a sentence, difficulty speaking, reversing words, couldn't concentrate, hands trembling, tingling sensation in fingers and face, double vision, severe ringing in the ears, VERTIGO, nausea, memory loss, very tired, dizziness, walking sideways This drug is HORRIBLE. It does more harm than good. I was started on 50 mg 2x a day with no relief of migraines. After 3 weeks of pain, my Dr. upped my prescription to 3x a day. All these side effects started slow and steady, not realizing it was the drug, I thought I was severely ill. All MRI's and EEG's were normal, I changed Dr's and in one visit was told of these side effects. Stopped the Topomax and slowly got better. If I didnt change Dr's what would have happened to me. Plus my headaches improved too !! They should take TOPAMAX of the market and burn it . F 40 28 days
50mg 3X day
2/23/2010
 1  hemiplegic migraines tingling in fingers, face, and inside my body, yes i know it sounds weird. ringing in my ear. lack of taste. pain in my eye. Visualy disturbances including, seeing things in slow motion, or a trail behind it specifically in lightly lit rooms. My brain would copy objects, for example If i looked in a fun mirror that distorts things a certain way... when i looked away i would see everything else like the mirror was reflecting for just a few seconds, but could repeat this with clear objects w/ texture, and mirrors. I also saw a blue tracer behind any object in lightly lit rooms. sleepy. being depressed, and moody. Not being able to taste food, and lost alot of weight. Also trouble thinking and concentrating. Felt like a zombie. A ton of hair loss. they thought some of the visual things were caused by my very complicated migraine, but i am very sensitive with meds and particularly to this one. it did more harm than good. I still have tracers and trails behind things, but it's not as intens Everyone reacts to it differently. I think that it really does help some people. I will never take it again, and if you take it and finds it does more harm than good than stop taking it right away. M 19 4 months
100 mg 4X day
2/23/2010
 4  Seizures tingling in hands, feet and face. Slight weight loss, low sex drive, soda tastes flat. Decreased appetite at first but it has come back a little. Leg cramps, and heartburn. Trouble concentrating at times. I switched over from Tegretol and Keppra to this medication and let me tell you I would rather have heartburn and tingling in my hands and feet any day over being hungry all day long and cranky and an emotional wreck like I was when I was taking Tegretol and Keppra. I am able to actually manage my siezures and lose weight and get along with people. The side effects of this medication outweight the benefits! F 34 45 days
75 3X day
2/18/2010
 5  migraines tingling in fingers,and toes,loss of appetite,bad taste in mouth hair loss F 49 1 years
30 mgs 1X day
2/17/2010
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 1  migraines SEVERE visual disturbances, SEVERE irritability, loss of self, helpless feeling, anxiety, loss of taste for soda, increased common headaches, memory lapses, insomnia I began taking 25 mg for migraines for the first week increasing up to 75 mg before finally calling it quits. No side effects were noted at the 25 mg dosage, but at 50 mg, the side effects mentioned became apparent, and at 75, they became intolerable to a point I found myself just wanting to pull my hair out. (I didn't...just felt like it.) The visuals I saw are like nothing I've read about. Sitting in meetings, people's voices wouldn't even make sense. My doctor was conveniently out of town, so I kept trying to deal with it. I asked a pharmacist who said "all medicine has side effects". Finally, I just quit taking Topamax (2 weeks ago) and I felt the best I've felt in a couple months in spite of having migraines. I'd rather have migraines and sanity than take Topamax that only just took my migraines to frequent common-like headaches and made me feel like I was out of my mind....Well, I was out of my mind. F 33 45 days
75 1X day
2/10/2010
 3  Migraines Not sleeping well, feeling a little loopy, and I can feel myself going into a depression, although it doesn't seem to be a deep one. Once or twice I had tingling in my feet and I am tired and achy, although I don't know if the ache is due to the medication. At this point, I am satisfied, because the frequency and intensity of my migraine headaches had been increasing, making it more and more difficult for me to go to work 5 days/week. Now I go to work, and I'm tired and achy, but at least I can get to work. I can't ask much more than that at this point. F 53 3 weeks
50 MG 1X day
2/9/2010
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