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 Date added. 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 | Nerve Pain/Chronic Back Pain | When I started but went away- constipation, upset stomach, slurred speech, mood swings. Still have - mental fog (not just from Topamax though), weight loss (yeah) | My mental fog problems isn't just from the Topamax, I have other health problems that causes it. I had started Topamax last June with 25 mg & slowly increased it up to 100mg. I'm now being increased to 300 mg. I had several of the same side effects that others listed but most went away. Has really helped with my back pain. I can now function. The weight loss has been awesome!!!! | F | 33 | 11 months | 5/5/2008 | 5 | bipolar II, anxiety | tingling in hands and feet, increased sex drive (love it), decreased appetite and weight loss (love it), soda tastes flat, (so I don't drink it-big deal) | This drug helped me a lot. It also curbed my desire for drinking wine every night, which was becoming a problem for me. That may also be a reason for the weight loss. I lost 10 lbs in 6 weeks. I used to binge eat, and now I have to remind myself to eat, and only get hungry maybe once a day. My moods are much more stable, and I am so much happier. I take 50 mg twice a day. I also had severe insomnia, so my psychiatrist gave me trazodone 50 mg to take at bedtime and I sleep like a baby. It is my perfect cocktail. | F | 43 | 8 weeks | 5/1/2008 | 1 | Migraines | Anxiety, depression, mood swings, memory loss, loss of focus/concentration, constipation, unable to cope with any conflict, tingling hands and feet, face numbness, excessive thirst. | The worst 3 weeks of my life, I had countless meltdowns. Now that I am off I am still struggling with depression and anxiety, and my migraines got worse and less treatable-could be depression and negative attitude. As a side note: it did not help prevent headaches, still had 4-5 /week. I would look into other medication before trying this for migraines. | F | 30 | 22 days | 4/25/2008 | 3 | Classic migraines | Tingling in feet, hands and this week my face. Memory loss. Fatigue. Feeling like I'm someone else for brief periods of time. | I have been on this medication for 2 and a half weeks now. So far no migraines :) The side effects are weird, but so far worth it cause the pain is gone. I started at 25mg and now I'm at 50mg. I'll start 75mg on Friday.... | F | 25 | 2 weeks | 4/22/2008 | 3 | Daily Migraines | Tingling in bottom of feet, tips of fingers and around mouth, memory loss, word loss, extreme weight loss due to loss of appetite, extreme anxiety, jitteryness, trouble sleeping, ringing in ears, slight balance issues, problems focusing, muscle jerks, etc. | I was titrated from a beginning dosage of 25 mg twice daily to 100mg twice daily within 1 month. I have all these annoying side affects, and I am still having debilitating break through migraines. | F | 27 | 6 weeks | 4/19/2008 | 3 | Bipolar I | Brain fog, difficulty finding words, difficulty reading, using incorrect words, EXTREME weight loss, anorexia, apathy, difficulty focusing on long distances, vision impairment | Topamax did calm my mania. In fact, one week after I went off of it I became extremely manic again. But I was really staying on it because I had become addicted to the weight loss. I could eat anything I wanted and still remain under 100 pounds. My lowest was about 90 pounds. However, it just wasn't worth it. As a graduate student, I really needed to be able to read and write. If you're a student, I don't recommend this drug. | F | 26 | 2 years | 4/18/2008 | 4 | Migraines | problems with vision (blurred / twitching, spasms in and around both eyes) almost constantly 24/7, occasional tingling in hands/feet, slight weight loss over time, forgetful moments (especially short-term thoughts), sleep problems. | I was one of the earlier people to start taking this drug when it first came out. I took it initially for a couple years and noticed all of the "scary" side effects right away. However, it did work for chronic migraines. Other forms of treatment weren't as successful as I have severe drug allergies to other medications...so T. seemed like a good alternative...though the eye problems concerned me the most at the time. I stopped the medication for a little over a year and the side effects (all of them) seemingly went away. However, I recently went back on T. and yup...all the side effects are back full blown and just as intense if not worse. Of course, it is also working again for the migraines (which attack 3-5/week easily) if untreated. So....somewhat of a Catch 22 ...but I am always scared about it...and hope that T. doesn't leave me in a permanently worse off state of being down the road. Hard to say...I can't function with the migraines though. | F | 31 | 3 years | 4/16/2008 | 4 | BiPolar, Lethargy, Weight gain | Tingling in feet (primarily in big left toe; wakes me while I sleep, extremely annoying!), difficulty falling asleep, slight mental fogginess, difficulty focusing on distant points while driving (i.e. intersection 400 feet away). | I am a recovering alcoholic/type II bi-polar with hypo manic episodes (haven't had an episode in 3 years). I've been taking Lamictal for 3 years and recently stopped taking Wellbutrin of 1 year due to recent severe paranoia, which stopped once I ceased the use of Wellbutrin. Weight gain and lethargy have plagued me for years on top of the treated bi-polar/depression which is why I have decided to try out topamax. So far it has helped with the desire to binge eat and has increased my energy. I have already lost 2 pounds and am monitoring my progress to see if the side effects outweigh the reasons I am taking the medication. | F | 24 | 2 weeks | 4/12/2008 | 5 | Migraines | Tingling in the tips of my fingers. | I have been taking this for several months, and have noticed an improvement in my headaches. I do notices that I still get them during drastic weather changes, but for the most part, those "daily" headaches are gone. | F | 34 | 1 years | 4/10/2008 | 1 | Migraine / Head Pain | Severe Depression / Apathy / Suicidal Tendencies / Tingling / Constipation / Lethargy / Loss of taste / Memory Loss | I began Topamax 25mg once daily; after my first week to 25mg twice daily; 2nd week to increase to 50mg evening, 25mg morning -I realized my entire change in personality during the preceeding two weeks might have something to do with the new medication, Topamax. I began researching the side effects. I had never been suicidal, apathetic, lethargic, depressed, or etc. before - but I was to the point of wanting to leave my wife, close the business I had worked so hard to build, I was obsessed to either kill myself or leave town and start a new life - these feeling were constant and relentless; they would not leave my mind; all-consuming; psychotic. None of these things were rational or even remotely fit any thoughts I had ever had before taking Topamax. It altered reality for me and ruined my life in a very short time period. Luckily, I had a small window of reality in which I sought information in the confused state I was in. I wish I had known to look for these effects beforehand so tha | M | 38 | 14 days | 4/9/2008 | 4 | Migraine | None at 12.5 | I've only been on this for a week and a very low dosage. Will increase by a half pill every week until I get up to 50 mg's per day. It's too soon to tell if it's going to help with my 10 migraines plus per month and head/nerve pain but I will repost later. I did want to let people know who have that prescription sitting in front of the and are afraid to take it that I did not feel a thing after finally taking it after so much fear. Granted it's low, but from what my neurologist says, this is the best way to avoid side effects - by starting at 12.5 week one, then going to 25 mgs week 2, then 1 and a half pills week 3, then by week 4 up to 50 mgs. | F | 43 | 1 weeks | 4/8/2008 | 3 | Migraines | EXTREME weightloss, memory problems, tingling in face (especially upper lip), eye twitching | This drug treated my migraines for awhile, but it started to stop working and caused me to get anorexic... I completely lost all desire to eat, lost 20 pounds, and I felt sluggish all the time. | F | 19 | 7 months | 4/7/2008 | 1 | Depression, Migraines | Made me suicidal, pins and needles in hands, severe bruising | I had to be hospitalized because Topamax made me suicidal. My boyfriend figured it out, I would take late at night, wake up feeling horrible, and get better as the day went on and the medication wore off. | F | 25 | 14 days | 4/7/2008 | 5 | migraine | Miracle! a little mental fogginess an hour or so after taking, some tingling in fingers significant weight loss | I was in some phase of a migraine every day of my life and was contemplating suicide by the time my doctor prescribed topamax. Nevertheless, I checked this site and the comments about it scared me out of taking it for two weeks! It was very difficult to get started on. GO SLOW. My pharmacist helped me with this and I went a lot slower than the Dr. suggested. The side effects are dose dependent. I increased to 50mg 2x/day and the side effects were greater - forgot how to spell, became dyslexic -which was a mixed bag, since I am a reading specialist. It was distressing to see/write letters upside down and backwards, but it helped me to help the kids. The most distressing was once when I got lost on the way home. After the migraines were under control for a while, the Dr. cut me back to just 25 mg. 2x/day. I hardly notice the side effects not. I forget peoples' names-oh well. I only get headaches about once every 6 weeks now and I can live with that. Topamax has been a miracle for me and | F | 51 | 13 months | 4/6/2008 | 1 | possible seizure disorder... | feeling stupid, can't find right words, stuttering, tingling, muscle twitches,dizziness, tired all the time....should i continue? | My wonderful neuro stuck me on this awful drug for the first time cuz they still cant figure out why im losing feeling in both legs and in half of my body, for the first time about 3 yrs ago. I took it one day and about 3 hours later couldnt talk right was slurring my speech and couldnt even type on a keyboard after just 25mg. So about a year later, this still goin on and me just dealing with it, he decides to try me on it again, start me out on 12.5 mg and work my way up, so i did. i stopped at 50 mg becuz it was just enough to make me feel somewhat better neurologically, and just enough to make me feel stupid enough to have a job that didnt require too much of my brain, becuz after being on that drug i had such a hard time finding words for anything it was driving me insane. i was back on the pill for about 2 1/2 months. i was getting tingling in my hands and feet, but hey, just deal with it right. then i got pregnant, had to quit cold turkey. was seeing lights and shaking and going | F | 25 | 3 days | 4/3/2008 | 4 | migraines | gas and being bloated | So far I have not had a migraine or auras, but I still have mini headaches almost everyday. I did not know this was used for alcoholism. I binge drink on occasion and have cravings for alcohol. I have not wanted to drink since being on this medication. I am also on Lexapro for depression which supposed to do the same thing. I found it very interesting. I have not had any of the other side effects so far mentioned on this website. | F | 42 | 2 days | 4/1/2008 | 5 | Migraines/ possible pressure pain | Soda taste horrible(good thing), Loss of appetite(LOVE IT!), Insomnia(had a touch of this b4 topamax so not sure if this caused it or not), Tingling in hands and feet(doesn't bother me that much) increase in blurry vision | If there is a wonder drug THIS IS IT! I have had migraines since age 12. Daily since my 2nd child at age 21, developed pseudotumor cerebri while prego and had to a lumbar shunt in Oct 2007, stopped spinal fluid from building up and pressure headaches for the most part but i still had daily headaches...been on topamax for about a month and I will swear by it....I don't think i will EVER come off of this med...i take 50mg in the morning and 50mg at night and will increase if need be...pls feel free to email me with ANY questions on migraines/headaches/pseudotumor cerebri meds i have tried....I HAVE TRIED THEM ALL | F | 23 | 30 days | 3/31/2008 | 5 | epilepsy | weight loss, fatigue | F | 25 | 3 years | 3/31/2008 | 4 | Complex Migraines | Tingly feet, Carbonated drinks taste flat, loss of apetite, occassionaly lose train of thought (getting better), forget names | Have been taking this for 5 months now and my migraines are pretty much controlled. My brain scan shows unsual activity and when having migrains I lose speech and have seizure like and sometimes stroke like symptoms. The big attacks were only happenning every few months but chronic headaches weekly however other nuerological symptoms were increasing. I was on Eplilum but it made me tired and very stupid and I have a the type of job were I need to be on the ball (so not an option to continue) I have some strategies to overcome my slight word forgetfulness with Topomax. Overall feeling great. As my neuro siad can you live with the symptoms? Ps Topomax helped me lose the 7kg Eplium helped me put on. Watch the mood swings - they only lasted about three weeks for me as I transitioned meds. hang in there : ) 75mg twice daily | F | 32 | 5 months | 3/30/2008 | 1 | Mild Seizure Disorder | Paresthesia, agitation / depression, diminished cognitive function and worst of all insomnia. | Taking Topamax for less than a month was fairly traumatic for me. I'm an executive and really noticed diminished thinking ability, couldn't find words, etc. My family noticed changes in my mood and I can say that I stopped laughing, nothing seemed funny any longer. By far the worst side effect that I experienced was and is insomnia. Although I could fall asleep, I couldn't remain asleep for more than a few hours. I stopped taking Topamax 3 weeks ago and am still waking up every day at 2 or 3 a.m. | M | 48 | 3 weeks | 3/29/2008 |