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 | bulimia & depression | Loss of appetite, a little tingling in my feet for a few minutes a day but subsides quickly & never painful, some hair loss, can't seem to find the right words to say at times. | My advice is to taper up s-l-o-w-l-y. You cannot rush up on this med or you will feel the side effects in full effect. I made that mistake. As soon as I slowed things down a tad I have started to feel a little bit better. Helps with wanting to binge for my bulimia but not much with the purging for me. My Dr. says that once I am up to 150mg for a few weeks I should see if this is the right med with my Effexor 150mg. Has anyone or does anyone use Topamax for controlling for symptoms with bulimia, bingeing and purging? | F | 28 | 2 weeks | 9/26/2007 | 2 | Epilepsy | Dizziness, tingle sensation, dehydration, weight loss. | I took this drug two years ago for 4-5 months and lost nearly 80 pounds. The immense loss was NOT welcome. | F | 24 | 2 months | 9/22/2007 | 2 | Post partum depression/Mood issues | I had tingling in my toes and feet, but the worst side effect was the tremendous hair loss. I also had a sunburn like feeling on my scalp. Also-soda tasted funny. | I did not find the drug to help my mood at all. I had no cognitive issues from the Topamax, but the hair loss was scary which caused me to have to stop taking it. I was looking forward to some weight loss as well, but never had a chance to see any. I was highly disappointed, and disappointed that my doc never even told me I may experience the hair loss. It is very upsetting! | F | 29 | 30 days | 9/21/2007 | 1 | migrane | pain in joints weight loss depression | F | 46 | | 9/21/2007 | 3 | Severe Migraines | Tingling in Face, Hands, Feet, Confusion, Forgetfullness, Irritability, Brain-fog, Fatique, Constant Metallic-taste, some weight loss (15 lbs, over 4 months). | After titrating up, I was convinced that this was a miracle drug! I have had severe migraine headaches since age 14. The only relief has come in recent years with Imitrex, but now my Dr. says I'm using too much. I was getting 4-5 migrains a week before starting on Topamax. After the first two weeks, my migraines had almost disappeared. After a few months, though, they began to come back and so began the upping of dosages - which also increased all the side-effects. Most notably, the brain-fog and irritability. My co-workers say I'm not the same person to work with and I know that my husband and kids see the difference. After 4 months, 15 pounds less (yeah!) and back to having daily migraines, I can't face increasing the dose any higher. I'm at 200mg/day, and I can't take the side effects. There's got to be something better out there. | F | 38 | 4 months | 9/20/2007 | 5 | migraines | loss of sex drive and after two years, hair loss | I have been off it for a year now and while my hair has come back fine, my migraines are back with a vengence. I have discussed this with a neurologist and they have indicated that these side effects are rare and that I was on a high dose 175mg daily. I am willingly to try it again. She has told me that I probably will not experience the same side effects. | F | 42 | 2 years | 9/16/2007 | 1 | migraines | severe chest pains with extreme thirst and losing consciousness, heavy trembling, multiple times. Persistent chest pain for weeks with dizziness, exhaustion, slight confusion, loss for words. After two weeks, burning itching around my abdomen. | There were several times when I felt I was seriously going to die during these fits that feel like a possible heart attack. The blood tests and EKG's look alright. Twice earlier in the past 10 years I was prescribed this drug with a resulting 911 call with similar symptoms. The doctors did not make the connection with the Topamax in those cases at that time. The inference is these symptoms are a nervous reaction. In each case, I have gone into similar distress within hours or days of being prescribed this drug. I will never take it again. I look forward to a full recovery. I am surprised how long the reaction is lasting. | F | 45 | 1 days | 9/16/2007 | 4 | Epilepsy | Numbness &/or tingling in hands, feet, & face. All things taste differently. Confusion. I can forget words, people, directions, even where I currently am. Little girl lost. Weight loss (60 pounds since 2003). Decreased migraine. Increased thirst, decreased restroom breaks. Overheat easily. | Topamax has been a lifesaver for me. It has a number of side effects that I've learned to deal with. They are by far better than have the number of seizures and migraines I was having on a daily and weekly basis. Now I have seizures about once a year, it almost seems seasonal. I currently take 300mg, 200 in the am and 100 in the pm, with several other medications for other things. If people are finding other things are not working out for them then it is a medication I would suggest they talk with their dr about, but I'd let them know the side effects you first go through aren't a picnic and take an adjustment. | F | 27 | 4 years | 9/14/2007 | 5 | alcoholism | some tingling, insomnia even though I feel a bit fatigued, slight forgetfullness | I am only on 50 mg and haven't had a drink (or wanted one) in two weeks which is amazing for me. I haven't had any appetite suppression which I am dissappointed about but so glad to finally be broken free of my addiction. I honestly never thought I would quit drinking. This is a miracle drug for me. I do have to take it in the am or I can't sleep at night but other then that no real bothersome side effects. Nothing that compares to what I was doing to myself with alcohol. | F | 36 | 2 weeks | 9/13/2007 | 3 | migraines | Feeling "out of it", weight loss, tingling, short term memory loss which hasn't gotten better. | I was on Topamax years ago and am needing to go back on...scared to death. I was at a high dose 3 years ago, may try a smaller one now. At what mg. did you all experince weight and memory loss? | M | 39 | 6 months | 9/13/2007 | 3 | Depression | No appetite; weight loss; inability to think of the "right" way to say something; lack of motivation; foods taste strange (soda); dizziness; increased hair loss; increased sun sensitivity; tingling/numbness in extremities; muscle weakness; acne; low white blood cell count | Am unsure whether these side effects are Topamax-related because I also take Cymbalta and Wellbutrin, but the weight loss (size 6 to size 2) was so sudden and obvious that I know the Topamax caused it. Now my hair is falling out in bunches and I've decided with all of the other side effects, this is just unacceptable. I really have no idea whether it helped my depression because I take two other meds. I guess if I stop taking it and "crash" then I'll reevaluate. This summer I had a bad mouth infection and am wondering whether my low blood cell count prevented 3 different kinds of antibiotics from knocking it out. Eventually, the oral surgeon just had to dig out the infection from the bone and pull one of my teeth. Not sure if I'd recommend Topamax for depression -- perhaps if you've tried everything else through the years (like I have) and you still feel like crap all of the time. | F | 36 | 11 months | 9/9/2007 | 5 | bipolar disorder | I haven't had any real side effects with Topamax, I did lose the 15 pounds I had gained with Depakote but that was not necessarily Topamax. Once in a while, maybe once a week, I will get a little tingle in my feet for about two minutes and then it goes away. This has been a miracle drug for me. I tried three other drugs before this, all horrible- Depakote is the worst drug ever, and was at my wits end but I feel like I can live a normal happy life again. | I know two other people on the drug. They both took it for migraines. One had to stop the other is still on it. They both had substantial weight loss. The person who no longer takes it had tingling all the time and facial ticks. The other person had increased energy and trouble sleeping but no tingling. She doesn't mind the increased energy. | F | 32 | 5 months | 9/8/2007 | 3 | Weight loss | Headaches | M | 50 | 9 months | 9/8/2007 | 4 | migraines | Insomnia (need to take full dose in AM), weight loss, tingling in feet (counteract with fluids), difficulty finding correct words, constipation (DRINK AS MUCH WATER AS YOU CAN AND EAT FIBER), and apathy. | if your going to take this drug, you need to ramp up slowly. you also need to drink a LOT of water and eliminate as much caffeine as possible or the tingling will drive you insane. I am the opposite of most people, the topa keeps me from sleeping at night. if i take any of my 100 mg past 8am, i will be up all night unable to sleep. it is the same with my pain meds which wire me instead of knocking me on my butt like they do most other people. also a word of caution: never go off topa cold turkey! i had to one time because i ran out (could not afford refill) and went without for a couple months. i became seriously suicidal and had it all planned out. even had written my own obituary. obviously i got my next bottle in time, i'm still here. | F | 35 | 2 years | 9/7/2007 | 4 | Migraines | tingling in hands and feet, appetite loss (lost about 10 lbs and had amazing abs!), I was moody according to my coworkers, quick to anger, dehydration, lost ability to sweat (@ 300mg), memory loss (got lost on the way home in the early stages), hard to focus, "word-finding" difficulties (present throughout treatment) | Worked really well for headaches, but I think I was given too much at once. Started out @ 50mg/day using 50 mg tablets. Tons of side effects then. Eventually increased to 100mg/day, then 150mg day...up to 300mg/day---taking 100mg in the morning & 200mg at night. Was a TRAIN WRECK if I forgot a dose (not good if one of the side effects is memory loss). Did really well for (6) months and decided w/ my neuro to go off of it. Decreased doses @ 25mg/week and was an emotional basket-case. Upped them on my own to 50mg to get off them quickly and didn't experience any of the adverse side effects of increasing by 50mg/week. I've been off it for about 2 months now, and the migraines are back. I've been taking supplements (B2, Riboflavin & Co-Enzyme Q10), but they're not working. I have another appointment in a couple of weeks and will probably be back on Topamax. Elavil was terrible when I took that and nothing else has helped. I've been keeping a headache journal & am up to about 5 | F | 25 | 1.25 years | 9/5/2007 | 3 | migraine prevention | tingling, memory loss, shortness or breath, dry mouth; seemed to affect my mouth and fact by causing an eruption of sores internally-went away after I'd been on for a couple of weeks | I wonder if anyone can please tell me if they have had a similar experience with this drug; for the first time in my life, it actually appeared I might have something that was going to work with migraine prevention. But it only lasted about three weeks. Then the daily headaches started coming back. The doctor has increased the dose, (I'm up now to 125 mg) and I can't handle the side effects. Not only the memory, word loss, etc., but whenever I go on increased amounts, I experience increased body temperature, shortness of breath, and it feels as though my head--mouth,face, teeth,gums, all have an infection as a result of too much of this stuff. I can't get in to the dr until next week, but have already started titrating off. Please, anyone else with similar experience? | F | 51 | 110 days | 9/5/2007 | 5 | Migraines | Tingling of extremities, went away with potassium supplements, weight loss - yay!!! | I've suffered with migraines for 30 years. Nothing could touch the pain once I got one - not Oxycontin, not Vicodin, not Demerol, nothing! Zomig was limited by my insurance plan and expensive! I'd miss days from work, days from my life . . . with Topomax, I've had maybe 2 headaches in 6 months, where I used to have one every week or 2. This is my miracle drug. It's a lifesaver. The pain of my migraines would literally have me contemplating suicide. I'm free of that now, free of worrying all the time I'm out if I'm going to get a headache, if I'll be able to drive home, etc. I love it! I'm at 200mg a day. | F | 48 | 8 months | 9/4/2007 | 4 | migraines | Memory impaired, great difficulty figuring out how to get from point A to point B even though route, process, etc was not new; difficulty concentrating. Soft drinks taste "flat", did not affect my weight. | I've experienced migraines since age 4. Have not stopped with menopause as hoped. Topamax has helped decrease the frequency and possibly the severity of the attacks. The side effects are significant as my husband says I seem to have lost my self confidence with my short term memory. Am going to stop the drug to see if I can tollerate life w/o it and perhaps get some self confidence back. (I'll have my Zomig at the ready!) | F | 59 | 5 years | 9/1/2007 | 4 | Migraines | tingling in my hands and feet for the first couple of months, soda did taste funny initially though I don't notice anymore; I was also very tired the first few months, too; general memory loss and "dopeyness" are the long-term effects | I find that I can live with being semi-stupid if it makes my migraines manageable. Give it a few months -- you'll know if it's right for you by then. | F | 31 | 1 years | 8/29/2007 | 3 | Migraines | Loss of taste Weight Loss Hair Loss Finger Nails Falling out | Has Helped Headaches a lot Loved the wieght loss but tuff way to do it everything tasted like lettuce and ok enough is enough after a year I have lost enough now and still don't have an appetite and now my hair is falling out and now my finger nails are starting to fall out and I am so depressed I don't want to do anything be set at home and cry all the time what my MS didn't do to me (and I was so proud that it didn't get me down) this dang drug is! I am thinking it's more disabling than constant migraines and MS combined! | F | 54 | 1 days | 8/27/2007 |