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 | Migraine | lack of appetite, weight loss, light headed, dizziness, confusion, sleepy, sickness, lack of energy | This is the 2nd occasion i have been on topamax i previously took it 1 year ago. My Doctor has started me on 100mg straight away. before i had to build up to this by taking just 25mg a day. Im finding the side effects a lot worst this time around. Especially the lack of appetite due to amount of weight i lost last time. Email please. | F | 23 | 6 days | 11/28/2006 | 4 | Migraines | Never hungry, constantly tired, hard time spelling, pop taste different | I looked into the symptoms before starting to take this medication so I knew what to expect. So far, I am never hungry, but I force a meals to stay healthy. But I am also VERY TIRED all the time. I can never get enough sleep, and when I am awake, all I want to do is go back to sleep, which is really starting to affect me with work and school - I'm hoping this will just wear off with time since I don't see anyone else having this side affect. Now with the spelling: I am a college student so this is a huge problem, but while I am typing, I tend to spell a lot wrong, so my advice to you - don't look at the screen while you're typing! It'll only frustrate you more! Just type your paper and then go through it afterwards and PROOF read all the errors. **If anyone else has had the sleeping problem, please email me! | F | 19 | 2 weeks | 11/27/2006 | 3 | Migraines | Anxiety,weight loss 25 lbs, general struggle to concentrate, recent hair loss, | I have been taking Topamax for migraines, for 1 year. I take 25 mg at bed time. I sleep very soundly but, I am generally more tired than pre-topamax. My migraines are much better as I was having 2-3 a week or more sometimes. Now, I have only 1 or two a month. The weight loss has leveled out, most of it occurred in the first 9 months. The anxiety is an issue, I don't like it because I am typically pretty relaxed. I read that someone tried deleting caffiene with Topamax and that helped anxiety. I'm trying that and, it helps some. Also, a great amount of hair loss in month 10 and 11 which seems to be letting up....hopefully. I have extremely thick hair but, not anymore! Concerning!!! The duh factor remains but, is better than it was in the beginning. I'm thankkful to be my own boss or I'm quite sure that I would be unemployed by now. Mixed feelings about this drug. Definitely helped my migraines and I had to do something......would love to be migraine free, skinny , smart and calm....m | F | 41 | 1 years | 11/27/2006 | 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 | seizures | couldn't remember anything, mania, very aggressive and intrusive, lost 30 lbs in a month, eventually I was barely eating or anything..just had no appetite, carbonated drinks tasted nasty, very slowed cognitive abilities | I wouldn't recommend this medication to anyone..it was hell for me... | F | 24 | 3 months | 11/25/2006 | 5 | Severe Migraines | Tingling in fingers and toes, feel really stupid, can't remember the most simple of words. | I had migraines so bad I was in the hospital about three times a month. Then I started taking 100 mg of Topamax a day and I have not been to the hospital since. Although the forgetting everything and inability to remember words is a little annoying it beats getting pumped full of narcotics three times a month. The side effects are a pain but after a couple weeks you just get used to them. | F | 19 | 1 years | 11/24/2006 | 2 | Migraines | Felt extreme exhaustion, mood swings, soda tasted terrible, loss of appetite. Felt like I had bad case of the flu, no energy. Got three headaches within 6 days. | My body chemistry must not work well with this kind of medication, I had more headaches with it in the 10 days I took it than I normally got. Stopped taking it and felt better within 24 hours. | F | 45 | 10 days | 11/24/2006 | 4 | Partial Seizures | Tingling of feet pain in calfs, yukky taste in mouth and soooo thirsty. Food isnt really of interest | Im only on 50mg a day and going back today for review but are my symtoms normal? | F | 39 | 7 days | 11/23/2006 | 5 | Migraines | Titration period (25 mg to 100 mg): AWFUL heartburn no matter what I ate and/ or diarrhea. Exhaustion. During and after: Still cannot taste carbonation. Short term memory is pretty bad; I write EVERYTHING down. I lose my words often, mostly nouns, worse when I am tired. Neuropathy in toes, occasionally fingers | All the side effects to say, I am still very happy with Topamax. No more worrying about the weather (ie. humidity, barometric pressure etc.)- which was my BIGGEST trigger. Some things still bother me, but not as bad (ie. smells, not enough sleep etc.) but if I catch it early enough I can actually stop it with OTC meds now. I still get the post-migraine "fuzzy" feeling but without the migraine, and I am ok with that. Occasionally I will have an awful period and have to take a Relpax and lie down for a couple hours, but that's only once a month maximum. I loathe the cognitive side effects, but I am learning to live with them and find ways to deal with and get around them. As my doctor told me when I complained of feeling "stupid", the Topamax stops migraines, which stops lesions from forming on your brain (like the lesions that Alzheimer's patients get!!!) so while you might feel stupid, it's actually stopping you from becoming "stupid". If you are thi | F | 34 | 6 months | 11/21/2006 | 4 | Migraines | Tingling in feet and hands, which has gone away except for extreme pain in fingers when exposed to cold temperatures. Occassional insomnia. Increased sensitivity to alcohol, so I stopped drinking alcohol altogether (didn't miss it). Problems with word usage when speaking - use opposite word -- cold for hot, in for out, etc. Resolved when dose lowered from 200 mg / day to 100 mg /day | Because of the word recall side effect, I discontinued Topamax, but my migraines came back. Started up again at lower dose (50 mg morning and night) and it solved the side effect. | F | 46 | 6 years | 11/21/2006 | 5 | Partial Seizures, severe migraines | Extreme tingling in feet and calves, weight loss of 25 lbs, initial nausea and sickness while upping mg, soda tastes like sewer waste, decreased appetite, apathy. | I have been on many different seizure medications since 1989 and Topamax is by far the best and works the best. The soda pop tasting horrible starting immediatly first tasting flat then horrible within two days. Decrease of appetite was also combined with disinterest in food. Appetite suppression has lasted for the four months I have taken Topamax. Most weight loss occured in first month. First month was roughest with no energy and being sick a great deal from upping the medication. Apathy- at first I thought it might be depression but it felt different. I was depressed I just didn't really care about food or have an opinion about anything. That did pass. Food sensitivity also prevelant could not eat any strong smelling foods such as BBQ. Also have not had a desire for alcholic drinks. I stopped driving due to dizziness it felt like I had two drinks under my belt when I drove my friends to the airport like I couldn't focus completely. Still don't feel completely comfortable. | F | 37 | 4 months | 11/20/2006 | 1 | Cluster Headaches & Nerve pain | I lost95% of my hair,skin bruiseing and cuts on forearms,Acne like condition on my arms neck and chest,Hypethermia - I was so cold at times I would have to soak in a tub of hot water.Found blockage in my carotid arteries after use.Lack of libido. | And it didnt even help with my headaches. This drug is very dangerous. I had vision problems and it dumbs you down so much that you dont even notice the problems till its to late. | F | 56 | 8 months | 11/15/2006 | 1 | Migraines | Could not think clearly or concentrate. Felt extremely timid and completely out of it--like I was stoned all the time. I lost 5 pounds in two weeks and had absolutely no desire to eat. I was depressed and felt like crying all the time. The worst effect was the loss of cognitive abilities! I had to get off it. Helped with my migraines, but not worth it. | F | 35 | 2 weeks | 11/15/2006 | 5 | migraines | loss of appetite, feeling goofy, feeling really silly and laughing and the most not funny things (anyone else have this happen??) and soda tastes GROSS | I love this stuff... no more headaches.. and laughing alot is kind of funny too! | F | 26 | 2 weeks | 11/13/2006 | 5 | PGTC Seizures | extreme weight loss to point of hospital- now stabilized at below average but healthy, got the 'stupids, painful tingles, 'light chasers', irritable, increased want for sex, sad more than usual, stopped sweating, soda taste yechy, food taste different and sounds gross, hyper. Potassium dropped to dangerous- hospitalized twice. hairloss. break out on face and chest. (zits not rash). Dose= 250mg twice a day. total = 500mg | Topamax took away my gran mals/tonic clonic seizures for the first time in 10 years. WOW. wonder drug! I was amazed. AND after figuring out that I needed potassium supplements, lots of water, B comlex vitamens in high doses, selenium and bioten - the side effects started to dissapear. Now I no longer get any of the side effects listed above, including the soda taste that everyone on topamax gets. My brain is clearer (although not as clear as before topamax), memory improved, weight a little bit better, potassium back to normal, face cleared up 100%, hair back to shiny soft and full, I feel happy again- and the 'big' seizures are still gone. I am very happy with this drug. very very happy. I also take dilantin and lamictal for my partial seizures and tizanidine for my dystonia. I have a VNS in but am soon to get it removed due to it not working. (partials are still uncontrolled) I love topamax. I started topamax right after approval in 1996 | F | 28 | 10 years | 11/10/2006 | 5 | Severe Migraines | Minor tingling in hands,feet and tongue. Diarrhea and slight stomach pains. Rapid weight loss, altered taste, curved appetite. | This is my second time on Topamax. I was previously on Topamax for about a year and a half and lost approximately 65 lbs due to the curved appetite. In that time never experienced one migraine, instead had maybe one or two small tolerable headaches. I then went off due to pregnancy and breastfeeding. Once my daughter was weaned I immediately called my doctor and was put back on my Topamax. I am only in my first week this go around, but so far... NO MIGRAINES!! | F | 29 | 1 years | 11/10/2006 | 3 | bi polar disorder | confusion, fuzzy head, fatigue, agitation | I have been taking 50mg at bedtime. I am cutting back to 25mg to see if that makes a difference. If not I will have to find a different medicine. I cannot go around confused all the time. It makes me very agitated and I take it out on my husband. It is supposed help my bi polar, but I don't think it is any good for it since it causes agatition. | F | 44 | 7 months | 11/8/2006 | 5 | Bipolar Disorder | Side effects are hell. It really affects me mentally. I had to resign from my demanding job as I couldn't think straight. I can't think of words, have memory loss, lose track of what I am thinking mid-sentence, etc. I lost weight I did not need to lose, however, I did gain it back after side effect wore off. Certain foods taste terrible. | The reason I put up with the terrible side effects is the drug really helps keep me from having manic episodes. But what a price to pay. I am also taking Lamictal, and hope that once I am up to the right dosage, can stop Topamax. The side effects are that bad. | F | 36 | 5 years | 11/6/2006 | 4 | seizures/migraines | extreme tingling all over hands/fingers/toes and face. Memory loss and confusion I was always forgetting words and names of objects even when I was looking right at them. I will lose my train of thought in almost every conversation. Much more tired than normal. Huge loss of appetite. | I am on 200 mg of topomax a day and haven't had a seizure or a migraine in over a month and if you have ever been a person who lived with either one of these disorders you know what a blessing it is to go one day without one these. | F | 27 | 2 months | 11/5/2006 | 3 | Nerve pain | memory problems, burning in the chest shortness of breathe with activities. major hair loss. | Topamax helped my nerve pain a great deal. But topamax depletes the body of biotin and therefor my hair was falling out. I even got super biotin vitamins and nothing slowed down the hair loss. I would of stayed on it cause it really helped my pain but my poor head is getting bald spots. I heard that it takes about a good 3 months for the hair loss to stop after discontinuing the topamax. | F | 36 | 3 months | 11/1/2006 |