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 |
| 1 | Migraines | Memory loss, moodiness, loss of appetite, hands constantly cold, loss of libido, mood swings, sinus seems "clogged", hair loss, anxiety, depression, heart palpitations, loss of taste and smell, clumsy, | After many years of suffering of extreme migraines, I was desperate for ANY miracle cure. Come Topomax the "miracle maintenance solution to your migraine". My Doctor made it sound really appealing and desperate as I was (25 out of 30 days with headache) yes, Topomax was just for me. Day one, 25mg, I could not function. My husband had to do just about all for the day but hey, it would take time to adjust, my Dr. said. The dose increased weekly and within a month I leveled at 100mg. That was a year ago and by now I am at my wits end. The side effects have not gone away, if nothing else, they have worsened. I remember telling my husband a while back while still adjusting to the med "please bear with me, it will get better and I actually feel like I can now have a life without headaches!" HOnestly, at this point, I would rather deal with the headaches than the hell my life has become!. I just found this website and I am honestly relieved because so many of the symptons | F | 41 | 1 years | 1/13/2006 | 5 | severe & chronic migraines | tingling in feet & hands, loss of some vocabulary, incredible increase in clarity and focus (though sometimes difficulty in finding expressing the clear ideas), voracious increase in sexual desire, occasional fluttering and tingling in eyelids, sometimes fatigue -- though nothing compared to fatigue caused by the migraines, weigh loss. The side effects have been so wonderful. I'm a violinist so the tingling has been the only really negative side effect, and even that isn't so bad. | I am writing here because I want to put down the comments about the sexual desire, because I have read almost nothing about it, and it has been crazy for me. Since starting Topamax, I now have multiple orgasms like crazy, and my sensations during sex seem to be similar to having sex after taking LSD -- my good friend used to take LSD and said my experiences sound similar to his (though of course, to a much lesser extent). I could find almost nothing noted about this, and I think it's important for anybody else who is experiencing this to know they are not perverted, and they are not alone. (I felt a little bit the pervert when this first happened. As a lady, well, I had never experienced anything like this!) It has completely opened my mind, too. I am a voracious reader, and I thinking in such an unclouded way, as if some door in my mind has opened. I used to write, as a teenager. I'm 27 now, and have only had migraines daily for a year and a half. It's been 8 years since I've written, | F | 27 | 2 months | 1/12/2006 | 4 | migraines & back pain | a little tingling, food tasted fine, pop fine, tired at each upped dose, have to force myself to concentrate, but when I do I'm really organized, a little vision alteration, no interest in food (but eat healthy), no desire for pain killers (which I had a problem with) - I think this may be a good drug for people with addictions. I had no problem with memory or word recall - everyone reacts different I guess. | I took Topamax for 5 weeks about 2 months ago but went off cause I thought it was making me way depressed. But, I was on Wellbutrin XL (300mg) too. So, I think that's something people HAVE to consider about side effects: what OTHER meds are you taking? I went off both Topamax and Wellbutrin at the same time. I went back on Topamax yesterday and am looking forward to not having any more migraines (as it totally took them away before) and having no back pain (this too was relieved before) and also very much looking forward to the lack of interest in food and pain killers. Looking back I don't think the Topamax was causing the increased depression... it was more likely my circumstances and maybe the Wellbutrin poop-out. | F | 31 | 5 weeks | 1/11/2006 | 4 | Encephalitis/Meningitis-Seizure | Tingling in hands and feet, often nose and lower face. Onset of hair loss/breakage @ 15 weeks. Taste of foods altered. Soda/carbonation taste is awful. Difficult recalling words and sometimes stuttering. | Side effects come and go. Soda/carbonation is no longer awful, but not as good as before. My neuro won't let me take other med's due to efficacy, however, this is probably unique situation. | F | 32 | 4 months | 1/4/2006 | 5 | Bipolar II & Migraine | Spacey feeling, flu like symptoms for 1 day, extremely tired, weight loss, | I have read all the different comments about topamax, and I was hesitant about taking it. The first week was really rough with the side effects. But it was worth sticking it out. I started out taking 25mg for 4 days, and then 50mg, and now I am up to 75mg, and today is the first day I feel like myself! I am glad I stuck it out. One thing I figured out though, is the time I take it. I was feeling really sick about 12 hrs after I took it, so I take it around 4 or 5 in the afternoon, so it takes affect while I am sleeping, this has been a huge help. | F | 33 | 12 days | 1/2/2006 | 1 | migraines | had very severe side effects-memory loss, mood swings, hallucinations, heart palpitations, trouble breathing and utimately, seizures. | I suffer from constant, almost daily migraines, but the side effects were worse than my migraines! I'm sure this medicine probably helps give a lot of people their life back, but it nearly took mine away. I was told this morning to stop taking this drug immediately. I had a really, really, bad reaction. Even so, I don't think I would have wanted to stay on this medication because it turned me into a zombie from day one. | F | 26 | 14 days | 12/29/2005 | 4 | Bipolar II disorder | tingling in fingers/toes, shuddering, memory loss that centering on people's names, lack of interest in food (taste perversion) some spaciness, tiredness | I have been on this medication, as a complement to Lithium down-titration, for about 2 weeks. I can't believe how much better I feel already. I suffer from lots of OCD type ruminations which have begun to lift. I'm really glad to be on it. | F | 34 | 16 days | 12/28/2005 | 4 | Mood Stabalizer | Memory Loss, anxiety attacks, numbess / tingling hands and feet, heavy arms, weightloss, dry mouth, lack of appetite | Weightloss has been a benefit. Must remind myself to eat. No more flying off the handle. Still trying to get the afternoon anxiety attacks under control and the memory loss has been a frustration to deal with but hopefully will go away soon. Not being a raging loon is more than worth it. My family is very thankful. 100 mg at dinner time in lieu of anti-depressants. | F | 41 | 4 months | 12/19/2005 | 3 | chronic migraines | tingling in hands and feet, painful at times, chest pain, fatigue, heart palpations, some weight loss | helped my migraines some, but not as much as I would like | F | 17 | 1 years | 12/19/2005 | 5 | Severe Migraines | Initial Drowsiness, Tingling in Fingers, Sodas Taste Flat, Restless Legs, Various Memory Problems. | Before starting Topamax I was experiencing as many as 3 migraines daily. Imitrex was not always working. I was not coping well at all. I have been on Topamax 200 Mgs. going on 5 months now and I experience approximately 1 or 2 at the most migraines at the in a month. I can deal with the side effects just to have my life back. | F | 5 days | 12/11/2005 | 4 | Chronic Daily Headaches | Thought patterns are slow, sodas taste funny, low sex drive as well as tingling in the legs and toes that drives me up the wall from time to time! | After 5 years of many, many tests, many different medications, many different Dr.s a person has to weigh the price to wake up without a headache depends on how bad that headache was to begin with. After reading many of the reviews, I really respect everyones concerns regarding Topamax. For me, Topamax alone doesn't work for my daily headaches. I must take an SSRI in addition to a calcium channel blocker and 200 mg. of Topamax per day( 100 mg. in the AM and 100 mg. in the PM). I started out with 50 mg. of Topamax per day and did not even have a hint of a headache for over 2 months. As the headaches started coming back, I had to increase the Topamax. I've had to increase it several times now. The slowness of my thought process is a frightening side effect but for many of us that are in such extreme pain, it is somehow worth the trade off to be able to wake up with a smile on our lips instead of tears in our eyes. | F | 48 | 6 months | 12/3/2005 | 3 | Migraines | Weird evening episodes. Like being on LSD at night. When I try to sleep, my body feels like I am on some heavy psycadelic drug. Weight loss (good thing!) Really bad tingling in hands and feet, Confussion and unable to focus, spacey and tired. | Overall I think it is helping cut the headaches back. I'm having a hard time tolerating the tingling and I swear it's making me stupid. I was told to stick it out a while longer and it should improve. I lost 5lbs in just over a week. I am not overweight but did want to lose a few pounds anyway so that part was nice. | F | 31 | 5 weeks | 12/3/2005 | 5 | Migraine prevention | Insomnia, Tingling "buzzy" feeling in face, lips, arms, hands, Can't find the right words at times, Stomachache (not nauseau, but pain), Coated tongue, Weight loss -- 30 lbs. in 5 months, Antsy feeling in legs at night, Hot when sleeping, then cold, then hot, Slight Diarrhea at times, Food, drinks taste funny, Marked decrease in carbohydrate cravings, Bruising on arms | I took Depakote for 3 years with OK results for migraines but found a weight gain of 50 lbs. to be unbearable. Topamax seems to be working-- Migraines down from several weekly (lasting 2-3 days to 1 or 2 per month, or fewer). Have now gone almost 1 month without a migraine. Currently taking 100mg. at bedtime. Most annoying side effect is coated tongue, dry mouth and "buzzy" feeling of face and lips. I do feel the bothersome side effects are worth it though because the migraines are so debilitating and interfere so much with work and home life. Hopefully the side effects will ease up over time. | F | 50 | 5 months | 11/28/2005 | 4 | Migraines | Inability to concentrate, confusion, trouble finding words, slow comprehension, memory loss, weight loss, and metallic taste in carbonated drinks for first few months. | Due to the side effects my neurologist is in the process of taking me off of Topamax, I was on 100mg, and am down to 75mg. My migraines are back already. It has been the only drug that has worked and I am thinking of sticking with it regardless of the side effects... | F | 25 | 9 months | 11/28/2005 | 1 | migraines | Being on Tomapax was the worse experience of my life. I have had migraines since I was a kid and I take Excedrin for migraines. I went to a neurologist because the Excedrin just wasn’t helping anymore. He put me on the Crazy Pills! This medicine affects your temporal lobes and if you have completely healthy temporal lobes this medication can have a nasty effect. Let me go through the complete side effects list and tell you what I went through. Here is what I experienced abnormal coordination, agitation, anxiety, appetite loss, confusion, depression, difficulty with concentration, difficulty with memory, dizziness, drowsiness, fatigue, language problems, leg pain, loss of coordination, mood problems, nausea, nervousness, slowing of movements, speech problems, tingling or burning sensations, weakness, aggressiveness, dry mouth, exaggerated sense of well being, changes in taste, feelings of unreality, heart palpitations, increased sweating, hyperactivity, loss of consciousness, low | My suggestion to everyone who wants to take this medicine try it for 1-2 weeks and then checkout the side effects list. If you look at the list before hand you could drive yourself crazy thinking you have every symptom on the page. Do not take this drug till you read the full side effect list. THIS LIST IS NOT ON THE TOPAMAX WEBSITE THEY DO NOT DISCLOSE ALL SIDE EFFECTS. GO ONLINE AND FIND ONE AND YOU'LL KNOW WHY THEY DON'T DISCLOSE THIS IMPORTANT INFORMATION. You will be surprised about what you find about this drug. http://www.migraines.org/treatment/protpmax.htm Above is a link that you should go to. I find it quite funny how the worst ratings of this medicine are at the very bottom of the website. They should be placed on the very top. This drug can be dangerous. I hope the people at Johnson & Johnson which own Topamax monitor this website. Maybe they should think about adding full side effects list after my posting. | F | 21 | 4 weeks | 11/28/2005 | 3 | anxiety | hair loss, soda tastes flat, numb hands, spacey feeling, returned acne, motivation loss, smelly smelly farts. | F | 18 | | 11/25/2005 | 1 | Migraines | Memory loss, tingling and numbness of extremities, trembling and muscle convulsions similar to seizure, difficulty with speech, stuttering, weight loss (17lbs in a month) | I would never recommend this drug. The side effects aren't worth the benefits. It took me several months to fully recover after using it. | F | 28 | 3 months | 11/21/2005 | 5 | migraine prevention | bad taste with carbonated drinks; inability to recall things such as names of close friends, even when I am talking to them; tingling in hands; weight loss; low libido | I have either gotten use to the taste of carbonated drinks or the bad taste has gone away! The recall factor has gotten better, or I am just finding ways to get around it. I will say I have tried to wean myself off of Topamax a few times, with some not so great results! I gained lots of weight in a short amount of time, and suffered constipation. I even stayed off for 3-4 months and the problems did not go away. I am having some headaches, but not sure if they are related to spinal problems or my migraines. I feel this drug has been well worth the side effects, even though all are not that pleasant. I also still have hormonal headaches, but once a month is better than every day! | F | 41 | 4 years | 11/19/2005 | 5 | Epilepsy & Migraines | Weight loss, decreased appetite, soda tastes odd, slightly euphoric happiness, extremely increased vocablary, return of emotions, inspiration, and creativity. | I've been on Depakote for 3 years previous to this & did not realize how sorrowfully apathetic it had made me until coming off of it. I have had a serious health condition brewing that I was not receiving care for because I simply didn't care! Further, while on Depakote, I had gained an ungodly amount of weight that I couldn't lose for anything. I had lost most of my extensive vocabulary, most of my memory, and most ambition to do anything. In just over 3 weeks on Topamax, I've lost 8 lbs, begun experiencing happiness, anger, lust, sorrow, creativity, inspiration, etc. I've taken up art again. My wit is rapier sharp & my memory had also improved amazingly. I am pretty much the person who I was before I began taking drugs for my condition - just without my condition. | F | 31 | 4 weeks | 11/19/2005 | 5 | migraines | tingling in my face especially the tip of the nose (temporary) metalic taste | I had a had a very bad car accident and that is when the migraines started also had some emotional problems as a result of the accident, I take 100 mg in the morning and 100mg at night. I do have problems if I don't consistently take at the same time everyday. I went from severe migraines 6 days a week to 1 or none in a month. I for sure got my life back with Topamax. | F | 25 | 4 years | 11/17/2005 |