I just recently started taking Topamax for Fibromyalgia. After taking a different medication for a year and a half and the other medication stopping working, I was ready to try something else. When my doctor suggested Topamax, I was open to anything at that moment, especially when the only side effect she told me was weightloss and *other* medication I was on previously was weightgain. So needless to say I was happy to try to it. Not till being on it for a few days did I find out about the tingling in my fingers and toes and the very ODD taste it gave to carbonated beverages, I thought I was losing my mind when all kinds of sodas were tasting like metal. Now I can see where the weightloss is going to come from. I guess I can look at it as a positive, after 40 years, I will no longer be drinking soda. Just as long as I can get past the other side effects since I have only been on it a few weeks. The pain is gone though so that is a PLUS!

Mysticalgyp

Spokane, WA

My daughter started taking this medication two months ago for mood swings and depression.  I have noticed a tramadic change in her behavior.  Her moods have gotten much better, and she seems to be happier than before the medication.  It is a wonderful prescription product that is safer than some other medications.

jenlynn30

Hudson, KY

I have been suffering from chronic daily tension headaches for about 15 years.  Nothing over the counter really stopped the pain, so I started seeing a neurologist that tried several medications on me to see what would relieve my suffering. One of those medications was Topamax. It actually made my headaches worse than before and caused me to be very clumsy to the point that my husband wondered what was wrong with me. While on this medicine, I fell backwards while carrying my two-year old up the cement steps to our house.  I frequently dropped things and tripped over myself. I spoke a little too frankly and slurred my speech. This medication was NOT worth anything. It made me worse as a person, in addition to aggravating my normal headaches. Once I stopped taking the Topamax and it wore off, my husband said, "Wow, you are actually smart and articulate now! I was really worried about you." I wonder if I did or said embarrassing things in front of others, as well. One must be VERY careful with the way substances interact with the body and mind.

squid6x

Pleasant Grove, UT

Topamax was placed on the market in the primary region of epilepsy users.  They did want to use it as a piggy back medication.  Which means you would need to be on another medication a older medication as they would say.  When I say older doctors favor dilatin or phenobarbital which a person's body can get use to it's dosage and lose control of their epilepsy.  Physician's were noticing that Topamax was a great piggy bag drug and keeping those with seizures on a more productive lifestyle.  After being on the market a few years neurologists weaned off the piggy back idea and strictly took it as a single usage medication.  For me personally I started using it back in 2003 being epileptic all my life but only starting to use medications as I am getting older.  Yes as I get older my epilepsy is getting worse not better.  They warned me the side effects could be pretty nasty.  However I am not one of those people that will read the labels of the side effects because that will give a person a false story inside their heads.  They will think they have a side effect when it is psychosomatics not physically.  I started using this medication on and off only because I was not good at taking my medication.  I started taking it regularly around 2005 so I will start my personal review from there.  I was overweight about 75lbs over.  I was started on topamax 50mg's once in the morning and once in the evening and over the weeks it was increased to 100 mg's once in the morning and once in the evening.  My main problem was twitching my right arm, jerking of my head and spasms I guess you can say.  When they didn't stop at 200mg a day I was increased to a very high dose of 200mg's once in the am and once in the pm.  Their is when the side effects got bad.  I had very bad memory loss.  I did have it at a lower level but it was ok where is my car keys?  Forgetting to meet somebody at a certain time.  At the high level I was forgetting people's names, forgetting how to get to my parent's house.  I forgot my own phone number to call home.  I lived by writing everything down that needed to be done or making sure phone numbers were saved in my phone.  I got a high sensation to my hands and feet when it came to hot water.  It felt scolding hot if it was only warm.  Do you know when you get pins and needles when say your leg fall's asleep?  It is that feeling but it is not funny or ticklishly.  It is very painful and it will not go away if you walk on it.  This pain will go away when it wants to go away.  The longest I had it last was about 5 minutes and I was just about in tears.  I get floaters in front of my eye's and see things once in awhile.  Nothing major with the eye site maybe some blurry but I got my eye's checked and they are great.  Remember when I said I was overweight.  Well topamax can make you lose your appetite.  I lost more then 100lbs in a matter of 5 months.  I went from 176lbs down to 118lbs.  People thought I was anorexic because I didn't want to eat but on this medication you just don't want to eat.  You don't feel hungry but you don't feel nausea.  It just blocks out that hunger receptors in your brain.  Last year they have used Topamax to for people who are overweight and begin it as a weight-loss program.  Of course it is not always possible to lose weight.  I have to force myself to eat sometimes or I will go a day or two with not eating.  One problem when stopping this medication.  You can't just stop it!  I know they always say never just stop a medication because it can be dangerous.  Especially with us having epilepsy just it can cause us a pretty bad seizure.  I am not talking about those side effects.  I am talking about coming off this medication has made me felt like I was coming off of heroine.  I don't know what coming down from heroine is like personally but I had a hard time coming off Topamax.  I didn't do it slowly.  I did it very quick and I got sweaty, shaky, very nauseated, body aches/pains.  I went through a medication withdrawal so I just want you to be careful. After writing all this do I recommend this medication?  Yes!  This is one of the best seizure medications I have ever taken.  Believe it or not this is the one with the least side effects.  They do get better as you take it longer.  

kither04

Wilkes Barre, PA

I took topamax for 18 months. During the 18 months my dosage was gradually increased. It did help very much with my headaches. However, my side effects were too much to handle. I couldnt not remember basic things. Also my words started getting mixed up, what I would want to say would get jumbled all up. I couldn't take it any longer! Yes, I did loose 20 pounds taking this daily. Yes, it did keep my headaches away. However, not being able to remember simple things, like the groceries in the car, really was more than I could handle. I wanted to try something else in hopes of having my headaches under contol. I have not yet found anything that worked as well as the topamax. But I am much happier and functioning better without the side effects. My memory has not returned 100% but I am at least 90% back to normal. Topamax is not something I would recommend. Oh, almost forgot, my Dr ran blood work every 3 months to monitor how the meds were effecting my body.

jcatblum

Lawton, OK

I'm a busy mom!  I have been a migraine suffered since my first child was born, infact I have suffered since he was 2 days old.  Before that I never had a migraine headache, never in my life.  Go figure, those crazy hormones.  IN those past 15 1/2 years!  I Have been on and off many types of migraines medicines, trying to find the ones that work right just for me.  It wasn't until I tried the Topomax and finally figured out the right dosage and was happy with this medicine and finally was able to fight this horrible migraines that my life changed.  Yes Topomax did carry some horrible side effects for me, in the beginning, but like most over the counter medicines, it took a while for them to go away and then I was fine.  It took the doctor and myself also a while to figure out the correct dosage.  But once this was figured out, I have been quite happy with the amount of Topomax I've been on and my Migraines that I dont' suffer with anymore!

tomgoodson

Chesapeake, VA

I was put on this medication to help control my migraines. At first, the medication made me feel like I was sea sick all of the time. I was always dizzy and felt like I was swaying back and forth. After a couple weeks, those side effects went away but I developed others that stayed with me. Food tasted different and my sex drive was completely gone. After I had been on Topomax for about a year, I started having these horrible cramps in my lower abdomen. At first my doctor thought it was some sort of flu bug. After about five weeks of not feeling good, I all of a sudden was in so much pain that I could not stand up straight. After a trip to the emergency room, the doctors figured out that I had kidney stones. When I went to the urologist, it took them a while to figure out what was causing the kidney stones. Every couple days I was passing them and nothing seemed to help. After six months I started doing reseach on the topomax and other medications I was on. After reading all the side effects of topomax I decided I was going to stop taking it. Two weeks after I stopped taking it, I stopped having kidney stones.

kmede206

Wilmington, DE

For the past year I have been experiencing horrible migraines and tension headaches. Nothing over the counter helped and believed me, I tried just about everything out there. My doctor prescribed me Topamax. And I just wanted to say, I've heard some down-talk about Topamax lately. Bottomline. All medications have side-effects and FDA warnings. It is the patients descretion on whether or not their symptoms are worth the risk. I have been migraine free for over 4 months due to Topamax. I say, it is a miracle drug. For me to be able to get up, go to work, and not have to worry about when the next migraine is, is a pretty amazing thing.

jennieleigh07

Owensboro, KY

Topomax was perscribed to me as a bipolar med, even though its not approved for that. It had too many side effects and is a very dangerous drug. It caused my eyesight to get worse and my hair to fall out. It also effects your cognitive functions and can make you forgetful.  It didnt help my mood and in fact I had more mood swings while I was on it.  I dont recommend this to anyone.

madia4589

Johnson City, TN

Didnt know I needed it , but when I was little they didnt know as much as they know now about seizures and headaches.  I was wary of taking medications because of so many side effects however Topomax is not so bad and it works pritty well.  I would recommend it if you suffer from seizures or headaches.  I find it helpful.

TaraHoover-Pardee

Lawrence, KS