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Topamax (Topiramate) - Reviews, Ratings, Comments by Patients

 
 



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Below are Topamax (Topiramate) reviews, ratings, comments submitted by patients and caregivers. Based on a total of 35 ratings/reviews, Topamax has an overall score of 6.83. The effectiveness score is 7.71 and the side effect score is 6.34. The scores are on ten point scale: 10 - best, 1 - worst. This information is not vetted and should not be cosidered as clinical evidence.
 

Topamax review by 46 year old female patient

  Rating
Overall rating:  
Effectiveness:   Considerably Effective
Side effects:   Moderate Side Effects
  
Treatment Info
Condition / reason:   Post Traumatic Stress Syndrom
Dosage & duration:   75 mg afternoon 100 mg bed taken twice daily for the period of have been for 2 years
Other conditions:   fibromyaglgia
Other drugs taken:   Wellbutrim, Nortriptiline, tryptophan, synthroid
  
Reported Results
Benefits:   Decreased appetite/impulse or emotional eating, stress reduction, anti depressant
Side effects:   vision affects - blurry vision
Comments:   I believe that the topamax has helped me to lose 90 pounds of excess weight - I still need to lose at least another 50 pounds. It helped stabalize my moods and I didn't feel so sad and depressed after going through an abusive marriage/separation then divorce. My psychiatrist prescribed Topamax during that time. Then I was able to discontinue treatment for about 2 years. I then had an accident, where I was then diagnosed with PTSD and fibromyalgia as a result of the accident and have since been on Topamax for two years steady since the accident. I have lost the weight in the last 16 months.

 

Topamax review by 41 year old female patient

  Rating
Overall rating:  
Effectiveness:   Considerably Effective
Side effects:   Mild Side Effects
  
Treatment Info
Condition / reason:   migraine prevention
Dosage & duration:   100 mg. taken twice daily for the period of 2 years
Other conditions:   asthma/allergies, depression, hypo-thyroidism
Other drugs taken:   wellbutrin se, synthroid , maxifed, advair, zysal, imitrex, erinn
  
Reported Results
Benefits:   Went from approx. 17 migraine days a month to approx. 4 migraine days a month while taking topamax and erinn. (Before adding erinn, was down to approx. 8 migraine days a month.) Topamax seemed to greatly lessen the hypersensitivity of my brain to overreact to triggers such as changes in altitude, barometric pressures, humidity levels, environmental triggers such as smoke, strong smells, loud noises, and food triggers such as dark chocolate. Before topamax all of these things would cause migraines to start very easily. After settling in on topamax these things didn't bother me like they used to.
Side effects:   When first starting the drug, diet soda tasted metallic and downright horrible. There was definitely an adjustment period of getting used to the drug and increasing the dosage in small increments was important. I could feel changes in my brain that are hard to describe. Almost like the top was a little bit "lifted". It was worth getting through this period for the results, though. They definitely went away as my body got accustomed to the drug. Once that happened, the migraines lessened and one pleasant side effect was that I didn't snack as often. No "mindless munching." I lost some weight without trying. I felt that it was difficult to retrieve thoughts or find the right word at times. I found it would take a few seconds longer to put my thoughts into words. Felt a little "spacey." As I mentioned before, I got through it after getting used to the drug. It took several weeks but after having 17 migraine days a month and going down to 8 it was worth it.
Comments:   Started at 25mg 2x a day for several days and started titrating up by adding 25mg to the evening dose every 3-4 days, depending on how I felt. Got up to 100 mg. a day for the first year. After moving and talking to my new doctor, she suggested increasing the dose to see if I could have less migraines than the 10-12 I was having so I titrated up to 200mg a day and my migraines went down to 8 a month.

 

Topamax review by 45 year old female patient

  Rating
Overall rating:  
Effectiveness:   Considerably Effective
Side effects:   Moderate Side Effects
  
Treatment Info
Condition / reason:   bipolar II
Dosage & duration:   150mg taken once a day for the period of 2 years
Other conditions:   alcoholism
Other drugs taken:   celexa
  
Reported Results
Benefits:   treated hypomanic systems, reduced impulsivity; reduced cravings for alcohol; reduced irratibility; loss of weight (15 lbs); more stable moods;
Side effects:   cognitive impairments; difficulty remembering names; memory problems; loss of weight
Comments:   was identified with Bipolar II two years ago presenting with mixed states. Hospitalized one week for high anxiety and depression. Relapsed into alcoholism which exacerbated symptoms. Doctor diagnosed BPII and prescribed Topomax to help diminish alcohol cravings in addition to BP symptoms. Initially became depressed and lethargic. These feelings subsided after three weeks. Weight loss was dramatic and quick. Cravings dimished, felt more balanced, less irritable and impulsive.

 

Topamax review by 35 year old female patient

  Rating
Overall rating:  
Effectiveness:   Considerably Effective
Side effects:   No Side Effects
  
Treatment Info
Condition / reason:   weight loss
Dosage & duration:   50mg/day taken 1/day for the period of 6 months
Other conditions:   none
Other drugs taken:   none
  
Reported Results
Benefits:   Topamax decrease my appetite significantly. I lost an average of 15 pounds per month while taking the 50 mg/day. I had no side effects during the course of the treatment, the only real drawback was the need to taper off the drug slowly rather than just being able to stop taking it.
Side effects:   I experienced no side effects.
Comments:   IT took a month to find the correct dosage for me, since the doctor started out at lower dosages and worked up to the 50/mg per day. As I neared a better weight, the doctor began tapering off and the weight loss significantly slowed and in fact stopped before I was able to stop taking the medication.

 

Topamax review by 43 year old female patient

  Rating
Overall rating:  
Effectiveness:   Considerably Effective
Side effects:   Mild Side Effects
  
Treatment Info
Condition / reason:   Migraine prevention
Dosage & duration:   Five 25 mg tablets Twice a Day taken daily for the period of 3 Years
Other conditions:   Allergies
Other drugs taken:   Benadryl, Aleve. birth control pills
  
Reported Results
Benefits:   Topamax helped decrease the frequency and intensity of my migraines.
Side effects:   Treatment side effects include paresthesia of my hands and mild drowsiness.
Comments:   Topamax was taken in order to prevent migraines. I also monitored my diet to avoid migraine triggers such as caffeine, aged cheeses, preserved meats, bananas, avocados, beans, dairy products, beer, wine, etc. In addition, I took birth control pills to control hormonal fluctuations. This helped prevent menstrual migraines.

 

Topamax review by 44 year old female patient

  Rating
Overall rating:  
Effectiveness:   Considerably Effective
Side effects:   Mild Side Effects
  
Treatment Info
Condition / reason:   migraines
Dosage & duration:   100mg taken once a day for the period of 2 years
Other conditions:   None
Other drugs taken:   Synthroid, Ortho cyclen
  
Reported Results
Benefits:   Significantly reduced migraines frequency and severity
Side effects:   mild tingling sensation in fingers and toes for several weeks after starting, occaissional problems remembering names, lethargy after taking but this was addressed by adjusting time of dosage to bedtime.
Comments:   I sought treatment for frequent severe migrains. I started getting migraines at age 30 and in recent months had been having 2-3 migrains a week. I was taking Imitrex at the initial sign of a migrain (eye aura) but this was had limited effectiveness. My doctor recommended trying Topamax. In the first 2 months I had 2 migrains and have only had 4 in the last 18 months. I take 100mg at bed because it makes very relaxed and sleep very deeply. I very occasionally find myself forgetting nouns and proper names but that has been the only cognitive effect. I still have been able to be effective and focused at my job.

 

Topamax review by 39 year old female patient

  Rating
Overall rating:  
Effectiveness:   Highly Effective
Side effects:   Mild Side Effects
  
Treatment Info
Condition / reason:   Migraine
Dosage & duration:   200 MG taken 2x per day for the period of 4 years
Other conditions:   bi-polar disorder
Other drugs taken:   klonopin, prozac
  
Reported Results
Benefits:   Greatly reduced severe migraines that were occurring almost daily. This drug was added as a preventative medication when migraines became so dibilitating that I could not function in everyday life, i.e., go to work, take care of self and family, etc. Migraines were reduced after approximately 6-8 weeks on the medication to about 1 per month and then continually reduced to 1 every 3 to 6 months as I stayed on the medication. I also use the medication to manage my mood disorder (bi-polar disorder) and was able to not have to take a mood stabalizer, because this drug also manages to keep me from getting "manic", so it is an extra "bonus" on top of the migraine management!!
Side effects:   The only side effect I noticed was some weight loss in the beginning. My doctor was very careful to start me out on 50 MG and move me up VERY slowly to the 200 MG 2x per day, which I understand is a very high dosage and took all of 4 years to get to that dosage. I was monitored every 30 days to ensure that I was not losing too much weight, having any type of eye problems, or numbness in my hands or feet--the eye problems, and numbness I never experienced; but was always told that if I did experience even a hint of these things, that I would have to stop the medication immediately--so my doctor does constantly ask me about those things. I have also read that Topamax has been used to treat alcoholics, and have noticed that since taking it, I have no desire to drink alcohol at all--but I am not an alcoholic--just a unique observation. It really just seems like a great drug!!
Comments:   I am still taking it to manage both my migraines and my mood disorder--200 MG 2x per day. I take 2 in the AM and 2 in the PM. It is prescribed by my Neurologist and managed by him mostly; and my psychatrist also works with him, because if I ever go off of the drug, I would be required to go onto a mood stabalizer due to the bi-polar disorder. I would be very unhappy to have to go back onto something like Depakote, because that made me very slow and sluggish and Topamax does not have that side effect.

 

Topamax review by 33 year old female patient

  Rating
Overall rating:  
Effectiveness:   Ineffective
Side effects:   Extremely Severe Side Effects
  
Treatment Info
Condition / reason:   migranes
Dosage & duration:   25mg taken 1 daily for the period of 2 years
Other conditions:   none
Other drugs taken:   none
  
Reported Results
Benefits:   there were no benefits. i had severe side effects. . the medication helped the headaches for a short amount of time but the side effects outweighed the benefits. i call it the stupid medicine because i literally turned stupid after using it.
Side effects:   forgetfulness, shakes, loss of balance, loss of muscle mass
Comments:   i was to take one pill daily for the maintence of migraine headaches. i never could progress to the higher does to see if it helped b/c the side effects on the low dose was terrible

 

Topamax review by 47 year old female patient

  Rating
Overall rating:  
Effectiveness:   Considerably Effective
Side effects:   Moderate Side Effects
  
Treatment Info
Condition / reason:   Migraines
Dosage & duration:   175 mg starting - 50 mg ending taken daily for the period of one year
Other conditions:   hypo thyroid controlled, low potassium, B vit deficiency, hypoglycemia
Other drugs taken:   Synthroid
  
Reported Results
Benefits:   Migraines diminished and appetite diminished, resulting in lost weight.
Side effects:   Initially began with 25 mg and increased in 25 mg increments until reaching 175 mg daily. Difficulty in concentration, moodiness became the norm, stress. Loss of weight which most likely caused the diagnosed potassium deficiency, which resulted in an irregular heat beat, resulting in stress symptoms, which resulted in stress test. Very difficult first six months.
Comments:   Switched doctors, my decision to stop medication. Migraines returned. Began taking Topamax again, under different doctor, but at a dose of 50 mg daily. Worked. Migraines greatly reduced, a slight difficulty initially with concentration and moodiness but then those symptoms improved. A year later at 50 mg daily I'm doing well. I can safely increase up to 75 mg when I know that known triggers are expected - low pressure weather system, menstrual cycle (haven't conquered that migraine yet!) etc.

 

Topamax review by 44 year old female patient

  Rating
Overall rating:  
Effectiveness:   Considerably Effective
Side effects:   Mild Side Effects
  
Treatment Info
Condition / reason:   migraine
Dosage & duration:   25mg taken 2 x daily for the period of 1 year and current
Other conditions:   none
Other drugs taken:   hormone replacement therapy (natural cream)
  
Reported Results
Benefits:   My conclusions of the medication are that it has definately lessened the amount of migraine headaches that I was encountering. I have not had to have an emergency hospital visit in almost a year. This went from a visit occuring almost every other month with horrible painful headaches in between this time. I still get headaches which are tollerable, and if I have a migraine have not had to go to the hospital for pain relief. It has been tolerable. I have now gotten my dose down to 15mg at night time only and am still having the same benefit. My only side effect were some memory difficulty in the beginning. I drove to my doctors office and became disoriented. Rather than panic I laughed it off and pulled over and had to think about where I was going. It has definately had a positive influence on the migraines. It seems to have some sort of effect on eating though. I did loose a bit more weight which I did not need to loose, but now have been able to be back at my normal weight.
Side effects:   Some forgetfulness,, tiredness at onset. Nothing unbearable.
Comments:   25mg morning and night. 9 months, then went to 15mg capsules morning and night for a few months. Now down to 15mg at night time only.

 

Topamax review by 50 year old female patient

  Rating
Overall rating:  
Effectiveness:   Considerably Effective
Side effects:   Extremely Severe Side Effects
  
Treatment Info
Condition / reason:   severe headaches
Dosage & duration:   25mg taken 4 times per day for the period of 1 month
Other conditions:   anxiety and depression
Other drugs taken:   propranalol and citalopram
  
Reported Results
Benefits:   they helped to reduce headaches that I had been sufferein over a period of over 2 years
Side effects:   I noticed, after only a couple of weeks that my anxiety and depression had to an almost unbearable level, I looked at the tablets side effects and realised that they must be the contributing factor as my condition had remained stable for a few years, before i started taking them. the side effects still remain, months after stopping the medication.
Comments:   I took 1 x 25mg per day which built up to 4 x 25mg per day over 4 weeks

 

Topamax review by 42 year old female patient

  Rating
Overall rating:  
Effectiveness:   Moderately Effective
Side effects:   Moderate Side Effects
  
Treatment Info
Condition / reason:   sedative/hypnotic - to induce sleep
Dosage & duration:   titrated up to 250mg taken h.s. for the period of ongoing-now taking 150mg h.s.
Other conditions:   morbid obesity, depression, hydrocephalis caused by sub-arachnoid cyst
Other drugs taken:   elavil 225mg hr, effexor 150mg xr, vit D 1000u
  
Reported Results
Benefits:   topamax was originally prescribed to eventually replace in part or totally the Elavil I was taking as sleep med. Elavil and Effexor were thought to initiate cravings for carbohydrates that would lead to overeating and overweight. I was taking 300mg Elavil each night. The goal was to completely switch from Elavil to Topamax. Topamax also had the added benefit of preventing migraines which I am prone to because of my hydrocephalis caused by a sub arachnoid cyst. I have a VP shunt
Side effects:   I had to stop increasing the dose of Topamax when I reached 225mg because I experienced peripheral neuropathy in my fingertips and also blurred vision. I am now taking 150 mg topamax and 225mg elavil hs.
Comments:   The switch from elavil to topamax was slow and painful and not altogether successful, but I almost immediately experienced a 15lb weight loss as a result. I was told to increase topamax in 25mg doses every week. When excessive sedation was experienced, I was to cut back 50mg of Elavil. I proceeded like this until i reached a topamax dose of 250mg and elavil 150mg, but I wasn't sleeping at night and my vision was blurred and my fingers tingled. The doses were fine tuned to a comfort level of 150mg topamax and 225 elavil to this date. Switching the effexor to cymbalta is the next phase, all in the name of decreasing the carbohydrate cravings....wish me luck!

 

Topamax review by 50 year old female patient

  Rating
Overall rating:  
Effectiveness:   Considerably Effective
Side effects:   Moderate Side Effects
  
Treatment Info
Condition / reason:   migraines
Dosage & duration:   50mg. taken 2x day for the period of 1 1/2 year
Other conditions:   nausea
Other drugs taken:   n/a
  
Reported Results
Benefits:   after the tritation period, where the drug dosage was increased each week, the headaches became less severe and less frequent. from having 2-3 migraines a week to eventually having none and was able to discontinue the medication.
Side effects:   The side effects were dehydration, decreased urination, malaise, fatigue, the most irritating was the stupor the drug caused..aka "stupermax"
Comments:   The "stupormax" of Topamax lasted a few days each time the dosage increased during the tritation period. one point I was afraid to drive- as I ran over a curb, made WIDE turns and even bumped the wall in the garage! the fluid retention due to dehydration was noticeable in my upper arms and upper thighs(dimpling). Now that I have been off the RX for a while now, my arms are toned and legs are lean & sleak. BUT No MORE headaches!! Praise God! BTW, never lost weight on this drug as some do-- since discontinued I have lost 7 lbs.

 

Topamax review by 32 year old female patient

  Rating
Overall rating:  
Effectiveness:   Considerably Effective
Side effects:   No Side Effects
  
Treatment Info
Condition / reason:   OCD
Dosage & duration:   200 mg taken once a day for the period of 3 years
Other conditions:   Anxiety
Other drugs taken:   None
  
Reported Results
Benefits:   Although Topamax is an anti-epileptic, which is more commonly perscribed for the treatment of migrains...it had a substancial benefit to my OCD symptoms. It significantlly reduced my desire (or calling) to repeat (recheck, recount, retouch) items, which was a huge issue for me. In the past, it would take me hours to complete the most mundane tasks, but with the Topamax, I can more easily "let go" of certain rituals and walk away feeling "complete" without having to repeat them countless times...
Side effects:   I experienced some mild loss of appetite early on, which graduly disappaited.
Comments:   I statrted on 50mg, than a week later went upto 100mg. I stayed on 100mg for about a year. It wasn't until a year later that I went up to 200mg and have been on this dose for over 2 years. I experience no side effects. My mind feels quiter and I feel freeer than I ever had in my life. I am not on any other medication nor am I seeking "talk" therapy for my OCD. The Topamax has been able to keep it at a tolerable level. I also must note that in the way past I was on Prozax, Paxil, Celexa, Luvox, Valium, Xanax, Clozapam...all with little or no success.

 

Topamax review by 39 year old female patient

  Rating
Overall rating:  
Effectiveness:   Highly Effective
Side effects:   Mild Side Effects
  
Treatment Info
Condition / reason:   Migraines
Dosage & duration:   25mg, 50mg taken daily for the period of 21/2 years
Other conditions:   High Blood Pressure
Other drugs taken:   NORTYPTILINE, ATENOLOL
  
Reported Results
Benefits:   Topamax greatly reduced severe migraines that were occurring almost daily and it seemed to greatly lessen the hypersensitivity of my brain to overreact to triggers that caused my migraines(stress, changes in barometric pressure,certain food,smells,noise, and light),stabled moods,reduced irritability, increased weight loss(40lb).
Side effects:   Tingling in arms and legs, loss of appetite, tiredness, metallic taste, a bit of coordination problem (couple of incidents while backing up the car from garage).
Comments:   I started with a low dose(25mg) first week every other day, second week we increased it to once every day, then the following week increase the dose in the evening, following week increased the dose in the morning also. After approximately 4 weeks we maintained the dose(50mg taken 2X daily)for almost a year at which time I started to decrease the dose very slowly and stop taking it do to lack of migraines.6-8 months down the lane the migraines start coming back not as strong but just in case I got back on medication starting very low dose and very slow again.Stop taking medications after 10 months and been migraine free ever since(just a handful in the last 4 years).

 

Topamax review by 70 year old female patient

  Rating
Overall rating:  
Effectiveness:   Considerably Effective
Side effects:   Mild Side Effects
  
Treatment Info
Condition / reason:   appetite control
Dosage & duration:   75 mg taken daily for the period of 2 years 7 months
Other conditions:   type II diabetes
Other drugs taken:   metaformin, amaryl, lisinopril, simivastin
  
Reported Results
Benefits:   Lost 52 pounds with the meds and a diet program. Was able to reduce the amount of dose on the diabetic meds.
Side effects:   For a while was on higher dose of topomax at 100 mg but seem to experience some memory issues but did not have any further issue with this once the dose was reduced.
Comments:   This was an off label use of topomax which was under the supervision of my doctor who saw me regularly for diabetes. It was important to lose weight to improve the diabetic condition. It was supportive in helping me maintain the discipline of the diet program that the doctor also recommended so that with the combined approach I succeeded in losing 52 pounds in a slow, healthy manner.

 

Topamax review by 23 year old female patient

  Rating
Overall rating:  
Effectiveness:   Considerably Effective
Side effects:   Mild Side Effects
  
Treatment Info
Condition / reason:   Depression/Binge Eating
Dosage & duration:   200 mg taken once daily for the period of 2006-present (3 years)
Other conditions:   Anxiety
Other drugs taken:   Prozac, minocycline
  
Reported Results
Benefits:   With the Topamax alone, and not myself consciously changing any of my dietary habits or exercising, I lost about 10% of my body weight in the first two months of treatment. It was like a tiny switch in my brain was flipped and I just didn't crave gargantuan massive quantities of horrible-for-you food. Not that food didn't taste good, or I wasn't hungry, I just filled up really quickly, and nothing seemed any more appealing than anything else. So when you're not just going off whatever looks yummy at that exact second and you actually stop and think about what you're about to eat, you tend to choose something a tad bit healthier and less caloric. Combine that with the fact that it would take about half the amount to fill me up, and there you have your weight loss.
Side effects:   Dry mouth (I was also taking Prozac at the time which definitely contributed), mild transient tingling in the hands and feet (pins and needles), I've read a lot of posts in forums online from people suffering memory problems with Topamax (i.e. dopamax), they forget words easily, have trouble spelling, feel foggy, etc... I guess I'm one of the few fortunate people whom Topamax doesn't effect that way. Either that, or the dose I'm at (200 mg) is well below my tolerance threshold. Many of the people in these forums were being treated for epilepsy and debilitating migraines and taking doses up to 1200mg.
Comments:   I had done some research on Topamax online before it was even an approved treatment for migraines, and it was only FDA approved for epilepsy. While on the web I found that a surprising amount of doctors were prescribing it for off-label purposes, such as an add-on to an SSRI that wasn't working well enough in depressed patients, a mood stabilizer in patients with bipolar disorder, and (gasp!) a weight loss drug in obese patients and in those with binge eating disorder. Several convincing clinical studies have been done in all of the above categories as well. Topamax will have clearance from the FDA to be marketed for the treatment of bipolar disorder in 2010.

 

Topamax review by 27 year old female patient

  Rating
Overall rating:  
Effectiveness:   Considerably Effective
Side effects:   Moderate Side Effects
  
Treatment Info
Condition / reason:   migraines
Dosage & duration:   125mg taken 1xday for the period of have taken it for 5 years
Other conditions:   migraines
Other drugs taken:   Imitrex
  
Reported Results
Benefits:   The topamax helped reduce the frequency of the migraines significantly. In addition, it also helped me to loose weight at the beginning of the treatment.
Side effects:   With the Topamax, there was nausea at the beginning. I also have a hard time recalling words and thoughts alot of the time, and I feel fatigued alot. The imitrex makes me nauseased and makes you feel wiered after taking it.
Comments:   Topamax was prescribed due to incresing occurance of migraines. Dosage started at 50 mg and was increased to 125 until migraines were under control. Imitrex is taken as need when migraines occur.

 

Topamax review by 30 year old female patient

  Rating
Overall rating:  
Effectiveness:   Highly Effective
Side effects:   Moderate Side Effects
  
Treatment Info
Condition / reason:   Epilepsy
Dosage & duration:   500 mg taken 200mg in am and 300 mg in pm for the period of started in 1996 to present
Other conditions:   Dystonia
Other drugs taken:   Dilantin, Lamictal, Zanaflex, Baclofen
  
Reported Results
Benefits:   I have complex partial seizures that secondarily generalize. I was having up to 5 a week of the generalized ones in my sleep and getting injuries from them when I started topamax. The topamax stopped the generalization. I continued to have complex partials, but those are nothing in comparison to a tonic clonic seizure. I have only had one tonic clonic since being at the max dose of topamax.
Side effects:   topa-tingles (tingly fingers and toes) and tingles around my lips. This went away once my dose got to 400. Seeing light tracers. word loss. memory loss. hair loss. dry itchy skin. massive weight loss into the scary skinny territory. dangerously low potassium. I was able to reduce most of my side effects by taking potassium supplements and adding ensure drinks to my diet.
Comments:   Topamax 200mg in the morning and 300mg in the evening. I started at a low dose and worked up to the effective dose that stopped my tonic clonic seizures (generalized seizures). It took additional medications to reduce my complex partial seizures, which I continue to have on occasion.

 

Topamax review by 44 year old female patient

  Rating
Overall rating:  
Effectiveness:   Highly Effective
Side effects:   Moderate Side Effects
  
Treatment Info
Condition / reason:   Migraine
Dosage & duration:   50mg taken 2x daily for the period of 5 years
Other conditions:   none
Other drugs taken:   none
  
Reported Results
Benefits:   daily headaches reduced to 3 times a month. Lost a lot of weight.
Side effects:   tingling fingers temporarily, fatigue, increased hair loss, weight loss. Blood pressure dropped very low during weight loss phase.
Comments:   take one in morning and one before bed. I have a mixture of migraine and tension headache. The tension headaches all but disappeared. Migraines came only 3 days before period after begining topamax.

 

Topamax review by 45 year old female patient

  Rating
Overall rating:  
Effectiveness:   Highly Effective
Side effects:   Mild Side Effects
  
Treatment Info
Condition / reason:   migraines
Dosage & duration:   25mg taken once a day for the period of 3 years
Other conditions:   none
Other drugs taken:   none
  
Reported Results
Benefits:   I had suffered hemiplegic migraines and even on other medications, I still was having approximately 2-3 a month. When I began the low dosage of topamax..the migraines virtually stopped. I have had 1 migraine 3 years.
Side effects:   mild loss of appetite that occurred for approximately a 6 weeks
Comments:   I took 1 25mg pill before bedtime.

 

Topamax review by 57 year old female patient

  Rating
Overall rating:  
Effectiveness:   Highly Effective
Side effects:   Mild Side Effects
  
Treatment Info
Condition / reason:   migraine headaches
Dosage & duration:   200mg taken twice a day for the period of six years/still taking it
Other conditions:  
Other drugs taken:  
  
Reported Results
Benefits:   I was suffering from migraine headaches for more than 40 years, since a teenager. Topamax has reduced twice weekly migraine headaches to approx. 3 or 4 times a year for severe migraines, although I still suffer from chronic, but infinitely much easier to bear, daily headache. I am thankful for the use of this (originally) anti-seizure drug for migraine prevention.
Side effects:   Mild loss of appetite. Loss of interest in alcoholic beverages.
Comments:   For the past six years of treatment, via a neurologist, I have been adjusting the medication from 400mg to 600 mg per day, to the current dosage of 400mg per day, in a divided dose. One tablet am, one tablet pm. I would recommend Topamax to anyone suffering with chronic migraine as the primary drug treatment, with additional rx with triptan meds.

 

Topamax review by 67 year old female patient

  Rating
Overall rating:  
Effectiveness:   Moderately Effective
Side effects:   Mild Side Effects
  
Treatment Info
Condition / reason:   Migraine
Dosage & duration:   300 mg taken daily for the period of 3 years
Other conditions:   None
Other drugs taken:   Fosamax, Relpax
  
Reported Results
Benefits:   The number of migraines were reduced from 20+ a month to 12 or even less. There have been some months when I have had only 5 or less migraines. More importantly, the intensity of the migraines is considerably reduced. On a pain scale of 1-10, I would have 12 or 15+ pain, that no amount of medication helped, and they would last for 3 to 5 days. Now, when I do get a migraine, it's usually at a 2 or 3 pain level, and I rarely need to take more than 1 Relpax for relief.
Side effects:   One rather odd side effect, which others on the drug have commented upon, is that you forget words. I've always been very articulate, and it can be frustrating to be in the middle of a conversation, or when I was doing training sessions, to suddenly go blank and be completely unable to remember a word I've used all my life. Also, at one point I decided to go off the medication in the vain hope I could manage the migraines without drugs. Even coming off the Topamax over a period of months, I gained 20 pounds.
Comments:   I started on the usual dosage of 25mg in the morning and evening, then after 2 weeks increased it to 50mg twice a day. Most people stay at this level, however, I seem to have a very high metablisim when it comes to medication, and anything I've taken for migraines always has to be increased beyond normal dosage in order to work. Therefore, my neurologist increased the dosage to 200 mg a day, and after about a year when that no longer worked, we went to 300mg a day, which I know is high for used in migraine treatment. However, I've been on almost every migraine medication there is over the years, and there is nothing else that works. I'm hoping for more breakthroughs in migraine research, before I end up at 400mg a day and forget half my vocabulary!

 

Topamax review by 19 year old female patient

  Rating
Overall rating:  
Effectiveness:   Considerably Effective
Side effects:   Severe Side Effects
  
Treatment Info
Condition / reason:   Migraine
Dosage & duration:   50 Mg taken daily for the period of 2 weeks
Other conditions:   none
Other drugs taken:   Elivil
  
Reported Results
Benefits:   Ive only been on Topamax for two weeks and only have had 1 migraine which is good for me. I use to have about 3 to 4 migraines in a matter of two weeks.
Side effects:   I literally feel stupud, I talk in circles and I go to college so it hasen't been easy in my classes when my professors call on me. I can't remember the stupidest things or I don't like to go out with my friends anymore cause I don't like to drink alchol anymore. I also get tingles in my toes, fingers, and sometimes feel like I have a peice of hair underneith my nose when it's just a tingles in my face. I also do not have an appitite anymore which I am excited for because I used to be on elivil which made me gain 35Ibs. Also switching over from elivil to topamax is veryyyyyyyyyyy painfullll i do always have a constant headache and i'm just waiting for that side affect to go away.
Comments:   The first week I took I lowered my elivil to 20Mg and started my Topamax and had that at 50Mg for the first week. The second week lower the elivil to 10mg and up the topamax to 100 mg tehn the third week stop the elivil and continue the topamax at 100mg.

 

Topamax review by 19 year old female patient

  Rating
Overall rating:  
Effectiveness:   Considerably Effective
Side effects:   Severe Side Effects
  
Treatment Info
Condition / reason:   seizure/migraine
Dosage & duration:   100 mg taken 2x daily for the period of 6 months
Other conditions:   Syncope, heart murmur
Other drugs taken:   n/a
  
Reported Results
Benefits:   I was prescribed this medicine by my neurologist who prescribed it to treat both seizures and migraine headaches. The medicine was very effective. In the 6 month period I was on the medicine, I only experienced 3 seizures compared to my normal 3 a week. Migraine headaches were also reduces, only apparent if triggered by something severe.
Side effects:   soda tasted horrible, and I had an extreme loss of appetite. No matter how badly I wanted to I was unable to eat more than a few bites of food. This caused me to lose 25 pounds, dropping me to 5'6 and under 100 pounds. Worse than the effect on my diet was how it effected my cognitive processes. I became unable to think clearly. Solving problems in my head was nearly impossible. Complete loss of focus and concentration. Extreme forgetfulness. Inability to structure sentences properly. Very emotional, which is highly uncharacteristic of me.
Comments:   While the medicine was successful in treating both seizures and migraines, being a college student the side effects became too unbearable to continue the medication. My grades began to slip, and discontinuing the medication became necessary.

 

Topamax review by 18 year old female patient

  Rating
Overall rating:  
Effectiveness:   Considerably Effective
Side effects:   Severe Side Effects
  
Treatment Info
Condition / reason:   Migraines
Dosage & duration:   75 mg taken every night for the period of A month and a half
Other conditions:   none
Other drugs taken:   Loestrin24
  
Reported Results
Benefits:   My headaches were not as severe as they were before I started the medication but I still had headaches, just not as many and not as severe.
Side effects:   I had no appetite which caused me to lose 10 pounds in a month. Also not having an appetite made me not eat enough, so I would get more headaches because I wasn't eating enough. I also felt very depressed on this medication. During the time I was on topamax I slept a lot and didn't eat enough, I didn't feel like I was myself.
Comments:   I took 25 mg for two weeks at night, then 50 mg for the next two weeks, then 75 mg for the next two then I went down to 50 mg for three days then to 25 mg for three days and I have discontinued the medication.

 

Topamax review by care giver of 19 year old male patient

  Rating
Overall rating:  
Effectiveness:   Marginally Effective
Side effects:   Severe Side Effects
  
Treatment Info
Condition / reason:   Tourette Syndrome
Dosage & duration:   50 mg taken 1 daily for the period of 3 yrs
Other conditions:   ADHD
Other drugs taken:   Prozac, Focalin XR
  
Reported Results
Benefits:   The treatment benefits from Topamax did not outweigh the side effects. There was minimal reduction in vocal tics caused by Tourette Syndrome and significant reduction in appetite that led to weight loss of approx. 20 lbs.
Side effects:   Memory and cognitive impairment, eye pain and vision blurriness.
Comments:   Topamax 50 mg was prescribed at bedtime for reduction of severe vocal tics. Medication was prescribed by a neurologist. The side effects far outweighed the benefits of this medication.

 

Topamax review by 25 year old female patient

  Rating
Overall rating:  
Effectiveness:   Considerably Effective
Side effects:   Moderate Side Effects
  
Treatment Info
Condition / reason:   Migraine
Dosage & duration:   100mg/day taken 2x a day for the period of 1 month
Other conditions:   None in relation to my migraine condition
Other drugs taken:   birthcontrol
  
Reported Results
Benefits:   My headaches have been considerably reduced; however, I still experience some mild headaches. The relief from my chronic and debilitating headaches has been a miracle thus far, and while I've had some pretty irritating side effects, I'm willing to put up with them so that I can live my life relatively pain free. I'm hoping the pain will pass.
Side effects:   Tingling of my tongue, toes, and fingers. Some speech issues, word finding issues, major spelling issues - especially when handwriting. This is especially interesting because I'm generally an excellent speller. Unfortunately I have not experienced the weight loss side effect.
Comments:   Titrated up very, very slowly. Just recently reached my 100mgs, and have been on that for about a week. I'm hoping the weight loss will happen now that I've been on that for a week, just recently have lost my appetite. Interestingly enough, sodas don't taste all that bad to me, but I still don't really feel like having them.

 

Topamax review by 25 year old female patient

  Rating
Overall rating:  
Effectiveness:   Moderately Effective
Side effects:   Mild Side Effects
  
Treatment Info
Condition / reason:   migraine prevention
Dosage & duration:   100mg taken 50mg morning 50mg evening for the period of 3 months (so far)
Other conditions:   -
Other drugs taken:   maxalt, propranolol
  
Reported Results
Benefits:   going from at least 5 full days of migraine a week i managed 16 whole days without one. then when i did have one it was for 6 straight days and the migraines have been back to as they were before. brief relief was seriously chuffed, now gutted, maybe dosage increase may help???
Side effects:   at first blurred vision and inability to find words. this settled after a couple of weeks and now the only side affect i have is that fizzy pop tastes flat
Comments:   i started off taking 25mg in the evening for 2 weeks then 25mg in the morning and evening for 2weeks. this then got increased to 75mg and then 100mg

 

Topamax review by 41 year old female patient

  Rating
Overall rating:  
Effectiveness:   Considerably Effective
Side effects:   Moderate Side Effects
  
Treatment Info
Condition / reason:   Nerve Pain, Fibromyalgia
Dosage & duration:   50 mg taken 3 times per day for the period of 1 month
Other conditions:   Depression, Nerve Damage, Fibromyalgia
Other drugs taken:   Savella and Norco
  
Reported Results
Benefits:   Able to move easier, not in as much pain, more energy, sleeping better, mood is stable.
Side effects:   stinging and tingling in lips, feet and hands, loss of appitite, weight loss of 16 pounds in less than a month.
Comments:   I am being treated for nerve damage from a neck injury and fibromyalgia that causes terrible pain. After trying just about every drug on the market, my doc gave me topamax and I started feeling better immediately. The weight loss is a super bonus because I have gained 50 pounds from all the drugs I've been taking to treat my chronic pain, so hopefully I will lose more on topamax.

 

Topamax review by 50 year old female patient

  Rating
Overall rating:  
Effectiveness:   Ineffective
Side effects:   Severe Side Effects
  
Treatment Info
Condition / reason:   Migraines
Dosage & duration:   50 mg taken once daily for the period of 6 months
Other conditions:   None
Other drugs taken:   None
  
Reported Results
Benefits:   I did not experience any treatment benefits from Topamax for my severe and incapacitating migraines. I did not get relief for my migraine headaches. My migraine headaches did not stop. My migraine headaches did not decrease in duration(3 days per migraine) or intensity (severe). I had one - 3 day a week migraine for over seven years.
Side effects:   The Topamax treatment side effects were extreme when I was taking it. I experienced extreme weight loss, I went from one hundred thirty pounds down to ninety eight pounds. I experienced mental confusion and had a hard time focusing on anything including family, relationships and work. I experienced a deep depression and had suicidal ideations that I had never before had. I also experienced loss of my word finding skills.
Comments:   The treatment details for Topamax which is used to treat seizure disorders was also supposed to treat migraines are as follows. As the patient I was to take fifty milligrams per day and was told I would lose perhaps two percent of my body weight but that after a thirty day period my migraines would decrease in intensity and decrease in duration.

 

Topamax review by 50 year old female patient

  Rating
Overall rating:  
Effectiveness:   Highly Effective
Side effects:   Mild Side Effects
  
Treatment Info
Condition / reason:   seizures,migraines,fibro.
Dosage & duration:   200mgs taken once a day for the period of four years
Other conditions:   diabetic, pace maker
Other drugs taken:   trileptal,lasix,insulin,various vitamins
  
Reported Results
Benefits:   To stop with the migraines, seizures and pain from the fibromyalgia,also have neuropathy in hands and feet from diabetes
Side effects:   alittle weight loss but I was thin already the worst thing was Hair loss for me and the feeling of pins and needles in the feet got worse, the Dr increased my dose from 200mgs t0 300 mgs af ter four years because I had a few seizures ,and after only two to three weeks I had so many side affects ,I had not had in all of the four years that I had been taken the 200 mgs my hair came out,blurry vision,dehydration forgetfulness,you name it I had not delt with this before only read about this except for the hair and I have always had lots of it so you know how upset I was.. needless to say Istopped taking the extra 100mgs and went back to my old dosage with hopes tha everything will goe back to where it was ,trying to get in touch with the Dr. as I type now... Does anyone know if the side affects will goe away?
Comments:   take two 100 mgs tablets in am when I was given the increase I was told to take two 100 mgs tablets in the am and 1 in the evening before bed

 

Topamax review by 16 year old female patient

  Rating
Overall rating:  
Effectiveness:   Moderately Effective
Side effects:   Extremely Severe Side Effects
  
Treatment Info
Condition / reason:   Migraine
Dosage & duration:   50mg-100mg taken twice daily for the period of Six months
Other conditions:   None
Other drugs taken:   Sumatriptan
  
Reported Results
Benefits:   I first began taking Topamax when I was fifteen. I had severe migraines about five every week. When I started it did automatically begin helping me with the headaches, and then the side effects sat in very soon after. Yet, the weight loss side effect was the only positive. I lost twenty pounds.
Side effects:   Within twenty minutes of taking Topamax I began to get tingles in my feet and bad in my hands. The next two weeks when they had moved my doze from 50mg to 100mg I felt like a dud in class. I couldn't remember anything that I would have been able to grasp so much more quickly before. I would stumble on my words and get so confused. On top of all this, I was constantly in a bad mood and depressed. I finally said enough was enough the day I got over heated at the lake, I got over heated because Topamax doesn't let you sweat. Overall, the side effects over ruled the relief.
Comments:   Above.

 

Topamax review by 32 year old female patient

  Rating
Overall rating:  
Effectiveness:   Highly Effective
Side effects:   Mild Side Effects
  
Treatment Info
Condition / reason:   Epilepsy
Dosage & duration:   200mg taken twice a day for the period of 14 yrs
Other conditions:   Osteoporosis, Dystonia
Other drugs taken:   Lamictal, Dilantin, Zanaflex, Forteo
  
Reported Results
Benefits:   I started Topamax right after approval due to ongoing generalized (Grand mal) seizures that were resistant to other drugs. My epileptologist was hoping this would be the one. We added it on to what I was currently taking at the time (tegratol and dilantin) and crossed our fingers. Guess what? After reaching 400mg a day- I went from having 3-4 generalized seizures A WEEK, to 3 TOTAL in many many years! Unfortunately, I continued having partial complex seizures until we found the Dilantin/Lamictal/Topamax combo (in the last 3 years) and I still have 1 or 2 of those a month. I really owe my life to topamax. AWESOME drug. Awesome awesome awesome.
Side effects:   In the beginning I remember getting "topatingles" or tingling in my fingers (that hurt sometimes), toes, and even my lips. I lost a lot of weight and have stayed in the underweight category ever since. My memory vanished (I affectionately nicknamed this drug "stupimax" and "Dopamax"), I got strange aches and pains in my bones, joints, and muscles. I was more sensitive to the sun and heat and my sweat was reduced. I frequently had a runny nose and cough. Food tasted funny. Sex felt different (not bad- just different) my skin was very sensitive to touch and my hearing was overactive. My potassium kept testing deficient and I had to be prescribed supplements. My hair also fell out in clumps! All that went away or got better with some time. I also found out WHY it was happening- I was malnourished. Once I started drinking 56-80oz of water a day, taking a multivitamin + biotin (for the hair issue!), eating potassium rich foods and a more healthy diet all of a sudden the side effects started to vanish. I still have dilantin side effects which are easy to distinguish as I've been on that since 1985, but the topamax ones are gone barring once and awhile I have a bit of 'loss of words' while speaking. I love this drug.
Comments:   I take one 200mg tab in the morning and one 200mg tab in the evening. I take the brand name topamax as the generic one caused my blood levels to dive a bit and I had a breakthrough seizure. Too bad as the generic is much cheaper.

 

Topamax review by 21 year old female patient

  Rating
Overall rating:  
Effectiveness:   Moderately Effective
Side effects:   Severe Side Effects
  
Treatment Info
Condition / reason:   Borderline Personality Disorder
Dosage & duration:   50mg taken 1x daily for the period of Still taking
Other conditions:   Bipolar II
Other drugs taken:   Cipralex 20mg, Clonidine
  
Reported Results
Benefits:   Some weight loss/craving control, lessened desire to drink
Side effects:   Tons of tingling in the hands/feet, intense hypersomnia (sleeping 16+ hours a day), increased aggressiveness, loss of appetite, lack of energy
Comments:   Topiramate was given as a mood stabilizer for bipolar and BPD, ended up sleeping a great deal of the time, which I suppose stabilizes your moods if you're never awake to have them.
 


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