Topamax

[fearfactor]

I could easily get a prescription for Topamax as I have migraines and my doc and I talked about it at our last visit.  I would also LOVE the weight loss side effect.  Anyone that has or is taking Topamax - does it make you feel nervous?  Does it make your heart beat faster and/or palpitations?  I have anxiety so I can't use it if it will make me more nervous.  Anybody have bad side effects from Topamax?

[jenny82301]

I am on 200mg looking to raise to 300mg so far i havent had any side effects other than the tingling and that has even gone away congradulations on the weight loss of 70lbs that is a lot of weight to lose I am looking to loose 55lbs I know I can do it because my head aches and my appetite is completely gone please write back and tell me how you are doing now

[daughertym]

I've been taking topamax for 3yrs now and take 300mg a day. I've been lucky and haven't had any side effects really. I take it for severe migraines along with imipramine, 225mg at bedtime. It is also a seizing medication used to treat migraines. I've been taking them together for 3 years now and they help but don't completely take them away. As for the weightloss, in the last year I've lost almost 70lbs. I know it's from the topamax because I have a bladder disease that makes it very difficultfor me to loose it on my own, I had surgery on my bladder a year ago and the weight started falling off with no help from me. I don't really exercise or watch what I eat, I eat what I want just in moderation.

[angelpaws71]

I started taking Topomax since June 2013 because the VA doctor I never met before told me I was bipolar even though I was told I was ADHD my whole life from other veteran Admin doctors, even childhood shrinks said I was. She put me on Topo 50mg twice a day. It didn't do anything for me except make me lose 40lbs. I thoughts she was nuts. I never thought I was bi-polar and felt nothing emotionally taking this stuff except tinging in my fingers once and a while and I was a little tired. That's it. Even up my dosage myself to 100mg twice a day to think maybe I would get something out of it. Nope just tingling once in a blue moon in my fingers and tired once in a while like always. No memory loss or other problems other people have mention. But losing weight still. New VA doctor said I do have ADHD and may have Aspergers and she wants to test me for it and she put me on Ritalin at 5mg 3 times a day and I said I like this Topomax for weight lost and wanted to continue (wanted to get back down to my Army weight. Gained a lot of weight after I got hurt in the Army) she said just take the Topomax at bed time so instead of taking 50 mg twice a day I just take 100mg at bed time. So far so good with all the meds.

[TrinityParadise]

Any changes in how this has affected you? I have ADD and take Concerta and now take 50 mg of topamax at bed time. How has it been going?

[maini4200]

I am on Topamax and Gapapentin for migraines for 5 months and have slowly worked up to 150 mgs a day of Topamax and 400 mg of Gabapentin. My migraines are gone and I only get headaches once in while. I tried Topamax in the past and was afraid to try again, but my neurologist advised side effects are because a dosage is too high for your body to adjust to.  I started at a low dose and went up by 12.5-25 mgs a week or two weeks at a time to build to the current dosage. After 5 months I've been taking 150 mg a day for only the past two weeks. I highly recommend if you are going to take Topamax you build up the dosage.  I started with 25 mg a twice a day and built up from there as I could handle it.  I am being treated by the University of Washington and really believe this was the best course of action.  I only have tingling in my little toe once in a while and I am never ever hungry and I love water as a result. I'm just saying if you have migraines there is  hope out there and if you take the treatment slow enough, it might be helpful without adding addition turmoil to your system.  Good luck!  I would never recommend this course of treatment for weight loss alone.

[Tessie777]

I have been on Topomax for almost a year now. I have lyme disease along with life long problems with migraines.  At first I thought the topomax was a miracle cure as it took my headaches away.  Then, about three months into treatment I started getting severe insomnia and after a day of painting doors I was in severe body pain.  I ended up in hospital with a ck count of 18000 which no doctor could ascribe to anything. I had all the symptoms of a heart attack and kidney failure, except I had neither. After they sorted me I was on only 50mg and I just felt I could not move upwards. My face kept tingling and was numb on the one side. As I had Bell's Palsy before the drs said it was the palsy that showed up again. I also had no taste and I would at times get a "melting" feeling. It felt like my arms or legs started burning up and then melted.  I often felt like I stood in a puddle of myself.  I had two more of the severe painful muscles episodes after a normal day of working in my home and when I started forgetting the names of people I know I knew something was wrong.  I could not stand the burning sensation, which my neorologist said is quite normal, anymore.  I could not remember my phone number and I was forgetting what I was doing.  As I am a lecturer at UNi level I could no longer afford these symptoms.  My GP has agreed to slowly wean me off the tablets and I am on 25mg every alternate night.  The tingling is disapearing and I could do some gardening without severe pain in the muscles. My sleep is also returning. I do not think the side-effects of this medicine is worth using it as a weightloss pill.  Now that I am going off, the so-called lyme symptoms are also getting better and my thinking is that there are much better ways to get rid of a big or small problem than taking this risk.

[Bama929]

I also have been taking Topamax for about 6 years (I am 27) for my seizures.I take 450mg/day to control my epilepsy. As high as the dosage sounds, I have adjusted to most the side effects after many months, if not years to find what meds are best for me. I still have problems with remembering things and the "sudden loss of words", and confusion at times, ordeal all the time- and sodas still taste horrible. I did lose around 15- 20lbs when i first began Topamax, which I was concerned about considering I am 5'1 and dropped to 92lbs. But now my weight has leveled out for my size. As for the memory concerns-  My suggestion for anyone who has these symptoms and wants to continue on this drug is to keep a planner and a list of "things to do" on hand at all times. I still can not live with out my planner or my notebook I carry on hand all day-  of course I have always been one to have a planner... There is hope- I promise.
However, I would not recommend this drug just for weight loss simply because the side effects aren't worth going through for a short term period. Good luck!