How Long Do Topamax Side Effects Last? (Page 2)

I began Topamax a week and a half ago as a migraine prevention. I am experiencing random facial, hands, and feet numbness. Mental fogginess, dull headaches, and tiredness. For those of you who have had success with migraine prevention and have taken this medication for a long time: How long did your side effects last? I have heard only a few weeks. I'm not sure If I can deal with this constantly much longer. I am contemplating which is the lesser of the two evils side effects vs. migraines. I have lost 10 lbs. though. Any advice?

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I was part of the original Topamax drug study in the mid 90s and it ended my seizures for 10 years with zero side effects. It was truly my wonder drug. I had to switch before getting pregnant because there was so little data on the effects on pregnancy so I went to Lamictal which worked great for 8 years.

In May I had some breakthrough seizures on Lamictal (due to stress, lack of sleep, and missed dose) and am now transitioning back to Topamax but having side effects I never had before. It's been 1 month and I am working up to 100 mg twice/day. Lost 18 lbs. Tired at times throughout the day and sometimes need naps. Memory is bad. Oddly enough I can no longer taste carbonated beverages. I just resigned my job last week because I can't function at the fast pace I could before and it was too stressful. And my hair is brittle and comes out during shampooing/brushing, etc.

But I will take all of these side effects and more if it controls my seizures and gives me my life back. I want to be able to go to the store and take my son to soccer practice and not worry about if I'm going to have a seizure while taking a walk in the neighborhood. Some of these are dose-related so you may never experience them if you are not on high doses. Some go away after your body adjusts (like the taste perversion and hair loss). I'm not saying this is a great drug - it's a powerful kick-your-a**-drug but for all the bad effects it may have on some people there can be good effects on your life too. It worked for me for 10 years. I'm crossing my fingers for another 10 seizure-free years.

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I am on topamax 50mg twice daily for epilepsy 4years nows but i dnt like the effects i have! Serious tiredness wit up to 10hr or more of sleep.... My neurologist took me frm Epilim to topamax as in his words a far less severe drug i disagree as i was a lot more outgoing without taking topamax

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I take Topamax and have now for several years for migraines. It is scaring me because I am doing exactly what you did. I can't remember anything, can't think of words. I was beginning to think I was coming down with early Alzheimer's. I was just on 100 mg. lowered it to 50mg. and since reading this I am going to come off of it. Are you still experiencing memory loss, etc. now?

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I was on topamax for weight loss for 10 months. I have been off since 01/11. I have ALWAYS been in great health but over the past couple years I had put on 30 lbs, due to the loss of my brother. Even with a 30 lb weight gain I remained very healthy. Yes, I lost the weight but it wasn't worth the trade! I went from being a happy go lucky,very busy person who could do anything that I set my mind to. So for the past two years, my life has been a nightmare! I cannot remember big chunks of either of my daughter's childhood. I can no longer volunteer at their school. I cannot comprehend more than a sentence while reading. I cannot read. Can't talk to people because my brain won't give me the words. I cry all the time because now,my husband has to read to me. I get agitated very easily and can no longer hold down a job because I can't stay on any task for more than 10 minutes. I can't even help 4 year old children with their work. For 20 years, I was a teacher and a tutor. The doctor's say that these effects are from topamax should have gone away within 2 weeks. I have not taken any other medications before or after topamax. The clinic I went to, they give you the meds.so you don't get the label. Look on the label " what you should know/ need to know." That is enought to let you know that YOU WILL loose your memory. If I had any idea that memory loss was a side effect, I would have NEVER taken topamax. It took me over two hours to write this. Good luck and God Bless!

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I'm just wondering what happened in your situation. I'm having the same issues and am ready to stop taking it although it has really helped the migraines.

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Bless your heart! I can't understand what the drug stores business is what you fill as long as you have a prescription. For all you have went through, cowgirl up and kick some butt, even at 78 you can do it!!! Swap to a small independent drug store but don't suffer if legally you have a prescription. And...sometimes I have to get my doctor to call them. It seems sometimes they don't want to deal with us and as long as we're quite about it, they don't have to bother. I myself know it's tiresome, I have to do this every month also but, they know me when I call. Both do...I not ugly nor rude but persistent. I have learned at a young age most don't care. Nor do they understand the pain and withdrawal symptoms we deal with.
Also the addicts have ruined it for people who really and truly need help. Really sad because it's a continual circle we deal with
Best of luck dear, don't ever give up!!! My grandmother is 91 and still fiesty as ever...

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Last week I had an appointment with a neurologist. Also, I had over 16 viles of blood work done. They are all in the normal range(which I knew they would be). I take 8 bottles of supplements. Recentally I went off them for two days just to see if it would make a difference..,and It was extremely unbearable. My husband was so concerned that he made me vow to NEVER go off them again. Now I have to have a series of tests and procedures done. Brain MRI... It's just horrible. I found that my headaches are better when I go see a chiropractor. They almost immediately go away. I cant warm you and others enough- Unless a person has epilepsy, then no way should they take this medicine. I can't even begin to explain how horrible it feels to loose your memory,communication skills, thought process,self confidence, and energy. Also, being agitated and moody doesn't help matters at all. This isn't once in a while. In fact there may be a few short conversations that I can have in a day that are okay. Maybe 3-4 sentences. I have a history of not taking medacines and I still take none. This took me SO LONG
to write. I started noon and its now 5pm. Thank Goodness for word correct... God Bless!

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This isn't a weight loss drug!

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I posted a reply a while ago and I figured I would post another reply because I am still on this medication. My dosage has been changed with an increase now to a total of 150 mg per day. I still get the tingling in the face and hands but not as much as I did when I was on 100 mg. I am losing so much hair that I am worried I am going to go bald but the doctors are not sure if it is the medication or if it is stress/depression. I lose more hair than one should and have cut my hair from my buttock to my chin to help but that didn't stop or reduce it. My memory has decreased as well as word association. I as well can not drink carbonated drinks of any kind and have had severe weight loss issues.

While some say this isn't a weight loss drug, my doctor said to me a side effect is weight loss and depending on your insurance carrier it is prescribed for that. Different insurance carriers have different rules for what medications are prescribed for what. One insurance wanted to deny me this medication because I do t have seizures when it is prescribed for my injury I've had for almost 5 years when my insurance changed for one month. I would not recommend it as a weight loss drug because I'm struggling to keep weight on, I know some issue right? However I hardly have an appetite and when food is served trying to find the urge to eat is hard.

I have had a slew of analysis's done to rule out things for the hair lose and weights loss and except for my injury i am by all means a relatively healthy person.

Like someone else has said it is hard to make a decision what to do when you have tried a bunch if ither medications and this medication or combination of medication treats your pain and keeps you going but the side affects are keeping you down or affecting your life. This combination was the first combination that helped any at all besides the pain killers the through at you.

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I was on it for a couple months. The hair loss was my only concern. I eventually weened myself off of it. I would rather suffer the migraines than to go bald. Have any of you found another drug that works?

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I can't remember how long I've been on it, over 3 months But my husband and I just come to the realization that my mind is bad because of it. I am on the 100m dose now and stopped. I have bad panic attacks now. Have trouble keeping my thoughts positive. I see light traces at bedtime. No drowsiness I have insomnia. Can't sleep. Can't eat. Food disgusts me. I have to force myself to get nutrients in. I keep blaming myself wanting to die. I feel miserable. But only after my dose was upped to 100. I stepped in front of a semi but he hit the brakes. I don't know why I did it. I have just been playing over in my head all the bad negative thoughts and moments in my life. They are just brought to the surface. My good memories seem to have been surpressed, I hate it. I wish I never took it! I cry everyday since I've been on it. I've never been emotional like this, I always valued my life. For me Topomax is very bad. I stopped taking it last night. Also it makes my fingers toes and face like ice and chills, my heart races, numbness in feet and hands, stomache pains and blurred vision, my right arm shakes and my memory is gone, missing not right. My mind is not right. My husband knows me best. He says it's the Topomax. I was taking it for mood disorder I think. They didn't really tell me. They just prescribed it to me.

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I was put on Topomax about 4 months ago for Temporal Lobe Epilepsy, 50mg twice a day. My seizures are triggered by the sleep cycle and cause horrific hallucinations, among other things. After years of nothing working, this has (so far) been my miracle drug. I'd read a lot about this particular drug and the nasty side-effects, but I was at desperation point and willing to try anything.

I do have a burning, pins and needles sensation every now and then at the bottom of my right foot. Nothing I can't put up with in comparison to the seizures. The weight loss has been extreme and rapid in my case. I find I can't tolerate foods high in sugar and refined carbs. My appetite has been totally obliterated.

In regards to my mind being less alert, in my case it's the opposite. I'm more focused and generally more alert. Of course this probably has a good deal to do with sleeping properly for the first time in over twenty years!

Anyway, that's my experience with it.

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hello my name is Joleen, everyone calls meJoe. I was on topamax for like 8 yrs with the highest doesage legally proscribed. I was up to 1600 mlg a day... I know now what permit damage is done, and what is able to be reversed. ?. But all the meds I have been on since I stop taken topamax ofer a yr ago.. and NOTHING works.... I had less painful days while on topamax. So I will be going back on topamax, everyonce in a while my brain would take a break from talking and fighting with itself and take a 2 or3 day nap. No I get no breaks

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What would you say is permit damage and what is reversible? Do you believe this is due to the topamax medication? If not how come and if yes how come.

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I have been on topiramate 100mg I take 4 pills in the morning. I lost a total of 130 lbs in a 2 mthy span 3 years ago. Also I am mantaining it. I'm on a cocktail of pills due to ptsd . An it works migrains are a big part. I will allways be on topiramate. I swear by it.

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hello to all suffering from topamax, i think its finally working its way out of my system, TG, it was the worst ive ever endured thru all my illnesses and surgeries, you feel you are definitely slowly deteriorating, this was only after less than 2 weeks on it, i had to stop suddenly, as i wound up in the ER with severe dehydration, salt taste that still isnt totally gone, and high BP and even higher heartrate, the fog and confusion, the memory, all within 10 days? why is this med still on the market its ridiculous, i cant imagine people on it for years, and while everyl is diff i cant believe all ive read claiming similar stories, the headaches were unbearable and diff from any other kind ive had over 30 years, very scarey medication,

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I had had migraines for over a year. Every day I had a migraine, there was never any break. I was put on Topamax,and had alot of side effects; Tingling in my arms, hands, legs feet, insomnia, every time I closed my eyes I felt like the world was spinning. Trouble speaking; My words wouldn't come out and when they did I would start to stutter. I was a complete zombie...it was horrible. I Had my wisdom teeth removed awhile back and instantly my migraines were gone. I told my Neurologist and he thought I was out of my damn mind. He said that he had never heard of anything like that happening and proceeded to tell me he guarantees they would be back within the year. I was just happy to get off the medication and that I no longer had the migraines. But, since I have been off the Topamax for months now I am still dealing with some insomnia at times, I still have trouble speaking and I still have issues with my arms and legs tingling and that pins and needles sensation. All I want to know is that if any of this will go away? I can't stand it anymore.

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I've been on Topamax. As far as starting and side effects go, every time I would increase my dose, I would be okay for a few days and then the side effects would hit, mainly tiredness, unable to eat, paresthesias. It did work for my migraines and the side effects do get better. There is a mental fog and while that never completely clears, it gets better also. I was on 150 mg a day. I also take Wellbutrin which I've taken for years, but I felt that the Topamax made me depressed, I didn't want to go anywhere or do anything.

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My son age 11 was just out on topamax 50mg 2xa day for bipolar. The first night it was taken I noticed he is very restless and his legs swings in his sleep tapping the bed. Is this common at first please someone help

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Hi. I am a social worker and work with children and adolescents. I very strongly urge you to get a second opinion from a respected child psychiatrist! Not only have I not run into Topomax being used for Bipolar, that is an extremely difficult diagnosis to make in children given their natural propensity for mood changes. There are many other mild medications that should be tried first. Not to mention, I do not know your son's height and weight, but that is a lot of the medication at once for a child. After suffering from Topomax side effects myself, I also urge many to reconsider this medication!

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