How Long Do Topamax Side Effects Last? (Page 5)

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 on Topamax 25mg for 10 days (until yesterday) My doctor knows I am reallly sensitive towards medication. I had a really bad reaction to the meds yesterday. Nausea, stomach cramps, jittery inside, feels like muscle cramps, dry eyes, dry mouth, cannot focus, cannot concentrate, etc. I phoned the dr on standby and she said to stop using it immediately. Thing is, I woke up this morning and I still feel the same way. Wondering how long the side effects last when off of the meds...

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I have been off Topamax for over 2mos and still feeling the side effects such as tingling in hands,feet and around mouth area.Have no idea how long i will have these side effects but i certainly hope that this will not be permanent damage from Topamax.

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This is a reply to Allison's question...I have been off Topomax for quite a while now i am still suffering from the side effects of this medication and wondered many times if these side effects will be permanent...I have put my question out to the public but have received no response....Although, it does seem to be fading away some so maybe it takes a while for it to go away.Best of luck Allison hope for your sake and mine it will not have permanent damage... I still say that Topomax should not be prescribed and should be off the market for the side effects of this medication is to severe.

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I was on Topamax for 2mos and have been off it for over 2mos and am still suffering the side effects of this medication....and they don't go away until your body gets use to it...Some people may be very sensitive to the components in Topamax so if they are having these side effects they should get off the medication and go on something-else.

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Hi im just tapering off after 7 weeks. Was prescribed for migraine 25 mg and straight away started to get twitching inmy eyes blurred vision . Was supposed to up the dose every 2 weeks but the twitches just got worse there was no way I could tolerate any more than 25 mg. Its a shame as my migraines did reduce but the side effects just werent going away

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I am now weaning off of my beta blocker (cardicor) as well. Was put on it to stop pulpitations but it caused horrible headaches and interaction with my other medication. Just beware that the day you want to come off of it, you wean off slowly. 6 weeks. I was advised by 1 doctor to just leave it and then by another doctor to wean off in 2 weeks. Ended up in ER with unstable blood pressure. It would go really high and really low. Was told to take it real slow by a paramedic because a beta blocker stops your heart from taking in additional adrenaline, etc. And the moment you leave it too quickly, your heart cannot cope with all the additional adrenaline. You can give yourself a heart attack. I have some side effects like muscle cramps in my neck, my fingers and toes feels like the first time blood is flowing to them. My bloodpressure has atleast stabilised. Just remember to take it slow. I am down from 4 tablets to 2 and am determined to leave those as well. It was a nightmare to get off but taking it really slow helped..

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i've been fighting with migraines for years. I was on Pamelor for a while but developed a tremor from it and the neurologist took me off it. I still have a bit of a tremor. Right now i'm on 200 mg on Topamax and i get tingling mostly in my feet ( and i've developed an aversion to carbonated drinks - lost 30 lbs too - but no ones complaining about that one!) I still get hit with migraines - probably 1 week as opposed to crying myself to sleep almost nightly because there was no relief before the topamax. But I also have fiorocet to use as a rescue med for the bad times.

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My experience with Topamax sounds similar to yours. I took 50mg daily from late 2004- to early 2007 and again from late 2009- early 2015 (had a pregnancy and breastfed during the period when I stopped treatment). Over the past couple of years, I noticed greater difficulty finding words and naming objects. My doctor stopped the Topamax about 6 months ago and started low dose Elavil. I haven't yet experienced the return to normal that my doc expected so 6 weeks ago he started Ritalin 10mg two times daily to improve my focus and concentration thinking it would help with the issues (I do not have ADD/ADHD). I can't yet tell if these issues have improved. I'm starting to think that Topamax permanently changed my brain. I am and nurse staff educator for a longlong-term care facility so I understand the troubles you had as a teacher. Staff education is always "fun" as I never know if I will have an issue while lecturing or what I might call a particular object. Still hoping to see improvement as time goes on but preparing myself for the possibility that this may be permanent.

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Stick with fioricet ! Topamax will give you a lot more tingling and swelling of the feet, toes ,hands,face,and will make you feel crap.Besides all of those side effects it felt like i had weights on my ankles and it made me feel like i was carrying an extra 50lbs which of course made it hard for me to walk and i was on Topamax for 3mo.

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Help!!! So I've been on topamax now for about 2 years starting off at 150 mg twice a day and not having any luck in stopping my grand mal seizures. About a year ago they started me on 150 mg of lamictal twice a day and reduced the topamax to 50 mg twice a day. Since I started taking topamax I noticed a loss of words (if you can't tell in this post ??)... Once starting the combination of meds I've been seizure free for 15 months but starting to notice more severe side effects... I have an EXTREME loss of words now, memory loss (I have to gps everything... Even when visiting my home town), thinning of hair, loss of concentration (only I had ADD as a child but have tolerated it as an adult), now depression (possibly due to feeling like an i**** all of the time), and it takes much longer for me to comprehend anything. When I told my neurologist about my memory problem she said "ehh I don't think it's your memory just your focussing that's lacking" so she prescribed me to 5 mg once a day of adderall. Then I had trouble sleeping so she prescribed me 10 mg of Ambien at night. I'm still left feeling stupid (granted I can concentrate) then I forget the information I just took in so its pointless, wake up tired from the Ambien, and stupid from the topomax I suppose! What the heck do I do! I went to my Neuro last week and told him AGAIN in of my loss of words and memory problems and he prescribed me to the topamax sprinkles? Has anyone tried this?!? Any difference in side effects?!?? Please!

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Took topamax for a 4-5 months slowly increasing dosage due to constant headaches and 10-12 migraines a month. Developed a complete disinterest with everyone and everything including intercourse. Didn't even think about it. Also started to stutter to the point where I opened my mouth and nothing came out at all. Even the neurologist was shocked at my condition. A nightmare. Had to get off it real bad as I was a compete zombie. My wife was crying saying she wanted her husband back. It did almost completely stop the migraines but not worth it for me. I came good 7-10 after stopping.i know it's been fine for some people but wow, what a ride. On low doses of epilim now to soon to tell...

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Hi. I started taking topamax on July 8th and 10 days later I had a allergic reaction which caused my tongue to severely swell then less than 2 weeks later it happened again and both times it resulted in getting medical attention. Up until recently, I wasn't sure what was causing it but then researched the medicine more and found out there are possible allergy reactions that can happen from the medicine. I already stopped drinking pop but it taste too gross now. I stopped taking the medicine 2 days ago now. I hope since I haven't been on it for too long then there isn't any perminent damage. I am going to see my Dr. I am glad there are others out there that has had problems with topamax too.

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I was on lyrica twice daily but thought it caused weight gain so changed to topamax 50mg at night for nerve pain in my back and leg. I had heard that topamax caused weight loss and have gained lots of weight so have been hoping it would help me loose some weight but hasn't happened. I am contemplating going back on lyrica because I am experiencing suicidal thoughts am suffering with bad stomach problems and nausea ohh and some sleeplessness. I suffer from depression anxiety and PTSD so it's hard to tell whether I'm just having a episode or it's the drug, I'm finding it unbearable but works well at blocking the nerve pain which was impacting on my life. I am reading these posts and hoping the side effects tapper off after a few weeks.

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For Grand Mals have you ever tried Mysoline aka Primodine? It's the only medicine that controls my Grand Mals, haven't had one in 19 years.

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I've been on topomax for 11 yrs now for seizures. I am completely controlled...( i used to take dilantin...i had swollen gums called dilantin hyperplasia and a 75lb weight gain but switched neurologists) .... I take 600mg a day! I do get the fatigue, memory loss, and loss of words sometimes, it usually happens when im stressed or tired. My oldest son passed away 10 yrs ago so i blame some of it on the pts. I try to eat clean, take vitamins, go to accupuncture and exercise. I was very worried about taking this drug, everything you read is negative. My neurologist is one of the top 4 in northern ca. I asked him when voicing my concerns, if this drug was going to shorten my life or kill me ? To which he responded " no, but a seizure can ". Considering ive wrapped my car around a pole THANK GOD IM THE ONLY ONE WHO GOT HURT...broke out my teeth.. injured neck.....but now have been seizure free for 6 yrs once we got the right dose, I can drive, run my dayspa, swim etc. Im grateful for topiramate and will deal with its side effects.

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I just started taking it as well and can't sleep either and when I try it only makes my anxiety worse but during the day I can tell a big difference in my overall mood, patience, my anger level. But I'm starting to not know which is worse.

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No offense but all you have to do is read her message to see how the highest dose affected her. 1600 mg. Wow!

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I have just take myself off Topomax (generic) after being on it for about 5-6 years for chronic migraines. I have been really worried about how the cognitive and memory aspects of this drug were affecting me. I was feeling worse as time went on, and began to worry I was heading into early dementia (at age 55). My job requires high level written and verbal skills, so I have tried to keep my mouth shut at work as much as possible because I always looked like an i**** as I could not think quickly or grasp the necessary words. Other side effects I didn't mind - the weight loss stabilised over time, I just had to force myself to eat, although I hated the bad taste in my mouth and went completely off soft drinks, (which is a health benefit I suppose). I already had a bit of parathesia due to bad circulation so I put up with that. The last straw for me was a migraine that lasted a week, I thought this drug doesn't help much at all and I am so sick of the brain side effects. I couldn't up my dosage (100mg) because I sometimes fall asleep at my desk, although my pain specialist said that was probably my only option left, after trying nerve blocks, botox and cortisone shots. What I noticed immediately after coming off Topomax was a return of strength, I haven't been able to do any proper gardening all this time and when going on a holiday my GP prescribed cortisone meds (wish I could stay on them forever!) so I can cope with the activity all day and night. I went on a break last weekend (without meds) to another city and I walked the streets for 2 days straight - I haven't been able to do that in years. I also did some gardening and felt like I could have continued all day! I am now off Topomax completely. First day totally off I got my libido back in a big way, after being celibate for about 3 years because I couldn't feel a thing. Last year I came down with non-specific hepatitis and was hospitalized for 10 days, and although they ruled out Topomax as the casue I have to wonder if it was a contributing factor as they never identified the cause. I have also now been diagnosed with bad osteoporosis after suffering two broken bones in less than a year - with no family history is Topomax the cause or just my poor diet all these years I have been on it (everyone always comments on how thin I am). I have slept better since off the drug, and haven't suffered an increase in migraines - yet. It did help reduce the frequency and severity of my migraines when I first started taking it, which was a blessing. I am disappointed to find that not many people get their memory back, I can only hope I suppose, and try and hang on to my job until I retire.

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I was told that my memory would come back when u changed of the topamax.my doctor just increased me to 100mg because I'll m experiencring double vision now too. I'm completely fatigued. Wondering if that's a new symptom now

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I have taken the firocet for years and fight the insurance company's almost every month they have started me on topimax I'm on week three now I hate it the firocet worked I don't know why it has to be a problem I am still getting both currently I was taking three a day I'm down to one with the topimax but I spent the summer recovering from retina reattachment surgery so the increased eye pressure has me terrified

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