How Long Do Topamax Side Effects Last? (Page 9) (Top voted first)

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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My daughter has been taking Topamax for over 2 yrs now. Yes she has lost weight which has been great. Has been taking 75g, but the pins and needles she is experiencing in her whole body I'd awful, she is in so much pain and at times struggles to walk. The Dr is now slowly taking her of the Topamax.
I will be glad when she off them.

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I Have been taken topamax for a few months now cause i was having severe migraines after a car accident i was in i was having the same side effects as you but mine started tapering off about 2 weeks of taking it but the 2 weeks of the side effects was worth it cause i don't get severe migraines anymore so if you can handle the side effects it's worth the wait. I hope that helps you

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I was on 400mg for a few years, lost so much weight I was below 100lbs, I had confusion, memory loss, depression..it got so bad w the depression I was hospitalized. My neorologist came and saw me while I was there, how did they not piece it together?? I look back and being on that drug was the worst. I would never recommend it.

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Hi I came off in march cause if my hair thinning. Used to be so thick now u can see me scalp Has yours started to grow back yet?

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I too was on topamax for migraines and experienced almost everything you were saying. I did enjoy the weight loss until it got out of control. I never remembered to eat. It puta you in kind of a false state of anorexia. But the mental foggieness got to the point where I was forgetting nouns to use in sentences and seemed more like an illiterate zombie. I was in college at the time and could afford all these mental symptoms so I had to stop taking it. Also it can cause kidney stones and I already have so many I didn't want the chance to create more. But all your experiences are quite normal for this drug and they say the do get better. I just couldn't afford the time to wait. I get botox shots now for chronic migraine. Not the most pleasant experience in the world but it keeps them totally away for 3 months. It is lovely. Best of luck to you.

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I've been on Topamax now for over 2 years with no problems. Was on 100mg daily and recently increased dosage to 200mg due to recent frequency of migraines. Due to the increase of dosage I have been experiencing some fatigue, but it has been recent, so will see if it wears off. Not life altering. My migraines were! Definitely worth it!

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I have been having this same problem. It's effecting my job. Has your memory improved? I just stopped taking Monday. Will my memory functions come back?

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My 17 year old daughter has migraines. So the children's hospital gave her topamax 4 x daily equaling 150mg. So since she has taken it she has had bad anxiety, inflicted self harm, and started smoking marijuana. She is type 1 diabetic and had weight loss surgery on the first of the year. This has been an awful summer. Could it be the topamax that has changed her so drastically?

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My hair is falling out with topamax and my bones are hurting. I take 50mg at night... How do I get off this drug? It helped migraines I had daily, but I'm not ready for baldness.

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I also suffer from chronic head pain. Trigeminal Neuralgia, Occipital Neuralgia. Trigeminal Autonomic Cephalalgia. I can advise you and point you in some proper directions if you haven't already found help! I know your pain!!

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Took 50mgs. then Neurologist upped it for my headaches, (have had one constantly since 2012. Learned to live with this one.) also Peripheral Neuropathy in my legs. At times my headaches will kick up to the 'killer' notch. This wasn't helping at all (All the 'TRIPTANS' WERE BAD EFFECTS.) I started with what you're experiencing, numbness and Brain Fog. Progressed to Peripheral and Vocal Seizures. Took a long while for me to get off this drug. Enjoyed the weight loss help though. Sorry, don't mean to make a joke of this. NOT a joking matter. I have a friend who has been on this for 10-20 years. She said her effects wore off and this drug is a tremendous help to her. NOT EVERYONE EXPERIENCES THE SAME REACTIONS,IF ANY. Good Luck.

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Re: Jessica (# 20)

Hi Jessica, this post is pretty old, but just saw it and it seems to relate to me best. I have been on topamax 200 mg a day (100mg bid) for about 10 years. Just recently started to have numb toes and feet. It got so bad even in my face I thought I was having a stroke and went to the ER. Neurology said it was the topamax, even though I have been on it so long, that it "builds up" in your system, and also can affect you if your electrolytes are off (I had low potassium) so they took me off of it, and now I just have a med for rescue, but wondering if the numbness will go away and when.

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I've been taking the generic version of Topamax for a week. I was prescribed to be on 100mg but started off at 25mg and had to double my dose each week till a 100mg. This drug is dirty. I've been having horrible dull headaches, nausea, loss of concentration, memory problems & I can't find the right words to use. Constant hand and limb tremors and weakness. I feel like a zombie and my eyes hurt. I went for a second opinion and the Dr took me off it immediately.

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Will start decreasing topomax for seizures. Can i start with one half of 25mg for 4 to 6 weeks at a time. Until 400mgs are gon e. With minimal .side effects. Been taking
for 20 yrs. Kinda scary to start. Topomax not working. For seizures a. 33 yrs old female. Also am taking vimphat, lamitcal, fyacoma. and prozac

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Hi! I've been on Topamax for over 15yrs and like everyone else here I have tried all the other medications and treatment options. I initially was placed on 150mg for about a year then tapered to 50mg daily. My migraines were so severe I missed work, constantly in the hospital, used Imitrex you name it. I do have some fogginess and problems sleeping but for me it is far better than the headaches. I have more normalcy to life which I enjoy. I have recently been trying to go off all meds and go natural, however, after 4 days my headaches returned and although I've went back onto the Topamax I still have a slight nagging headache everyday unlike before so I am also using Excedrin Migraine along with it. Each medication out there is going to be different for everyone and there will always be the "out of the box" patient's who are exceptions to the norm. I suggest you way the quality of life of with and without and what you can tolerate each day. Good Luck to you.

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Re: TAYLOR (# 2)

Im in need of someone that has been through past awful effects this medication,please explain is this permanent,what have you done to help clamn the severity im having its been loss of hair horrible pain what can i do,have u any advice any info apprciated more severe problems exsist,i need any help thank u

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Re: Verwon (# 1)

I used Topamax for Depression and after a year, I could no longer Spell. I'm a speller most of time and I was gaining weight, a lot w/o really eating much more. The memory thing made me give up....with ALZ in my DNA last thing I need is a ;push'. Blessings Sweets.

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I’ve been on Topamax for about 10 years now. My dosage has been up and down (the highest at 100mg 2x day) many times. I’ve tried going off it multiple times because I just hate how it makes me feel. But every time I try, my migraines come back full force. I get visual and cognitive auras. My migraines often mimic a stroke. I’m now on nerve block inj's. every 6 weeks so again my dr is trying to wean me off Topamax. I’m currently on 50mg 1x day. But my major issue with it lately is almost everyday I fall into a state of SEVERE lightheadedness and disorientation that can last up to an hour. I feel unbalanced and like I’m looking at everything from underwater. It nearly impossible when I’m In this state to focus on anything. I’m just wondering if anyone else has experienced something like this while on this medication?

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Re: CanCan (# 11)

Can can: Have you ever tried TRIPTANS for your migraines? There are like eight or ten different ones to try and if one doesn’t work another one can. Also, I use opiates at low doses and they do help - not morphine that knocks you out - but oxycodone pills at low doses. You should not have to suffer! That is outrageous. Talk to your doctor about TRIPTANS and low doses of oxycodone.

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Re: Fifi (# 135)

Hi did your tinnitus ever go away? Also how long were you on the Topamax ?

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