Topamax

Hey,

I was wondering if anybody else here has any experience with a drug called Topamax? It was developed for epilepsy, but for a couple of years now, it's been given for migraine prevention.
I've been suffering from really, really bad migraines for about 8 years now, they've tried beta blockers, which didn't do anything for me and antidepressants, which I wanted to stop taking because of the weight gain. I've also been hospitalized in a specialized clinic for a couple of weeks. Nothing ever really seemed to work and then my doctor started talking about Topamax. I googled it and read about it and the side effects blew my mind. It sounded so, so scary and dangerous. But my doctor managed to calm me down, saying such side effects usually occured with patients on high doses like 200 mg a day, when I was only supposed to take 25. So I gave it a try.
And it really seems to work!!! Everyone says that if you're to experience side effects, they usually show up really fast and I've been on it for ten days, haven't had a migraine since and no side effects other than a very, very slight on-going headache which is very bearable though.
Has anybody else been on topamax for migraines or something else and what's your experience?

Thanks!

Reply 1

sssh

My mum used to bring me home loads of stationery with "Topamax" written all over it. It practically got me through high school, along with Seretide. I always wondered what it was actually for, other than to provide me with writing tools. I got teased by a stupid boy in my class once because he said it looked like it said "Tampax" on my pen, and for some reason tampons are inherently hilarious to 14 year old boys.

Anyway, I have nothing useful to add to this thread. Glad to hear it seems to be working for you. Good old Topomax.

Reply 2

Peony

I was on Topamax a couple of years ago for epilepsy and migraine. Actually, I can't say it helped me on either... but I seem to have a rather strange tolerance to drugs which apparently makes me special (and difficult, according to my neurologist). I now take Pizotifen for migraine, which works a treat!

As for side-effects, the only bad ones I noticed were a little tiredness and loss of appetite, which is nothing really compared to some of the other drugs I've been on in the past. And on the plus side, Topamax actually makes you lose weight!

Glad to hear its working for you though and that things are getting better. Migraines suck!

Reply 3

Freckles

Sorry to hear it didn't work for you.
Yeah, my doctor was going on about the weight loss thing because I'm thin already and he was really worried about me losing too much weight, but I can't say I've noticed a chance of appetite/loss of weight at all so far. I wanted to get off the antidepressants because they made me gain weight, I didn't get fat, but I just wasn't comfortable gaining weight in general.. I wouldn't mind losing some now, but if it just stays the way it is, that's fine, too.
I've never heard of Pizotifen, what kind of drug is that?

The only thing that really worries me is that everyone says the migraines come back and are worse than before once you stop taking Topamax.. And you're not supposed to take it longer than a year or so.. Guess I'll have to see.

Reply 4

Freckles

*bump*

sorry, but threads get lost so quickly in here...

Reply 5

Revd. Mike

I suffer from migraines, not so much these days, but only a few months ago I was getting like three in a week >_< I went through beta blockers and TCAs, and got bounced from neurologist to GP and back, and they then gave me valproate, an antiepileptic.They helped with the migraines wonderfully, but I did have some sideeffects. I gained quite a bit of weight, and they played merry hell with my appetite, and I got some scary psychotic symptoms when the dose was increased too sharply (hallucinations, altered perception of reality, mild paranoia), but that ceased as soon as I went back to the original dose, and didn't come back when the dose was increased slowly.

With my doctor's permission, I weaned myself off them, and my migraines have been much better since them, onyl get them once in a while when I'm very tired/stressed/run down.

I'd definately give the drug a try, because they are effective!

Reply 6

Freckles

Yeah, so far I'm finding Topamax very effective indeed! I haven't had a migraine since I started taking it and even though that's only been like 10 days, it's quite a long time to be without an attack for me. Side effects are basically zero so far, so that's good. I guess I really shouldn't believe all the scary things I read on the internet because they really made me not wanna take it. But then again, of course it's different for everyone...

Reply 7

michelle87

hello, i have epilepsy and topomax was the last drug i was on, it has now been changed, however i think it helped my headaches dramatically. I get loads again now but i would give it a go.

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