User Reviews for Topiramate

Topamax (topiramate) for Obesity: I have never had the feeling of being full and have fought obesity since childhood. I had a successful gastric bypass in 1980 (but with serious lifelong medical complications) and lost 170lbs at after the operation. Over the years I've gained and lost up to 70lbs but never held a steady weight. I saw a psychiatrist 6 years ago (for other reasons) and shared this with him. He told me about Topamax and explained that it did not work in everyone, but had with some of his patients with true food disorders. He started me at 5mg/day and increased the dosage by 5mg/ week. When I reached 150mg/day I noticed that I consistently pushed my plate away or stopped eating when I was full. It has been a miracle, and my weight hasn't varied more than 5lbs in 7 years.

Topamax (topiramate) for Migraine Prevention: I started topamax about 4 weeks ago for consistent, daily "addle-brained" headaches. Before that I was taking Depakote but I had gained a lot of weight. The topamax seems to be working well but I am doing very silly things, like throwing my wash in the trash and getting very emotional over the silliest things. Also, difficulty in speaking.

Topamax (topiramate) for Migraine Prevention: I do not recommend Topamax as a solution to migranes. Although it did help keep the frequency of the headaches down at first, in the long run, I had just as many migranes as usual and there were too many side effects to make it worthwhile. My short term memory was practically shot, my hands would tremor and go numb as some points, and i experienced irregular heartbeat, trouble focusing, and sleep issues.

Topamax (topiramate) for Bipolar Disorder: Have used Topamax for over 2 years, in conjunction with Wellbutrin. Never knew that life was quite like this. I am now almost 53 years old. To think that I lived so many years never being diagnosed with Bipolar Disorder. I am so happy that life is so wonderful because of Topamax. Only side effect has been weight loss but, that really is a good thing. It is wonderful to be back at my true weight because the bipolar disorder is now managed.

Topamax (topiramate) for Migraine Prevention: WONDERDRUG!! Every drug has side effects people! The side effects from this one wore off for me after about 2 months..you gotta stick through it to get used to it, once you do it's totally worth it. I went from having almost daily headaches and weekly severe migraines to maybe 1 migraine every couple of months that even then it was very minimal. Totally worth trying!

Topamax (topiramate) for Migraine Prevention: I took Topamax for about 10 days to prevent migraines. I had several undesirable side effects (trouble focusing, problems with word retrieval, sleepiness). But the worst was feeling depressed. I stopped taking it.

Topamax (topiramate) for Migraine Prevention: After 8 years, five different doctors, and just about every possible prescription and home remedy, I finally found something that works. I have been taking Topamax for five months and love it. The only side effects have been a change in my taste buds and the tingling sensation. My doctor wanted to increase the dosage. However, after reading about the drug, I think the severities of the side effects are directly related to the dosages. My dosage is 25 mg twice daily and sometimes I only take it one a day. For those who are still suffering, I am sorry. Don’t give up hope. Something has to work and until then try the pain medication.

Topamax (topiramate) for Migraine Prevention: Topamax saved my life. I am 43 years old and have suffered from migraines since I was 18. I found Topamax this past June. Now it has been 7 months and life without migraines is wonderful. No more fear of when the Big One will hit. The weight loss (20lbs) was nice too. My worst side effect is the stumbling and grasping for words. My kids die laughing. So do I. My husband doesn't understand that part but it's ok. As long as the headaches don't come. I still have small, treatable headaches (part of another problem that I hope soon goes away). Topamax is my hero. Take away my car, my clothes, my house...but don't take away my Topamax.

Topamax (topiramate) for Migraine Prevention: There are a few ways to get rid of one of the most annoying side effects, the tingling hands and feet. Potassium- I used to eat a banana or drink fruit juice high in potassium. All of my side effects went away after 2 yrs on Topamax. It is hard to ween off of. I have not taken a pill for 2 mths and have far less headaches than before Topamax!! Great drug! I lost almost 30lb but once we found the right dosage I leveled out and stayed that weight for a yr before weening off.

Topamax (topiramate) for Migraine Prevention: Hi I have taken topamax for almost a year, not only is it expensive, my husband wanted me to stop taking it. He said I was acting like a witch, and I did not notice any change in my migraines just weight loss. I also had difficulty speaking and could not think of what I wanted to say. I no longer take it but I am still looking for something to help with my migraines.

Topamax (topiramate) for Migraine Prevention: I've been taking Topamax for about a year and a half now and it has drastically cut down the frequency of my migraines and that is so worth the side effects I've noticed. Yes, I've had the tingles and some facial twitches, I've lost about 20 lbs. and have trouble with word retrieval & memory... but is it worth it? Absolutely! I currently take 250 mg/day -- all at night to help minimize the noticeability of the side effects. A good option, IMO.

Topamax (topiramate) for Bipolar Disorder: Love this. I have been on Seroquel and gained a tremendous amount of weight and turned into a zombie. I lost 20 lbs in 1 month and feel the best I have felt in a long time.

Topamax (topiramate) for Bipolar Disorder: I have been off and on Topamax for about 5 years now and I must say that it works better for bipolar mood stabilization than any other one out there. The one thing I love the most about this medicine is that it is helping me lose weight. They need to put in the time to verify that this drug is in fact a mood stabilizer because it certainly does help with bipolar disorder.

Topamax (topiramate) for Migraine Prevention: I was just started on this medicine on February 13th, 2009. 25mg a day then after one week to increase to 50mg. Read some of the side effects here figured they must surely be on someone who is definitely on a higher dose. Anyway, I am a person who is highly addicted to drinking coca cola. I drink like a 2 liter bottle a day. Well, not any more. This medicine has cured me of that in 2 days. All carbonated beverages taste flat like Robitussin cough medicine. Good side is that'll help me lose weight and the better side is I have yet to have my headache.

Topamax (topiramate) for Migraine Prevention: Topamax has been a life saver for me! I am living alone without fear for the first time in my life. I can go outside during the day and not feel like crying from the pain of 24/7 migraines. I can drive without fear of not being able to get myself home. The side effects I have had are weight loss (I needed it anyway). Some memory issues (I write thing down more) and last the big one. I have lost almost all my hair. It’s very traumatic, but after years of pain and fear I am free to live my life and if I have to live it in a wig so be it!

Topamax (topiramate) for Migraine Prevention: I've had daily chronic migs for over 39 years now & have tried everything under the sun. Although Topamax doesn't get rid of my migs it allows them to be manageable. When they not, Imitrex is there. I LIVE on those two. Yes, Topamax has its side effects; I esp like the one where I forget words and objects. I've been on it for about 6 years now & although it doesn't work the best, it works better than anything else i've been on. I take 400 mgs daily. Have a pos outlook on life, it helps a lot!! :o)

Topamax (topiramate) for Migraine Prevention: I have been taking Topamax for about 2 full months now. I had a sudden onset of massive Migraine's.In one month alone I went 27 days with Migraine's, I was a nonfunctioning person. I ended up in the hospital for 2 days finally,I started taking this wonder drug!I have only had 2 bad Migraine's in 2 months.I am able to go to work and most of all function at home.I do find however that I have memory issues, and speech issues, ThankGod everyone around me is very understanding and we laugh about it.

Topamax (topiramate) for Bipolar Disorder: Great and also losing the weight from the previous medicines I was on. Love it.

Topamax (topiramate) for Migraine Prevention: Like many of you, I've suffered since I was a teenager with migraines 3-5 times a week. Some would be so serious I would end up in the hospital a few times a year. I even lost a job because of my migraines. I had to plan my life around them. Now at 35, I've been on Topamax for 6 years and it's changed my world. It's given me a life back. I'll still get an occasional headache that requires me to break out the Imitrex, but nothing serious. I haven't had too many problems with side effects other then having a little less quick recall/memory, but not enough to really matter. Potassium seems to help with the side effects. My main side effect is getting rash/hives from overheating.

Topamax (topiramate) for Bipolar Disorder: I have a daughter that was suffering severely with Bipolar Disorder (started at age two and was diagnosed at age 12), which included severe anger, depression and mania. We had tried her on nearly every other Bipolar medicine on the market, with no results. We took her completely off every other drug, and started her on Topamax as a solitary treatment and within 30 days she was a new person, and has been stable on Topamax now for over 5 years. We started at 25mg and worked our way up until we had the proper dose. At age 19 she takes 200 mg per day...100mg in the morning and 100mg in the evening.

Topamax (topiramate) for Migraine Prevention: I have been taking Topamax for about 10 months now for migraine prevention. I have had several undesirable side effects, including irregular heartbeat, shallow breathing, tingling extremities, memory loss, and even hair loss. It helped only during the first few months, but now I get just as many migraines as before.

Topamax (topiramate) for Obesity: I have struggled with weight loss for years. Food cravings are one of my "symptoms." Topamax really did help with this, however my energy and memory are not what they use to be. Originally I thought it was a trade off I could adjust to but the fuzzy memory for me is frustrating. I sometimes say words that I am thinking about and don't even realize it. Then argue that I didn't say it, only to find out I did. Silly, but worth revisitng my physician about. I struggle with the same 10-20 lbs but won't give up. I would recommend trying it to people who are serious about weight loss. It helps you push your plate away and not obsess about food. That was an experience I had never had before, but I need my memory.

Topamax (topiramate) for Trigeminal Neuralgia: I suffered a stroke in '04 and my neurologist prescribed Neurontin to deal with the resulting numbness and tingling on the right side. A year later, and after emergency gall bladder surgery, he put me on a low dose of Topamax instead. It worked well, but I've had to eventually increase the dosage. The side effects were minimal; I needed to lose the 35 lbs I lost (and my wardrobe needed updating :0), and the additional tingling is nothing compared to what I feel when I don't take it. Expensive!

Topamax (topiramate) for Fibromyalgia: This has been a wonder drug for me when combined with Cymbalta. I have suffered for years and had been on narcotic pain killers. The pain had finally gotten so bad that even those weren't working. I work in Pre-K and didn't want to give up my job to become a disabled person living at home on pain killers. I found an awesome Doctor who understood that I didn't want to live on those types of medications. After only two visits she tapered me off of the medicines I was on and started me on Topamax along with Cymbalta. That is all I take. No more pain! Life is wonderful again.

Topamax (topiramate) for Migraine Prevention: I have been on Topamax for eight months. Prior to that I was having clusters of migraines (5 to 7 per month). I have had two total migraines since starting the medication. Recently my doctor increased my dosage to decrease the breakthrough migraines. I do have the tingling in my hands/feet, and have lost 35 pounds (but needed to). I also was a soda drinker prior to taking the medicine, but have not drank soda since starting Topamax. I do struggle with memory and finding words. Although the side effects are problematic, they do not outweigh the benefits of not having migraines.