User Reviews for Topamax

I have always had chronic, severe migraine, often for 15 days or more of each month. Topamax has helped, but I tend to develop a resistance, so when I started getting resistant to Topomax I came off & have not been on anything. 15 days ago I started having severe vertigo, now diagnosed as vitigenous migraine (a new twist on my migraines) and am back on Topamax. I immediately noticed a severe drop in my libido. I don't remember it from previous times. Of course, being dizzy for 2 weeks may also be killing my sex-drive!

Female. 19. I had sinus surgery then started getting headaches after surgery because of nerve damage. I was taking 25mg once every night for a week and every next week would up the dose. My experience was awful! I had the usual side affects people had- tingling in lips/hands, and weight loss. Main one for me was, I was so extremely fatigued and weak. I'm a young healthy girl who eats healthy, is a healthy weight, and before my surgery worked out 4 X a week. I would have physically to force myself out of bed. And as far as the headaches it reduced the intensity of the migraines, but did nothing for the frequency.

My current dosage is 100mg daily. I started at 113 pounds, today I weigh 100 pounds due to Topamax. Yes, I agree with everyone in the beginning the side effects were the worst. However, my doctor warned me that I would not feel relief until I reached my full dosage and my body adjusted to it, which was about 12 weeks. And I did see a difference. Before Topamax, migraines controlled my life, I had roughly 15 a month. With the Topamax I rarely have a severe migraine at all. Typically I just get 5-7 headaches a month which is a big difference. Yes, sometimes I forget my train of thought or tingly in my feet. However, those side effects beat the alternative to 50% of my life being controlled by severe migraines.

I have now been on Topamax for about 6 years now and in all that time I can honestly say I have only had bad head ache and no migraine at all and the only reason started the medication is I had meningitis in 1993 and one of the long term side effects of this is migraines for life so Topamax has been a lifesaver for me.

I've been taking Topamax for over 3 years and the only side effect I experienced was an initial weight loss of about 15lbs. If there was any cognitive difficulty, memory loss, difficulty remembering words, etc., I didn't notice, as it was worse when I was experiencing a migraine. Before taking Topamax I would have a headache for months, with no relief. After I started taking Topamax the migraines were down to 3 month. My Dr. started me on a dose of 25mg, 2 X day and titrated me to 100mg 2 X day. Unfortunately, the Topamax no longer seems to be effective and on my next visit I will ask my Dr. to either increase the dosage or to prescribe a different medicine. Also, I have to agree with another post I saw, I am always freezing!

Began taking Topamax in 2006. Before starting on Topamax migraines were lasting 4-5 days after onset; and frequency of approximately 3 times per month. I experienced some diarrhea which subsided after breaking dosage up throughout the day (200mg daily). Additionally, I have experienced weight loss (a significant amount 50lbs) I could not afford to lose. However, the weight loss has subsided as well. Upon beginning the medication I had trouble with recalling words and memory loss. At this juncture the side effects have since passed and so have the migraines. I experience 1-2 migraines quarterly. Topamax has been a life-saver for me. I had tried many other migraine preventatives to no avail.

I have chronic daily migraines, and have tried several medications for migraine prevention, including Depakote, Elavil (amitriptyline), nortriptyline, and propranolol. The Depakote, amitriptyline and nortriptyline were too sedating. The propranolol worked well, but I had too increase the dosage over time to the point where my blood pressure became too low. Right now a combination of Topamax at 50 mg and propranolol extended release at 60 mg works best for me. There are few adverse effects. The Topamax does cause some frustrating cognitive difficulties but I think I can live with them, considering the relief it gives me from the migraines.

I started taking Topamax since Monday, February 4th, 2013. I have a history of migraines and lately have been having just bad headaches everyday. I am taking 25mg a day and it has really helped. I have had no side effects except lack of interest in eating. I have lost 3 lbs this week. I look forward to no headaches and will watch the weight loss but I can stand to lose a few pounds at this point.

Topamax has significantly reduced my migraines from 1 a month to 1 every 18 months. I have also found that it helps you - to not over eat or drink alcohol. I am very happy being on Topamax for all these reasons. I initially did have tingly feet, a small price to pay, but rarely get that sympton now. I am on 50 mg a day.

Took my first dose of 25mg on a Wednesday evening, that Thursday morning I woke up with nausea and diarrhea that only became more severe as the day went on. Had to leave work due to the severe nausea. Went to sleep around 2 p.m. and didn't wake up until 1 p.m. Friday. The only benefits I can say I had were the loss of weight (159lbs at appointment on Thursday/ 155.5lbs on Sunday) and I was able to quit smoking as I didn't have the urge to.

I am a retired teacher with a long history of migraines. Because of a heart condition, there were many medications I could not take. I suffered through many days taking mostly over the counter medicines. I was put on Topamax 10 months ago. At 100 mg a day, I was so stupid I could never have run a classroom. I could not do simple math problems or remember the names of streets nearby my home. The huge relief of not having migraines made it almost worth it. After all, I was now retired and did not have to be as sharp as I once was. It was a tough decision . My family was frustrated too with my huge brain fog. I also had the tingling and taste changes but they are easy to adjust to. I recently weaned myself down to 50mg a day and its working well.

I am currently taking it for intense migranes. It is the only thing that I have found that has helped. I do have breakthrough migraines but the medication does keep the majority of them at bay. I do get many of the side effects. I get the tingling in the hands and feet. I occasionally get tingling on my tongue and a weird burning/taste when I drink soda. I get a slight dizziness when I first take it. I am more sensitive to cold and I get diarrhea. All of these side effects I can either live with or treat and are worth the freedom of the migraines. If you live with migraines everyday your willing to put up with a lot of side effects just to be pain free for a while. This medication is totally worth it.

I took Topamax for 2 months until I finally threw in the towel and could take no more. It did stop the migraines but the other side effects were horrible. I did have the tingling in my hands, feet, and lips and food did taste way different. I was so depressed I could barely even get out of the bed. I actually GAINED about 5 lbs. while I notice most everyone else lost weight. I cried everyday for a week straight and I'm not like that. My house was a wreck and I could barely help my son with his homework.

I started taking Topamax in January of 2012 for migraines, I was getting one a day. I did experience the brain fog at first, but I found that after about a month or two, I was mostly back to normal. I have experienced the weight loss and loss of appetite, and I'm also lactose intolerant, so I'm trying to work on eating a healthy amount. I have found that drinking a lot of water really helps with the tingly feeling in my feet and hands!

Began Topamax in 2005 after suffering from migraines that would last for weeks. The litany of side effects is true, and its nickname, "Stupamax" is honestly earned. Word recall, memory, trouble focusing, hand numbness, fatigue, insomnia, the works. But number of days with headaches went from 21 to 9 the very first month. Now, after years of taking it, my body has been depleted of vitamin B12, and I have been suffering from horrible GI troubles. However, none of my doctors seemed to link Topamax to the B12 depletion. It took Google to figure that one out. But thank you to Google and B12 supplements. I hope this helps someone else relieve any issues they've been experiencing.

I've been taking Topamax for about a year now. I started at 25 mg twice a day and I currently take 100 mg twice a day. IT IS WONDERFUL. I have had only 2-3 migraines since my Dr upped my dosage 3 months ago. I still get "regular" headaches 4-5 times a day but I can handle those. I was gearing 5--6 migraines a week before Topamax. The side effects are all there but I don't care as long as the migraine pain stays away.

Didn't like initial side effects. Reduced migraines by at least 50-75%

Helped migraine and daily headache, however gave suicidal thoughts so discontinued.

I love Topamax. I can only take the minimal dosage or else I will get the tingling and start to feel a little out of it. I was suffering from silent migraines for over a year and a half. Nausea, vomiting, blurred vision, light headedness, fatigue, upset stomach and daily headaches but the headaches could be cured with ibuprofen. Of course, it took a while to figure out that these symptoms were all caused by migraines but they were and after taking Topamax for 2 weeks I stopped having silent migraines. I even went off of it after about 3 months of being on it, just to see if my body had possibly regulated itself, but it had not. I was sick again in no time. It was horrible. It took about 2 weeks for the Topamax to kick back in.

I have been on Topamax for about 2 years now. I am very thankful that my neurologist finally prescribed it for me. I have had my share of side effects for sure. I still cannot eat a hamburger or steak because any kind of red meat tastes funny now. I'm ok with that. At first carbonated sodas tasted flat so I stopped drinking them, but I found the trick to overcoming that one. If I drink them fast I get the carbonated sensation. I still do not drink very many though. Over time the tingling in my hands and face subsided. The one side effect that bothers me the most is my intolerance to heat. If I get just the least bit over heated I will faint. I will even faint from a hot shower. But I do not have near as many migraines.

I took this medicine off and on for years. And I can honestly say it has helped my migraines tremendously. I suffer from migraines with the aura, and while off Topamax they come in weekly clusters. About once every couple of months I will have a week from hell. On Topamax I have one attack every couple of months. BUT, the side effects are unbearable.

My neurologist added Topamax to my tricyclic and beta-blocker in hopes that it would control my vestibular migraines (total balance loss). It failed completely, but its side effects included immediate impotence, decreased libido, and substantial difficulty finding words. My vocabulary for 3 syllable words dropped 50%. I sounded drunk.

My neurologist was right. The trick is starting dose low and building up a week at a time, letting your body get used to it. I'm up to 75mg and holding.

Unfortunately, I got more headaches while I was on Topamax. They increased from once a week to several a week. I'm sure I'm an exception to the rule, but one size does not fit all.

Used to get 2-3 weekly migraines before Topamax and would run out of Fioricet and Imitrex. I tapered up to the 100 mg dose and while I do get the occasional tingling in my fingers and toes, its nothing compared to a full fledged migraine. I also dropped 8 or 9 lbs, which is a lot for me since I'm 5'2 and was 129, now I'm 121lbs. I have almost no appetite, but almost no migraines.