Topamax for Migraine Prevention User Reviews (Page 4)

• Jen
• July 20, 2017

"I'm writing about my 18-year-old daughter who is currently on Topamax. She has suffered from migraines since she was about 12 years old. They would take her out for 2-3 days each, occurring anywhere from 2-6 times a month. When she was first given Topamax, we thought it was the greatest medication ever. Problem solved, she felt that the tingling fingers and face, as well as the flat soda taste, were well worth not suffering from migraines. HOWEVER - and I cannot stress this enough - as she increased her dose, she exhibited personality changes. She became depressed and overall just wasn't herself. Thankfully, we recognized this and are working with her doctor to back off the Topamax. We will be looking into other options. Not worth it!"

• RoseQ
• February 3, 2013

"Topamax has significantly reduced my migraines from 1 a month to 1 every 18 months. I have also found that it helps you not overeat 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 symptom now. I am on 50 mg a day."

• Beran...
• Taken for 1 to 6 months
• October 28, 2016

"Had migraines for 7 years. Took Fioricet for pain, which works well, but I wanted to try prevention. My doctor had already tried Gabapentin, Sumatriptan, and Propranolol, all of which had side effects but did nothing for migraines. Next came Topamax. Side effects were: slight change of taste (sodas tasted flat, bread tasted sweeter) and gradual loss of memory and concentration, such that it was hard to read or study an issue at work and be able to understand it. It did not affect my eating habits or energy levels, did not affect my weight at all. It also did nothing for my migraines. It severely impeded my ability to think and thus my ability to work in the tech field, so I stopped taking it, and my work performance improved drastically."

• melaps
• April 2, 2008

"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 years on Topamax. It is hard to wean off of. I have not taken a pill for 2 months and have far fewer headaches than before Topamax! Great drug! I lost almost 30 lbs but once we found the right dosage I leveled out and stayed at that weight for a year before weaning off."

• Anonymous
• Taken for less than 1 month
• July 2, 2013

"I went from 1 or 2 migraines a year to about 9 a month. After a year or so of this, my doctor had me try Topamax. I've been on 25 mg, once a day, for the past three weeks, and I'm very happy with it. I've only had the beginnings of 3 migraines (immediately took my Relpax), and they went immediately away. I feel like I've got my life back. My only side effects are a slight loss of appetite (which I'm not unhappy about) and a little tingling in my feet. Well worth it."

• Tamiko...
• September 4, 2015

"I have had estrogen- and barometric migraines since my mid-twenties. I was noticing that the intensity and frequency of said migraines were getting worse over time (I'm 47 now). I was over-prescribed Imitrex and was having rebound migraines, suffering 20 migraines per month. So far, I've been on this medication for a little over 2 weeks, and am on 25 mg. I don't think I need to go any higher right now, which is fine by me. For the first 4 days, I had a horrid migraine, felt dizzy, and had some nausea. After that, I started feeling a lot better, more alert, no pain, felt sharper too. I'm in peri-menopause and have noticed that I get a migraine around the time of my period, but it's about a 5 or 6 instead of a 10. So far, it is working with very few side effects."

• tina...
• October 21, 2007

"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."

• TLO78...
• Taken for 1 to 6 months
• May 28, 2015

"I have been taking Topamax for 2 months to help prevent severe daily migraines with aura. It has helped me tremendously. I did lose 6 lbs the 1st week, mainly due to diarrhea and lack of appetite. I almost gave up on taking it because of the stomach cramps I was getting, but they subsided after the 1st week. I have changed a lot about my lifestyle since taking Topamax, so I don't know how much of my weight loss can be attributed to the drug itself, but I definitely have lost weight (12 lbs) and don't crave sugar. I stopped drinking soda over a year ago, so I don't know if it tastes different now. I do want water more than anything, which is fine. It does make you drowsy and foggy, but I take my dose at bedtime. I do get weird tingles a few times a day in my hands."

• Anonymous
• Taken for 1 to 6 months
• January 25, 2013

"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 bed. I actually gained about 5 lbs. while I notice most everyone else lost weight. I cried every day 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."

• Palmyra
• July 23, 2015

"I started taking Topamax 12 years ago after one of my migraines sent me out of my classroom and into the ER. After the initial few weeks of disorientation, halo vision, and tingling/numbness, my body adjusted to the meds and I had almost 10 years of maybe two headaches per year. A miracle! When menopause hit, my migraines came roaring back with a vengeance. But I stayed on Topamax and my neurologist added other meds to supplement. Things are better now; Topamax has been a lifesaver for me. But it takes some time to let the side effects settle out and for your doctor to tweak the dosages."

• Ash
• Taken for 1 to 6 months
• December 14, 2020

"Started taking this just before my first semester of college. It was super effective in getting rid of the migraines but the side effects quickly became too much. I experienced occasional numbness in my hands which eventually spread all the way up to my elbows, memory loss and confusion. I would zone out in the middle of conversations and it got to a point where I would drop words and even phrases from my sentences as I spoke. At its worst, I sobbed through writing an essay as my mom tried to help me piece my thoughts together into something coherent and stop me from dropping entire sentences as I wrote. Quite possibly the worst experience of my life."

• kmw
• Taken for less than 1 month
• October 13, 2016

"Worst night of my life. I made the mistake of not looking at reviews until I had just popped the pill. I felt like a zombie. I couldn't think or formulate sentences. My body felt like I had needles all over. My legs wouldn't stop shaking. I couldn't see. I cried until I fell asleep and continued to have side effects the next day. I cannot believe they sell this medication. By far the worst experience of my life. I do not recommend this drug to anyone and sincerely recommend anyone considering this drug to not take it."

• Bev
• Taken for 1 to 2 years
• September 22, 2019

"I have been taking Topamax for one year for migraines with muscle spasms. Topamax is really the best drug for reducing my headaches and also for controlling the migraine-caused spasms. Nothing else stops the spasms - they are debilitating. That said, I started at 100 mg, and it was a nightmare! My right leg became icy and numb, and that spread to my right abdomen and then the right side of my brain. I had difficulty walking and functioning because of this. I was so numb, I was constantly bumping my right side and bruising because I couldn’t feel anything on that side. I couldn’t lift my leg to climb stairs or to get in a car to drive. I had yeast infections that wouldn’t end along with differences in menstruation. There were other side effects also, but these were the worst. I reduced the dose to 50 mg. The side effects were greatly reduced. The headaches are more frequent, and the spasms much more bothersome but still reduced enough to live with."

• MissB...
• Taken for 1 to 6 months
• December 6, 2014

"After 7 years of debilitating migraines almost daily and rebound headaches from taking Excedrin and ibuprofen, I finally found a doctor that was willing to help me. She suggested Topamax, and just in this short period of a couple of months, there's been a significant difference. Not only am I rarely having pain, I feel less anxious and more balanced out emotionally as well. Even friends and co-workers can see the difference in my mood! As for side effects, I experienced tingling in my hands, feet, and face, but my doctor mentioned taking a multivitamin each day, which has seemed to help. I've also been drinking LOTS of water to counteract the major dry mouth. Overall, Topamax has been more of an effective, positive experience for me than anything."

• Anonymous
• March 27, 2008

"I've been taking Topamax for about a year and a half now, and it has drastically cut down the frequency of my migraines. 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 I have trouble with word retrieval and 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, in my opinion."

• Eazly...
• March 1, 2008

"I do not recommend Topamax as a solution to migraines. Although it did help keep the frequency of the headaches down at first, in the long run, I had just as many migraines 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 at some points, and I experienced an irregular heartbeat, trouble focusing, and sleep issues."

• Scarl...
• Taken for 5 to 10 years
• April 11, 2017

"I was diagnosed with vestibular migraines in 2010, and I had severe 24/7 vertigo. I always had 'regular' migraines since I was a teen, but after an infection of the inner ear in 2010, my migraines changed, and I had both pain and vertigo. For one year, I had constant vertigo, and I honestly thought I would become housebound. I could not go to theaters, malls, stores, or any areas with lots of people because crowds would make me dizzy. My work was in jeopardy. I tried Topamax, and it gave me my life back. The initial side effects were awful, but my body slowly adjusted to them. Eventually, the dizziness went away. I now take 225 mg daily. I have some word-finding and concentration problems, but that sure beats 24/7 vertigo."

• Bezota
• September 20, 2016

"I've had migraines since I was 25 (am now 68), and my life was hell until I discovered Topamax 18 months ago. I must be one of the lucky ones because I didn't have any horrible side effects, just some mild finger tingling. I lost a little appetite but made no difference (I'm slim anyway and probably lost 5 pounds), otherwise, it has been a miracle! I started with 25 mg, increased to 50, then to 100, didn't like it, went back to 50, and am now on 25 again and feel great. Sometimes I also take the generic and have no problem at all."

• meldjc
• Taken for 5 to 10 years
• April 6, 2013

"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 the dosage up throughout the day (200 mg daily). Additionally, I have experienced weight loss (a significant amount of 50 lbs) I could not afford to lose. However, the weight loss has subsided as well. Upon beginning the medication, I had trouble 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 lifesaver for me. I had tried many other migraine preventatives to no avail."

• miramy
• February 19, 2015

"I've been on Topamax for about 2 months now. I've gone from having a migraine or headache of some sort every day to 2 migraines in the past 2 months. The only thing I don't like about the medication is the severe tingling in my hands, feet, fingers, and lips."

• thisi...
• August 8, 2013

"My migraines are primarily abdominal, but I get daily 'tension' type headaches as well. But my nausea 'attacks' are totally debilitating, and the headaches get more so every day. I took Topamax starting at 25 mgs, then increased. I noticed it really helping my symptoms, way less nausea, headaches stopped, and I could sleep well. Unfortunately, I am one of the people who react with a rare side effect of an acute onset closed-angle glaucoma attack, and my vision got very blurry and got so bad I could not see anything but blobs if it was more than 12 inches from my face. If you get blurred vision, go to the ER and show them the letter from the Topamax website, because the ER had never heard of that reaction. I gave it a 5 because it worked until then."

• Jaurdin
• Taken for less than 1 month
• October 28, 2016

"I began taking 25 mg of Topamax once daily due to my migraines lingering 2-3 days at a time. Topamax did a number on my body. I completely stopped eating. Every time I tried to eat, I took one bite and would gag. I felt so extremely full constantly, even though I knew I had not eaten. Topamax completely destroyed my appetite, and although I've been off the medication for 6 months, I still never crave anything. I eat when I'm hungry, but I no longer have any cravings. While taking this medication, I lost a lot of my memory. I was constantly hazy or confused, and I felt like I was always searching for my task. I became malnourished and, confused that I quit taking the medicine completely. I would never recommend this medication because of side effects!"

• dimples
• Taken for 2 to 5 years
• November 11, 2015

"I was taking this medication for over two years. I had to stop it because my memory is terrible. Places I have been going for over ten years, I forgot where they were and how to get there. This medicine has messed up my life, even after I stopped it, my memory still hasn't returned. I deal with this every day, and it scares me so bad. I have to write things down every day in order to remember. It did help with my headaches a little, but if I had read up on this medication before I started, I can promise you I would not have taken it."

• Wonder...
• Taken for 5 to 10 years
• August 20, 2014

"I've been taking Topamax (brand) for approximately ten years. Due to severe migraines, this was the only medication to prevent what had been debilitating headaches, nausea and vomiting, sensitivity to light, smell, sound, movement, and dizziness. After several years, my insurance refused to continue payment of the brand until I tried the generic tablets. After 3 days, the original symptoms returned. They finally approved continued payment of the brand, and now, two years later, they again have refused to cover (pay) for the medication, although it falls under the plan. For three months, my neurologist and I have issued appeals with no clear explanation of the denial. I would just like to again take meds to rid myself of this pain."

• Kriss...
• November 21, 2016

"Been on this for just a week now at 25 mg, also on 50 mg of amitriptyline at night. The first few days I felt really spaced out, but sort of kept coming in waves through the day. I also suffer from M.E. as well, but have found the past few days I have had lots of energy. I don't feel tired at all. Supposed to up dose to 50 mg on the second week, but I'm thinking may stick to the 25 for a little while to see how things go. No migraines up to now. Reading all the reviews, most of the side effects seem to come when the dose is increased. Really worried about the hair loss business, don't think I could deal with that one. Think I'm going to give this a go for a few months and see how things go, it's all trial and error, or kill or cure."