Topamax User Reviews & Ratings (Page 4)

• KDano
• Taken for 1 to 2 years
• December 17, 2019

For Migraine Prevention "I was put on Topamax (brand name) in 2007 as I was having migraine headaches five and six times a month at a minimum (not just bothersome 'headaches' but full-on pain with severe vomiting and preventing me from going to work). At the time, my insurance covered it, and my copay was $10 a month. The only bad side effect I experienced was the tingling in my feet (sometimes severe), but it was worth it considering I went down to one migraine the first year I was on it. I called it my miracle drug (and I lost 30 lbs!). It gave me my life back... and then it came off the insurance company's formulary and went from $10 to $60 a month. As a newly divorced mom, I was unable to afford that, but I was able to move to the generic Topiramate - which only became a nightmare, and I now have lifelong issues (separate review for it)."

• Scottie
• Taken for 10 years or more
• April 3, 2021

For Weight Loss (Obesity/Overweight) "At 5'7", I weighed 208 after giving birth at age 31. Developed what they thought was fibromyalgia. After 6 years, was put on Topiramate - 200 mg per day. Dropped 50 pounds in about 6 months. Went off it, eventually gained the weight back plus another 30. 14 years since the first time: back on it, have lost 40 pounds in 3 months. Still need to lose around 60-75 pounds... The fibromyalgia turned out to be MS. Haven’t been able to exercise in 20 years. I miss that badly... But since I have no metabolism, it’s either starve or take the Topiramate. I’ve never noticed any negative side effects... But then, my resting state is pretty messed up; it would be hard to distinguish any new negative stuff from the plethora of negative stuff I already suffer regularly."

• survi...
• July 7, 2010

For Bipolar Disorder "I have taken Topamax for the last 8 months as a mood stabilizer. It has worked great. Not only has it helped with my moods, but it also helped me lose more than 30 lbs without struggling to lose it. It was easy and great. I am happy again, and I don't feel like I want to chew off everyone's head when I start to get irritable or around 'that time of month'. It's been a lifesaver."

• Anonymous
• Taken for 5 to 10 years
• November 2, 2013

For Migraine Prevention "I have taken Topamax for about 5 years. I take 100 mg in the morning, 100 mg in the afternoon, and 200 mg at night. I almost never have a migraine. I used to have one 4 out of 7 days a week. I don't have any side effects, not even drowsiness."

• Anonymous
• Taken for 2 to 5 years
• August 26, 2014

For Fibromyalgia "This medication, in combination with other medicines, gave me my life back. I had unsuccessful or allergic reactions to other meds that I had tried. I thank my doctor and this medicine every day for giving me my life back."

• Blond...
• Taken for 2 to 5 years
• October 26, 2013

For Migraine Prevention "I have been on Topamax now for 2 years. I reached a breaking point where I almost lost my job because I was calling out of work so much with 3-4 (sometimes 5) migraines a week. I was initially annoyed because I wanted it to work immediately, but I still had migraines. You have to titrate the dose up 25 mg a week. I initially went up to the recommended 100 mg, but I hated the 'loss of words' feeling I had, and found that I had about 1-2 migraines a month. So I decided to go back to 75 mg and see what happened. I had less loss of words and finger tingling, and yet my amount of migraines stayed at 1-2/month. This has been a lifesaver for me. I don't know what I would do without it."

• Chron...
• Taken for 1 to 6 months
• August 25, 2018

For Weight Loss (Obesity/Overweight) "I gained a lot of weight from depression medications. They put me on Topamax to fix that. I’ve been on it for several weeks. Twice a day, 25 mg. Now the first day, I immediately noticed an appetite change. I haven’t craved food all day, every day. I haven’t craved as much junk or sweets. And I have dropped a little weight. So it definitely works wonders. I am definitely struggling with the side effects, so I think I am going to wean off it. As much as I’d love to continue to eat regular amounts and lose weight, the side effects are too much. Before I started this, I had tingles in my hands and feet, but this intensified a LOT. I’m also having a lot of head pressure, tiredness, and I feel functionally slow. I feel like I can’t think, can’t remember anything, can’t do simple tasks. Hopefully, there is another medicine that can have the same effect for weight loss and appetite without these severe side effects."

• Sunnis
• May 10, 2016

For Weight Loss (Obesity/Overweight) "After getting a blistering skin rash from Lamictal, Topamax was prescribed. It did decrease my appetite. I went from 209 lbs back to my regular 135, which I hadn't been in 7 years. This took place in about 10 months. At about the same time I started taking it, I was rear-ended and suffered a MTBI and scored very low on my neuropsych exam. My old psychiatrist retired, and the new psychiatrist is against Topamax because of the 'foggy' side effects that are common. Now, a little over a year later, I feel okay about this med considering the alternatives - wish there were better alternatives!"

• britt...
• Taken for 1 to 2 years
• September 22, 2016

For Weight Loss (Obesity/Overweight) "Been on/off Topamax since I was 15, I'm now 21. First time I took Topamax at 15, I went from 235lbs to 114lbs. Over time I got used to it & couldn't find something to help with my binge eating disorder. I gained all the weight I lost & more over a 5-year period of trying to lose it/find the right meds to help. In 2012 at 17 years old, I tried Topamax & had bad anxiety so that didn't last long. In 2015 at 20 years old, I weighed 248lbs, the biggest I've been. I was on phentermine (diet pill, 37.5mg) for a few months but was starting to get used to it. Decided to try Topamax again (50mg 2x a day) along with Vyvanse (ADHD/binge eating, 70mg) & Lexapro (depression, 20mg). Currently 160lbs. Always adjusting my meds though, I seem to get used to them quickly."

• Emi
• Taken for less than 1 month
• October 12, 2018

For Migraine Prevention "After trying everything and failing to get my migraines under control, I was at rock bottom. My doctor suggested Topiramate, and it has changed my life. I can go out and live a normal life and not worry about what will happen if I get a migraine or how quickly I can get home. My migraines have completely stopped since I have upped the dose from 25mg to 50mg. I get some tingling in my legs, but I can cope with that if it means no migraines forever. It’s a miracle drug."

• Anonymous
• March 24, 2015

For Migraine Prevention "Topamax is truly a lifesaver. I have been on this for many years now for migraine prevention, and I too would get the 'pins and needles' tingling sensation in hands and feet. I've found a daily multivitamin helps with that, and believe it or not, prenatal vitamins take it completely away. I hope this helps!"

• paper...
• Taken for less than 1 month
• October 19, 2016

For Migraine Prevention "I've only been on this medication for 2 weeks now but it has changed my life. I have lived with chronic migraines since my entire life... since I was 18 months old. I have lived with daily headaches and almost daily migraines for the past 10 years and it has taken over my life. Since starting Topamax, I have had 2-3 manageable headaches and I have my life back! It has even taken away chronic fibromyalgia and arthritis pain, given me back my ability to sleep soundly for hours at a time, and has gotten me out of a daily triptan habit that almost caused a stroke a few weeks ago. The side effects (brain fog, drowsiness, etc.) are nothing new for me given I have fibromyalgia. A life without pain is worth it to me! What a miracle!!"

• Kitte...
• Taken for 1 to 6 months
• August 11, 2016

For Weight Loss (Obesity/Overweight) "I've tried it twice. The first time was about 7 years ago and I lost a modest amount of weight easily. I can't remember how much. It made me thirsty, so I drank a lot of water, and it took away my craving for junk food. The second time was at the end of May 2016. I took 100mg at night. I lost 10 pounds in about 5-6 weeks easily. I had no desire to snack or eat emotionally. The only downside was that I was anxious a lot. I have now plateaued, but at least I'm not gaining weight. I should try to up the dose. At least the anxiety has largely decreased."

• Halba...
• Taken for 1 to 6 months
• November 19, 2019

For Migraine Prevention "On this medication to prevent migraines. It works like a charm. I had migraines almost daily, and now I only have them the day before my period starts. I have not had the weight loss side effect people talk about, though."

• Migra...
• Taken for 10 years or more
• November 3, 2015

For Migraine Prevention "I've read many of the poor reviews, and wonder how many refer to the generic version of Topamax. I can't use the generic version - it simply doesn't work for me, and I do recall more side effects. However, the brand name drug has been a lifesaver for me. I suffered with chronic daily migraine for over a decade before being placed on Topamax, and NO other drug helped. I was on beta blockers, calcium channel blockers, every medication for seizure disorders, and talk about side effects! They were horrific! I could barely function at work, missed lots of time, and essentially had no life. Topamax has made a major difference. I now have many fewer migraines, rarely contend with chronic daily migraine, and I've experienced no major side effects"

• Michal
• September 11, 2019

For Migraine Prevention "Been on Topamax quite a few weeks now, to help my migraines. At 50 mg, it wasn't doing anything additional for my migraines that my low histamine diet wasn't already doing, but it did wonders for my brain fog and energy! Very pleased! A few word-finding problems, but I can sit and read a whole book now and remember what I read. Last week, I went up to 100 mg, and sadly it has begun giving me daily migraines. Not bad ones, but it's not a good sign. I will be dropping it back down to 50 mg for a week or two, and if they resolve, I will try again to confirm if the higher dose is the issue. As advice: don't listen to the scaremongering on here and take the miracles with a grain of salt. It IS approved for migraine, it's not an off-label use."

• 4gran...
• July 14, 2008

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."

• Anonymous
• August 14, 2010

For Diabetic Peripheral Neuropathy "I was diagnosed with trauma-induced neuropathy in my left heel following an injury that became infected, developed cellulitis, and an ulcer. It took 2 months of intensive treatment for my foot to heal, but about 3 weeks after I returned to work, I started experiencing sharp, electrical-type pain in my heel. It was excruciating. My doctor prescribed Neurontin at first, but I was not able to tolerate it. I was switched to Topamax, and within a day, I had full relief, and since then, I have been pain-free. Yes, I am a juvenile diabetic, but I had never had problems with my feet until this happened. The neuropathy is confined to my left heel only. Topamax is the best. The side effects are minimal, but even if they weren't, it's worth it to be pain-free."

• Cradazd
• Taken for 10 years or more
• June 6, 2015

For Bipolar Disorder "Miracle drug for me! I seem to have a bad reaction to every drug that is specifically for bipolar! No, I'm not as creative as I was, but it's between being so high and then crashing so far down or a good steady me! I'll take this compared to a hospital any day."

• Heather...
• Taken for less than 1 month
• February 27, 2015

For Migraine Prevention "Topamax saved my life! I'm currently on 25 mg and will go up if needed. I woke up every single day from a headache. It literally got to the point where I didn't want to wake up. The only side effect I had was nausea for about 3 days but it was gone after that. It took about a week for it to start working for me. I haven't been so happy in my entire life! Headaches controlled my life but not anymore!"

• SP87
• September 10, 2015

For Migraine Prevention "I cannot recommend this medication. Yes, it did prevent migraines, but the side effects far outweighed the benefit. My doctor put me on a gradual increase in dosage, and I was unable to get past the first week. After a couple of days, I lost control of my own thoughts and focused on every negative my mind could come up with. My work was impacted. I work in an accounting office and lost my ability to count and remember the alphabet. Not to mention, I would stop talking in mid-sentence quite often. I knew what I needed to say, but my mouth just wouldn't do it. My short-term memory was non-existent, and I decided to stop taking this medication after I forgot where I was driving to on my way to work; the same place I've been to for the last 9 years."

• Panda
• Taken for 1 to 6 months
• June 15, 2019

For Migraine Prevention "I took Topamax because I was getting migraines nearly every day and other treatments failed. I was not informed of any serious side effects. I had never had a panic attack before, but I was getting them frequently on Topamax. They were so intense I did not know what to do. I did not feel like myself at all, I felt like a different person or empty shell of myself. I went to my primary care (neurologist prescribed), and she said she was treating several other patients for similar severe panic attacks from Topamax. The drug stays in your system so long, it was an awful feeling. I was just relieved to know it was the medicine and I wasn’t totally losing it. I have never tried migraine prevention medications since (this was 13 years ago) because it was such an awful experience."

• Jaq
• Taken for less than 1 month
• August 29, 2023

For Migraine Prevention "I am on day 7 of 25mg of Topamax at night for vestibular migraine. So far, I have had no unpleasant side effects and also no migraines (but too early to tell if it will be effective in the long run). I am supposed to increase to 25mg bd in a week. The first night I felt a bit strange when I took it, but that settled quickly. If anything, I feel more upbeat and happy. I pray that this is the miracle drug I have been hoping for. 5 years of hell with vertigo and too many useless drugs to mention, physio, MRI, neurology, etc., all with no success. Fingers crossed, and I will keep you all posted!!"

• Penny...
• May 16, 2015

For Bipolar Disorder "I was diagnosed bipolar 2 about 3 years ago. I am a 36-year-old female. I was originally given Topamax 50mg at night with Seroquel 50mg, as well as a variety of antidepressants and Klonopin for anxiety. That worked great for a while until it didn't, and I weaned myself off everything. DON'T DO THAT!! I had a horrible hypomanic episode followed by a 4-month depressive crash. I'm now on Latuda, Celexa, Klonopin, and my good buddy Topamax. I have had no serious side effects from Topamax. A little hair loss (more like extra hair in the brush) but it's only noticeable to me. Not bad. No word loss, no memory problems. I'm in grad school with a near 4.0 GPA. It helps me maintain my weight so the other meds don't affect me."

• Oodle...
• Taken for 1 to 2 years
• November 28, 2015

For Migraine Prevention "Topamax is by far the best migraine preventative I have ever tried. I take 100mg at night and have even been on 200mg - 1 100mg in the AM and 1 100mg in the PM. My neurologist and I discussed Topamax and figured it was worth a shot since my chronic, daily migraines were uncontrollable and I was getting Imitrex injections almost every week and could no longer take Toradol. Unlike other people, I have very few side effects. I weaned off Topamax once to try Gabapentin but it by itself wasn't enough and my migraines returned full force. Very few side effects: trouble finding words, thirst, and weight loss (not that I mind). Topamax is a wonderful drug and a LIFESAVER. It and my Gabapentin together is my divine combo!"