[JASPERSTONE]

My doctor prescribed Topomax about 3-4 mos. ago for Migraine headaches. Whether they were Migraines, per say, was ?, but they were severe, blinding, never went away with any over the counter drug, and were an everyday occurence. I take 100 mg. every evening. I am headache free. I am 56, female & post-menopausal, and I have some Chronic Fatigue...not terribly bad, thankfully. I am on 40 mg. Prozac, 300 mg. Wellbutrin XL, and 1 mg. of Klonopin (split dose, sometomes less), and Lodine (anti-inflammatory) for severe osteoarthritis, everyday, in addition to the Topomax. I suffered Post Traumatic stress (delayed) in 2003-2004 from 9/11 events. I was a 33 year veteran Flt. Attendant at the time. I am very well balanced emotionally and spiritually & intellectually , and have good solid relationships and support, and I do volunteer work. However, my memory (short-term) seems to be getting MUCH worse. I'm wondering if it is the addition of the Topomax? I am terribly disorganized. Forgetting to pay bills, forgetting appts., some of my friends names; I walk out of a room and leave an unfinished project for an hour or so! It's awful. Any experiences, advice, knowledge to share? Thanks

[addict doc]

Topomax... we used to call it 'dopamax' in my psych residency. It is notorious for shaving off a few IQ points while on it. The effect goes away when you go off the drug.

[jessi_lynn]

I am also on topamax - I have been on it for almost 3 years now. 75 mg. I have heard the 'dopamax' name it has been referred to, and if you do read about it, that is one of the common side effects. I am finishing my last year of law school and have done well. I do find my short-term memory is not as on point as it used to be. I also have trouble with words from time to time. The help it has brought to me, though, leaves me to tolerate the unneccessary evils. I was put on it when it was first approved to treat bulimia and it has been a wonder drug. I can proudly say I am no longer battling that horrible disease with part thanks to topamax. Good luck with your health!

jessi

[jessi_lynn]

Oh, I forgot the biggie that helped me. Make a to-do list everynight and carry around a pad of paper to write down things you know that are important to remember short-term. Now is also the time to be keeping a daily planner. If you write things down when you receive the info, your short-term memory may forget, but you can also job that 'topamax' memory.

[carla-t]

In response to the memory loss. It has truly in my case caused me to forget on a lot of occasions. Sometimes I am talking to someone and in the middle of my sentence I cannot remember the words I want to say. I feel totally incapacitated. At times it is hard for me to express myself or to remember someone's name. I have been taking the medication for about 3 years at a dose of about 200mg. The loss of memory has been something gradual, it seemed to just sneak up on me. It has also had other affects on me. I am thinking of trying to find an alternative to this medication.

[Coppergirl]

I looked at a butter dish yesterday and couldn't for the life of me remember what it was. Stood there blank. Never did come to me. Husband came home, had to ask him what it was. The positive effects it has had on me far outweight the negative however.

[rbhayden]

My doctor prescribed my Topomax for migraine prevention. The first thing I noticed was the weight loss. It peeled off several pounds, but over time, other side effects kicked in....mainly a feeling of constant fatigue. I was in a blur most of the time and ready to sleep anytime...anywhere.
I talked to my doctor about it and he prescibed me Lexapro. I've been taking that for about 3 months now and it only makes me tired. I will be tapering off of it soon.
Now what?

[Ashleytanya]

I too have sruggled with this drug. While when it does work it aleviates the horrible debilitating pains of migraine headaches. Unless one goes through a a sever attack can they understand. I had been diagnoses with complicated migraines and it is the worst type you can have. The person has symptoms that mimic a stroke. I have difficulties with my vision, I cannot walk right, I talk and sound as if I am intoxicated, etc. Topamax has kept the number of those type of attacks down. I am currently at 100 mg and doing ok with my cognitive function I do have some slower short term memort recall problems but I dont know whether to blam it on the med or just on life. At one point I was up to 175 mg of Topamax with a neurologist at UAB and needless to say I felt like a walking zombie because that was when I had first started getting ill with all of my neuro things. I am a nurse so all of these things have been so frustrating, especially when you are treated like garbage by people. I wish everyone luck!

[TJK]

I know this reply is about 1yr. & half late but your question on memory loss can also be related to the Klonopin. It is notorious for causing the memory problems you mentioned, my own brother was hospitalized twice from taking Klonopin, once because He couldn't figure out how to open His front door and ask'd a neighbor for help. He was only taking 1.5mg a day for less than a year, the doctors told me that it can cause near amnesia like symptoms in certain people depending on dosage and length of time you've been on it.

[sammyb88]

I take Topamax and lets just say they dont call it Stupamax for nothing. I take 200 BID. I just had the dose increase. It 'can' cause cognative impairment. It does with me, it just kind of makes me a little slower and I'm not able to keep track of things of well, but with the side affects of my other meds, I'm used kinda used to this by now it's sad!

[mackessy]

Hi
I am a nurse also. I am having quite a time trying to figure out what to do. I started having vertigo on 3/10/09 and because I had had what nurologists thought was a cva vs tia in the past they did a MRI on me. MY MRI showed black spots... so of coarse they thought it was going to be MS or vasculitis of the brain. the neuro thinks migraine syndrome and put me on topomax. I had an lp to r/o MS and all was negative and I have to tell you i have never been so happy. BUT... I am having memory problems and speech slurring AND dizzyness and weakness and fatigue and I feel as though I will never be myself again.. I can in no way imagine putting the lives of others in my hands and I am so scared I do not no what to do. What happened with your situation? I know I am a complete stranger and this is off the wall but I was searching for some one who has had the same side effects and there you were. If you get this please write back.

[anotheraddict]

I can only offer my experiences. I used to suffer from migraines, and I also experienced what was thought to be a TIA. Unfortunately I never got to have any testing done. My problems actually were stemming from the way that the triptans take effect. When I would take them in the midst of a migraine, they would clamp down the blood vessels and cause the TIAs. I never heard of this before taking them, but I experienced it at least to some degree with each one.

By far the worst one was Relpax for me. I was at work, and my coworker kept asking me what was wrong. I was tripping over the rug, slurring my words, and I couldn't see. I am only 24 now and this was a few years ago, so a stroke was the furthest thing from anyone's mind. Eventually, I left work 20 mins early as I couldn't deal anymore, and my boss threatened to fire me. Great boss, huh? I don't work for that company anymore.

I am sorry to hear of your troubles. While I am glad that the lp was negative for MS, it's frustrating to not know what's wrong. I wish you the best, and don't hesitate to ask if there's any other questions I might be able to answer.

Jean

PS: I no longer get migraines thanks to a freak accident that caused my studies to be done and a sphenoid sinus cyst to be found. It was pushing on my carotid artery. Surgery was done as they thought it might be a pouch of csf fluid given the location and feared it bursting in an uncontrolled environment. No more cyst pushing on artery, no more migraines. It's my miracle. Hopefully we can find something like this for you

[Windmill47]

Mackessy---We nurses have all the odd illnesses.
I also take Topamax as well as many other meds for a condition called "Neurocardiogenic Syncope"(NCS). I was working as a RN supervisor at a local hospital one day and literally the next day-I was having a grand mal seizure on my bathroom floor. I had no symptoms prior to the seizure, other than a URI. I did have however fatigue, headaches (not migraines) and some muscle aches. All of which I wrote off to the URI. It was only diagnosed by doing a tilt table test. Which is a non-invasive(other than the IV) test where you are stood up to 75 degrees and wait to see how your heart and your brain react. If you have NCS, you usually pass out within a minute or so. If you do not pass out in that minute, some Docs will try to irritate the heart by giving you NTG subligual. I passed out in 26 seconds.....and again had the Grand mal party! I have now been diagnosed for 13 years. Maybe you could ask your GP about the tilt table and see what he thinks.
I would not wish it on you. However, if you have it-it is treatable. Not curable. But having a diagnosis is a relief. I cannot practice any longer, which I hate. But it could always be worse. I tell myself that every day.
I wish you well in your quest for answers. Stay the course-someone will have them. You just have to be strong enough to find them. Jerri in Ohio

[Windmill47]

Mackessy---We nurses have all the odd illnesses.
I also take Topamax as well as many other meds for a condition called "Neurocardiogenic Syncope"(NCS). I was working as a RN supervisor at a local hospital one day and literally the next day-I was having a grand mal seizure on my bathroom floor. I had no symptoms prior to the seizure, other than a URI. I did have however fatigue, headaches (not migraines) and some muscle aches. All of which I wrote off to the URI. It was only diagnosed by doing a tilt table test. Which is a non-invasive(other than the IV) test where you are stood up to 75 degrees and wait to see how your heart and your brain react. If you have NCS, you usually pass out within a minute or so. If you do not pass out in that minute, some Docs will try to irritate the heart by giving you NTG subligual. I passed out in 26 seconds.....and again had the Grand mal party! I have now been diagnosed for 13 years. Maybe you could ask your GP about the tilt table and see what he thinks.
I would not wish it on you. However, if you have it-it is treatable. Not curable. But having a diagnosis is a relief. I cannot practice any longer, which I hate. But it could always be worse. I tell myself that every day.
I wish you well in your quest for answers. Stay the course-someone will have them. You just have to be strong enough to find them. Jerri in Ohio

[amgalvin3]

This is my new migrane wonder pill. Fiorcet is a combo of tylenol, barbituate, and caffeine. It's also the BEST hangover pill (take it the night you're drinking, wa-la- no hangover!)

[praetor]

watch taking fiorcet a lot. I am almost immune and they used to knock me out. Sometimes they don't even touch my headaches and I can make two bottles last a year.

[Tuzz510]

After many years of having epilepsy, I was on 4400 mgs. Neurontin & 700mgs Lamactal per day, nothing seemed to work. He prescribed 200mgs. of Topomax and it cured me almost instantly. No more seizures for over 15 years now. My weight dropped, which I thought was the only side effect.
After reading these postings, I am like, MY GOD, THATS ME TOO!
I have all these same symptoms, forgetfullness to the max, short term memory loss. Difficulty in reading or remembering things I was just told.
Is this related to Topomax, or am I just stupid? It's 15 years now. People even make fun of me (playfully of course) because I am like this.