I have been on Topamax for three weeks I started off on 50mg now 75mg and soon I will start 100mg. The way I take it now is 25mg in the morning and 50 at bedtime but I have not had any weight loss. I am wondering if I am sleeping off the side effect by taking it at night any suggestions? The only side effect I am having is runny nose and sneezing... Thank you!!
When is it better to take Topamax in AM or PM for weight loss?
Question posted by sismonar on 3 Oct 2012
Last updated on 2 July 2024 by emilynn
12 Answers
I have found taking half in the morning, and half at night works the best. Since starting the medication a few months ago I have experienced extreme brain fog, splitting up the dose seems to resolve it while still working as an appetite suppressant. Good luck!
Worked for appetite suppression at first, but 4 months in my appetite is normal. I'm on 200mg day. To the person aggravated about people asking about this drug for weightloss... knock it off. You dont know the problem people have with weight... it would be like me saying to you... I get pissed off with people taking this drug for depression and anxiety... do some yoga, practice positive talk, how dare you take this drug for depression..do it naturally. See, I dont have the problems with depression you do... its very simple for me..why cant you handle life?
Debating the weight loss issue will only get you a million different answers. I don't point a finger at anyone. I was just prescribed this med after trying depakote and gaining 11 pounds in 6 weeks with no change to eating habits. I had tried topamax in 2011 but was looking for instant results to my bipolar issues (Not weight issues). Nine years older, and hopefully wiser, I have come to realize it does take time for your body to adjust to medication and hope first off that this will help my bipolar issues and if I am fortunate, I may loose some weight as opposed to depakote packing it on with depakote.
I was just wondering and new to this. I suffer from seizures and was told to take topamax for migraines and seizure control since have both everyday and was just wondering about the times 2xs every day of when to take. I started Saturday and have the fogginess the tiredness and but can’t fall sleep at night the drowsiness the memory fog. So was looking up maybe need to change times. Now I’m reading about weight loss - I mean not complaining but I’m already having migraines now I have to worry about appetite being suppressed which means will cause migraine which in turn will cause weight loss. Ok. Should I be worried ? Should I look into different medication?
Alright I’m going to drop a truth bomb for everyone here. I always see A LOT AND I MEAN A LOT of forums and posts of people asking if Topamax will work for weight loss. The truth is the following. A side effect for Topamax is appetite suppressant. IF YOU continue to eat when you are not hungry you will not lose weight. If you listen to your body and you don’t eat when it’s telling you it’s not hungry you will lose weight and you will lose weight FAST. I started on 50 mg 2x at night and lost 27 lbs in one month. I changed nothing! Soda and Red Bull tasted flat and like metal so I completely lost the urge to drink it which helped I am sure. I listened to my body and didn’t eat until I was hungry. I strongly believe that if you just eat out of boredom even though you are not hungry you will not lose weight even on Topamax!
I'm just starting this med it's 25mg even I'm confused it says take 2 tablets twice a day
So should I take it in the morning and at night using it for my migraine and to lose weight
:/ I get slightly annoyed by questions like this. What’s wrong with just diet or exercise? Or, let me not assume things. Do you also have a mental illness and your doctor thought this would help motivate your weight loss as well? Do you know why people are on this medicine to begin with? For example, I happen to be bipolar with severe depression and PTSD from sexual abuse. I have night terrors and unmanageable anxiety. Weight loss is an unfortunate side effect for me personally because I’m already thin. I have no appetite. I probably average less than 500 calories a day no matter how hard I force myself to eat. Depression does that. I also get really bad tingling in my hands and feet from this medicine. And ear ringing as well as auditory hallucinations. So, you know, just maybe consider that these medicines have real consequences and the people who take them have a real necessity for them and it’s not just for vanity
And you should consider that some people truely need this medication for weight loss, it may not have started off as a weight loss med, but it has now become one. Telling someone to use diet and exercise to lose weight would be the same as me telling you to eat more to gain weight, it doesn't always work so easily. So one who wouldn't want to be judged definitely should not be doing the judging.
Dude, do you realize Topamax is used to treat binge eating, as well as seizures and migraines? It's not about vanity; binge eating disorder is as real a mental illness as your bipolar/depression/PTSD. No reason to judge other people so harshly. Live and let live.
Wow. Wow. Wow. I had to register on this side to reply to you. Bc seriously your frustration about people’s vanity is just as frustrating to someone like me in regards to your response. First off, I’m sorry about your struggle, truly I am so please don’t think I’m not. I was a victims advocate for years so I can empathize what your going thru there. But here’s the deal for someone like me with using topamax and other medications for weight loss. What’s wrong with diet and exercise? It doesn’t work. I have pcos which in turn causes me to be insulin resistant. In one year I gained 60 pounds. I can eat nothing but lettuce for a month, work out 3-4 times a week and not lose an ounce. Pcos causes huritism, aka hair growth everywhere like a man. If you think I’m vain Bc it bothers me to grow side burns and a beard then by all means judge me. Pcos has caused me to have over a dozen miscarriages and no children and no regular cycles.
How to fix pcos? Lose weight. Catch 22. I cannot lose weight without the aid of drugs Bc of pcos. Just doesn’t work. I have found such amazing success with adipex and was just recently put on topamax to help aid since I’m going off the adipex. I was googling and super excited to find out about usage for migraines Bc I would love if it helped with that too. But, you know, just maybe consider that weight loss is a health issue for people not just vanity before you want to jump all over it.
Like you, others have a medical issues that sometimes can only be helped with medication. It's easy to tell someone to exercise and diet and assume that is all it takes. You must take I to consideration other medical issues as well. Whether it be mental or physical. I for one would envy you and others who cant keep the weight on. I dont stop to think that it could be a medical reason or think you are unhappy with it. Stop judging and start helping. I am just as guilty for assuming. Therr are some of us, me included, who have medical reasons for the weight I have gained and have tried every exercise and diet you can come up with and still hasn't worked. This medication I hope will give me help and motivation. This is my second day of phentermine and topiramate together for weight loss. I feel weak for needing this but pray it works.
Then you should be the last to criticize others for using this as a weight loss medication alongside else they've been prescribed it for because you of all people have no idea how it is to be above weight and how hard it can be to lose the weight. And how do you know most of the people here don't exercise even though it's none of your business. Maybe you have eating issues that's why you're too thin etc?. Food for thought no pun intended SMH
Ignorant much?
Dear Pcakes89..wow, you are vain..we all have our problems, some worse than others..my fingers tingled at first but it went away with time. I take it for migraine and cluster headaches that are so bad I'm sick in bed for days throwing up and unable to move. So no, it's not vanity.. however in some cases weight loss is a perk in others it's a hindrance. Sounds like maybe the side effects of this med are to much for you and you should discuss this with your Dr.
I get up at 3am 6 days a week. I do 30 minutes of yoga, 30 minutes of weight lifting, 1.5 hours of treadmill walking then 30 minutes of walking my dog all before I have to be at work at 8 am. I walk on 2 15 min breaks and 1 hour lunch. Each day I walk approximately 10 miles. I was eating 800 calories of fresh veggies and protein no sugar or and minimal carbs. My doctor suggested increasing my calories to 12-1300 calories. I did that. Still haven’t lost even 1 pound in 3 months. I’ve got medication controlled depression/anger Mental health barriers, ive been taking phentramine since feb. i lost 25 pounds right away then nothing. I also take allergy pills for the 4 animals i rescued and an albuterol inhaler for my mostly controlled asthma. I’ve never been diagnosed with pcos, never been sexually abused, no PTSD, no BiPolar and no night terrors.
I have an amazing 20+ year marriage, to My best friend, I have a great government job, both my husband and I have worked hard our entire life and look forward to taking advantage of the retirement benefits we worked for, we have 3 happy, healthy grown children who are all active, productive members of society, 2 beautiful grandchildren who are also healthy and happy. Now that you know my whole story and you are obviously so knowledgeable please tell me what more i can do to lose that last 40 pounds? Because believe me, I’m all ears.
Hey Everybody Attacking Pcakes89!
There is misleading information about Topamax & Weight Loss in a different area on this website (actually I believe it's under Topamax, Synthroid & Ativan in questions) where an answer states Topamax does NOT cause weight loss. I've been taking it for over 14 years & am just now finding out it is the reason for me not liking soda & why I never have an appetite & have to drink nutrition drinks everyday. I need to change Doctors!
Topiramate/Topamax is usually, on most cases, prescribed together with Phentermine. You take the Phentermine in the morning and the Topiramate/Topamax at night; at least that's how my Dr. prescribes it and 92 lbs later, VOILA. But on the bottle of the TOP it does say take at bedtime (HS). It also helps to keep your blood pressure down as well. I hope this helps. Thanks.
Hi I’ve just been prescribed topiramate 50mg for migraines could you tell me when you started feeling the benefit of the pills and when you started noticing your weight loss? I am also obese caused by other meds so need to lose weight too so hoping new meds do both
Thanks Debbie
How does it keep your blood pressure down
Does anyone ever feel kinda of out of it or short tempered with this Med? I’m also on adderall with this?
I am in 100 mgs of Topamax at bedtime and I feel short tempered a lot. I am going to cut dose in half to see if it helps. Plus makes me so tired. I did lose 35 lbs in 2 and a half months!
Iagree with ur response. It takes some time. I did loose 15lbs in 2weeks off 50mg an then i took 100mg for 2mo then worked my way up 2 200mg an in 3 mo lost 40lbs an now iv lost a total of 49lbs but i dont diet or excersice. If i did id probably of lost 70 lbs like i want lol. So now that im stuck with this last 13 lbs im gunna start dieting an excersice so it will help me but the topamax is the best thing iv ever had for weight loss just give it time!!! O i started the med aug.2016 an i was 196 an in a size 13 jean now im 143 an in a sz3-5jean so it works!!!
Were you taking 100 mg in am and 100 mg in pm?
Hi I'm new to this site and just started taking topimax. I'm on day 4 today, no bad side effects just soda being flat. I lost 1 lb yay! I'm only on 50 mg at night right now. I'm on topimax for bipolar and to help me lose weight because I've gained about 30 lbs trying out all the different meds. I'm hoping this is a game changer. Was it the first 2 weeks you lost the 15 lbs? Did you eat the same? Please help me answer these if you can. Thanks in advance.
It's normal for Topamax to make soda taste flat or metallic that usually wears off over time.
It is in your system for 24 hours so it doesn't really matter. It does take a little while to build up in your system though.(1-3 months) My doctor told me that i wouldn't see any real weight loss until you hit 100mg and he was correct. ( I'm on it for migraines) I'm currently on 250mg and I have been on topamax for 7 months and almost all the side effects are gone. The lack of appetite comes and goes for me now and at first it was all the time. Sometimes I can't even look at food and sometimes my appetite is completely normal. In 7 months I've lost 27 lbs and I have been holding steady for a while. I still have 50lbs to go. I have recently recognized these patterns and started counting my calories on the normal appetite days to kick my weight loss back up ( i hope it works) TAKE VITAMINS! when you don't feel like eating you don't get your nutrients and your hair starts to fall out. not pretty. good luck!!
I am currently taking 100mg for migraines. My doctor recommended that I take it at night. The bottle is labeled at causing dizziness and drowsiness. I can attest to both. My dosing instructions are clear to take it at bedtime.
I would call your doctor, or his nurse, and get some clarity, but those two side effects, could be a problem during the day.
As far as weight loss goes, there is no promise of weight loss, but many people have some while on Topamax. You milage will vary. Three weeks is not long enough to tell anyway. Wait 2-3 months, then you will know.
I hope this helps. Good Luck,
RonMan
Related topics
topamax, bulimia, weight loss (obesity/overweight), migraine prevention, seizure prevention, weight
Further information
- Topamax uses and safety info
- Topamax prescribing info & package insert (for Health Professionals)
- Side effects of Topamax (detailed)
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