Topamax/Topiramate Users? Here's my story - what's yours?

Topamax (Dramatic Weight Loss) Not good
Hello I started topamax as a migraine treatment I’m 5’2 and 100 pounds . I went from 120 to 100 pounds on that medication and I am not happy . I’m thankful for not having headaches but just dropping weight and looking sick to the point coworkers keep asking am I ok I don’t like so I asked my doctor to take me off as of today . I’m currently being titrate back off topamax safely and going to begin something else , I’m sorry but I actually want to gain weight not lose .

I am taking Topiramate for 3 years prescribed for anxiety.

I have less episode of burst into tears (though these 1.5 years stress increased a bit),less panic attack.

As for weight,I didn't gain but didn't lose.

I was 28 when I was prescribed topamax for weight loss. I started off on 25 mg, in which I had no severe reactions to besides some tingling in my feet and I always had to wear shoes or flip flops, no bare feet, because my feet felt weird if I walked on the ground barefoot. Then after 3 months I had only lost 3 pounds so my doctor increased the dose to 50 mg - that’s when all the issues arose. Only a few weeks after the dosage increase I started only sleeping 3-4 hours a night. Eventually I started having delusions and was submitted to the psych ward for bipolar disorder when I had never had any other manic episodes in my life. A painful year later, my psychologist finally believes that topamax brought on the psychosis and I do not have bipolar disorder. Beware, this drug caused me a TON of problems!!!

I have been on Topiramate 50mg morning and night since December. I have lost 30 pounds. Sometime in January, I stopped drinking cokes. They left a bad taste in my mouth. I couldn't stand it. Never had that happen. Sometime in March, I got to where I could not eat meat. Any kind of meat. Same thing. Has anyone experienced this affect from this drug?

I stopped taking 200 mg 2 months ago and my weight has gone up 10 pounds . It’s so depressing. Does Anyone know when it will stop. Thankfully I have my mind back !! It is bad stuff.

I was put on phentermine and topiramate by my PCP for weight loss. I’ve lost 31 pounds in a little over a month. I’m 65 years old, was a huge over eater, loved sweets and carbs. My doctor fussed at me when I went back after being on meds for not quite 3 weeks and had lost 21 pounds! Said I was losing too fast and needed to eat more. The meds took away my appetite as well as my carb and sweet cravings. He said I could stay on the topiramate indefinitely but would need to stop the phentermine but I asked him if I might be able to take the phentermine every other month as I thought that is what gives me the energy to get stuff done around the house instead of sitting watching tv. He said he’d think about it but he really thinks the topiramate is what’s working for my weight loss. I also try to walk at least a half mile on the treadmill each day and I don’t eat very much. Still don’t have much of an appetite going into almost month 3 on topiramate! I am at 31 pound loss and want to lose 20 more. I feel great and hope I never have to get off this medication.

Hello, so I have seizures, bipolar and ptsd, and my psychologist decided to put me on Topamax as off label for ptsd. I started with a little numbness in my legs and arms that would come and go, it wasn't bad and I expected the side effect. I never had a loss for words lol I'm just a constant debater. No siezures in a year since starting and I'm 5'8" started at 182 lbs and I'm down to a healthy weight of 130lbs... I feel great, my children see a difference in me and my husband and I are best friends again! Topamax is a great drug for me... In my opinion

I just started topamax 25 mg at night for weight loss a week ago today and I've lost 6lbs. Only side effects I've noticed was that I'm very tired but that nothing, I'm just excited to be losing weight with out the jitters!! I've been watching for other side effects thank God nothing serious so far.. Will update next week

I was on topamax for 2 years, it helped my migraines but never lost any weight at all. It does make you loose your train of thought and can't get the words out. It caused my face to get numb and tingly only at 50 mg so I had to stay at 25mg then I got fed up with feeling like a zombie. I could be watching tv and couldn't tell you what I was watching so I quit. I'm thinking about restarting it though because my migraines are back and I've been living on Tylenol which does nothing for them. I too have anxiety and panic attacks which started 8 months ago due to vertigo attacks.

Wow. reading all this drug Topiramate can cause, worries me, was just prescribe this today, by a pain management Doctor, 25 mg. I have had terrible pinched nerve pain from a bulging disk in my lower lumbar,encroaching on a nerve that can be felt in my hip!!! I just had 2 sessions of transdermal epideral steroid injections and still no relief. So the Dr. wanted to try me on a non narcotic drug, Topiramate, sounds pretty narcotic to me, why would he say that? Unless maybe in comparison to Viox? But I too, am on Effexor 75mg for Panic Attacks/Anxiety. So I am concerned... there is nothing worse than those Panic Attacks!!! I need to lose 20 lbs to be at a healthy weight, so this would be a plus for me. But the memory thing, loss for words, that's going to be weird, I hope I don't get that and look like some idiot out there in this cruel world!!! Best of luck to all of us out there!!!

I was the migraine queen. I thought I was alone in the world with no end in sight. Then my shrink put me on Topomax as a mood stabilizer. Now at that times I was still under the care of a Nuerologist,

In five months I lost 130 pounds and never had a headache let alone a migraine. A year later my Nuerologist happened to come in my office and looked at me for a minute... then she realized who I was. I never went back to see her after I went on Topomax:) I explained what had happened and she smiled from ear to ear. She then explained to me that she had just begun treating her patients with it as well.

Since then... 2003 I have had maybe 4 breakthru headache/migraines. I have been able to treat them at home with motrin and dark room.

I love this med.

Peace:)

Hello well I started this medication about five weeks ago 25 mg working. Up to 100mg a day and alredy went from 152 down to 138 seems a lot people see a difference but I don't see a huge difference and I am 5'3. I started this medication for migranes and I feel WAY!! Better and no hairloss just regular everyday girl thing. HAVE IN MIND PLENTY COLD WATER ALL DAY LONG. You do that and am sure you'll see weight shed. Well good luck shedding those pounds :).

I've used Topamax several times in the past, and my husband uses it now. Neither one of us has had luck losing weight with it. Sorry :( , but everyone is different. My weight problems are not from over eating, so I never thought that it would help me with the fluid, but my hubby has about 20 extra pounds on him from a car accident, and although it helps his migraines tremendously, he hasn't lost weight. good luck though!!