Topiramate for Bipolar Disorder User Reviews (Page 2)

• l8rsbby
• Taken for less than 1 month
• September 15, 2015

"I'm ultra-ultra rapid cycling bipolar II and bul. been thru 6 mood stabilizers / APs / AAPs. My experience on those was disastrous.Lithium made me more suicidal, lamictal made me binge, destroyed my memory, didn't help my mood, seroquel put 20 #s on me and made me a zombie, didn't help my mood, latuda and abilify made me shake. I was terrified of weight gain on depakote/valproate/risperdal. I was at my wit's end, suicidal, and terrified that I wasn't going to live to my 33rd birthday, then I found NIH considers Topamax to be a mood stabilizer so I asked my pdoc about it. Within a week at 50 mgs I had a full day where I didn't cycle at all. I woke up feeling okay and stayed that way all day. I didn't cycle at all. Things are looking good!"

• roymu...
• May 21, 2016

"Was initially prescribed for weight loss and it started working on day one for that, also levels out mood swings and gives me a slight boost in energy, so far no memory or cognitive impairment, side effects are occasional light headedness when I stand up and occasional numbing in hands and feet, and decreased thirst, 25mg twice a day"

• Anon
• Taken for 1 to 6 months
• November 6, 2016

"Following on from previous comment, I forgot to mention this medication is working wonders for my alcohol dependency. I used to drink an entire bottle of wine a night, now I have one or two very small glasses! It's incredible for someone with a long documented history of alcohol abuse. Marvellous stuff!"

• Karley
• Taken for 6 months to 1 year
• June 23, 2015

Topamax (topiramate) "I was diagnosed with bipolar depression about a year ago. I have been on topamax for that as well as migraine headaches for 8 to 9ish months now. The migraines went away, and I have lost about 40 pounds since taking Topamax! The only downfall is hair loss. I highly warn anybody taking this drug not to miss a dose or try weaning yourself off, because I have done both and ended up with very bad mood swings and will be crying on the floor one minute, then raging and angry, then it will be as if nothing happened."

• snack...
• May 11, 2010

Topamax (topiramate) "This is a fantastic medication. The day I was prescribed it and started taking it was nothing short of a miracle. I had never heard of anything like it before. I had been on and off trials of anti-depressants like Zoloft, Wellbutrin, Zypreza, etc for years and none of them did anything for me. This was an entirely different class of medication and the new psychopharmacologist I had told me so before he gave it to me. When it kicked in after several weeks I literally felt it one day while riding the bus. I was trying to have one of those negative, anxiety-ridden feelings and a flush just came over me that downgraded that sensation. The only drawback is that this medication completely stopped working for me after one and a half years."

• life...
• April 5, 2010

Topamax (topiramate) "I had hit rock bottom and I finally went to someone who knew what they were talking about. They put me on Topamax and I am fine now thanks to my doctor. Thank you to everyone who cared enough to pay attention to my well-being."

• Emmylou
• June 8, 2019

"I've been on Topamax about 20yrs for Bi-Polor. I went on it as a trail and I can honestly say I've never looked back. I take 400mg each morning, although I'm meant to take it in 2 separate doses, 200mg in the morning and 200mg at night, which I have never done. I came off it briefly when during my two pregnancies, although when I did get pregnant I was still on it and was concerned about birth abnormalities. Both of my babies were born perfect. My GP weaned me off it in both pregnancies during the 1st month after I found out I was pregnant. I was concerned about side effects of coming off it, but I didn't any. After both my babies were born I suffered with post-natal depression and went straight back onto it, meaning I was unable to breastfeed, but I knew I had to feel well to be a Mum. 20 years on I still take Topamax, its my life line, without it, or if I take it a couple of hours late I'll get a headache. Yes my hands and feet are always cold but to feel mentally stable is worth that!"

• bentl...
• June 25, 2011

Topamax (topiramate) "Topamax helps tremendously with mixed bipolar and rapid cycling. However I was an athlete at the time, rode cycling and a psychiatric nurse, I went from 120 to 105. This was not a bad experience for me. My manager illegally pulled me in her office and told me, granted she is not even an RN and told me I had anorexia and an eating disorder and illegally discriminated against me to stop me from working with eating disordered patients. My doctor even told her I was normal and healthy, just solid muscle. PS. Have you ever seen a serious road cyclist have an ounce of fat on them? "

• TCraz...
• Taken for less than 1 month
• May 29, 2014

"I'm going into my third week on Topamax. For the twelve years previous to this medication, I was treated vigorously for clinical depression. (Clearly, to no avail.) My 'mood spikes' as my husband and I lovingly call them are already beginning to subside. My toes, fingers and nose do tingle, and now that my dose is doubled (third week, time to titrate up), I'm definitely losing my appetite. (I have a few pounds to spare, so I'm not mad about it!) I hope to update this page again in a month or so to let you know how the medication is going then. After being on every anti-depressant the market has ever seen, it's a God-send to have FINALLY been pointed in the right direction. (I'm 30 years old, married with a 2 year old)."

• Best4...
• February 2, 2009

Topamax (topiramate) "I have a daughter that was suffering severely with Bipolar Disorder (started at age two and was diagnosed at age 12), which included severe anger, depression and mania. We had tried her on nearly every other Bipolar medicine on the market, with no results. We took her completely off every other drug, and started her on Topamax as a solitary treatment and within 30 days she was a new person, and has been stable on Topamax now for over 5 years. We started at 25mg and worked our way up until we had the proper dose. At age 19 she takes 200 mg per day...100mg in the morning and 100mg in the evening."

• Penny...
• Taken for less than 1 month
• August 19, 2017

"I was prescribed Topamax for my Bipolar as a mood stabilizer and because all my Paych meds have a side effect of weight grain and I had put on 60lbs in the last two years. So when my Dr. told me Topamax had weight LOSS as it's side effect I was beyond excited to try it and it has been nothing but smooth sailing. I was started at 25mg at night and moved up 25mg every week until now, three weeks in, when Im currently on 75mg and have lost 10lbs already! At 3+lbs a week! What this drug has done for me is curb my sugar and fast food cravings while eliminating my emotional eating and cutting my normal appetite in half. I've stopped all my addictions and binge eating even Alchohol. No bad side effects, but I am closely monitoring just incase..."

• fghyj...
• July 2, 2008

Topamax (topiramate) "I have been off and on Topamax for about 5 years now and I must say that it works better for bipolar mood stabilization than any other one out there. The one thing I love the most about this medicine is that it is helping me lose weight. They need to put in the time to verify that this drug is in fact a mood stabilizer because it certainly does help with bipolar disorder."

• nypeach
• November 17, 2009

Topamax (topiramate) "I've been taking Topamax for two months and the weight loss is great, but that's because everything taste's gross. I'm tired a lot and have to work hard to focus. But I can finally sleep at night and feel rested. After reading some of the other comments I now understand why my fingertips sometimes feel numb or weird. I'm still not sure if the weight loss, better sleep are worth the disgusting taste in my mouth and the feeling sometimes that I just want to burst into tears (although that could be just because I work so hard and I'm still broke)."

• DLano
• March 9, 2018

"This is the second time I have been on topamax, the first time was two years ago and I must say it helped me out a lot. I got sober, started eating healthy and working out, my mind was quiet and I was feeling a lot better. I suffer with depression, ocd, bed, bed, bipolar disorder (bpd) post traumatic stress disorder (ptsd) - catastrophizing in my head is a huge thing I like to do or just worrying. Anyways I became mindful and felt amazing and happy, I’m sure not all of this was from the topamax but it helped me get started but for some reason I was itching so I got off . This time I am on qudexy xr 200 mg for bpd/ptsd/mood/urges/motivation/energy/binge eating disorder I am noticing a good start again. more energy, getting up early, more motivated, mind distracted so I’m not in my head so much ( I am 34 and I sit home, don’t work, obsess about everything in a panic distressing state 24/7 everyday so the fact that I’m even getting out the house again is amazing."

• Anonymous
• March 17, 2012

Topamax (topiramate) "I was diagnosed with bipolar seven years ago and have basically been on Topamax along with Welbutrin the whole time. I have not really experienced the weight loss. I do feel fatigued and have been feeling very angry lately. I also feel sort of zombied out."

• Hopeful
• March 1, 2017

"I've been on Top. 50mg BID for about 3 weeks now. Let me tell you...!!! Psychosomatic or not it worked within days! I was never diagnosed with this bipolar yet my hubby always joked saying I was. I'm not too manic. I have anger, anxiety and procrastination issues. But I work my ass off and do my wifely/motherly/grandma duties. So I didn't realize how truly bad off I was till for some reason decided to try it when offered it . I'm actually a lil more comfortable in social atmospheres now than I ever have! I can get up with a plan and actually get stuff done! There was an invisible wall blocking me. I have a lot of pain that I can't afford to look into further tho. So far so good. The pins and needles suck."

• Jeani...
• October 13, 2017

"I have been on Topamax twice now. I don’t typically write reviews for medications, in fact, I never have. I took Topamax at 100mg along with Lamicital 100mg for Bipolar, I slowly titrated off my meds because my doctor and I thought I possibly could function without them. Bad idea. I spiralled into a terrible manic episode where I was sleeping less than 2 hours a night, even on high doses of Ambien and Lunesta. I finally was put back on Topamax 200mg this time and it has saved my life. I feel better than ever. Initially I was put back on 100 mg and I felt better, began sleeping 3-4 hours a night within a week. Went up to 200 mg and within 2 days was sleeping 9 hours a night and my racing thoughts and anxiety had completely gone away"

• Andrea
• Taken for 1 to 6 months
• February 17, 2016

"I am triating up to a dose of 300mg for PTSD. I've had no fuzziness or other issues, I'm sharp as ever and I've lost about 15 lbs so far, I was a muscular 140 lbs at 5'1", about a size 8 and now I'm about 126, still losing and down to a 6. I'm about to make the step up to 200mg. I went up in weekly steps of 25mg. My doctor told me this was best and that there is a serious skin condition and an eye disease that can result from jumping up to a high dose too quickly, so I suggest asking your doctors about a slow triation to achieve maximum benefit and avoid fogginess."

• Thank...
• November 27, 2015

"I took this drug for two reasons. First to stop drinking so much and secondly to iron out my highs and lows. Let me say it worked wonders on both fronts. But getting to the sweet spot on the dosage is tough. On the way to the 150 mg daily dose which seemed to even me out and make me act right, it was super tough. I was more low. Suicidal even and I could give a damn about anything. But I know once I got to 150 mg. I'd stick to my plan of not drinking and be much more motivated and optimistic. It's nothing short of miraculous. The sad state of affairs is about a year and half in I developed some liver issue. Was it this drug? Was it something else? Who knows, but I had to go off. Ode to how much life sucks without this chemical optimism!"

• Calisto
• Taken for 1 to 6 months
• September 19, 2019

"Yes!! I'm almost 40 years old and have been diagnosed with Bipolar since I was 16 years old. I've been on SO many different antipsychotics that never helped with anything but weight gain. FINALLY, I'm on a great medication - Topiramate that has stabilized me!! I've only been taking it about 4 months but so far it's the best med for me. I do suffer some side effects, the worst being the painful tingling in my feet, but it's worth it to not be on that bipolar roller coaster or that dark downward spiral anymore."

• pharm...
• February 23, 2009

Topamax (topiramate) "Only recently has the makers of Topamax been disclosing the potential risks of Acidosis, Renal Tubular Acidosis and bone disease. After being on this drug for 6 years or so, I developed kidney stones (another side effect) on five different occasions. My urine citrate levels dipped to 18. 550 and higher is normal. I had become so ill, I was close to renal failure. Calium and vitamine D levels were dangerously low. My bones developed osteomalasia, or softening of the bones. "

• kurly...
• June 11, 2009

Topamax (topiramate) "I was on Lithium Carbonate for 15 years and never felt like a "normal" human being. I felt like a zombie. When I was told by a new psychiatrist to pick out a new medicine for my bipolar illness, I chose Topamax even though it is an off-label treatment for bipolar disorder, it seemed to have the least amount of side affects and I feel WHOLE again. I have been on Topamax for 15 years (I think) and the only adverse effect I have is decreased sweating in hot weather."

• Anonymous
• October 8, 2009

Topamax (topiramate) "Topamax is the only medicine that works for me, I am willing to live with the side effects to keep from going up and down. The worst side effect for me has been trouble comprehending, and mild memory loss. When I lowered the dose from 400 to 100 I don't have comprehending or memory problems now. The great part about Topamax is weight loss, and not gaining weight."

• liber...
• March 7, 2011

Topamax (topiramate) "I have taken this for about a year. I have lost about 40 lbs. I am taking it to help depressed moods. I also have to take the brand and not the generic. I will have late onset asthma with the generics and other unpleasant side effects. I tried more than once to use generics but it won't work. So , give it a try if you can afford the brand name. IT makes a big difference. I also found that all my migraines disappeared while taking this. What a relief that was. "

• Anonymous
• September 14, 2009

Topamax (topiramate) "Works wonders on rapid cycling. I really love this medicine. I know it is off label for bipolar, but wow! I take it with another mood stabilizer, antipsychotic and a when required antipsychotic and antidepressant, and it has stabilized my Ultradian cycling that is so hard to treat. I feel normal again. I take 150mg. Also can work in conjunction with other common weigh gainer medicines to cancel out the weigh gain effect - just a tip."