Topiramate and Memory Loss: What Users Say (Page 4)

• max...
• June 23, 2009

Topiramate for Bipolar Disorder "Overall, Topamax has been a very positive attribute to my daily 'cocktail' of necessary medicines. It has assisted in stabilizing my mood and thus helped me to resume a semi-normal routine. As for side effects, I experience loss of memory that I am told is due to the Topamax and is fairly common. Although irritating at times, it is much more tolerable than my past existence."

• eob...
• November 17, 2007

Topiramate for Migraine Prevention "I have been taking Topamax for about 10 months now for migraine prevention. I have had several undesirable side effects, including irregular heartbeat, shallow breathing, tingling extremities, memory loss, and even hair loss. It helped only during the first few months, but now I get just as many migraines as before."

• Dmp...
• January 2, 2017

Topiramate for Migraine Prevention "Have taken 10 mg Topamax for 4 months. I thought I had found a preventative, but after 3 months my hair was shedding more than usual. Thought I was stressed out and overwhelmed with small kiddos and hubby deployed. My dermatologist didn't see anything very serious, like alopecia, so I continued. I began taking biotin and vitamins, but hair still kept coming out and my scalp was starting to show more. I stopped completely and only lasted 4 days before a migraine wanted to come on. Luckily, I took a rizatriptan in time to fight it off. Topamax worked beside the side effects of hair loss, forgetfulness, and some leg cramps. Has anyone had any luck with another migraine preventative?"

• sha...
• July 12, 2016

Topiramate for Migraine Prevention "I took this medicine because I was having severe headaches every day and tried everything. My doctor put me on Topamax, it will take your headaches away and remove the weight. I never felt bad, but I had a hard time remembering simple things, such as coworkers' names and what measuring cup to use for wet and dry items. I could never remember the words I needed to carry on a conversation. I stopped taking this medication because I could not function at my place of employment, not to mention the short-term memory loss and losing my hair was crazy. I truly think that so many people get caught up with being able to stay so thin that they keep taking it. I took 50 mg in the morning and 50 mg at night. Not worth it."

• rus...
• Taken for 1 to 2 years
• June 8, 2015

Topiramate for Migraine Prevention "I was prescribed Topamax as a migraine preventative and had a terrible experience from it. Not only did it fail to prevent migraines, it made me develop kidney stones. I had never had one before using this awful drug, which also made me feel constantly tired and forgetful. The worst part is that once you have kidney stones, your body is more susceptible to getting them again, and you most certainly will. For anyone unfamiliar with the pain from kidney stones, I can assure you it is sheer agony. And even worse is the hellacious migraine that lasts for days that comes along with it. It's so bad that even medicines like Imitrex won't work on it. There are blogs and websites which tell of the awful experiences people have had with this drug. Beware."

• AE6...
• Taken for 1 to 6 months
• September 28, 2015

For Migraine Prevention "Until three months ago, I thought I had tried it all. My doctor mentioned Topamax in a follow-up and asked if I'd be willing to try one more time. (I'd about given up.) I had just happened to be recovering from a horrific migraine from the night before that had me down with my ice packs and my trusty bucket for nine hours. So I said, 'Yes, gimme!' I'm still trying to decide if it was the best decision... My goal was 100mg a day, I haven't made it beyond 50mg yet. My side effects are tingling hands/feet, brain fog, thirsty ALL THE TIME, hot flashes, and forgetfulness. I went from 2-3 migraines weekly to about that monthly. So it DOES help, but the side effects are ridiculous, and they aren't going away. It's choosing the lesser of two evils."

• Enk...
• Taken for less than 1 month
• January 1, 2015

For Migraine Prevention "I have been on this medication almost two weeks, started out on 25 mg and working my way up to 100 mg, currently at 50 mg. No headaches at all so far, and I was having 2-3 crippling migraines a week. I have lost 5.2 lbs so far, but note I am really paying close attention to what I am eating. I have a lot of weight to lose, and if weight loss is a side effect, I want to help it along as much as I can. Now, other side effects, they are there. The word recall issues exist, the memory issues, the worst of it seems to be the vision disturbances. There have been times I have just not driven because I'm sure it would not have been safe. The good news is it seems to be wearing off... I have tons of energy, and I am in a great mood."

• Ama...
• March 12, 2011

Topiramate for Migraine Prevention "I suffer bilateral migraines and have been on Topamax for several years off and on now. I have mixed reviews. I LOVE Topamax because nothing else works for me. In fact, I was given Maxalt and Propranolol together and wound up in the hospital almost dead. You can NOT take those two together. All medicines have side effects, so does Topamax. I liked the weight loss in the beginning, but be careful with it. I lost 80 lbs and couldn't stop. I forgot to eat. Topamax makes me just not hungry. I have it fixed now and watch out for it, but it was very scary. The memory loss has been a problem at times, but has been funny too. I have not experienced the HOT they spoke of... I FREEZE ALL THE TIME!"

• Ean...
• Taken for 1 to 6 months
• September 12, 2019

For Migraine Prevention "I started on Topiramate at 25 mg for a week and then increased to 50 mg, 75 mg, and 100 mg. I experienced eye twitching, depression, mood swings, forgetfulness, and I couldn’t concentrate. I had trouble sleeping, I couldn’t remember words often, and I lost my sex drive (which I am very young, and that is not something that should happen). I am also very petite, and when I started taking this medication, I was 105 pounds, and I have since dropped to 97 pounds. My appetite has gone, food doesn’t taste the same, which doesn’t help. Also, there is a very strange side effect that makes all soda taste flat. I don’t get migraines or even the regular everyday headaches I would get, but these adverse effects are really very hard to deal with."

• All...
• Taken for 1 to 6 months
• June 10, 2016

For Migraine Prevention "After several concussions, I was left with months of daily, debilitating headaches that were ruining my quality of life. My neurologist prescribed me this medication for post-concussive syndrome-50 mg a day-and it has been a miracle drug! This medicine has given me my life back. I am much more mobile, less irritable, and overall happier. I've been on the medicine for about a month, though, and have seen a slight return of symptoms. I used to live off of over-the-counter painkillers, but this medicine has really helped to repair the damage to my brain after TBI. Was warned it would affect memory, but haven't noticed that as a side effect."

• evs...
• July 25, 2015

For Migraine Prevention "I have suffered from debilitating migraines for years and have tried to take different medicines and avoid triggers, and nothing worked until I used Topamax... so it seemed. I've been on a 100 mg dose for about 6 months and am currently weaning off it because I would rather die of migraine pain than live with the side effects of this terrible drug! (Yes, I know that's a big statement.) However, because of this drug, at the young age of 18, I have been dissolved into an 80-year-old woman. I can't remember anything, I went from an A to a D in math, I will completely forget life events and how I got places even when I was the one who drove, I am constantly dehydrated, yet always have a strong urge to urinate, causing me to wet the bed."

• chi...
• August 12, 2009

Topiramate for Seizure Prevention "Was taking this medication for a seizure disorder. I was on it for about 4 or 5 months, but had to go off of it because of all the side effects. I was extremely depressed, crying at least 7 or 8 times a day. Memory loss, could not sleep, tingling in feet and hands. The only good thing about it was I lost 32 lbs in about 6 weeks."

• Jen...
• May 14, 2017

For Migraine Prevention "I've been on this medication for a few months. Prescribed by a neurologist for my chronic migraines. I tapered on slowly and now take 50 mg am and pm. I usually got at least a few migraines a month with aura. I've had them my whole life. Some worse than others, some so bad I could've gone to the hospital. Since I've been on the meds, I have not had one migraine with aura. Just a few headaches could maybe be considered very mild migraines. A huge improvement. I've also lost 25 lbs. I have noticed I've been a little forgetful and have had some brain farts at work. The medication has given me really bad acid reflux that I'm still struggling with, and it's apparently pretty rare. Otherwise, it's been ok for me."

• jus...
• Taken for 5 to 10 years
• August 23, 2016

Topiramate for Migraine Prevention "I have been on Topamax for a little over 6 years. I started at 25 mg and slowly went up to 250 mg. I experienced the weight loss, tingling, and the other minimal side effects at the lower dose but was encouraged to stay on the meds. As I increased the dose, I started having hair loss, dizziness, and 'white outs' where I would not be able to see at all for up to 20-30 seconds at a time. I also started having the memory issues. I started seeing a new neuro and we dropped me down to 100 mg. The hair loss stopped, but I still get the vertigo. I am now down to 50 mg. I suffer from eye pain in my left eye and still the random dizziness-which is horrible. Weaning off of this, I do Botox injections now for preventative with some relief."

• Tri...
• Taken for 1 to 2 years
• July 18, 2021

For Weight Loss (Obesity/Overweight) "I started taking Topamax in 2010 for migraine headaches. My doctor slowly started increasing my dose to 100 mg daily. By the time I reached 50 mg, I noticed I had a hard time making simple choices. I did notice that I was losing weight, and this is something I always struggled with, so I looked past short-term memory loss issues. By the time I made it to 100 mg, I was losing 10 pounds a month with no dieting. I was also repeating myself in conversation. I went from 175 pounds to 140 pounds in 8 months. The last straw for me was sitting down for a final exam in college, and I could not spell the word SUGAR. I talked to my doctor and began weaning off over 3 months. Over six months, I went from 135 pounds back to my 175. The memory loss slowly abated, but now I felt depressed about the weight gain. I don’t know what happened to my metabolism during that period of time, but I am a CrossFitter/Peloton rider at least 5 days a week and watch what I eat. It’s been 10 years, and I haven’t lost it."

• Anonymous
• Taken for 1 to 2 years
• December 13, 2016

For Migraine Prevention "I have been on Topamax for a little over a year now to treat severe migraines. I started from 25 mg and slowly went up to 150 mg. I used to get 3-4 migraines a week, and now they are down to maybe once a month, if that. For that, it has been a lifesaver, but there are a few side effects. The tingling in the hands and feet went away completely after a few weeks on the final dose, but the mental fog is a side effect that stayed. I still have trouble concentrating and remembering things, especially details, and sometimes have trouble finishing a sentence. I am a student, and I used to get A's all the time, and now I can study for hours and will not get anything higher than a B. To me, this is a price to pay for being migraine-free."

• Mad...
• Taken for less than 1 month
• December 30, 2016

For Migraine Prevention "I've been taking this medication for a little under two weeks. To give you a background, I'll be 20 in a week and have had migraines with auras since I was about 10. I've had numerous prescription meds, from injections to triptans to hydrocodone, etc. I think topomax makes #13? Anyway, over the last year, my migraines have increased in frequency. I'm guessing because of the stress of college, but I get them every week, about twice a week, one right after another (triptans for me usually trigger another migraine). I've been dreading starting this medication, but finally decided to give it a go, as I'm on winter break, and quite frankly, this is all I have left to try. Literally half of my life has been consumed by this. Right now my right foot is tingling, and my chest hurts. I'm rather dizzy and have been forgetting things all week. I've felt super anxious and down all week, but I haven't had a migraine in 20 days. Sprite tastes flat, but I don't really drink soda apart from that, so I don't mind. So far, this is bearable. I noticed when I went up to 50 mg, the side effects increased, so I'm worried about when I increase to 75 and 100 mg, but we shall see."

• epa...
• Taken for less than 1 month
• February 3, 2017

Topiramate for Migraine Prevention "It worked, but the side effects were terrible, lasting, and possibly permanent. The worst of the side effects I experienced were a lack of taste and short-term memory loss. Over two years after taking this medication, I am still having issues with my short-term memory."

• Una...
• August 31, 2014

For Migraine Prevention "I've been suffering badly with migraines nearly every day for the past 18 months while sitting my GCSE exams, so it made it even more difficult as I couldn't concentrate. I was put on these tablets 2 months ago, and they have massively helped. While they have not gotten rid of the migraines completely, rather than having one every day and not being good for anything at all times, I tend to go weeks without one and just suffer with a migraine for 2-3 days, which I much prefer as I know that most days I will be fine. I have had most side effects, but they are manageable: pins and needles, memory loss, clumsiness, runny nose, sore throat, swollen joints, mixing words, tired all the time, unable to sleep a full night, lack of concentration, and more."

• Lrd...
• September 2, 2016

Topiramate for Migraine Prevention "This is my first time taking them. I already feel the tingling in my face, hands, and feet. This is a scary feeling, and just by reading the reviews, I'm already thinking of not continuing this medication. I'm all for weight loss, but hair loss and memory loss, OMG, that's too much. I just want to feel better. I've been battling migraine headaches since middle school, and now I'm 33. Something has to give."

• CM1...
• November 15, 2009

Topiramate for Migraine Prevention "I am 42 and have suffered with migraines since I was a teenager. When Imitrex came out, I thought that was a lifesaver, and it was. I used to get a migraine and have to go home and hide under the covers for a day or two, but Imitrex isn't a preventive like Topamax. The only side effects were in the first 2 weeks with subtle numbness and tingles and loss of short-term memory. The longer side effect has been the weight loss, but I had been overweight by 20 lbs anyway, so this has been a blessing! I look great and have only had a few minimal headaches since June."

• Kay...
• Taken for 1 to 6 months
• November 4, 2020

For Borderline Personality Disorder "This pill worked great at first, then I started eating less and less and becoming very forgetful and numb. Friends even asked why I was so quiet. I haven't felt so dissociated and weird in forever, would not recommend."

• Anonymous
• July 9, 2017

For Migraine Prevention "Great for migraine prevention, but not worth the side effects. Constant anxiety, panic attacks, insomnia, nerve zaps, tingling, numbness, visual disturbances, memory loss, brain fog, you name it. Ruined my life for a good month, and I was only on 50 mg. Currently tapering off and already feeling better!"

• ama...
• Taken for 2 to 5 years
• August 25, 2020

For Migraine Prevention "Been taking this topiramate for about 2 and a half years and in the process of finally tapering off of it. I'm not sure if it ever helped my headaches and migraines, it might have in the beginning, but they're definitely much worse now. It never seemed to help my bipolar disorder or helped me to lose weight either. It has given me absolutely terrible short-term memory. I also have a lot of trouble with conversations because of how the medicine causes me to talk or how forgetful I can be now."

• Anonymous
• April 9, 2009

Topiramate for Bulimia "I have been suffering with bulimia for five years. I am 22 years old and a college student, and I will take the memory loss, there is always spell check. I cannot describe the pain I go through, the guilt, the shame, and I never really thought it would get to this point, five years. I know someone's mom who is dying, who has had several organ transplants and has been bulimic for over 30 years. I don't want that to be me. I can't stop. I never wanted it to get this far. With Topamax, I am gaining weight. It works, it's like instant gratification."