Topamax sucks

biochick · 11-17-2008, 05:26 PM

I am three and a half weeks into taking Topamax for migraines. Has anyone else been on it? I haven't had any migraines since I've been on it, but the side effects suck. For the first week, I was essentially a drunken zombie. I had to take three days off of work, and I should have taken more. I've been super tired and weak, haven't seen a gym in almost month, I miss it. What's really bugging me now is one of the side effects is anorexia. Not just a decrease in appetite, but anorexia. My body will not let me eat. If I force myself to eat, it comes right back up. If I can get 500 - 1000 calories in me per day, it's a good day. Needless to say, I'm pretty weak. I'm down four pounds in three weeks. I don't have that much more to lose. I've heard of people who have lost 30 pounds on this stuff. My brain is functioning slower than usual too. I can interact with people, but not at the level I am used to. I'm going back to the doctor on Thursday, hopefully he will have some advice for me. Just needed to vent. Thanks for listening.

BadBarbie · 11-17-2008, 05:34 PM

They give me imatrex and perkacet (sp?) for my migraines. only the pain killers work. No migraine meds do.
They wanted to put me on topamex but I hear it doesn't work very well

biochick · 11-17-2008, 05:40 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by BadBarbie

They give me imatrex and perkacet (sp?) for my migraines. only the pain killers work. No migraine meds do.
They wanted to put me on topamex but I hear it doesn't work very well

I have Imatrex for when a migraine hits, topamax is to make them come way less often, which it is doing. I have also started seeing a chiropractor, which has figured out why I have been getting migraines in the first place. I was in an accident when I was little, which reversed the curvature of my spine. It is causing a lot of tension in the muscles in my neck and shoulders, which can cause migraines. Hopefully another month or two with him and I can get off this stupid drug. My chiropractor said he has never met a headache that he couldn't fix. I was actually starting to get a migraine (the first one since getting on Topamax) when I had an appointment with my chiropractor last week. He made it go away, no drugs needed.

BadBarbie · 11-17-2008, 05:41 PM

Massage therapy makes them go away as well. It's just expensive as hell if your insurance isn't covering.

biochick · 11-17-2008, 05:42 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by BadBarbie

Massage therapy makes them go away as well. It's just expensive as hell if your insurance isn't covering.

My insurance does cover it, I start on Wednesday. I can't wait.

Robby99999 · 11-17-2008, 06:01 PM

I took it for 3 years as an adjunct mood stabilizer for bipolar disorder.

I was on 300mg most of the time. A couple times, I was on 400mg. For the last year I took it, I took only 100-150mg.

I didn't have much (if any) side effects overall. The only issue I had with it was minor cognitive & coordination problems at the higher doses.

As far as appetite suppression, I didn't get that side effect.

The medication, at one time, had clinical trials run to try to get it approved for weight loss. However, it wasn't because many of the people in the trials had to stop due to side effects.

Oh, and if you stop taking Topamax, and you later try it gain, don't expect weight loss from it. It's only a one time thing (if you get it).