Has anyone taken Topamax/Topiramate?

If so, please share your experience with it. :)

I did for quite a number of years. I don't know what you're taking it for, but if you're counting on it for weight loss, it doesn't have that affect on everyone.

Bipolar disorder, along with Wellbutrin. Blarg. I haven't really had any of those weird side effects I keep reading about. The weird memory stuff and all that. Appetite's definitely suppressed, but I've set my alarm to go off every three hours so I eat...I guess that means I'm titrating it slowly enough?

I took Topamax for migraines, and I gained weight while on it.  My doctor was shocked and told me that they are trying to market it as a weightloss drug.  So, I second what dharma_bum said, not everyone will lose weight on it.  I'm a prime example. :)

dig_memory issues were the main reason I went off the drug. My particular problem was word retrival. I knew there was a particular word I wanted to use, but I could never think of it. It drove me INSANE!! I think that's one of the more common side effects.

Yeah, I keep reading about the memory issues and the word retrieval problems, but I've been sharp as a tack. My appetite has been fine, and it has REALLY helped my compulsions. Then again, I must have those frontal lobe issues the doctors keep ranting and raving about.

One thing I wanted to know, though...I did have an episode of sleepwalking the other night, and wasn't sure if it was related to the medication. I haven't sleepwalked (slept..walked? no. sleepwalked) since the age of 5, and I hadn't taken any sleeping medication or anything! So strange!! It was pretty odd waking up in the middle of my living room with the urge to answer the door.....

lizzle

I took Topomax for only about 2 weeks.  It was for Bi-polar.  It gave me wretched stomach aches.  And when you are hurting you are not able to know your true emotional state, so I cant say if it helped with the mood stabilizing or not. 

If you are bi-polar and they offer you Gabitril? (spelling?)
RUN.  After only 2 weeks on Gabitril I was curled up on the floor, sobbing nearly constantly, unable to function and as deeply suicidal as I have ever been.  Only two things kept me from killing myself while on that.  One... the love for my dog, who kept licking my face to try and get me up off the floor.  Two... somewhere inside a very deep part of me, this 2% logic still remained and kept saying... its the drugs... its the drugs.   UGH.

Maybe adding all that was superlative, but I do not know why you are taking Topomax in the first place.  Rather tell too much then have someone suffer like I did. ~ Lost Artist
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I took it for weight loss.  It made me so sick, hedache nausea and I became STUPID!   I wouls suggest staying away from this drug if you are trying to use it for weight loss

My 12 year old takes this for seizure, my friend takes it for migraines.  I have tried Meridia and Buproprion for weight loss with no success.  I have to stop searching for external weight loss attainment and search inside of me.  I don't want a pill or a surgery.  I want to fix what is wrong with me on the inside; why I eat for emotional reasons rather than nutritional purposes.  That is broken.  A pill or surgery won't fix that.

:(

Kathy

...Mm'kay. Well I'm using it as a mood stabilizer adjunctively with Wellbutrin. Not weight loss. That's why this is in the lounge forum, not the weight loss forum. I haven't gotten any of those tingly side effects or the memory problems, but I did want to know if anyone had experienced sleep disturbances (similar to the sleepwalking episode) like I had.

I had severe nightmares on a nightly basis on one of the antidepressants I took, but I don't remember if it was Topamax or not.  I'm kind of thinking it was another one, but yes, I did have disturbed sleep.  I never sleepwalked, but the dreams were so intense that I had a very hard time falling and staying asleep.  I'm not one to be upset by dreams, but it was so wearing, and I was hardly getting any sleep.  I don't know it that helps you, but I do think there is a correlation between some medications and sleep disturbances.

dig_ya I knew you were asking for that reason. I never slept walked, but I did have several frightening hympnagongnic (sp?) hallucinations.

On Topamax, you have difficultly recovering from Stage 4 (or REM) sleep. Your synapses don't recover well, ergo the memory problems too.

I know a lot about this stuff, if they're are other things you want to ask, feel free to post in my journal.

What do you mean by recovering from stage 4 (or REM) sleep?  Recovering how? ~ Lost Artist
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I am on Topamax currently for migraines and it is a miracle drug for me. Along with Imitrex nasal spray (for the times when the migraines do slip through) my migraines are practically non-existant. I do experience a little bit of sleeplessness, and I have lost a little bit of weight (though not a HUGE amount, i'd say about 5 lbs)...but I think it's all worth it not to feel those migraines even 1/2 as much as i used to!

lost, I'll try and explain as best I can.

1) The reason Topamax is effective in the treatment of migranes: A migraine is often cause by neural networks becoming overly exited, most often by the result of a trigger, i.e. stress, flashing lights, fatigue, hormonal imbalance, pressure changes in the environment, etc. As a result of excitation, neurons fire more quickly and synaptic up-take and release is compromised. Topamax calms the neural network; it regulates and restores synaptic up-take and release.

2) As a result of this, Topamax (along with anti-psychotics in general) are effective in the treatment of depressive-spectrum disorders as well as epilepsy. As you may recall, depression is often associated with insuffiecient levels of neurotransmitters such as, serotonin, dopamine, neuropenephrin. Topamax et al (i.e. SSRI's) aid in keeping neurotransmitters in the synaptic clef longer.

3) The side-effects people are experiencing: paresthesia (pins + needles), somnolence (drowsiness, always tired), lack of taste and memory problems-these are all associated with the above issues.

What does this have to do with sleep and hypnagognic hallucinations?

Well, these are theories. The scientific method follows the princples of predictablility and verifiabiltiy, so scientists never know and it's difficult to establish cause + effect relationships, however:

Your ability to either fall asleep (think a limbo sleep, half asleep/awake) or recover from REM (you dream in rem sleep) is comprimised, somehow, by the drug altering the neurons in your brain. You can have muscle jerks and agitation, light flashes (you think you see things; this is a result of neuronal activity). There are voices/people in the room, or actual movement (I often thought I experienced my bed cover being ripped off me). This is what characterizes the hallucinations, and likely the sleepwalking that someone mentioned.

In fact, people who claim that they have been abducted by aliens, they often suffer from these sleep disturbances-or so it has been said.

Hope this helps!

*FYI: if you're are taking Topamax, absolutely do not drink alcohol.

Okay, Topamax seems to be helping my migraine pain...I also get seizures as well.  I just started Topamax as well.  The thing is, I have always been prone to hallucinations & they are becoming more vivid.  While this is not disturbing to me (spiritually & artistically), it has become more intense.  I have been dealing with a lot of stress & have been very sleepy in general.  The thing is, I suspect that I have Narcolepsy as well & it seems like my Narcolepsy symptoms are getting worse (which they have been in general).  I am concerned about my safety & productivy at work. Any recommendations I should discuss with my doctor?

Wayong

I'm on topomax as well to help control my bipolar II. The only real side effect I have is the short-term memory loss. I hate it. But I am so drug resistant, meaning I have tried so many different meds that haven't worked and topomax works wonders for me, I decided I would put up with and adjust to the memory loss.

I try and write down everything, for example appts and things I have to do everyday etc...in a datebook...

I never had the side effect of weight loss. That was disappointing!

That would have been a great side-effect for me.

A friend of mine lost 40 pounds on the drug without any life-style changes.

I just took a Topamax last night for the first time for anxiety issues, it kept me awake, I expected different results. I'm pleased that I seemed to tolerate this because several SSRI's didn't sit well with me. I would like to sleep however!!

I took topamax twice and both times it has affected my dreaming massively. I have always been a big dreamer with a minimum of about 5 dreams a night my whole life. The first time I took topamax was almost 2 years ago for migraines and I was having several violent dreams which until recently I did not connect to the topamax, during that time there were several odd things going on with me like the headaches for weeks violent dreams swelling of my head ect. that caused me to think I may have had a brain tumor being that I was already epileptic.  The head aches  didnt stop so I stopped the topamax because the last thing i need is more meds in my system, I went and got checked they never found ant signs of a tumor over the months the headaches stopped so I just kept on with my life, well in march my meds stopped controlling my seizures and we have been on a hunt through meds to see what will, 4 meds since then I sit here on Topamax, and let me tell you, I dream like crazy, I am dreaming none stop through the whole night, I am waking from dreams going to the bathroom, answering the phone, going back to sleep and going back into the dream I just left, I am having several lucid dreams in a night like they are normal, where befor I had only experienced 2 in my whole life and I am 29 years old. As interesting and amazing as I find it all I feel as though I have had no rest at all.

I have been on Topamax for about a year and a half maybe even longer...I cant remember lol. The memory issues were not a problem until the lat 8 months. They are really bad. I thought it was me until I started doing some research recently.  I sometimes want to break down and cry. I feel like I am completely stupid at times. i was once sharp as a tack no more. I was great a speller now half the time I have to look up words and thank god for T9 and word check. I was the one people use to come to to proof read their papers. I never could find the right words most of the time when I am telling a story. I say words that don't make sense to people and my kids. I get lost in my car to places I have been to numerous of times. Now people are asking me if I am okay that I just dont seem like myself. I dont seem like myself because i dont know how to be myself anymore. I am afraid to talk because I might say the wrong thing, get stuck on a word or stutter. I feel like I am losing it. I had to go over what I wrote here and there were soooo many mistakes. I started to cry over it. Its just not me. I want me back.

I was put on Topamax approx. 6 months ago and it has been great for me.  I have osteoarthritis and nerve damage in my left knee resulting from a hiking accident 3 years ago.  I do suffer from dry mouth, some sleepiness and do stumble for words at times.  But this medication is alot better for me than Lyrica.  Also, in 6 months, I have lost 25 lbs. while on this drug.  I have been on various medications and so far, Topamax has worked the best for my Chronic Pain.