Any Mommies Out There Using the Drug Topomax??

Migraines are the worst! I suffer from migraines 3-5 days a week where I'm throwing up at least one of the days. I tried topomax and still had the migraines just not as bad and still needed to take Midrin when I had the migraines. It's hard enough to function with a headache/migraine and taking topomax made me forget and feel so tired. There was a day I missed taking the topomax due to sleeping the migraines off and the next morning I had never felt so sick in my life from a migraine not to mention how much pain I was in. I no longer take topomax. I decided to deal with it, find my triggers, see my chiropractor when I have a migraine and instantly he gets rid of it, and also just started taking feverfew (my chiropractor recommended it). So far I have only had 1 day down this whole week!

Good Luck!

I have been taking topomax for migranes for nearly 2 years and the side effects have been very mild. I had some tingling in my hands and feet pretty often whane I started taking it and each time my dosage was raised, also some loss of apetite. As a full time working mom, research chemist, with 2 small children at home to take care of, I could not afford to be down with migranes several days a week. Topomax has really been a lifesaver for me. I have not had any eyesight problems, loss of energy, or memory issues, and my dose is just enough to control the headaches.

I know this is a rare side effect of topomax but my sister in law took it and now she get kidney stones from time to time. Also, my MIL said that it changed her personality. She would space out and be like a zombie.

Hi B.,
I too suffer from chronic migraines, I have had a permanent headache since Dec. 28, 2008 and I am somewhat able to control it so that it only gets to migraine level about once a week, but still the pain is always there. I am seeing a pain doctor and he tried to give me topomax, but it caused to many problems with my birth control so I didn't take it. The guy that I'm dating is on it for seizures and he has had all the side effects that you listed, his short term memory is horrible, he can't finish sentences, he even calls them his stupid pills- "oh it's time to take my stupid pill". I am currently taking Neurontin,Tramadol and Flexeril three times a day (I know it seems like a lot but they are all small doses and since my constant headache/migraine is not caused by a chemical imbalance in my body it is caused by degeneration in my neck and back- my C1 and C2 are almost sitting on eachother and the natural curve of my neck is down to 24 degrees, where normal is 40) I found that the Neurontin is helping at least keep the pain at a level where I can still function, with minimal side effects. when I first started this medication combo with the three I was getting tired and dizzy and that lasted about a week and now I have no side effects. You might want to try the Neurontin (also a seizure medication used to treat migraines like Topomax but with none of the crazy side effects). I'm also going to a chiropractor three times a week for adjustments and that seems to help a little bit too. I hope you find something that helps you, I know the pain and suffering you are going through and it's horrible.
Best of luck,
Take care,
H.

Are you looking for alternatives?

God Bless!

J.

Hi B.,

I've had several patients who developed bad side effects to Topomax. But as the other moms have said, you have alternatives. Acupuncture works REALLY well for most migraine sufferers, especially if you get some appropriate herbs to help the treatment along. Homeopathy also. I know two homeopaths in Texas...what is the closest large city to your location?

Be well,
S. I., L.Ac., HMA
Lotus Wellspring Healthcare
456 E. Mission Road, Suite 100
San Marcos, CA 92069
###-###-####
____@____.com
www.lotuswellspring.com

The sounds terrible. I am sorry for your situation! I have a walnut sized tumor in my head which causes headaches, overall pain and an annoying tick! I have been on medications like this for years. My Neurologist believes it is not an appropriate drug for me because of my children. I do drug therapy and Accupuncture weekly, sometimes more than once. I am very relaxed after a session. Have you considered this?

Good Luck!

My husband had a migraine that lasted for 15 days and they gave him Topomax. It completely changed his personality. He started losing his temper a lot and he said he could not control his anger, even though he knew it wasn't reasonable. The littlest things would set him off and that is out of character for him. We had the doctors take him off of it and his personality went back to normal. Good luck.

I also suffer from Migraines. My doctor recommended Topomax. This has been an education.

I have a friend that swears by Zomig. She said she tried so many things and nothing ever worked but that.

Please let me know what works for you, if possible!

Good luck.

I had the same situation-migraines, each lasting 1-3 days, about 4 times a week. Because of the headaches, I was not able to be a good mother to my son. The headaches themselves are debilitating. I am not in favor of taking medication for fun, because they CAN have side-effects, but my quality of life was terrible, so I gave it a try. The worst that could happen was it didn't work, or I didn't like it, and I would stop.

As with ANY medication, Topamax has side-effects, which may or may not be present or significant with any person taking them, and at the dosage prescribed. With me, the headaches, and their impact on my life, were significant enough to give the drug a shot. It worked, famously. I have virtually no side effects, though I noticed some slight tingling in my hands the first week or two I was on it. As another responder noted, most doctors will slowly increase the dosage of the drug until it reaches a point where it works well on the headaches, and then stop (as side-effects are more likely to show up the higher dosage you take). If you have side-effects (and I don't), you may have to decide at what point the dose is at a good balance for you - where it stops enough of the headaches, but doesn't cause more side-effects than you can tolerate.

For me, the headaches interfered with my ability to be a mother much more than the Topamax, and I felt it was my responsibility as a mother to do something about my medical condition, which was making me a poorer parent. Migraines run in my family (which also happens to be a family of doctors) and I know there are a lot of options for migraine treatment out there. You may have to try a few things before you find something that works well for you, both in terms of efficacy for the migraines and side-effects. Though I am not a physician, my understanding is that Topamax is one of the things that works for a lot of people very well. If you headaches are as bad as you say (and I can certainly understand-been there!) why not give it a try? Ask you doctor, but side-effects tend not to be permanent-if you don't like it, you can always discontinue it and try something else. Medications are meant to improve our quality of life, not to worsen it. If you try it and the side-effects are worse than you can tolerate, then stop, and consult with your doctor about other options.

Good luck!

I took Topomax for several years to control my almost daily migraines. It was extremely effective. It did deaden my sense of taste and make my tongue extremely sensitive to spicy foods and mints. It did not make me sleepy or lethargic. Unfortunately I was among the small percentage of people who formed a kidney stone, and I discontinued. Since then I have been on Depakote and gabapentin, which have not been as effective. I think it may almost be worthwhile to go back on the Topomax and deal with the kidney stones. It really took care of the migraine problem.

B., have you looked at the cause of your migraines? I believe in education not medication.
What triggers them?
What are you eating?
What are you doing/working/palying?
Where are you?
What are you wearing (even the type of shoes)?
What kind of lighting are you in?
Are you undergoing stress?

I hope your neurologist has asked you these questions, but they are only trained to prescribe drugs based on your symptoms. Have they offered you any other options other than drugs? Food changes, exercise, changing your glasses (sunglasses included)...so many options.

Have you spoken to health professionals who can help you naturally? Maybe help you change your diet or your habits. I have seen a laudry detergent be the culprit!!!

B., for years I too suffered from blinding pain that had me curling up like a baby in the dark. I too was prescribed medication that made me foggy, groggy and sick. Sure no pain, but I knew at the age of 35 I could not live like that forever. I couldn't do that to my kids. I made a choice. I chose to take care of my health, i let my doctor monitor my sickness. My blinding pain DID NOT come from a healthy place so I knew I needed to get healthy to see if that would help.

I started on a wonderful nutritional cleansing program, I had a coach, a success team and most of all I now had the tools to take control of my health. 4 months later, not only did I release over 40 pounds, no more dark rooms in the middle of the day necessary. I could type without stopping to rub my hands. I could play full on with my kids and most importantly, I was thinking more clearly than I had in years.

B., talk to me. Maybe my story can help you too.

B.
Family Wellness Coach

Hi B.,

I've been using Topamax for over 5 years now, for treatment of migraines, and I SWEAR by it. It was a God send for me. I, like you, was very hesitant at first about all the listed side effects. I even worked for a pharma company that sold against it at one point, and we used to nickname it "dopamax". However, it worked!!! Yes, I experienced side effects IN THE BEGINNING. However, after about the first month of use, they dissipate. The side effects were MILD and they were worth the relief!!!!! Following were the side effects I experienced: tingling in my fingers and toes; taste buds were off (mostly noticed this with sodas and salad dressings); memory in that I found myself searching for the right word a lot, but not necessarily a total memory lapse - does that make sense?.

Mind you, everyone responds to medications differently, so this is just my story. But again, it was a lifesaver!!! Migraines were ruling my life it seemed, prior to this treatment route, and this neuro. I was seeing one neuro that had me on so many different pain meds trying to manage my constant headaches and migraines, that when I switched Dr's, this neuro actually had me "detox" for a whole weekend prior to starting the Topamax. Sure enough, I experienced the physical effects of withdrawal, like any druggie would - it was scary to realize that a licensed Dr was prescribing all that to me, and I trusted him! After getting those drugs out, and the Topamax in my system, within a couple months, I was a new person! I now only get a 1-2 migraines/YEAR!!! :)

I stopped it immediately upon discovering I was prego. However, my headaches returned with a vengeance. So, once I was through my 1st trimester, with the OK from my OB and my Neuro, we re-started the Topamax (Class C for pregnancy). I even participated in a study tracking the use of Topamax in pregnant woman, and the possible effects. The study followed my sons health through to his 6mo check-up, I believe. Again, I had no problems. My son was full term, full size and healthy! :)

I'm sure you'll have many people that will read this and tell you about all the evils of prescription meds. However, in some cases, they really can be beneficial. Remember though, every body responds differently to every medication. I would suggest that you at least give a try. You have the knowledge - you know what to look out for - you can call it quits whenever you want. Your Dr should have you titrate up to the higher level (begin at a smaller dose and work your way up), which will also help with any side effects. Just remember to give your body some time to adjust to the med before you decide that it's not worth it. Think of it like a pair of shoes that you have to break in! :)

OK, I'm stepping off my soapbox... :) I hope you find the relief you are looking for, regardless of whether or not you try the Topamax. The migraines are MISERABLE!!

Take care,
H.

I was taking Topomax for about 6 months. The side effects are true...I did lose short term memory, have muscle spasms, numbness, and blurred vision. BUT....it DID get rid of my migranes! I was also prescribed Zomig for the SEVERE migranes I would get to get FAST relief. Zomig works TOO! But for whatever reason Zomig made my head burn (felt like my scalp was on fire). So I quit taking them...because that side effect was more bothersome than the side effects from Topomax.
I eventually was able to wean myself from the Topomax and today am migraine free!
I DO think Topomax works (did for me), but it all depends on if you want to deal with the annoying side effects. It's like get rid of PAIN from the Migraines and get annoying "things" instead or deal with the Pain!?!
The good thing about Topomax is you gradually increase the dosage to see what works for you. Fortunately, I didn't have to take a strong dose in order for it to work for me.

Good luck to you.

i don't use it..but there was a time in my life i was having bad headaches and the only thing that helped me was Serrapeptase ..you can order it through ebates.com at www.vitacost.com for around $13 ...google it..all natural..the problem turned out to be perfume..i can't wear perfume ...it was this brand Hana Mori (sp?) that's the one was using and it was ruining my life..so if you wear perfume or have some strong scents around that could be it..but if not try Serrapeptase and also relaxation yoga..u can get a dvd at Borders ..do it at night..and you won't have a headache the next day

D.

Both my daughter age 25 and son age 24 use topomax for migraines. The only side effect my daughter had was losing too much weight. My son had no side effects at all.

I know I'm very late in responding to this, but better late than never right?

The ER doctor prescribed it to our son who was getting migraines. He never had them before. I immediately noticed the change in his personality. This medication changed his happy personality to a dark and lethargic teen just starting high school. I did not like it one bit. Took him to a chiropractor instead and the headaches stopped immediately. Also, the anxiety associated with starting high school contributed greatly. I hope you decided to seek alternative care to stop those migraines. I recommend a chiropractor or an accupuncturist. Good luck.

Eeeek is right.
Wow, I would not use it. But again, I don't get migraines 4 times a week.

In the past, I got pregnancy related migraines... and the ONLY thing that helped me was Acupuncture.
You might try that route if you have not tried it yet.
It was the only thing that got rid of my migraines, completely.

Acupuncture is actually pretty 'relaxing.' It has helped my other friend who gets bad migraines as well.

All the best,
Susan

sorry about the migraines. i WAS also a sufferer. i was on another med - it was $25 a pill but i needed them! one day someone gave me an excedrin because i was dying and not at home with my meds. within 15 minutes, my migraine was gone! i had suffered for years! i don't know if this will work for you but please appreciate it when i tell you that i was a major sufferer. you know in the bed for 3 days. lights off. unable to care for my kindergartener and 2nd grader. no noise. etc. just at least try it. i used extra strength - not even the migraine type. but you do what you think is right. peace.

Hi B.,
I'm sorry to hear about your migraines. Have you tried seeing a chiropractor? I have helped several patients with migraine's and chronic headaches. I would recommend you find a trusted doctor in your area and have an evaluation with him/her.
Good luck and many blessings,
C. Tanaka, DC
www.naturallifechiro.com

I too am a migraine sufferer and have been for the past 25 years! My friend suggested an excellent book (found at most bookstores or on-line) called: "Heal Your Headache, The 1-2-3-Program for taking charge of your pain" by David Buchholz, MD It was a huge help! Also, I have to take Imitrex 100mg. for my migraines. The only medication I have found to really help! I've tried a lot of different meds (many already mentioned). My doctor wasn't too fond of Topamax and didn't really want me to take it...now reading about all the side-effects...maybe that is why! Reading this book really helped me to cut down on the amount that I have. Good luck...I'm having a migraine as I write...but thankfully, I have Imitrex to help with the pain!

B.-
I was on Topamax for Migraine prevention for several years. Twice actually. Side effects differ from person to person. What I noticed for myself was I felt stupid. I couldn't keep my focus. It was like something was on the tip of my tongue, but I couldn't quite figure out what it was.
I also had very bad Kidney Stones! I have a predispostion to Kidney stones, but the Topamax made them horribly worse.
My mom also took Topamax. She writes romance novels. She had to stop the Topamax in order to write. On the Topamax she had major difficulty concentrating.
My neurologist has had me on Lexapro as a preventitive. It is helping & I also don't swing like a pendulum. :) I have classic Migraines along with menstral Migrains. I pre-medicate before my cycle starts & also at ovulation with naprosyn. (Alieve)
It is very important to keep a headache diary. Start it any day. Even if you dont have a headache. Write down everything.
ex. what time you wake up, everything you eat, if you have stressors, what time you go to bed, if you are doing anything different in your routine, what time your headache started, what meds you took, what effect they had, any relief you may or may not have had.
This is very important for your doctor to determine how to treat you.
I was seeing a doctor that had me on very strong opiates. Dont do it!!!
I detoxed off of all of them & now I actually have less headaches.
I have also been told that Advil (Ibuprofen) can cause headaches. If you are taking any of these over the counter meds on a regular basis, try stopping for 1 month. I know it sounds hard, but with relaxation techniques & ice, it may help.
Good luck.

J.

I was on Topamax and it affecting my thinking ability. It didn't control my headaches. I currently take the beta blocker, Corgard. It is a preventative and I went from chronic migraines like you have to only having them less than once a month and being able to sleep them away--very rarely needing Maxalt. Studies have been done showing that women with migraines who have high blood pressure and take beta blockers have fewer and less severe migraines. Talk to your doctor.

Hi, B..
Lexapro worked for me as a migraine preventative also. My daughter and mom have had success with Excedrine Migraine.

My son took topomax (gets migraines and seizures) and he ended up lethargic, with focus issues, memory loss and other neurological issues - his skin crawled and so he'd try to shave his head to stop that and he ended up with some nerve damage. (He recovered most of the feeling after time being off of it.)

Good luck.

find a homeopath. maybe too radical for the army medic's wife, but hey, it works.
Good Luck
V.