Migraines-Topamax

I have been on topamax 2 years and replax for the onsite.. Not only has the topamax decreamed my six to 1-2 a month but it's also good for weight loss... At first I had the tingliness in my hands, and I had to switch from coca cola to mt dew because my taste buds changed a bit but I will deal for the pain to do away

I have been on Topamax for over a year. I am on I guess what could be considered a high dosage (200 mg) - compared to what others here are/were on. I am not on it for migraines, however. I'm not sure that matters though, since you asked about side effects. I have not experienced sleeplessness. Nor the hormonal side effects somebody else mentioned. I did experience the weight loss. I lost almost 50 pounds, but I weighed 250 pounds, so it isn't like I couldn't afford it. It basically takes the appetite away. You just have to eat anyway. My dr. told me that the #1 reason most of his patients stop taking it is because it can make you forget everyday things (short term memory). (where did I put my keys? Where did I set that down?) I have found that taking notes helps a lot. But then my kids are really bad about moving my notes. <sigh> I'm taking it because of memory issues in the first place. (long story that I won't bore you with.) So I don't know how much of my memory issues are caused by the meds and my medical issue. But if I had to guess, I'd say that some of it is the meds and I'm okay with that because the meds do help my medical issue. I get the tingling in the feet. It feels like my toes have fallen asleep. Not all the time. Just sometimes. Usually in the morning and a lot of time at church LOL. It isn't a big deal and usually makes me want to giggle. My husband will massage them and it goes away. For me, the fact is, the side effects do not outweigh the benefits of the medication AT ALL. I think that's what you'll have to figure out for yourself. If the migraines are that bad, maybe you need to try the medication and see what kind of side effects you get from it. I assume you've done what everybody else has suggested and tried to find the source of the migraines. Good luck to you!!

I kept a migraine journal and only included headaches that were actually a migraine (since severe pain alone doesnt mean it's a migraine). I noticed that more than half of my migraines were happening in ten days before the start of my menses.

For me, going on the birth control pill has helped a lot (it also has somewhat helped with my mood swings and evened out my cycle). I also have Midrin which I take when I do get a Migraine - it works very well for me.

I've never been on topamax but from what Ive read about it, there are much better alternatives!

I am not familiar with the migraine medication. I do know it would be hard to lose 6 days out of a month and still push through it because of my kids. Have you ever considered chiropractic. It can help. Check out www.icpa4kids.org or www.mercola.com

My son was on it for 4 days during which he was becoming very forgetful, we took him off this medication. We took him to see Dr Barbara Griffin in Orland who does all kinds of allery testing food /environmental and we discovered that after removing dairy from his diet the migraines have stopped. After many years of searching for a cure at Christ, University of Chicago, neurologists and countless tests, he is off medication. We were refer by a friend who also had migraines,
Hers have also decrease when she doesn't eat certain foods. Dr Griffin doesn't do traditional testing, it was a 6 month waiting to see her. Good Luck.
M.

My doctor tried to get me to take this. I refused. Instead, I have figured out I have a sensitivity to dairy and nightshade foods(potatos, tomato's to name a few). When i eliminate these or only eat tiny amounts I get less headaches. The less fried food, fast food and food that have way to many growth hormones and preservatives in them, the better off I am also and the less headaches I have...And with the "that time of the month" ones, I found a progesterone, 100% natural cream that I use and that greatly reduces the monthly ones also..Hope that helps. It took me awhile to find relief, but I refuse to take more pills and then pills for the side effects and play that vicous cycle...K....www.arkparties.com

My daughter was on Topamax and did not do well with it. She was out of it most of the time. There are other drugs out there for migraines that may have better side effect profile. Talk to your doctor or pharmacist about other options.

Good Luck,
A.

I suffer from migraines (10+ a month) and chronic daily headaches as well. I was on Topomax for at least a year. I started out taking about 100 mg. twice a day and ended up losing so much weight (over 10 pounds and I only weighed 110) and being unable to concentrate that my prescription was dropped to 25 mg. twice a day. At the higher level I had several bad side effects (weight loss, inability to concentrate, restlessness) but my migraines did decrease in frequency a lot. Once I reduced the amount my daily headaches came back and I saw no real benefits from it. I was also trying to get pregnant so my Doctor wanted me to stop taking it. I think it is just one of those things that are different for everyone. I don't think it is a bad drug but you just have to carefully monitor the side effects.

I was Topamax for about 6 months. I decided to take myself off of it because I hated the fact that I was taking something daily. Taking something (perscription) on the onset of a headache was enough for me. I did not loss any weight :( but I believe that it is also used as an anti depressant and I felt some of that. any how good luck!

Frances-just wanted to add one more thing. I just started it a month ago and I can't take anymore than 25 mg because of the side effects. Just wanted to add one more for you to watch out for that they don't tell you about...it messes with your hormones. It's rare, but it does. I haven't had a period since I've started taking it. (Not pregnant-husband has vascetomy) I talked to my pharmacist and he confirmed it can cause lack of periods. I was very regular so this was alarming for me. It's one of the meds that can affect birth control pills too so watch out for that.

I have had severe anxiety, nervousness, and sleeplessness on 50 mg. Try it, because you have to to see if it works for you, just be careful.

Best wishes.

Hi, I have been suffering from migraines since I was a child, now 31. I have taken Topomax. I went to a new Dr. in Feb. and she was great. She put me on Topomax, but you should know it's no for good. I was first on 50 mg. then my body adjusted so she put me on 100 mg./day. I took one pill in the morning, one at night. It has worked amazingly. It took about a month or so, but a huge difference. I've had a headache just about everyday for the last 20 yrs. After being on the Topomax it went to maybe 1-4/ month! Not bad ones either, just around my period it would hurt a bit. My Dr. had told me that every headache I had was a type on migraine. My blood vessels were just always swollen and never had a chance to go down. Everything triggered the headaches from food (smell) to shampoo, etc. The topomax was to retrain the chemicals in my head to not be so sensitive to the triggers. She had said that after about 6 months on it, I should be able to slowly wean off it. My husband could not believe the progess. This is the first thing that ever really helped me. She did give me Midrin to take if I began to get a headche. She told me to stop taking Mortin, Tylenol or anything for my headaches cause that wasn't helping at all. At the very first sign of a headache if I took Midrin, it would stop it. Well, my mother is also on the med., she suffers from headaches too. It has also helped her.
As I was about to go in for a follow up with my Dr., I found out I was pregnant. I stopped taking all meds. Baby is fine. I usually get massively bad headaches during the first trimester, but this time it's been much better, only a couple ( my third preg.) Not until about 2 weeks ago did I start to get headaches again and that's because all meds. are now officially out of my body and hormones are crazy.
I did have a couple side effects from Topomax. The tinglingin my fingers. It started about 3 weeks- month later. My mom never got it. It wasn't bad, just a bit of a tingle and only lasted a short time. The tingling went away for good after a few months. I also had the decreased appetite, my did not have that either.
I was worse in the beginning, not really hungry, but I made myself eat. This also went away. I always forget things, so I didn't notice a difference, I actually slept better than ever in my life!
My opinion is try it, it may help. The worst that can happen is you don't like it and go off it. Maybe try a lower dose first like 50 mg./day, and then increase if you need it. After my child is born and if I can take it while nursing, I will go back on it to complete my treatment.
Good luck with everything and I hope your headaches get better no matter what you choose.

R.

My girlfriend is on Topomax and she is very happy with it. She did lose a Ton of weight, but is happy w/ it. She has a bit of a word retention problem, but I think it is getting better. I don't get them that often, but if I got them as much as you, I would try it.

Good luck.

JD

My best friend is on it, and LOVES it. She doesn't take the full dose our doctor tells her to, she says that makes her feel a little out of it. She is down to less than one migrain a month. The doctor was going to put me on it, but lucky for me since the birth of my daughter my hormones seem more in check and I am not getting migraines as frequently or with the same severity.

Hi Frances, I am (was) a frequent migraine sufferer myself and also considered going on a daily preventive medication. Then, my coworker suggested I read this book, Heal your Headache by Dr. David Buchholz. I know I sound like a silly TV commercial, but this book has absolutely changed my life! Once I started reading it, I was like, that's me. I tried the changes he suggests (one of which is quite difficult -- a diet eliminating *all* possible triggers) and I haven't had a migraine in over four months. It is well worth a try, and it may (as it has with me) obviate the need for daily medication. I hope this is helpful to you! Please feel free to send me a message if you need more details. Best of luck to you.

Glad to hear that you decided to try Topamax! I personally was on it a few years ago for frequent/severe headaches. I did not have any negative side effects while on it, I was hoping to lose some weight but no luck! :) I personally ended up being diagnosed with a rare condition that is brought on by pregnancy and is characterized by severe headaches, vision changes, and a multitude of vague neurological symptoms. If you are not responding to typical treatments I would recommend that you have your eyes examined by a neuro-opthamologist or have your opening pressure checked via lumbar puncture. The condition is thought to be caused by micro- blood clots forming in the central nervous system causing the spinal fluid to not be reabsorbed properly, leading to high pressure in the brain which is experienced as severe, unrelenting headaches. Anyway, hope you respond well to the treatment of topamax!!
S.

Frances:
My heart immediately went out to you after hearing your dilemna. I WAS a migraine sufferer too and went through similar things a long time ago. I am shocked to hear about the terrible side effects that this and other medications cause, but women are willing to undergo them to get rid of the pain. While I understand not wanting to deal with one more migraine, it still doesn't make sense that we are putting chemicals into our bodies that don't belong. Doctors are just treating the symptom right now - your pain and NOT the cause. You must find out what the cause is or you will always have migraines. Many wrote it was their diet and some admitted their hormones. Stress can play a big factor - you are a single mom with 2 children. You have a lot of stress!

It is scary to know that you may be impaired enough so that you can't do what you need to do - even with this medication. Please think of your body and what it really needs - hormone imbalance or food allergies or stress or all of the above. Hormone imbalance causes so many things and its just a simple saliva test to determine how far off you are. Too many doctors are handing out prescriptions that our bodies are not made to handle - hence all the terrible side effects. I really do feel your pain and being a mother of 3, know how they depend on you for everything. It is hard to even function with migraines, but I really think you need to truly find the source, not just push the symptom to the side temporarily. I would be so happy to talk with you about this. My heart truly feels for you and your family. Good for you to ask for help. We all need it every now and then.

I have not tried Topamax, but have tried Maxalt. I previously had only gotten migraines once a month and took Maxalt as soon as it hit. Within 20 minutes I was migraine free with no side effects and actually it felt like I had more energy. Don't know if it is an option for you if you would not like to take daily medication, may want to discuss with your doctor. Good luck.