Topamax (drug) question...

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shelli1982
shelli1982 Posts: 133
in Health and Weight Loss
So.. guessing this one isn't going to get a lot of answers.. but i've been taking Topamax for 3 weeks for Migraine prevention... It's a drug you have to very gradually increase your dose to a target over a month or so to cut down on a large number of side effects...

my worst ones are numbness in my hands when i'm working out (i'm talking SERIOUS pins and needles) that doesn't go away until i'm finished working out, and pretty bad nausea all day long...

i'm a pharmacist, I KNOW these side effects are quite normal, I was just wondering if any of you have tried this drug and had the side effects dissipate over time, or if they stay? I am not even at target dose yet, still need to up by another 25 mg.. I can deal with the nausea, but the numbness in my hands was quite disconcerting and painful...I'd like to keep working out AND keep taking the drug....

Thanks in advance!

Replies

  • rockylucas
    rockylucas Posts: 343 Member
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    I am prescribed Topamax for my binge eating disorder, the primary side affect has been that it makes diet soda taste funny. From talking to others, it appears that I am VERY fortunate not to have any of the other side effects. It seems that most who take this medication have some sort of unpleasant side affects.
  • hannita66
    hannita66 Posts: 1 Member
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    I took Topamax for a little more than 7 months to try to prevent almost daily migraines. I just thought I'd let you know that the side effects WILL get better. For me, they were the worst for the week or two after each "ramp up" of dosage. All of the side effects did get BETTER after being at the target dose for several weeks. I guess the tingling never fully went away, but it did get better. The only thing that didn't really go away for me was the slow brain function, although even that was better after being at the target dose for several weeks. Good luck!
  • cnsmith2
    cnsmith2 Posts: 539 Member
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    Made me have trouble sleeping... so taking Ambien to combat it... Good luck with your issue... that's really really rough :(
  • beach_bum_gurl
    beach_bum_gurl Posts: 200
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    I am currently not on Topamax, but did take it for several years for migraines. The symptoms of extremity numbness, for me, while not severe, did dissipate over time. Stick with it if you can. I went from a migraine every other day to now only having about 2 a month and eventually tapered off.
  • shelli1982
    shelli1982 Posts: 133
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    YESSSSSSS my first 5 sips of soda always taste funny too!!! Luckily I don't drink much soda so it doesn't bother me. There are tons of crazy side effects, I resisted taking this stupid drug for so long!
  • shelli1982
    shelli1982 Posts: 133
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    you guys are (as always) awesome... thank you SO much for the feedback.. i'm going to stick with it, I feel better already!!! Thank you again!!
  • Unwrapping_Candy
    Unwrapping_Candy Posts: 487 Member
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    Based on what I know about Topamax, which isn't a whole lot because I've only ever had, I think, 2 patients on it, you can expect the effects to persist but alleviate somewhat over time. Now, the patients I've had who have been on this are elderly (I work a nursing home), and the elderly tend to be more sensitive to it and experience more of the effects more persistently so you might get lucky and end up with the effects going away after a time. Just don't get your hopes up.

    Good luck.

    Candace
  • orange_you_glad
    orange_you_glad Posts: 38 Member
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    I was on topamax for a couple of years to manage anxiety. Although it helped me with the anxiety a TON, I got a lot of the side effects. For every ramp up in dosage, I would be very sleepy for the following few days, and concentrating would be difficult. I definitely got the pins and needles which got better over time, and nominal ephasia - forgetting the words to ordinary things that you KNOW you know. The ephasia, plus a general feeling of stupidity never really went away until I got off the drug. It also totally destroyed my desire for food, and as a result, I wouldn't eat enough and got lots of blood sugar crashes. I also lost 35 pounds while I was on it...but gained it all back once I got off the drug because food finally tasted good again. It also did weird things to my circulatory system: if I tried to do cardio of any kind, I would get really intense headaches.

    Really, for me, the deal breakers for this drug were the ephasia, the uninterest in food (and hypoglycemia), and the inability to work out with any intensity. It felt like such a cheat to be "thin" but be unable to physically enjoy it, you know?
  • camorris21
    camorris21 Posts: 1
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    I took Topamax and had the EXACT same side effects. I also was taking it for migraines. Everytime I would work out my hands would go completely numb and have pins and needles. Unfortunately for me, it never went away, but I was taken off of it after a few months because it didnt help my migraines. But the Dr. told me that once the migraines are under control I could go down the the minimum effective dose to try to minimize the side effects. Hope it works for you. MIgraines are the worst. =(

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