Topamax-losing weight rapidly...

redraidergirl2009

I have a friend on it losing weight, but you have to remember part of why you may have been overweight may be due to medications. It was for her so her doctor said it would be okay to take it as it would help her lose in addition to what it's perscribed for.

RamblinRose1962

I took it for migraines. I recently quit it after a couple years because I couldn't stand the side effects (they don't call it Dopamax for fun) which included forgetting what I was saying mid-sentence, and general stupidness. It stinks because it worked great at controlling my migraines, and they are coming back with a vengeance. It's worth it to me to feel more myself again though.

From what I read, the total amount of weight loss usually ends up being about 5% of your body weight. I have noticed my appetite is a lot stronger since I quit it.

It has a ton of side effects including kidney stones (got my first one after 12 years without), birth defects if you get pregnant, bone loss, etc. Johnson & Johnson had to pay over $6 million dollars for illegally marketing it as a treatment for psychiatric conditions.

It can also cause suicidal thoughts, so just be really careful on it.

Good luck.

After all of what I have gone through with this drug, I had no idea it was called DOPAMAX...how appropriate, SADLY! Forgetting what I was saying mid-sentence, and general stupidness was, and still is a HUGE problem for me! So many people could not figure out what my problem was so suddenly! I am afraid this won't go away..............

RamblinRose1962

my Dr prescribed me this for migraines... when I got home & read the side effects I threw that crap in the toilet... my only regret is that I didnt read about the side effects BEFORE I paid the outrageous pharmacy co-pay....

GOOD FOR YOU! Even though I only paid $10 for mine each month, I wish I had done the same...............

peepsqueek

I had also taken topamax and had all the bad side effects I also had really bad muscle weakness where I was having a really hard time making it up a few steps and my legs felt like they were going to give out, started getting hives from it as well. I checked what the ingredients were and it is sulpha based and sulpha is in some antibiotics and I am allergic to that so I had to stop taking it. I didn't like the feeling of walking around like I was in a fog all day either. I wasn't on it long enough to see if my migraines got any better so I don't know if they would of worked

RamblinRose1962

I agree with the FOG feeling too. I am still there and hope it goes away. Although the dizziness has gotten better, it's still happening. I described my legs giving out feeling to the doctor (BEFORE I took myself off this drug) and he didn't even suspect this drug. So much for educating themselves before prescribing!

Junken_Diraffe

I was prescribed this for migraines. I took it for three weeks before deciding i needed to be off it. I wanted to kill people when i was taking it. It didn't matter who. You, me, my kids, random strangers, EVERYBODY. i was a freaking wreck. I'm generally a nice person and had never had any kind of depression before, but THAT? That was miserable. Luckily, i recognized it, and did NOT kill anyone. Yay me!


PS - I'm making light of this, but I'm 100% serious. Be careful.

murphinchina

For those who immediately denigrate "alternative medicine" please just move on...

I used to suffer from migraines, not nearly as bad as some of you seem to, nor as badly as my mother who used to take a self-injection of her migraine meds to knock her out. I forget the med, but she did wake up without the migraine. However, my psychiatrist at the time also studied TCM (Traditional Chinese Medicine). Three, count them THREE, acupuncture treatments and my headaches were gone. 10-15 years later I still get the occasional baby-migraine but, as I am now IN China... treatment is readily available.

I started as a skeptic... now I'm a skeptic with no migraines.

hilldiggity

This would explain why my driving habits have become dangerous. I've always been a safe, cautious driver, but in 2012 I pulled out in front of a car without looking, didn't put my car into first gear when parked on a sloped driveway and despite the e-brake being on, my car still rolled into the back of a truck, then I backed into someone as I was pulling out of a space, but that was more circumstantial - I was creeping out behind a huge SUV and a guy just zipped by an obviously din't see me. I wasn't going very fast. But still. My fault. And a few weeks ago I backed into a truck that had some strange apparatus on the front hood that I couldn't see from behind me or my mirrors. Just yesterday I cut a guy off that I didn't even see. This is completely bizarre behavior for me.

I take 50mg of Topomax every morning along with Wellbutrin 150mg, Lamictal 500mg through the course of the day and Concerta for ADD and a thyroid med (Im BiPolar2). I never lost any weight or had any of the awful side effects so many of you did, aside from the cognitive ones, which are very dangerous now that I'm putting 2 and 2 together. I will definitely talk to my Psychiatrist about this an the necessity of this medication.

deedster_a

I was put on Topamax last June for Migraines. I have lost the migraines and 62 pounds so far with no exercise. I still have more weight to lose. No other side effects. It just cut my appetite so I am eating healthier.

proctor78

ftgvfh

col443

Careful with this medicine. Just be sure to keep an eye out for side effects. I was on it about 10 yrs ago. My husband called it stupidmax. I had all kinds of problems with trying to find words to form a sentence. I also had fog moments when I could not remember things. I called my husband one day crying because I could not remember how to get home. I was 5 blocks away from our house that we had lived at for years. That was when I stopped taking it.

If it is working for you without the bad side effects great, just keep a watch out for them.

Edited to add: I was on it for an off label use. I was taking it for nerve pain after a spinal surgery.

CactusF1ower

Bump. What scary side effects!

RamblinRose1962

This would explain why my driving habits have become dangerous. I've always been a safe, cautious driver, but in 2012 I pulled out in front of a car without looking, didn't put my car into first gear when parked on a sloped driveway and despite the e-brake being on, my car still rolled into the back of a truck, then I backed into someone as I was pulling out of a space, but that was more circumstantial - I was creeping out behind a huge SUV and a guy just zipped by an obviously din't see me. I wasn't going very fast. But still. My fault. And a few weeks ago I backed into a truck that had some strange apparatus on the front hood that I couldn't see from behind me or my mirrors. Just yesterday I cut a guy off that I didn't even see. This is completely bizarre behavior for me.

I take 50mg of Topomax every morning along with Wellbutrin 150mg, Lamictal 500mg through the course of the day and Concerta for ADD and a thyroid med (Im BiPolar2). I never lost any weight or had any of the awful side effects so many of you did, aside from the cognitive ones, which are very dangerous now that I'm putting 2 and 2 together. I will definitely talk to my Psychiatrist about this an the necessity of this medication.

There have been many times I felt like I shouldn't be driving while on that drug! I told that to my therapist. The first thing I started to notice...not realizing it was the meds...was when I would try to look over my shoulder to back up, I would get so dizzy I felt like I could throw up. I WENT FOR AN MRI thinking I had a brain tumor and the doctor let me! I was up to 100 mg twice a day, with no weight loss, but am so lucky I didn't lose my mind with everything else going on! I just hope I will go back to normal...whatever that may be LOL OK...MY normal.

PLEASE DO CHECK WITH YOUR DOCTOR!

Sailorwind

My old neurologist pressured me for a year to go on this drug for my migraines. I refused to go on it because every internet search led me to substantially more horror stories about memory loss and rage than testimonies from people who it worked for with no serious side effects. I thought "maybe only people with bad things to say are posting online" so I started asking everyone I know who has or knows someone who has migraines, including pharmacists. Most of them had either tried this drug or had a personal connection who had and THEY all had horror stories to. My doctor continually downplayed these side effects and pushed the weight loss side effect. Finally, after a year of insisting he come up with an alternative treatment plan, he said "Fine! But don't come crying to me this summer when you can't fit into a bikini and your boyfriend breaks up with you." Needless to say, that was the last time I ever saw that doctor.

sally_jeffswife

I was on Gabapentin for Electric Shock like migraines where I would get a shock by my temple then it would go numb to touch there and all around the bk of my head. I gained like 45 lbs in 3 months on Gabapentin. I was worried about it so my Dr tried me on Topomax and I was excited cuz I have heard it was common to lose weight with that one but I got the rash and I was throwing up alot and sick from it so I coudn't take that one. Now I am taking Verapamil which is actually like a heart medication for blood pressure but amazingly its pretty much wiped out my migraines and doesn't cause weight gain or loss and I have way more energy cuz it doesn't make you feel all tired and sleepy like the gabapentin did. And I actually can tolerate more caffeine with my headaches then I could on the other med cuz this one is a blood pressure type med so that's great I can have my morning coffee which I love alot of times.

kae_blah

I was put on this for migraines. At the time I was was at the low end of healthy weight.

Within a could of weeks I:
* lost 3 kgs
* had a warning at work for speaking to a workmate too aggressively and raising my voice
* felt disoriented and stupid

I can't remember if it helped the migraines at all but I demanded to be moved to something else.

I was very unhappy I was not warned about the weight loss side effect as back then I had spent years struggling to gain and maintain a healthy weight.

As always - talk to your doctor about your concerns and never just stop taking medication cold turkey regardless of the side effects.

jenns1964

I was prescribed Topomax & phentermine 2 years ago for weight loss. I had great success. The initial side effects were immediate dislike of sweets and carbs, and I was dumbed down for a couple of weeks. The pins & needles feeling are easily controlled with drinking plenty of water at all times. Good luck. If you go off the drug please taper down-do not go cold turkey.

Cakelady92

It has now been 9 days and I have lost 16 pounds......this is crazy!

theeidkid

Go to this website, http://www.topamax.com/how-topamax-may-help--what-to-expect.html, it will explain why you are having weight loss.:happy:

jenns1964

Also, be very careful when exercising because it prevents you from sweating and you can overheat very quickly!