Topamax for Weight Loss

coniconstance
coniconstance Posts: 321 Member
edited December 18 in Health and Weight Loss
I've been having major back problems. Last time I was into the back doctor I expressed my NEED to lose weight. After all my mri's and injections and everything.. I really think I need to lose weight and strengthen my muscles, especially my lower back and core. She agreed with me and then asked what I've been doing to lose weight, and how was that working? I explained the years of up and down with the same weight and just can't seem to do it.. told her I really FEEL like I could do it this time, but I always feel that way. She said would you like some help?

Well my eyes were like a kid in a candy store. My regular doctor will only offer me drugs that have a "antidepressant " in them, these make me violent and kinda crazy. I also don't want any type of speed or "meth" type drug.. so I didn't know there were other choices. She said she had luck with Topamax. It is for patients with seizures and migraines, but has been prescribed off label for people to lose weight. It is used as an appetite suppressant. It works with the frontal lobe in the brain and also has had success with alcoholics as well as binge eaters.

From day one it was instant, amazing. I'm not hungry. In a week I lost 9 pounds. Not good, because I was way under my calories. I now just eat something healthy every few hours and I'm fine. I have no desire to drink, where I use to really want beer or wine in the evening. I have to make myself eat.. the desire is not there. Thanksgiving was a breeze. I ate a baked sweet potato and some turkey and just enjoyed the company. I didn't focus on the food one bit. It is just the beginning on the pill so I didn't know if anyone else has tried it? I don't feel any other side affect. I was a bit stupid for the first two weeks but that cloudy head seems to be going. I don't feel sick or nauseous, I'm just not hungry. No speed, no nothing, I feel normal.. I just can't believe I've never heard of this before.
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Replies

  • rileydi
    rileydi Posts: 23 Member
    I lost weight on Topamax...however, I was prescribed them because of my seizure disorder. I was never hungry and lost 20 pounds. I looked great. Problem: I never ate because everytime I would eat or drink something it had what I called a copper flavor, like f I was sucking on a penny. It was awful. I had headaches everyday because of it. I would be teaching and would have to have the lights out in my classroom because it hurt my head. I spent my weekends on the couch. I was dizzy and couldn't concentrate. I would forget simple things, not only to do something but if I were talking I would forget what I needed to say (the drug's nickname is Dopamax). Eventually after 2 months of horrible side effects, my whole left side of my body couldn't move. I was rushed to the hospital from work. They thought I was having a stoke at 31. After every test in the world at the hospital, it was diagnosed as terrible side effects from the drug. Needless to say I was taken off and on Keppra. Love it, amazing. No weight loss like Topamax, but I don't hate my days anymore.

    Not saying this will happen to you, but that is y story. And I have a few friends who were prescribed it for migraines, seizure and sleep apnea, all have been taken off because of terrible side effects.
  • ah27205
    ah27205 Posts: 12 Member
    I was on topamax and lost weight, mostly because of the copper taste it gave everything. I was on it due to migraines/intracranial hypertension. I was also dizzy a lot. I went off the meds and gained weight back.

    I hope your experience is better than mine!
  • bpmichael
    bpmichael Posts: 28 Member
    There is a new weight loss drug just approved on the market called QSYMIA. It is the combination of Topamax and Phentermine. I was in a weight loss study a couple of years ago for QSYMIA but had to drop out due to the harsh side effects and high blood pressure. I heard that people that completed the study lost a ton of weight. The Topamax does have some side effects including headache and mind fog. They nickname it Dopamax I have heard.

    There is also another weight loss drug that will be coming in Jan / Feb timeframe called BELVIQ. It is supposed to be a lot less side effects than QSYMIA and also lowers blood sugar and insulin as much or more than Metformin.
  • lovechicagobears
    lovechicagobears Posts: 289 Member
    There is also another weight loss drug that will be coming in Jan / Feb timeframe called BELVIQ. It is supposed to be a lot less side effects than QSYMIA and also lowers blood sugar and insulin as much or more than Metformin.
    That's interesting. I'm on metformin for insulin resistance. Even with the medication, I keep hitting these long plateaus (which my doctor warned me would happen). I'll have to ask him about this.
  • Heyyleigh
    Heyyleigh Posts: 268 Member
    Diet and exercise. Why would you ever take drugs to accomplish this.
  • Takarameri
    Takarameri Posts: 152 Member
    I took Topamax for migraine control and didn't notice any weight loss or appetite change so mileage may vary. I had some minor concentration issues but it worked better than other medications I'd been prescribed.
  • MemphisKitten
    MemphisKitten Posts: 878 Member
    Topamax can help you lose weight; however, it is a powerful drug that is nicknamed "Dopamax" because it makes you airheaded and stupid. I took it for about a week (for my seizures) and people thought something was seriously wrong with me or that I was mentally retarded. I wouldn't recommend taking it for weight loss purposes.
  • pastorwalt1
    pastorwalt1 Posts: 5 Member
    I am on Topamax and it made me gain weight when I started taking it.
  • Heather_Rider
    Heather_Rider Posts: 1,159 Member
    Im on Topmax for violent headaches. For the first couple of weeks i had no appetite also, but slowly you will get your appetite back. Also, if you go off of it for ny reason and go back on it.. You wont have the same results.

    It makes Soda & beer taste flat, so you wont have any desire to drink those.

    Being that you are on it for weight loss, you need to make some pretty rapid changes in your life, because if you just use it for the appetite supressent, as soon as you come off of it, you will starting just like you used to.. and gain all of the weight back and more.

    Good luck to you! =)

    Edited to say that it will also depend on your dose.. your dose for weight loss will be higher than what most people take for headaches or seizures. Also, it will cause some pretty heavy tingling in your feet and hands. Pick up some fish oil capsules for that. Take 3 every morning & that will help with that.
  • AABru
    AABru Posts: 610 Member
    A friend of mine was on Topomax for migraines...she went fro a size 16 to a size 4, but when her doc changed her meds again, she gained most back and is a size 14 now.
  • StyxxandStones
    StyxxandStones Posts: 120
    i was on topamax for a few weeks. i don't remember a weird taste, nor do i remember losing weight. i do, however, remember wanting to KILL someone. i didn't really care who. myself, my husband, my kids, random strangers, whoever. please be careful with it, mine was not a "one off" experience. i've heard this before from others as well.
  • RaeLB
    RaeLB Posts: 1,216 Member
    Don't use it for weight loss.

    You are likely to lose weight but the side effects are not worth it. It numbed my brain - I was forgetful, could not concentrate, could not remember people's names, no appetite, dizzy spells, and so on.

    How about instead of a quick fix you try a lifestyle change? Food & exercise.
  • RaeLB
    RaeLB Posts: 1,216 Member
    Also, being on a medication that suppresses your appetite and increases your metabolism will not help you change your relationship with food. You will likely gain it all back when you go off if you don't change your lifestyle.
  • amydee714
    amydee714 Posts: 232 Member
    I am on Topamax for chronic and severe migraines. Appetite was affected the first few weeks but my body adjusted. The only side effect I have now is that all carbonated beverages taste like a weird combo of vinegar and dirt.

    I also have to have blood tests every 3-4 months to make sure that I am not having any other side effects (like damage to the liver). Why would you want to take this when you don't have to? I know the desperation of having to lose weight. I started out weighing 350 pounds. Pills are not the long term answer. You have to make a permanent change to the way you live. Do you plan on taking this forever? Just think this over some more. There is no magic pill. Just hard work.
  • coniconstance
    coniconstance Posts: 321 Member
    Thank you for all postings so far. I'm on the lowest possible dose right now. I am changing my diet, eating small healthy meals and I'm hitting a treadmill each morning plus doing strength training. I'm going to stick with the pill for now but will keep an eye out for all side affects. I don't know how long I plan to be on it. I'm in a lot of pain right now. It will not stop. The pain is from my back. I have many back issues but my weight adds to it. I need to desperately drop my weight. If this is an aid or a boost to help me get going, I'm fine with it. I've been trying for two years and am not having a good go at it. right now it is a matter of me and a wheel chair so I'm taking the pill. Yes, there is ultimately a risk I will lose the weight and gain it back.. but this risk is here for me if I take a pill or not. It is in front of every person who loses weight, check the statistics. Sad but true. Everyone weighs outs risks in their lives and right now I'm doing that... and adding to all other risks is my back pain. So if my back doctor is suggesting I take this, I'll listen to her. Thank you all again for your stories. Does sound like it is much more serious a medication than I thought.
  • amydee714
    amydee714 Posts: 232 Member
    I understand completely and I wish you all the best in the world! (truly I do) and as someone who suffers from migraines, back pain, knee pain, and shoulder pain I do truly understand. The weight loss has helped me and I hope it helps you as well.
    Glad you hear you are making other changes as well.

    If you would like to add me as a friend I would love to be a support system. :)
  • abtxclancy
    abtxclancy Posts: 1
    topamax may be useful for some but my shrink tried to take me off depakote (for ptsd) and put me on topamax. i was a train wreck.
  • Jeckia
    Jeckia Posts: 77 Member
    I just got put on topamax today. I was unaware of it helping you to lose weight if any.

    I was put on it because I have really bad endometriosis and topamax is also now used to help with Neuropathic Pain. I go to a pain clinic. I also see a physicist.

    I went in for a hypo gastric nerve block to help with the pain, but I've gone in for surgery one to many times so I have to much scare tissue for the never block to fully work. He then gave me 100mgx2 neurtontin 3x a day. But my physicist gave me that before I found out I had bipolar disorder and let me just say I puffed out like a balloon. So I told the pain clinic doctor I would not be taking that.

    so here I am with the Topamax. I believe to start out I'm taking 25mg 2x a day. I haven't picked it up from the pharmacy yet. '_'

    But I've ready really bad things about this makes me kind of nervous, but if it really helps me with my pain and not sick anymore then I can stand to deal with the fuzzy brain sometimes. :laugh:
  • DLSlim
    DLSlim Posts: 92 Member
    I was on Topamax for migranes in high school. I hated the drug. My hands and feet were numb and every thing tasted like pennies. I forgot words all the time, even simple things. And I still ate everything in sight.
    I'm happier without.
  • dakitten2
    dakitten2 Posts: 888 Member
    Was on topamax for migraines. Started having visual problems which is a side effect. Had to discontinue use because of the visual problems. I cant remember that it did anything for me weight wise but I wasnt bothering to weigh myself back then and didnt take it for long. Just watch out for side effects that are not desirable, like all medications.

    Have you tried calorie counting and exercising without medication?
  • MrGonzo05
    MrGonzo05 Posts: 1,120 Member
    What happens when you stop the drug and your appetite comes back?
  • Aitm20
    Aitm20 Posts: 92 Member
    I used Topamax 2 years ago for migraines. It cured me and it was amazing. I lost 25 pounds on it; however I would NEVER take it just for weight loss. It is a serious drug with serious side effects. Of course since I stopped taking it I gained the weight back and then some. Healthy habits are the only guarantee to maintain yourself once you lose weight.
  • sportybrewerschick
    sportybrewerschick Posts: 170 Member
    I just started this a couple days ago and am ALWAYS under my calories, like under 1200. Are you all too?
  • KCSF
    KCSF Posts: 49 Member
    I have been taking Topamax for over 10 and still have days that I have side effects. I didn't start taking it for weight loss of course but, I didn't notice any. For me, I decided that the benefits of the drug outweighed the side effects. I also take it at bedtime so I don't notice the dizziness, fogginess, or others as much. For me, I take it because I have to. I would not do it by choice.
  • JustJennie1
    JustJennie1 Posts: 3,749 Member
    Have you read the side effects of the drug? And what happens when you're down to the weight you want to be and you're taken off the drug? Chances are good that unless you change your eating habits and exercise portion control you're going to gain back all the weight you lost and then some.

    That's the problem with drugs that act as appetite suppressants along with doing what they are prescribed to do. You think "Awesome! I have no appetite! I'm not hungry and losing weight!" however you still don't understand how to eat properly, what to eat and how to control the size of your meals.

    I am not a proponent of taking any kind of drug mainly because of all the horrific side effects that almost all of them have and I am certainly not a proponent of a "quick fix" for weight loss. It's not a one shot lose the weight and my life is fixed forever kind of thing. It's a process that you have to commit to for the rest of your life.
  • whiteoutplease
    whiteoutplease Posts: 1
    I was on Topo for half a year, but had to quit when I realized I was stopping frequently mid-conversation to stare at my hands, which tingled constantly, cried at the drop of a hat, and couldn't think of common words. Now I control my migranes with botox and am working on lifestyle changes to see if I can control them without that. It's great if you can use Topomax without severe side effects.
  • thaliaraynne
    thaliaraynne Posts: 16
    I am on Topamax for my seizure disorder as well, but I eat just fine and I eat all of my calories in a day and never go under and I don't have any copper taste when I eat or drink anything and I have been on it for almost 2 years. I do notice though that with this medication that if you eat a balanced diet and you exercise it will work with you, but if you just eat how you use to, it won't do jack crap for you. But I suppose its gonna react different for each person.
  • lulusmom
    lulusmom Posts: 71
    I was put on topamax for ocular migraines that were rendering me blind for several hours a day. I was started on the lowest dose. Within a couple of months, I had lost my ability to do my job because I couldn't string together a coherent sentence orally or in writing. I mixed up words constantly and wrote/said things that I didn't mean to say/write. Then my hair started falling out.

    I cannot believe that doctors prescribe this medicine for weight loss. I understand that it is a "lesser evil" in some circumstances (my vision problems were worth giving it a try, even though I knew the risks), but losing weight just isn't one of them.

    Best of luck to you. Be careful. If you google Topamax, you will see that many people's horrific side effects were irreversible.
  • mambagirl
    mambagirl Posts: 137 Member
    DON'T DO IT!!!!!!

    I was given Topamax AKA DOPEAMAX for Migraines and it made me CRAZY!!!! My vision would go in and out,my face would go numb,I would lose my train of thought,and I became REALLY EVIL!!!!!! I am a nice person..very calm and loving,but i ended up Cursing out a cashier at the grocery store for no reason...I stopped taking it after a week.Feverfew is NATURAl and it works great for Migraines.

    Losing weight is not worth your sanity...I was not even supposed to drive while on Topamax..
  • closecrew
    closecrew Posts: 19
    I just started the generic Topamax 50 mg I was wondering if this seems low for migraines. Everyone I talk to is on a higher does then I am. I don't have many side effect. I cant drink soda, I hardly have an appetite, and I have a little bit of tingling in my feet but nothing else. I have a hue decrease in my migraines. I have never had this kind of relief from my migraines in my life. It s amazing. It would be nice to get the side effect of weight loss. I don't think my does is high enough to get that side effect.
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