Quitting Topamax

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jadisfeigns
jadisfeigns Posts: 57 Member
in Health and Weight Loss
I tried searching the topics for Topamax but didn't find any thing that really helped me with my question.

I started Topamax over 2 years ago for my migraines. i weighed 130. I'm down to 114. My lowest was actually 104. I'm 5'4". I'm thinking of talking with my doctor on Thursday about getting off the topamax, apart from the loss of weight, because I don't have a cycle anymore, and apparently that's a side effect too.

I'm afraid of the weight gain stories. I wanted to get some "experience stories", and wanted to ask, did you only gain the weight back you lost, or more, and if you had self-control issues, did they eventually dissipate as the drug left your system?

I was put on Prozac to help with the eating while on Topamax, so I understand that sometimes, self-control is much harder than just saying "no".

Replies

  • whierd
    whierd Posts: 14,026 Member
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    Talk to your doctor.
  • jadisfeigns
    jadisfeigns Posts: 57 Member
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    yep! I was going to do that either way. Thanks!
  • Hezzietiger1
    Hezzietiger1 Posts: 1,256 Member
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    I took topomax and stopped when i lost insurance. I cant afford $300 a month :( Topomax supresses appetite. Ur not going to gain weight if u dont eat more. So dont. Lol.
  • Junken_Diraffe
    Junken_Diraffe Posts: 716 Member
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    I took topomax for a few weeks. it made me want to murder people. for real. i didn't lose/gain any weight. I also didn't murder anyone, just so ya know. I stopped taking it when the homicidal thoughts got overwhelming. I'm totally not kidding here at all. Good luck, and be careful coming off it.
  • CherylP67
    CherylP67 Posts: 772 Member
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    I was on Topamax for migraines.

    I didn't gain weight when I went off of it.

    I had to stop because of cognitive effects, I was slow and would get frustrated easily. I would forget to eat, not because I wasn't hungry, but because my cognition was so blunted.

    When I got off the Topamax, I was able to eat a more balanced diet, I also had more energy.
  • jadisfeigns
    jadisfeigns Posts: 57 Member
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    I appreciate everyone's replies! I know everyone's different but hopefully I won't have that weight gain thing I heard, or at least do the self control thing, and I"m glad to hear everything went well when everyone went off the medication!
  • JudyMartinAyers
    JudyMartinAyers Posts: 6 Member
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    Topomax is the worse medicine I ever took. I lost a pound a day and thought it was great. Then I started to hate everyone around me. Then starting hating myself. Nothing made me happy and everything set me off. It was so bad my husband could see it but called my neurologist the same day I did. She took me off of it immediately. Personally, the weight loss or gain was not primary, the side effects were.
  • crista_b
    crista_b Posts: 1,192 Member
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    Interesting... I'm on Topamax now for my migraines, but it doesn't seem to be doing much so I'll probably talk to my doctor and go off it. I haven't noticed any suppressed appetite or any other side effects. I guess it's different for me.

    ETA: I'm also on antidepressants/anti-anxiety meds so that could be the reason for the lack of negative thoughts that others have experienced.
  • momiles11
    momiles11 Posts: 8
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    I took Topamax for 4 years and loved it. I lost weight initially but it was hard to tell if that was from coming off the Depkote I was on before, which is known to cause weight gain. I was also dieting. But the T worked wonders for my migraines. I tapered off of it for 6 months because I want to get pregnant, and now, 6 weeks later I have gained 5 pounds despite not changing my lifestyle. It's maddening!

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