Topamax & Weight Loss?

My doctor just started me on Topamax as a migraine preventative but I did notice today that my appetite was less than usual.

Good luck with it. I was put on it about 10 years ago for migraine control. In about 3 months I ended up with jaundice and cirrhosis of my liver. I was 22 at the time. I also experienced the numb finger tip side effect, I still can't let my hands get too cold otherwise I can't feel my finger tips.

Moral of the story is watch all your side effects! If I had called my doctor at the first signs that my liver wasn't producing/delivering bile so that I could eat a slice of pizza or anything with a higher fat/oil content we may have caught it before the damage got as bad as it did.

I was on Topamax too for seizures. I have heard good reports that for some it does reduce appetite (not for me but hey).

As others have said watch out for side effects it's a strong drug! It was a bad drug for me but I have read glowing reports from others - I wish you luck and report anything out of the ordinary to your doc/optician straight away.

I was on Topamax years ago for migraines and it didn't supress my appetite whatsoever. I'd be very cautious taking it for weight loss. Good luck.

I took a combo of topamax/wellbutrin and had to force myself to eat. And when I did eat, nothing sounded appetizing. I lost about 40 pounds with it in about 3 months. I stopped taking it when my husband and I decided to start a family and gained back 13 pounds.

So, yes, I think that the combo works great, but it does not change the fact that you still have to learn the basics of eating properly and maintaining a weight loss. Also, there are some crazy side effects. While taking the combo, I had trouble with memory, normal thinking processes and the tingling. I literally could be standing in the grocery store, staring at my list/cart and trying to remember what I had already put in my cart. It was a very odd feeling.

I take topamax for migraine prevention and I have since 2005. Well it has worked wonders for my migraines, they have and decreased from five days a week to once a month, the weight-loss that I experienced in the beginning which was about 20 to 25 pounds is going away. I've have now my psych meds have increased my read by double that, and I am fighting to get rid of it. I'm actually looking for a neurologist to possibly take me off of it because the side effects from Topamax even 10 years later are still here and still bothers soon. I believe there is a new diet pill that is a combination of Topamax and phentermine that you might want to look into but beware of the Topamax side effects because they can be quite daunting.

I took it for migraines once upon a time the migraine went away but was back even worse 8 hrs later... otherwise it did nothing for me. Later it was determined what the root cause of my migraines were so that is being treated instead of the migraines.

I've been on topomax 100mg for years for migraines, and I've never noticed any weight loss, although I don't trend toward strong side effects from any drugs. I've not heard of using it as a weight loss drug - pretty sure that's off label. It's approved for treating migraine, bipolar, and epileptic seizures, that I know of.

I would definitely keep an eye on side effects as others have said. A really side effect that can be a blessing in disguise is that a lot of people find soda suddenly tastes bad, so if you've got a soda addiction, it might help with that.

MPJ737 wrote: »

Hi, my doctor put me on topamax (topiramate) back in March or April for my appetite as its apparently supposed to help decrease it. (My other medications caused me to gain 50+ lbs & increased hunger) so this is supposed to counteract it, anyone have good reviews with it? I was on 50 mg/day and only lost about 3 lbs but lost 3-4 inches. He increased it today to 75 mg/day, thoughts? And
Please don't be harsh, I've tried weight loss and eating healthy on my own and I just can't lose, it always come back on from
My medications for my anxiety and mental health. Thank you for listening!
Cheers

-mike

i was on topamax for weight loss b/c i gained so much when i started taking seroquel. the topamax didn't do anything for me at all. i am off that now, and start metformin tomorrow. hoping for better results.

darlswife wrote: »

I take topamax for migraine prevention and I have since 2005. Well it has worked wonders for my migraines, they have and decreased from five days a week to once a month, the weight-loss that I experienced in the beginning which was about 20 to 25 pounds is going away. I've have now my psych meds have increased my read by double that, and I am fighting to get rid of it. I'm actually looking for a neurologist to possibly take me off of it because the side effects from Topamax even 10 years later are still here and still bothers soon. I believe there is a new diet pill that is a combination of Topamax and phentermine that you might want to look into but beware of the Topamax side effects because they can be quite daunting.

Qsymia.

I too tried it foe migraine, I had every single side effect it can give lol so I stopped. Weight loss was one. But so was finger numbness and jerk ing, loss of memory and an inability to find words. I have heard it works well for other people, but I would just watch it. The jerking fingers can become permanent if not treated with a secondary drug.

I wanted to respond because I've been in your shoes. My neuro put me on this for migraine prevention. She mentioned the potential for weight loss. I was ecstatic at the thought as I was really struggling at losing anything. I did a lot of internet research of people that had or had not lost weight on it. I researched the side effects. I decided to jump in with both feet.

I did lose about 10 pounds in about a month. It hasn't come back. I did experience some side effects: tingling hands and feet, loss of words, eye strain/pain, soda tasted like soap (good) and chocolate tasted bitter (you think this is good but you want chocolate to taste like chocolate). The loss of words was scary -- I work in tech and was fumbling for words; once I forgot my address - it was somewhere in my brain and I couldn't bring it up. It didn't help with the migraines so I came off it after 3 months. I felt so much better off it than on it.

I really would think long and hard about getting on this med for weight loss only. I know it's the Kool Aid around here but I've committed to tracking everything in MFP and I'm already seeing results. Good luck in whatever you decide.

MPJ737 wrote: »

Hi, my doctor put me on topamax (topiramate) back in March or April for my appetite as its apparently supposed to help decrease it. (My other medications caused me to gain 50+ lbs & increased hunger) so this is supposed to counteract it, anyone have good reviews with it? I was on 50 mg/day and only lost about 3 lbs but lost 3-4 inches. He increased it today to 75 mg/day, thoughts? And
Please don't be harsh, I've tried weight loss and eating healthy on my own and I just can't lose, it always come back on from
My medications for my anxiety and mental health. Thank you for listening!
Cheers

-mike

Be careful with Topamax. I was on it for siezures, and taking a high dose. Yes, the weight just flew off. I had zero interest in food. It was a struggle to consume 400 calories in a day. Everything was nauseating to me. I also had no interest in drinking anything, so dehydration was an issue. Along with that, I couldn't think straight. It was like I had forgotten language. My body could no longer regulate temperature (I was on it during summer and in NC it is hot and humid). I wouldn't sweat, and wouldn't realize I was over heating which was a big issue. Almost passed out several times while working in the yard, not to mention losing my vision intermittently when I would over heat. I was in a chronic disassociated state of existence. My hands and feet would tingle to the point of pain. It would wake me up from sleeping, and happened frequently. I finally stopped taking it when I started having severe kidney pain. Seriously, I would rather have the siezures than take Topamax again.

That being said, you will probably have more side effects once you increase you dose. I seriously recommend you just stick with a calorie deficit and have more patience. You can lose the weight without this, it may not be a quick but you can do it. Though I don't advocate the use of medication to lose weight, I would speak to your doctor for other pharmaceutical alternatives as opposed to Topamax (it is that bad). If you decide to stay on it and increase you dose, set reminders to drink water. I remember having nasty side effects when I had increase to 75, but i was still tapering up get to the dose I needed to be at.

This medication is nothing to play with and can cause permenant damage if you are not careful. Also, if you increase your dose and find you hate the side effects you cannot just stop taking it. You have to tapper off of it, so there wouldn't be quick relief from the side effects. I recommend you goggle Topamax side effects and read other accounts from a variety of sites.

If given the choice between being overweight or on this medication I would rather be fat. Topamax was an absolute nightmare.

Best of luck to you!

ETA - forgot to mention once you get off it you will probably put the weight right back on. You're not learning how to regulate your food consumption because the medication is killing your appetite. Once you're off it, you're appetite comes right back. I dropped down to 105 lbs. once off it I quickly gained up to 150lbs. Through diet and exercise I am now 122 lbs. just more info to consider.

Both myself and my sister in law were on this med for two different reasons. She lost weight mainly because it made her soda taste flat so she gave up her 5 mountain dews a day. I didnt have any side effects except sleep issues and did not gain or lose weight. I didnt realize this was actually a drug doctors would prescribe weight loss.

ajarosz78 wrote: »

My dr is starting me on wellbutrin / topamax combo to lose...I pray it works

@ajarosz78 both medications affect the heart. I'd be very concerned about the combination.

I've taken weight loss drugs, and while they worked, I learned nothing from the experience as my appetite was artificially suppressed. The weight came all back when I stopped.

I find using MFP to create a calorie deficit and adhere to it a much safer and mindful method.