Topamax and Wellbutrin

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Jcox300
Jcox300 Posts: 62 Member
in Motivation and Support
Anyone used Topamax and or Wellbutrin for weight? what was the outcome?
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  • Alatariel75
    Alatariel75 Posts: 17,959 Member
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    No Wellbutrin, but after being prescribed Topomax for ongoing debilitating vestibular migraine resulting in 6 months of unrelenting vertigo - I preferred the vertigo. The side effects were horrendous. I may have lost weight, but I wouldn't have noticed, because it turned me into a zombie. It almost cost me my job. I cannot imagine taking it for weight loss.
  • bootyrubsandtacos
    bootyrubsandtacos Posts: 775 Member
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    I’ve been on Topamax before. The first two weeks I was on it it completely suppressed my apatite, but that side effect didn’t last long. I ended up going off of it because it made me tired and foggy headed. I didn’t lose any real weight on it either.
  • berryblonde
    berryblonde Posts: 18 Member
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    I've been on Topomax 5 or 6 years for seizures and migraines, the weight loss stopped pretty quick and the negative side effects of the medication subsided over time. My son was on Topomax in high school for migraines after a concussion from football and lost a LOT of weight, he had to be taken off because he was losing so much.
  • newheavensearth
    newheavensearth Posts: 870 Member
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    I have been taking Topomax for migraines for years. I gain on it. I lose on it. No difference.
  • 81Katz
    81Katz Posts: 7,074 Member
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    Topamax was an awful drug for me. At first my appetite was non-existent and I could not finish meals because I was so full so quickly. I was like "awesome!" So over the whole time I was on it (about 3/3.5 months) but as the time went on, the appetite suppression wore off, I began to eat more again (some good, some not so good but food choices) but halfway through I was actually PHYSICALLY moving slower, MENTALLY thinking slower. Could not finish thoughts, forgetful, could not concentrate on ANYTHING. I was a zombie. I could not function on topamax. So I stopped it (Dr. Approved) and almost instantly began to gain back the 15lbs I had lost. Slowly after I could think straight, fucus, etc. So while the weight gain totally sucked, it was better than feeling like mush all day, everyday.

    I'm also on Wellbutrin but it's been hard to gauge that drugs affect on its own since I also take other medications with it.
  • bluestarlight19
    bluestarlight19 Posts: 419 Member
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    I lost at first but then stopped. I've been on it for about 3 years now for migraines. It's not the be all end all, and the side effects are a *kitten*. I got really depressed/anxious on the higher doses, foggy brain, I couldn't remember how to string simple sentences together and my memory fell apart. Wouldn't want to use it just for weight loss.
  • nadler64
    nadler64 Posts: 124 Member
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    I take Wellbutrin XR for seasonal affective disorder. The weight-loss effect is very short-lived.
  • COGypsy
    COGypsy Posts: 1,176 Member
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    I took Dope-a-max for several years. Started it to mitigate/treat weight gain from another medication and stayed on it for a few years for migraine prevention. I don't recall whether it helped with weight loss or not, I changed my other medication a few months later because of all the other side effects I was experiencing. At some doses, I would get really loopy, like the other people have described. I freaked out my workout partner one day. I zoned out mid-bicep curl and just stood in the middle of the gym holding a dumbbell and staring into space for several minutes. Didn't hear him talking to me until he shook my shoulder to get my attention.

    It also made my hands and feet feel numb and tingly pretty regularly--kind of like they'd gone to "sleep". The worst was when it would happen while I was driving. Being able to feel the steering wheel and which pedal you're pushing is apparently a pretty critical part of operating a motor vehicle! Who knew?!? :D

    My advice would be to avoid it if you're only looking for the weight loss effect. In my purely anecdotal experience, most people seem to experience the side effects to a noticeable extent and I've never met anyone who had some kind of sustained significant weight loss from it. I'd rather lose weight more slowly or even stay fat than not be able to finish my sentences, personally.
  • 81Katz
    81Katz Posts: 7,074 Member
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    My hands had horrible tingles and numbness on Topamax too. It sucked!!
  • erika_307
    erika_307 Posts: 82 Member
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    I took Wellbutrin... it made me not want to drink alcohol at all, but didn’t really affect my appetite for very long. It also made me kind of tremble and stutter my speech sometimes. It was really freaky, so I stopped taking it. I would recommend a ketogenic diet. This has suppressed my appetite more than anything ever has. I no longer think about food constantly.
  • NR81206
    NR81206 Posts: 54 Member
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    I take topamax but not for weight loss (I have Chiari) , I was on 50mg however my neurologist just bumped me up to 75mg yesterday. I didn't start losing weight until I started CICO.. Topamax has nothing to do with my weight loss. If I didn't have Chiari I wouldn't take topamax, it makes you have what they call "slow brain" why would someone want to have brain fog all day just to lose weight?
  • Treece68
    Treece68 Posts: 780 Member
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    Topamax kind of suppressed my appetite but the anger, dry mouth and numb hands & feet were to much so I stopped taking it and now deal with migraines with yoga.
  • Jcox300
    Jcox300 Posts: 62 Member
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    NR81206 wrote: »
    I take topamax but not for weight loss (I have Chiari) , I was on 50mg however my neurologist just bumped me up to 75mg yesterday. I didn't start losing weight until I started CICO.. Topamax has nothing to do with my weight loss. If I didn't have Chiari I wouldn't take topamax, it makes you have what they call "slow brain" why would someone want to have brain fog all day just to lose weight?

    what is CICO
  • bren3jet
    bren3jet Posts: 33 Member
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    I take topamax for migraines and have the tingling fingers occasionally but no other noticeable side effects.....except diet pepsi tastes funny.
  • SpiritGirl94
    SpiritGirl94 Posts: 22 Member
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    I had a severe allergic reaction to Topamax. While I was on it it made me extremely sick and to the point where I couldn't function but then again none of my meds seem to be helping with me losing weight right now they currently have me on gabapentin and lamotrigine.
  • zealouszoey
    zealouszoey Posts: 12 Member
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    I take Topamax for intracranial hypertension headaches and it has been a godsend! Prior to Topamax I was averaging three to six Advil a day to try and control the headaches. After Topamax, I haven't had a single headache. I will say that when you start it it does need to be gradual. My neurologist initially put me on my maintenance dose which caused too many side effects. We took a step back, tapered up, and that went very smoothly. As far as weight loss, I don't see a damn bit of difference. If you read the scholarly articles on it there wasn't a large population of the test subjects who experienced it.
  • 888Butterfly888
    888Butterfly888 Posts: 3,203 Member
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    I took Topomax for a short time for migraines. It made me very confused and I never lost weight.
  • Kellielvsfam
    Kellielvsfam Posts: 31 Member
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    About 15 yrs ago,i was put on Topemax for nerve pain.I was a size 10,when i started it.I went down to a skeletal size 3!Food tasted funny,so i didn't care if i ate or not.However the side effects were crazy.I could barely string 2 sentences together.I worked in a small diner with 22 seats and the customers would often talk with me,while i was cooking.I became afraid to speak because i soulnded like i had no sense.I also had severe anger issues,when the tickets would fill all the way to the end and i had to gather all the food for the next set up.My mind just kinda stopped working.Needless to say,i went off of it.I slowly went back up to a size 8.Which back then was a healthy size for me.
  • NR81206
    NR81206 Posts: 54 Member
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    Jdavis3111 wrote: »
    NR81206 wrote: »
    I take topamax but not for weight loss (I have Chiari) , I was on 50mg however my neurologist just bumped me up to 75mg yesterday. I didn't start losing weight until I started CICO.. Topamax has nothing to do with my weight loss. If I didn't have Chiari I wouldn't take topamax, it makes you have what they call "slow brain" why would someone want to have brain fog all day just to lose weight?

    what is CICO

    CICO = calories in, Calories out.. using MFP the way it's intended. Plug your stats in, I recommend losing at 1# a week, Eat the calories your given, exercise and eat half of those calories back. It's all about learning your TDEE/BMR and what your daily calorie intake is, once you learn it, subtract that by 500 (500×7= 3500= 1# loss ) it's actually that simple. Seems crazy but I've lost 48.8# Google TDEE and it will popup several website, plug your stats in (be honest about your activity level) and it will give you how many calories your body needs just to be at maintenance level, that's where you subtract the 500 from. Good luck.
  • GottaBurnEmAll
    GottaBurnEmAll Posts: 7,722 Member
    edited December 2017
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    bootyrubsandtacos wrote: »
    I’ve been on Topamax before. The first two weeks I was on it it completely suppressed my apatite, but that side effect didn’t last long. I ended up going off of it because it made me tired and foggy headed. I didn’t lose any real weight on it either.

    Same. I'm on a high dose for migraine management. The appetite suppressing effects wear off after a while. Even if you tolerate it well, there are still cognitive side effects that aren't to be downplayed.

    For a temporary effect, it's really not worth it.

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