Topamax Should Be Taken Off The Market

Updated

If you're thinking about taking Topamax or you're taking Topamax, please do your research and consider other alternative medications. Topamax is such a horrible drug! My neurologist put me on it for migraines. I was taking 150mg daily. It actually caused me to have Aura migraines, which I had never had before. I had almost every single side effect from it, tingling in my hands and feet, Brain fog, memory loss, cognitive impairment, slurred speech, problems spelling, anxiety, visual disturbances. My hair was falling out in clumps! It causes irreversible alopecia. I did some research on it and found out what a horrible drug it is and how people were having withdrawals after trying to stop and ended up back on the medication because of the withdrawals. I decided right then and there to wean myself off the medication after being on it for 9 months. I have now been off of Topamax for 6 months and while my hair is no longer falling out, it is not going back either.

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1

Topamax is a terrible drug. I too had your side effects and ended up off it. My sight did not return and sadly, though it controlled the migraines it just wasn't worth the side effects. I wish you the very best and hope that you find something that works without destroying you.

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2

Did you have any side effects from weaning yourself off of it? I hate this medication. I've been on it for a little over a year. And I have the same issues as you. It's awful. I never really had that bad of migraines to begin with. Now I feel poisoned. I'm so scared to stop taking it though that I'm going to have a seizure or something worse.

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3

I'm just wondering if your hair loss is improving at all at this point. I've been on topamax a year now, trying to get off it now as my hair has been falling out in clumps for the last 3 months. Is it really irreversible? This is devastating.

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Re: Jenny (# 3) Expand Referenced Message

Yes, my hair has started to come back slowly. It is in better shape than it was a year ago but not as thick as it was before taking Topamax. I'm grateful I wasn't on it longer than 9 months.

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Re: Tami (# 2) Expand Referenced Message


I don't remember having any withdrawals. In fact my health improved. I'm grateful that I wasn't on it any longer than 9 months. I could not sweat! I was over heating and felt awful while taking it. I hope you're able to come off without any problems either.

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6

That is great to hear your hair is at least starting to come back. I was originally on 125 mg and almost had to drop out of nursing school because it was like I basically had Alzheimer's. I suddenly couldn't do simple math, finish sentences, find words. I had nystagmus and double vision, severe parasthesia on all limbs including my nose, loss of appetite and taste changes, however only lost a couple pounds I'm assuming because it also turned me into a zombie couch potato. It also caused severe depression and suicidal thoughts. I feel like I'm forgetting something. I tried to go off it after the second month but when I tapered down I got severe anxiety and nerve pain, so I've basically been stuck on 50 mg for 10 months. Oh it also causes me to hyperventilate all the time. And I also just had some blood work done and my potassium was low. Oh yeah and kidney pain. So yeah, not the drug for me. Looking forward to getting off it.

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7

Did any of you have significant weight loss while taking Topomax?

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8

I stopped topamax a year ago along with every other med I had been taking for yrs. Now that you mention hair loss. My hair was falling out like crazy and today it's about 1/2 as much as I used to have. And for the life of me I have no clue as to why I was prescribed it. I just know that at that time I fell off my roof and landed on my head and had Traumatic Brain Injury (TBI) and had occasional headaches because of it. I also had my right arm and shoulder crushed and was unable to move them a few inches without horrible chronic pain.
I am on Contrave now for weight loss...I am slowly but steadily losing. Contrave has LDN (Low Dose Naltrexone) as a key ingredient.
I read it is used for migraines and fibromyalgia pain. But...Since I started Contrave I haven't had headaches and my arm and shoulder are back to normal movement with no pain what so ever.

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9

Do not take topamax & if you are please get off of it. I was prescribed topamax in April of 2017 for migraines in November I stared having seizures. In December I was diagnosed with epilepsy. And although topamax is also used as an anti seizure med, it made me have them. I have been off topamax since December & have had seizures ever since. Sometimes up to 3 a day. If you value your everyday life, the privilege of driving your child/ or yourself places this med is not for you. - & I have now after researching found others in my same position after taking topamax.

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