Is anyone on this medication? My AVM was causing me horrible debilitating headaches combined with an earache. My pain management doctor prescribed Topamax and although I have read horror stories about the side effects of this medication but honestly, it has been a gift from Heaven for me. I've only been on it two weeks but OH what a difference it has made in my life!!!
Hi Chikeena,
If no one responds to your post, I suggest you go to the search box in the upper right of this screen and type in "topomax". There are 4 pages of discussions involving the word. You can click on any of them to read stories.
Hope this helps.
Ron, KS
hi Chikeena-
I was on Topamax for almost 5 years. It was wonderful from a pain side and I even lost weight on it which is also one of the effects. My problem was that after about 4 years I started to loose my short term and long term memory. I stopped taking it and never really regained much memory. Apparently, memory loss is a side effect. You have to weigh the plusses and minuses. Good Luck Sue
Hi have been on topamax for 2+ yrs now and was started on it for chronic migranes and headaches and it was a blessing for me also. I still take it to this day. I have had some side effects from it. One of it being the weight loss which doesn't bother me because when i started on it I was tryig to lose weight any ways. The biggest side effect i have had to deal with is the memory loss. Mostly the short term. Some days it is difficult to deal with. It gets frustrating when i forget things espically when is important, but when you had headaches every day and suffered 7 or more migranes a month you learn to deal with it. I just learned to right a lot of things down. We are looking a changing the medication because it has gotten worse. When you start forgetting how to get home or work it does become a concern. But my AVM was also located in my rt frontal lobe so the doctors also feel that is where some of the issues have come from. I also others who have taken topamax and never had any side effects and have been on the medication a lot longer than i have. hope this helps.
Tonna
Hello! Ive been on Topamax for almost 2 years now! Not only did it stop the seizures that my avm was causing but I lost weight, It helped with headaches that I started getting and it helped with tremors that I started to develop in my hands due to my AVM. I did have memory loss at the beginning of taking the topamax but Ive since been able to remember everything. The only problem Ive had most recently is kidney stones but I know which foods are triggering them and Im staying away. This drug made a huge difference in my life for the better
Hi. A girlfriend of mine loves it. She never had an AVM but does have Epilepsy and migraines. It controls her seizures and she did lose weight too. I will be praying for you!
Thank you Barbara. I appreciate your response and your prayers.
Barbara H. said:
Hi. A girlfriend of mine loves it. She never had an AVM but does have Epilepsy and migraines. It controls her seizures and she did lose weight too. I will be praying for you!
WOW, Tonna! Forgetting how to get home is a huge deal. That's so scary. So far, I havent noticed any increase in short term memory loss that I didnt previously have before starting the medicine due to my bleed. So far, the only side effects that I've noticed are decreased appetitie (Yay!!!) pins and needles sensation in my hands and feet, and soda tastes like crap. LOL. Thanks for sharing your story. I really appreciate your input.
Tonna Wenger said:
Hi have been on topamax for 2+ yrs now and was started on it for chronic migranes and headaches and it was a blessing for me also. I still take it to this day. I have had some side effects from it. One of it being the weight loss which doesn't bother me because when i started on it I was tryig to lose weight any ways. The biggest side effect i have had to deal with is the memory loss. Mostly the short term. Some days it is difficult to deal with. It gets frustrating when i forget things espically when is important, but when you had headaches every day and suffered 7 or more migranes a month you learn to deal with it. I just learned to right a lot of things down. We are looking a changing the medication because it has gotten worse. When you start forgetting how to get home or work it does become a concern. But my AVM was also located in my rt frontal lobe so the doctors also feel that is where some of the issues have come from. I also others who have taken topamax and never had any side effects and have been on the medication a lot longer than i have. hope this helps.
Tonna
I was put on Topamax for my Migraines a few months ago and It has done wonders for them. My migraines are much fewer andin between, it has made life more liveable. The only problems I’ve had personnally is the gross tase for the next day after taking the pill, that and the fact that, only being 19 I want to be able to stay up all night long and between 11:30 and 1:00 if I’m still awake my migraines will come back with the vengeance. so sleep is a must for the medicine and i’ve noticed a strange numbness in my right side which isn’t paralyzed the next day if I forget to take it. But besides from the bad taste as long as you take the medicine it does wonders, and personally(each case will be different) if I forget the medicine it’s just kind of an off day
I was on a high dose for migraines and personally didn't like it...for me terrible side effects and as a nurse I couldn't pracice using it; forgetfulness, nerophathy....so I went off... :( does help my friend's duaghter...wish it helped. xoxo mare
I was on topamax it made me feel weird. Anxious, speed up my heart rate, Im on a beta blocker now after many different meds. That’s great that it is working for u :). I also have headaches all the time. Wakeup & go to bed with them…hugs
I am on Topamax. I HATE it. It makes me very tired. Also, when the dosage was incresed a little, I cried for three days straight. For no reason. i am not an emotional person. I was severely depressed/borderline suicidal. I know it affects evryone differently. But I did not do well with it.