Anybdy Ever Take Topamax?

mimzy

mimzy

Active Member
I just started a regimen of Topamax to prevent migraines. ...and i'm really kinda nervous. This is a last resort for me... loooooooong story short, I've been to a dozen neurologists and have tried every medication on the market, and some that aren't even out yet... but have this far been hesitant to try Topamax. anyone here have any experience with this medicine?
 
ironeagle2006

ironeagle2006

Active Member
Yeah I have for Epilepsy. I had a rash from it and for me it did not work. Of course I have been on about everything there is an nothing has worked for me at all.
 
lovethesea

lovethesea

Active Member
I have migraines too. (not to the extent that you have) I take Imitrex and it seems to work. Is topomax a daily thing?
Do you get them regularly? I have several triggers. Did anyone mention barometric pressure changes to you? Believe it or not that is one of my triggers.
I feel for you, I hope you find something for relief.
 
mimzy

mimzy

Active Member
Originally Posted by lovethesea
http:///forum/post/2770586
I have migraines too. (not to the extent that you have) I take Imitrex and it seems to work. Is topomax a daily thing?
Do you get them regularly? I have several triggers. Did anyone mention barometric pressure changes to you? Believe it or not that is one of my triggers.
I feel for you, I hope you find something for relief.
I do get them regularly. Sometimes 2-4 times a month, sometimes 2-6 times a week. They try me on Immitrex at least once every other year - it makes me violently ill. like....u dont wanna know.
As for my triggers, they are dehydration, onions, too much sugar, not enough sugar, hormonal imbalances, crying, bright sun, too much caffeine, not enough caffeine, genetics.... I could go on and on. Officially my diagnosis is "Genetic Idiopathic Migraines," which basically means "we have no freaking clue why you get these things but everyone in your family gets them too so you're pretty much skrewed."
Topamax is a daily medication - it's not something you take when you are having an acute attack, it's supposed to be taken once a day as a preventative. It was originally developed as an anti-convulsive but 95%of the prescriptions given out now are for migraines. I have been hesitant to start it b/c some of the side effects are really, really scary.... but I don't really have any other choices at this point.
 
mimzy

mimzy

Active Member
Originally Posted by ironeagle2006
http:///forum/post/2770564
Yeah I have for Epilepsy. I had a rash from it and for me it did not work. Of course I have been on about everything there is an nothing has worked for me at all.
I'm sorry to hear it did not work for you. do you get migraines in addition to seizures? How long were you on the Topamax?
 
ironeagle2006

ironeagle2006

Active Member
Maybe 3 weeks before I was puking my guts out. I got tthat side effect I do sometimes get migraines as a result of my Strokes I had in 2001 however I can and do take Imitrex if needed for them I carry the self injector for them and man that works wonders for me. My migranies are the worst of the worse also I get the COmples were it looks like a stroke in me yet I and just having a headache so I hit myself in the leg in the pen push the button and 20-30 mins later I am fine. Which reminds me I need to get mine refilled again.
 
majormaz

majormaz

Member
I was on it for the same reasons. I never felt I had access to my brain, I could not think while on it. Additionally, you will loose weight.
 
al mc

al mc

Active Member
My wife gets migraines with about the same frequency and the same triggers Mimzy. She has been placed on almost every anti epileptic drug known to man, including topramax, to try to prevent the migraines. All reduced the number of migraines by about 50% but she is an RN, and like you, was not willing to put up with the potential side effects without getting elimination of the migraines completely.
The only things that have worked for her....When she was pregnant with our daughter she did not get any during the second and third trimester (those h o r m o n e s are powerful!)...not a treatment I would suggest though
. Prozac worked at preventing them but at a dose that made her almost semicomatose.
Injectible Imitex is the only thing that works once she has them. Chewable caused nausea, intranasal spray did nothing.
 
mr.m

mr.m

Member
My wife takes it it it works for her. but she has Axert too only when she gets a migrine . no side affects she been on it for a year now.
Mark
 
mimzy

mimzy

Active Member
Originally Posted by majormaz
http:///forum/post/2771808
I was on it for the same reasons. I never felt I had access to my brain, I could not think while on it. Additionally, you will loose weight.
hey Major.... how long does it take to notice the weightloss?
 
mimzy

mimzy

Active Member
Originally Posted by Al Mc
http:///forum/post/2772002
My wife gets migraines with about the same frequency and the same triggers Mimzy. She has been placed on almost every anti epileptic drug known to man, including topramax, to try to prevent the migraines. All reduced the number of migraines by about 50% but she is an RN, and like you, was not willing to put up with the potential side effects without getting elimination of the migraines completely.
The only things that have worked for her....When she was pregnant with our daughter she did not get any during the second and third trimester (those h o r m o n e s are powerful!)...not a treatment I would suggest though
. Prozac worked at preventing them but at a dose that made her almost semicomatose.
Injectible Imitex is the only thing that works once she has them. Chewable caused nausea, intranasal spray did nothing.

Prozac???? really???? ive never been presented with anti-depressants as an option.... I will have to look into that, thanx Al!!
 
hlcroghan

hlcroghan

Active Member
My bf's daughter has a very unusual type of epilepsy and she has been taking it for 3 years now and has not had one seizure so it works well for her. It makes her sleepy though.
 
K

kikithemermaid

Guest
I get about 1-2 migraines a week, been on maxalt for 3 years but suddenly it's stopped working.
 
mimzy

mimzy

Active Member
Originally Posted by kikithemermaid
http:///forum/post/2773461
I get about 1-2 migraines a week, been on maxalt for 3 years but suddenly it's stopped working.

Maxalt did the same thing to me as well! i was on it for a few months - I took it as prescribed every time I had an acute attack and it worked wonderfully, then all of a sudden one dose was not enough. 2 weeks after having to take the upped dosage, it stopped working completely, and a week after that it started making me really, really nauseous and the last time I took it I was in bed for 3days sick and passing in an out of consciousness. I have NO idea what happened with that but I was pretty upset.
The only medicine that's worked for me since Maxalt has been Relpax - it's the same deal, take one soon as you feel like ur getting a migraine, if one doesn't work u can take another 2hours later. I've only ever had to take a second one 3 times in the year I've been taking Relpax, and nothing weird has developed since I've started taking it. Relpax simply WORKS.
I had to start the Topamax bc i'm getting migraines more frequently and my insurance will only give me 6Relpax per month... I usually use those up in the 1st 5days.

but if Maxalt has stopped working for you, I highly recommend talking to your Dr. about Relpax!
 
saltn00b

saltn00b

Active Member
have you had a catscan mimzy? my ex started getting crazy headaches out of nowhere. they progressed into blacking out episodes and seizures. i made her go and get checked out and the results came back with a brain tumor.
 
mimzy

mimzy

Active Member
Originally Posted by saltn00b
http:///forum/post/2775635
have you had a catscan mimzy? my ex started getting crazy headaches out of nowhere. they progressed into blacking out episodes and seizures. i made her go and get checked out and the results came back with a brain tumor.
I've had MRIs, CTscans, PTscans, ultrasounds....all clear. I've gotten these migraines since I was a little kid. They come and go in severity and frequency - sometimes I wish they would find something on the imaging so I could at least get a definitive answer and formulate a plan.
 
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