Readers Respond: Tell Us About Topamax and You
Responses: 8

for About.com

Updated May 13, 2009

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Took smallest dose of Topamax 4 approx. 2 wks., 4 yrs. ago. I had acute myopic shift essentially overnight & developed traumatic d/t the ciliary muscles in my eyes swelling & then causing my lens 2 develop cataracts. My breasts also felt like there were in a vice-grip & were painful along w/ my eyes & head. I had cataracts remove and the crystalens were obviously not the correct choice in my situation, b/c they depend on the ciliary muscles 2 work properly & mine r now damaged. Nonetheless, cataracts can lead 2 retinal detachment which has just now occurred in my right eye & I cannot see. Indirectly, the Topamax caused all this & I have a feeling it is far from over. I kept working about 4 yrs. w/ all these vision probs, but finally had to stop as my neck was getting painful from where I held my head in certain positions all day, in order 2 try 2 see better. I have vitreous detachments & floaters in both eyes & never had any of ntil I took the Topamax. Plz contact me
—Guest Debra

I'm not diagnosed Bi-polar, but PTSD and situational depression. Yet they want to try Topamax or Abilify on me to stabilze my mood. Mainly, my "highs" come from the opportunity to finally land a job, a ray of hope that one day I'll be secure again financially. One day, I'll find a companion... these types of things allow me to finally feel good and happy. The "lows" come from, lack of sun, lack of hope, getting shot down on a job, having to move out of my now ex-fiance's house with no job, no money and no where to go. Also, having no one to talk with as now both my parents are deceased and my only sibling has thrown me away. In 1 year's time, I lost my Mother, my job, my house, my fiance broke our engagement, my brother threw me away. And some have told me I'm manic. I'd like to state that this is not mania, this is shock and total loss. If I'm able to smile one day and down the next, how does that make me manic? It's symptomatic of my circumstances. Am I wrong?
—Guest Me

I been on it for two weeks now slowly going to up to 200mg a day I was at 50 mg, now I am 100 mg I am noticing a big difference in my thoughts, I don't race as much, I am much calmer, and when I do blow up I much quicker to clam down, I calm down like in 5 min and which before it would take me 24hrs. All pop does taste flat, citrus drinks taste sour and by making all my favorite drinks taste bad it gets me to drink more water which is very good for me and certain foods are starting to taste bad, which is fine with me cause it gets me to start to eat healthier. This morning I am starting have some tingling feeling in my face, which not so bad, I think I could get use to. I always had problems with concentration so I can't tell difference in that lol. Over all this is a good drug for me.
—Guest Denise

I was given Topamax prior to being dx'ed with bipolar - it was for migraine maintenance. I flunked the side-effect test when I started having tingling and numbness in my hands - especially my pinkie and ring fingers. Now I take Lamicatal for a mood stabilizer for BP type II. I just building up to 100 mg. Grace happens, Denise
—Guest mamamull

I too am quite forgetful with everyday adl's and normal words. I also dropped the extra pounds that I gained with previous attempts at mood stabilizers. Overall, so far, so good this time around. Previous attempt with topamax, pdoc raised dose too quickly and I had too much anger and anxiety. This time around, increasing at a much slower rate and liking it better.
—Guest sometimespsycho

Just started Topamax on 9/28/08 for cluster headaches. Side effects have been minimal with drowzyness in the AM but no headaches, so far. I'm on 15 MG the first week increasing by 15 mg each week to a sustained dosage of 60 MG. I haven't experienced any of the dietary problems others have expressed but I've only been on the drug for 6 days.
—Dijbee

I was on Topomax a few years ago, for about a year and that whole entire year was hell for me! Everyday I kept having terrible diahrrhea (sp?) problems, no matter what I ate! I hated that med so much... Glad I'm back to Neurontin, with little to no side effects.. :)
—SuzyScorp

I was on Topomax a few years ago, for about a year and that whole entire year was hell for me! Everyday I kept having terrible diahrrhea (sp?) problems, no matter what I ate! I hated that med so much... Glad I'm back to Neurontin, with little to no side effects.. :)
—SuzyScorp