How Do You Feel On Topamax
Confusion, difficulty with concentration/attention, forgetfulness, speech or language difficulties, depression or mood problems, flushing, fever, tiredness, fatigue, weight decrease, or tingling of the extremities are common side effects. Visual field disturbances have been reported following Topamax use.
Rated For Obsessive Compulsive Disorder Report
Topamax has helped me with my OCD. i have less intrusive thoughts, compulsions, and obsessions. but i still struggle from time to time. I also suffer from Panic disorder and my anxiety hasnt been as bad. The side effects though, tingling in feet, hands, and face. slurring of words. feeling more clumsy/ drowsy. btw i take 50 mg but recently dropped to 25 mg because i started getting headaches. ive noticed a big difference in this drop. ive been more anxious, having more intrusive thoughts and OCD related behaviors. so it helps. but the side effects are annoying.
Is Topamax A Mood Stabilizer
Topamax is sometimes used off-label* as a mood stabilizer in people with bipolar disorder. Mood stabilizers are drugs that help prevent extreme changes in mood, such as those that occur with bipolar disorder. People with bipolar disorder typically have episodes of depression and episodes of mania. Mania is a mood disorder that gives you an unnatural feeling of physical and mental energy.
Several anticonvulsant medications also work as mood stabilizers in people with bipolar disorder. Topamax, which is an anticonvulsant medication, is sometimes used in this way. However, theres not much evidence that Topamax is effective for this use. To read more about this, see the Topamax uses section above.
* Off-label drug use means using a drug for a purpose other than what its been approved for by the FDA.
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Suicidal Behavior And Ideations
As an anticonvulsant, Topamax has a direct influence on brain activity. About 1 in 500 patients taking antiepileptic drugs like Topamax have reported that they experienced suicidal thoughts and tendencies, especially when starting treatment or changing dosage levels.
Due to these predispositions, patients should be continually monitored and seek medical attention if they experience anxiety, panic attacks, onset of or increased depression. Though rare, Topamax can also cause mood or behavior changes, like aggression or violence, agitation, apathy, mania, or irritability. Tell a healthcare professional about any of these changes.
Is Topiramate Prescribed All Over The World
Yes, many nations have approved Topiramate for use and prescribe it.
This information is not designed to replace a physician’s independent judgment about the appropriateness or risks of a procedure for a given patient. Always consult your doctor about your medical conditions. Remedy Health Media & PsyCom do not provide medical advice, diagnosis or treatment. Use of this website is conditional upon your acceptance of our User Agreement.
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How Does Topiramate Interact With Prescription Andover
The interactions between Topiramate, valproate, and carbamazepine have already been noted above. In addition to that, Topiramate appears to raise the blood-plasma level of phenytoin, while phenytoin decreases the level of Topiramate by 50 percent. There have been some reports that Topiramate reduces the effectiveness of oral contraceptive pills.
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Financial And Insurance Assistance
If you need financial support to pay for Topamax, or if you need help understanding your insurance coverage, help is available.
Janssen Pharmaceuticals, Inc., the manufacturer of Topamax, offers a savings card that may help lower the cost of Topamax. For more information and to find out if youre eligible for support, visit the manufacturers website.
Topamax Effects During Alcohol Withdrawal Stages
As of yet, researchers are unsure about how Topamax helps to reduce alcohol cravings and support abstinence measures, though specific brain chemical interactions seem to be affected in the process. When ingested, Topamax affects how the brain produces certain neurotransmitter chemicals, two of which are GABA and dopamine. Not surprisingly, these are the same two chemical processes most affected by ongoing alcohol use.
Treatment for alcohol dependency involves a two-phase process, which includes the withdrawal phase and the relapse prevention phase. Topamaxs chemical effects appear to work best during the early stages after a person has just stopped drinking.
Clinical studies appearing in BMC Psychiatry show low doses of Topamax to be effective at treating alcohol cravings at the start of the withdrawal phase. Topamax also fares well in reducing the anxiety and depression symptoms that often occur during withdrawal.
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Adverse Events Safety And Tolerability
Topiramate was generally well tolerated. General observations suggested that side effects occurred with high dose titration and frequently resolved or lessened with time and/or dosage reduction. Conversely, slow dose titration was associated with a lower rate of side effects . This is in agreement with data from epilepsy clinical trials, which suggest possible appearance of adverse reactions and treatment discontinuation following rapid dose titration and a target dose greater than 400 mg/day . This indicates that individuals on complex pharmacological treatments are more vulnerable to side effects, particularly with sodium valproate and lithium . The commonest adverse events across the studies analysed in this review were paraesthesias/numbness , nausea and vomiting , cognitive impairment , headache , dizziness , sedation/drowsiness , fatigue , decreased appetite , frequent peristalsis , somnolence , blurred vision , slow memory . There was one reported case of psychotic features , a case of delirium in a patient who overmedicated with 800 mg of topiramate and tranylcypromine sulphate combined with alcohol , a case of acute narrow angle glaucoma and 2 cases of hematuria . Occurrence of hematuria is consistent with the known 2 to 4 increased risk of nephrolithiasis during topiramate treatment . Rare but serious adverse events have been described with topiramate leading topiramate to be under review by regulatory authorities in several jurisdictions.
What Does Topamax Treat Why Is It Prescribed
In 1996 the FDA approved Topamax for the treatment of partial onset or primary generalized tonic-clonic seizures and for people with seizures associated with Lennox-Gastaut syndrome.
Topiramate was also approved in 2012 for use in combination with another drug called phentermine for weight loss. This product goes by the brand name Qsymia. Vivus Inc. . Vivus announces FDA approval of once daily qsymia capsules CIV . .
In 2014, the FDA approved Topamax for the prophylaxis of migraine in patients 12 years of age and older. Janssen Pharmaceutical Inc. . FDA OKs Janssen Pharmaceutical Inc. âs Topamax For Migraine Prevention In Adolescents .
The exact way that Topamax works to help prevent migraine isnât known. One theory is that Topamax calms overactive nerve system cells in the brain that lead to migraine attacks.
Topamax is sometimes prescribed âoff labelâ for other conditions. Off label means the drug is used to treat a condition for which it is not approved.
conditions treated by topamax
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Before Taking This Medicine
You should not use Topamax if you are allergic to topiramate. You should not use extended-release topiramate if you have metabolic acidosis and are also taking metformin for diabetes.
To make sure Topamax is safe for you, tell your doctor if you have ever had:
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glaucoma or other eye problems
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diabetes, or metabolic acidosis
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soft or brittle bones
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a growth disorder or
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if you are sick with diarrhea.
Topiramate can increase the level of acid in your blood . This can weaken your bones, cause kidney stones, or cause growth problems in children or harm to an unborn baby. You may need blood tests to make sure you do not have metabolic acidosis, especially if you are pregnant.
Some people have thoughts about suicide while taking an anticonvulsant. Your doctor will need to check your progress at regular visits while you are using Topamax. Your family or other caregivers should also be alert to changes in your mood or symptoms.
Taking Topamax during pregnancy may increase the risk of cleft lip and/or cleft palate, a birth defect that can develop early in pregnancy even before you know you are pregnant. However, having a seizure during pregnancy could harm both the mother and the baby. Tell your doctor right away if you become pregnant.
If you take Topamax during pregnancy: The benefit of preventing seizures may outweigh any risks posed by this medicine. There may be other medications that are safer to use. Do not start or stop taking Topamax without your doctor’s advice.
How Long Does It Take To Flush Topamax Out Of Your System
Topamax has a half-life of about 21 hours. The half-life of a drug is the time it takes for the amount of the drug in your body to fall by half. It takes about five half-lives for a drug to be almost completely removed from your body. So for Topamax, most of the drug will be flushed out of your system within about 5 days after you stop taking it.
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What Is The Most Important Information I Should Know About Topamax
You should not use topiramate if you are allergic to it. Do not take Trokendi XR within 6 hours before or 6 hours after drinking alcohol.
Tell your doctor if you are sick with diarrhea, or if you have ever had:
- glaucoma or other eye problems
- metabolic acidosis
- kidney disease, kidney stones, or dialysis
- lung disease, breathing problems
- mood problems, depression, or suicidal thoughts or actions
- liver disease
- a growth disorder or
- soft or brittle bones .
Topiramate can increase the level of acid in your blood . This can weaken your bones, cause kidney stones, or cause growth problems in children or harm to an unborn baby. You may need blood tests to make sure you do not have metabolic acidosis, especially if you are pregnant.
Some people have thoughts about suicide while taking an anticonvulsant. Your doctor should check your progress at regular visits. Your family or other caregivers should also be alert to changes in your mood or symptoms.
Taking topiramate during pregnancy may increase the risk of cleft lip and/or cleft palate, a birth defect that can develop early in pregnancy even before you know you are pregnant. However, having a seizure during pregnancy could harm both the mother and the baby. Tell your doctor right away if you become pregnant.
If you are not pregnant or planning to become pregnant, use effective birth control to prevent pregnancy while taking topiramate.
How Long Does It Take To Work
Topamax starts working within a couple of hours after you start taking it. However, when you start treatment, your dose is increased slowly over a few weeks. Therefore, it may take a few weeks before the medication level builds up enough for you to notice your seizures or migraine easing.
Even if you dont notice an improvement in your condition right away, its important to keep taking Topamax as prescribed.
Using more than the recommended dosage of Topamax can lead to serious side effects. Do not use more Topamax than your doctor recommends.
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Rated For Bipolar Ii Disorder Report
made me stupid I am diagnosed with Bipolar II rapid cycling. I was in depression when I started on 15 mg/day of topamax and then went up to 25 the next week for a week. It not only did not make my mood swings go away, it gave me major depressive mood swings and crying spells. Then the side effects got worst. I had major cognitive inabilities. Mainly I was unable to speak. I could not find the words to make a complete sentence. A week and a half into it, my eyelid started twitching, especially during driving. The side effects wore off after a couple of weeks when I stopped taking it but the eyelid twitching came back when I got put on Keppra. I’m off meds right now and the twitchings have stopped but occasionally when I get really stressed or don’t get enough sleep they come back. And no, I didn’t lose any weight.
How To Take Topamax
You should take Topamax according to your doctors or healthcare providers instructions.
Topamax comes in two different forms: a tablet that you swallow and a sprinkle capsule. The capsule can be swallowed whole or opened to sprinkle on a spoonful of soft food and swallowed.
If you have trouble swallowing Topamax tablets, talk with your doctor about using Topamax sprinkle capsules instead.
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Drug Forms And Strengths
Topamax comes in two different forms:
- A tablet that you swallow. Its available in strengths of 25 milligrams , 50 mg, 100 mg, and 200 mg.
- A sprinkle capsule. The capsule can be swallowed whole or opened to sprinkle on a spoonful of soft food and swallowed. The capsule is available in strengths of 15 mg and 25 mg.
If you have trouble swallowing Topamax tablets, talk with your doctor about using Topamax sprinkle capsules instead.
Topamax Uses And Side Effects
Steven Gans, MD is board-certified in psychiatry and is an active supervisor, teacher, and mentor at Massachusetts General Hospital.
Topamax is an anticonvulsant medication used in the treatment of epilepsy and migraine headaches. Topamax is also commonly used off-label to treat a wide range of mood disorders and eating disorders and to aid in substance abuse therapy.
While Topamax’s mechanism of action is unclear, we know that the drug blocks sodium channels in the body that deliver electrical impulses to excitable cells . By doing so, Topamax appears to enhance the activity of a chemical messenger known as gamma-aminobutyric acid .
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Rated For Binge Eating Disorder Report
I was prescribed this medication for binge eating disorder, and I wanted to love it because it did what it was supposed to. I didnt binge once while I was taking it because I couldnt eat. My appetite was gone, which was great at first, but soon after that the other wonderful side effects started. I became dizzy, and of course that ended up with me vomiting everywhere. My memory wasnt really affect that much but its not stellar anyways, so take that with a grain of salt. It also causes cold like symptoms.
Topamax Side Effects And How To Avoid Them
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Topamax is a brand-name anticonvulsant drug that works in the brain to prevent seizures. It has been FDA-approved since 1996 for the treatment of epilepsy in both children and adults. Topamax is also commonly used to prevent migraine headaches in adults. Its also used off-label to treat patients with bipolar disorder and assist with weight loss. The drug is usually prescribed in 25 mg to 400 mg doses.
Topamax is safe for long-term use when taken as prescribed. However, several common and potentially severe side effects have been reported by a small number of patients. There are also quite a few drugs that can cause harmful interactions or become ineffective when taken in conjunction with Topamax. Heres everything you should know about safely taking Topamax, including what you can do to minimize the risk of developing severe side effects.
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Is Topamax Effective Treatment
What is Topamax ?
Topamax is one of several new medication options being considered as a treatment for alcohol dependency. If approved for treatment, Topamax may help those suffering with alcoholism overcome the pitfalls that make it so hard to stay sober.
If youve struggled with alcohol problems for a long time, you know how quickly the mind and will can give into the need for a drink. A hard day, a hurtful remark or even small disappointments can easily turn a typical days events into an all-night binge.
Alcohol dependence is a condition that gets worse over time as the body and mind begin to depend on alcohol to cope with everyday life. Once the need for alcohol reaches this point, medication treatment becomes a necessity as the body has entered the disease stage of the disorder. Topiramax is one of the medications that can help you recover from alcohol dependence.
Gilles De La Tourette’s Syndrome
Abuzzahab et al. described 2 cases of Tourette’s syndrome successfully treated with topiramate respectively at 50200 mg for 8 months and 100 mg nocte for a month. In both cases, previous medication were tapered down and discontinued during the first two weeks of treatment. Significant weight loss was noted: weight dropped from 183 to 145 lb for case 1 and 12.5 lb weight loss for case 2. Lacks of concentration, loss of appetite, thirst and lethargy sensitive to dose reduction were reported.
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Is It Necessary To Wean Off Topiramate
There are no reports of bad reactions to suddenly stopping use of Topiramate, so there is no need to wean off the drug. On the other hand, the entire class of anticonvulsants is known to lead to seizures if you stop taking them suddenly. Therefore, the only thing that should lead to a sudden cessation of Topiramate use is the rise of a dangerous side-effect.
Emotional Unstable Personality Disorder
Cassano et al. described a case of bipolar mood disorder and border line personality disorder complicated by self mutilating behaviour, which responded to topiramate administration with an on-off-on design. Although depressive symptoms persisted, topiramate controlled self-injurious acts within 2 weeks at a dose of 200 mg/day. No side effects were reported. Teter et al. published a case of an inpatient with psychotic disorder not otherwise specified and border line personality disorder treated with topiramate at the dose of 200 mg/day. Borderline symptoms improved in 6 weeks. Considerable weight loss was also reported.
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