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Topiramate

12 replies

PretzelPrincess · 08/08/2015 20:49

Has anyone taken this before? I'm about to take it for migraines. Did you get any side effects?

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tangledyarn · 08/08/2015 21:47

I took it for 6 months for vestibular migraine. It didn't really work for me unfortunately. I lost my appetite, felt quite spaced out and had some trouble word finding and had lots of tingling sensations but the side effects were manageable. I think the key is to start on a very low dose and build up slowly.

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MozzchopsThirty · 08/08/2015 21:58

Awful, took it for migraines. It didn't work.
I had blurred vision and some confusion which they thought was a haemorrhage but my GP stopped the topirimate and hey ho my blurred vision stopped.

My friend suffered terrible depression with it and had to stop taking it.

I tried Botox as a last resort, I haven't had a headache or migraine in 3 months, haven't seen my osteopath or been to GP.
I'm going to see if I can get it on NHS but if not I'll sell my soul to continue, it's changed my life, and I look amazing

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Luvvies · 08/08/2015 22:06

I take it for IIH (idiopathic intracranial hypertension). I take 50mg twice a day, which I built up to over 6 weeks.

I believe I have some loss of appetite, but I have also been following the 5:2 / on weight loss plan anyway over the same period so this could be down to my own effort?

I do have tingling feet, a couple of times a day, but this is bearable.

The other things I consider as side effects is that I do believe I have a slight change in my ability to think clearly, process information quickly etc. I have had some strange instances of interpreting things oddly, looking at things and thinking they were something else, momentarily. Nothing alarming, it's quite amusing, not dangerous! And I'm told I am a little less guarded with some things I say. A little like when you are drunk, but not appearing drunk.

These changes are very real, I have been on topiramate twice now, and, for me, exactly the same thing has happened.

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PretzelPrincess · 09/08/2015 00:15

Did anyone lose weight with it?

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Luvvies · 09/08/2015 06:42

I've lost 3 stone in 10 months, but I have wanted to. I would have been able to keep my weight stable if I had wanted to.
Do you want to lose weight?

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KenDoddsDadsDog · 09/08/2015 06:53

I took it and it worked well but did have some side effects. I couldn't taste fizz in fizzy drinks for one and was very tired . But that's better than a daily migraine . I didn't lose weight . Sadly had to stop taking if due to other meds

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ScrambledEggAndToast · 09/08/2015 06:57

I take this for epilepsy. I think I have put on weight but I can't say whether it is purely down to the topirimate because I am on three other epilepsy medications.

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nearlyhadenough · 12/08/2015 11:54

I've been taking this for about 2 years and it did reduce my migraines at first. They are again becoming more frequent so I am stopping.

Luvvies - when you have stopped taking Topiramate did you have any issues and did your side effects subside and if so over how long?

I have had tingling feet and hands (part of migraine aura as well so not sure if this is the medication), blurred vision that has got better and I really feel that I can't remember things as well as I could prior to taking it. It has suppressed my appetite - but I eat emotionally anyway so it has made no difference!!

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Luvvies · 22/08/2015 18:06

Sorry for the delay responding, Nearly.

I tirated down over about 6 weeks, had no problems and the side effects stopped.

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TitsOnAFish · 22/08/2015 20:02

I've taken it for a while now for migraines. It's made a bit of a difference, not a lot. I take 50mg in the morning and 100mg at night. I have lost quite a bit of weight, that I didn't need too.

I have Botox on the NHS every three months now. I still get the migraines, but they don't last as long. There is very, very strict criteria to qualify and they won't deviate from it in my area.

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Lolimax · 22/08/2015 20:06

I'm on it for IHH as well. Im gutted as I haven't lost any weight. I've had the side effects as others have noted the worst being the tingling in hands and feet and the awful taste in pop. But they have reduced the headaches I was getting after blood clots on the brain.