hey all my new neuro just put me on topirimate yesterday! anyone have input on this drug? starting slow working up in doseage! im also on verap! do 02:) and imtrex inject third of the vile when needed also
thanks in advance
anthony

I have been on Topamax for several years now (currently at a dose of 100 mg in the morning and 100 at night).  Of course, it started out much lower than that and has been ramped up little by little over the years, but I have not found it to be effective at all.  The side effects haven't been to bad for me, just a little tingling and numbness here and there and my mind isn't a sharp as it once was, lol, but nothing too horrible for me.  I just started verapamil at 180 on 12/30 and am finding that to be helpful so far.

Been on topiramate 50mg for 7 months. It works for me.  Had some numbness at first. It went away.  Now I am always cold. I also quit drinking caffeine at same time.   Short term memory does not seem as good, but I've never been good w/ names anyway.  plus i am 40, memory is prol on it's way out.  The last week I have had some shadows. I also started taking an antibiotic.  I hope they are correlated.  I recommend trying it for awhile.  My doc had me on 25mg for first week and I was still getting KIP 7's.  i begged for higher dosage, been ok ever since.  From what I've read on forums I believe you will read more negative stuff about topomax than positive.   It seems a lot of people have problems.  good luck

I am new to the boards and this website. This may sound strange, but I just came to the realization yesterday that what I had been suffering with all those years were more than likely cluster headaches and not just 'tension headaches' like the idiot 'headache specialist' told me they were. He wanted to hook me up to a biofeedback machine and teach me how to 'live with the pain'.

My nurse pract. put me on Topamax for these headaches after I tried to deal with them on my own for about 10 years. She knew the pain I was dealing with was more than 'tension headaches' but she thought they were migraines.

Anyway, after building up to my regular dose, I now take 50mg, 2x a day and have for almost two years. In the first year, I would get the occasional 'breakthrough' headache that I would take a standard dose of Imitrex for and it would knock it out. This year, I am all but free of the headaches and I can't remember the last time I took an Imitrex. I get the occasional 'tinge' that I have since found you all call shadows, but I have not had one of those unbearable, evil, skull crushing headaches in almost two years.

I know Topamax doesn't work for everyone, but I think that for these types of headaches, especially if you were having them as often as I was, it's worth a try. And they didn't stop overnight. It did take some time for the drugs to build up in the system and get rid of the headaches.

As for side effects: they were the worst in the first few months. The only ones I'm left with is the 'I can't think of a word' deal at times (let's face it-when you have one of those evil headaches, you can't even remember your own name) and I can't STAND the taste of soda. Any carbonated beverage tastes like crap since I started Topamax, so I had to give up my Mountain Dew addiction. I haven't had a pop in two years.

I hope this helps!   

I started Topamax about 3 weeks ago.  That might explain why the Mt Dew I had yesterday tasted so bad and why my beloved beer was less than satisfying during the Super Bowl.  My doctor didn't warn my about that particular side effect.  Guess I'll have to stick to vodka and lemonade from now on.

Hello All,

This is my first post here! I have been taking the topamax for quite some time now and NEVER got any of the side effects spoke of here. It works as long as you stick with it (at least it does for me). At this point, i'm waiting for it to kick back in. I am in the begining cycle of yet another lovely cycle, about 3 weeks in and i just started taking the meds a few days ago. I'm excited for them to kick in and start working their magic. I was in the ER twice this past weeked because the pain was so bad.

Tomorrow i'm going to get a nerve block done. This will be the first nerve block i have got done and I'm praying it works. I don't know who here has had one done, but any help or words of wisdom would be incouraging at this point. I have been perscribed every pain pill under the sun and nothing works quick enough. Im so tired of taking narcotics at this point, I want a more solid solution... Sorry for rambling on you all, just wanted to say hello and let you all know that for me, the Topamax really does work.. It worked better than depakote and all that other stuff...

Drop me a line and let me know what you think about the nerve block and any meds that you know know, pill wise that will work.. I have scripts for Oxy (80mg) Hydro (10-325) Perc (10-325) and so on.... I'm sick of taking the meds and want something that works...

Thanks again..

Shane from Texas!!

Didn't help my cluster HAs but did lose about 20 lbs! Had usual side effects but they usually pass after 2-3 weeks for most people. And yes, sodas will taste strange at least for a while. Bottom line: like you have seen on this thread, works for some and not for others, so just try it but just don't give up on day 3(oops you started 1/16) like so many people do b/c of side effects, give it time.