Any tips for making topamax easier?

[Dislike_Fluorescents]

I'm going to be switching from keppra to topamax. I remember when I first started keppra, I experienced the vaunted keppra rage. Taking B6 helped with that.

Is there anything that I can take with topamax to lessen the side effects?

Thanks!

[Endless]

Hi, Dislike,

Welcome to the forum!

Oh, my, Topamax. Keep taking those B vitamins. It may help with possible side effects like depression.

Here's the package insert for Topamax with the side effects:
http://dailymed.nlm.nih.gov/dailymed...412#nlm34084-4

Everyone is different on each drug, but something most people agree on is that it changes their sense of taste and eating habits. Food tastes kind of metallic, and your desire to eat it goes out the window. Colas taste the weirdest. For me, italian red sauce with a TON of garlic was the only thing that smelled and tasted normal. I don't think there is anything you can take for this. But if you don't need to lose weight you may want to remember what food is appetizing for you and keep lots in your house. Also maybe get frozen dinners because I was too tired to cook a lot of the time so I skipped meals. Frozen food helped. I still lost 13 lbs in 2 months on the stuff.

Some people have cognitive issues with Topamax, too. In here we jokingly nickname it "Dopamax." I had a little book of blank paper I carried with me everywhere and any time I needed to remember something it went into that little book. Problem is, I lost the book.

Some people are really tired on Topamax. They sleep all the time. I don't think there is anything you can take for that, either.

Some people have no adverse effects at all. They love the stuff. I'm sure they will chime in, here.

[SeizetheNight]

I also switched from Keppra to Topamax. I don't think that I have really noticed many side effects, but I am on a fairly low dose, I think (100mg twice a day). I was hoping to lose some weight, but unfortunately, that has not happened. My memory was bad on the Keppra, and is still bad... I think that I can concentrate a little better now though. I stopped taking the B6 when I stopped the Keppra, I don't know if that mattered any. I do have a big problem with smells now, that has been getting worse the longer I have had epilepsy. I used to love sented candles, or plugins and things of that sort, but now they give me major anxiety. As far as helping my seizures go, I don't know yet. I only have them about every 5 months or so, and I started taking the topamax after the last seizure, so I have a few months to wait to see if it works or not...

[Dislike_Fluorescents]

Thanks Endless and SeizetheNight. I'll definitely keep or even up my B vitamin dose.

If anyone else has any thoughts I would appreciate it!

[gr33nr0se]

DRINK ALOT OF WATER!!! LIKE FOUR OR FIVE WATER BOTTLES A DAY... I'M NOT KIDDING! im on keppra and topamax and its hard and my mom still pushes it. im on a medication for pcos that makes me not want to drink water so its even harder but water will help the side effects sooooooo much

[Rae1889]

if its hard for you to remember to drink the water, then set your self up an alert system. Like say once every hour and a half have a text sent to your phone that reminds you *or an email*

you can use memo to me, or Aqua-Alert (if you can find a free version of it)

[gr33nr0se]

cool thanks, i never thought about that

[Zoofemme]

I like my topomax...it does double duty for me; takes care of headaches and helps with seizures. Definitely make sure you drink lots of water and report any eye issues you might have. It will do a number on your taste buds and odds are, if you are a cola addict it will kick that habit quick...battery acid-bleh! Like others have said, if you need to lose weight it is good, if you don't you are going to have to work around the stuff it makes taste like crap. That isn't the same for everyone I now have a difficult time eating starchy stuff and dairy...you couldnt pay me to drink milk or eat yogurt, ewwwww! It may or may not be partially responsible for some of my cognitive issues; my neurologist doesn't think so, not to the extent that I have them and that they continue to get worse. Word substitution or searching is common side effect too. HTH

[nick4tivy]

I'm still on Keppra, and I don't know if anybody else has noticed, and because I've had so much trouble getting mine under control(atleast to me it feels that way, but for others I know it is way worse) I dropped drinking any sodas at all.

I don't know if that will be the same with this other medicine, but this is what has happened for me. Regardless of diet soda, or zero calorie soda. The only occasional soda that I might drink is sprite. Even then, I hesitate on that thought. For me I just found it easy to quit.

I know that eating habits have a lot to do when helping with epilepsy and a lot of other things. Just thought I'd throw this in here.

[Dislike_Fluorescents]

Thankyou everyone. I'll be certain to drink LOTS of water. I don't think soda should be a huge issue for me, as I hardly ever drink it anyway.

I love the cell phone reminder idea. I had been thinking about setting my watch to go off every couple of hours, but I think using the cell will be much more effective.

I've heard that topiramate depletes or decreases absorption of B12. Has anybody tried sublingual B12 supplements or B12 injections? If so, do you find it helpful?

Thanks so much!

[Zoofemme]

I can't answer to the B12 depletion since I just had my B levels tested (along with my D) and they were okay. Some other folks may have had problems though.