How many of you take topamax 100mg daily for epilepsy

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kostareyna

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And don't have cognitive side effects like finding the right words or remembering stuff and also problem with foods that taste differently?

Im on keppra and after 6 months of being sick on daily basis except the tiredness im really considering trying to switch?
 
The lowest consistent dose I was on was 200mg daily, for a couple years, and didn't have any side effects; was on tegretol also.
 
kostareyna said:
And don't have cognitive side effects like finding the right words or remembering stuff and also problem with foods that taste differently?

Im on keppra and after 6 months of being sick on daily basis except the tiredness im really considering trying to switch?
Click to expand...

Someone who's in my boat! I posted a thread on here called "Keppra V Topamax" http://www.coping-with-epilepsy.com/forums/f23/keppra-v-topamax-13265/

I'm planning to switch to Topamax as I've heard the side effects are a lot less lifestyle intrusive.

I've been on Keppra for 2 years and I can't even bare the thought of seeing my own partner at this point, EVERYTHING annoys me. And after around 6 months I started piling on weight I physically cannot lose no matter what I do as I'm hungry 24/7!

Good luck with your switch :)
 
I take 400 mg Topamax a day, so 2 100mg pills in the morning and 2 in the evening. Also 1500 mg of Keppra. I take others as well but you were only talking about those two meds. Everyone seems to talk about food tasting differently or soda having like an alumnium taste. I don't experience that. Or maybe it's cause I've been on it so long, I forget what food actually tastes like. However, I do have the cognitive side effects, as well as memory, lack of motivation, balance, mood swings, no appetite etc....if I had my choice of coming off Keppra or Topamax it would be the Topamax hands down.
 
I switched from the max dose of Keppra to 100mg of Topamax twice daily almost a year ago, and I have been seizure free ever since. :) As for side effects, they have been very minimal for me. Nothing as far as taste goes, so no weight loss. I think that my memory and thinking is actually better than when I was on the Keppra. I definitely had the good old 'kepprage', so I don't miss that. Of course, everyone will react differently, but for me topamax has been a much better experience than keppra. I would much prefer no meds, of course... But in the meantime, I can't complain too much.
 
Thank you for all the replies.

Today i bought some vitamins and i'll see how i feel on them,now its 3:30 pm and im not tired and can't fall asleep which is odd.

I see that topamax effects everyone differently.I just hope that it would be able to control my myoclonic jerks in case i will make the switch since so far keppra is the only thing that helped.

unfortenetly for me im probebly the only person in the world where's epilim and lamotrigine dint help with the jerks.

Anyway i'll keep you updated if the vitamins will help with the side effects or not.
 
kostareyna said:
Thank you for all the replies.

Today i bought some vitamins and i'll see how i feel on them,now its 3:30 pm and im not tired and can't fall asleep which is odd.

I see that topamax effects everyone differently.I just hope that it would be able to control my myoclonic jerks in case i will make the switch since so far keppra is the only thing that helped.

unfortenetly for me im probebly the only person in the world where's epilim and lamotrigine dint help with the jerks.

Anyway i'll keep you updated if the vitamins will help with the side effects or not.
Click to expand...

I was in the same boat when I switched to Keppra! lamotrigine didn't stop my jerks for around 3 years, then I got put on to Keppra and started having FULL seizures instead of just jerks, it sucks.
 
I take topomax. At first the side effects were pretty bad but they do get better. It took about 4 months. At first I had the really bad dry mouth and some foods did taste horrible. everything I drank tasted like aluminum but water was fine. I was more emotional over the side effects looking back. In the big picture there was still plenty of things to eat and drink that had no effects. It does make you feel a little "stupid". I still can't shake this. I just have that mental disconnect. I know it sounds bad but after toying with several other meds, these side effects are manageable. Good luck!!
 
I have to say when you first start topamax there is a quite an adjustment period so if you just started taking it.... you are in for quite a ride! I remember when they started me on it I was only on 75 mgs and I was high as a kite I could not even remember what people told me what to do the minute before at work I was staring at walls! I am now on 200 mgs 2x a day with my keppra which is 1500 mgs 2x a day which i have been on about a year which seems to keep my seizures pretty much at bay until recently. We may need to take a look at that I have had some flare ups in the last few months.

Tina
 
It's good to hear that this drug has worked well for some people, because when I was 14 and took it I ended up Catatonic. Personally I'm against most prescribed medications. Most of the time they bring out the worst in a person.
 
I take Topamax but 200MGx2 and it's one of the few that's every helped my seizures.
 
I take Topamax 100mg 2x day. Had taken it up to 200mg 2x day for about 3 weeks but I was a basket case. Had trouble talking (finding words), eating (little bits then had to lay down to keep it down) and horrible depression. Nuero cut it back last week and I am already feeling better. Of course he did up my trileptal some and I am on lamictal too.
 
I'm on 100 mg--I had cognitive side effects at first but they went away, and also insomnia. Soda never tasted bad to me (or anything else), and I've never had the tingles much either. The only lingering side effect I have is I find I get colds more often, and I'm pretty certain it's the Topamax. Otherwise, a decent experience here once I got past the first month of each titration.
 
I am on toprimate (generic Mylan brand) 200mgs 2x a day now for about the last 2 years now. I too have noticed that I get more respirtory issues now then i used to. But it could be because of the compromised immune system of the epilepsy itself combined with allergies combined with working with the public. I can't really tell. I take Flonase to counteract the stuffy runny nose when needed when my allegies are acting up seems to help. The upside is I have lost 40 lbs since taking the topirmate. I do get the tingling fingers and toes sometimes. It does make me more moody and more apt to anger at this level i am thinking of asking to be taken off of it I have been on it for 3 years now and this last year I am not really been seeing the results I would like to be seeing and my seizures seem to be getting more frequent.

Tina
 
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