I am 21 years old and have been taking topamax for almost 5 years now and it has worked for me in the sense that I do not have seizures. As for the side effects I get them often. Weight loss, Numbness, Kidney stones. I wonder now if it affects me psychologically as well. My friends always say I have no emotions and that I never get angry. Whenever something happens for me to show anger, I defer the emotion, and move on.With other emotions, I try to show them but sometimes it takes more effort to actually show them then enjoy life, so I give up. I know Topamax is used for some psychological disorders and is used as a mood stabilizer, so I wonder if it has some of those affects on me. I also wonder if there are other people taking topamax experiencing these kind of symptoms. Is this normal? Should I continue using this drug even if it controls my seizures so well?
Topamax and Emotions
- Thread starter ceresna92
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Have you considered taking b6 vitamins? I am not sure how well it works for topamax, but I know it helps with irritability on people who takes Keppra XR. You should ask your neurologist about this.
For the kidney stones, I assume Topamax may be responsible but do you drink a lot of carbonated water (coke, drpepper, diet drpepper, cokezeri, etc)? That may speed it up.
For the weight loss, perhaps you should take in more calories? I don't know, but this is all I can offer. I am not a physician so I could be wrong.
N Sperlo
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Well, cresna I think it is more important to feel the emotions. Long before I was on any medicine, I was not good at showing emotion, and I'm still no good at it. I feel bad because I really have to try hard if I want to share my true excitement. When my sister told me she was pregnant I really had to work to show what I felt. My wife just says that I'm stoic.
If it bothers you that much, it is your choice in regards to what you want to do. I can understand why you would want to. Are you sure, though that it is not just the way you are? Did you friends just start telling you this after you started taking the medicine?
It is good to defer your emotions sometimes. I believe Keppra has effected my anger to the extent that people can certainly see that I'm angry, but as for everything else, I have trouble with expressing it.
With my job, I need to control myself in intense situations, so when people can't see my emotions, it is to my benefit. It is intimidating, so it is good for work, but at times in my past, I found out a group of friends were actually kind of scared of me.
I know this is who I am, so I accept it and still love being who I am. I have a fun life. My closest friends know that I will not show the emotion I feel. That is important to me.
Good luck with your decision.
If it bothers you that much, it is your choice in regards to what you want to do. I can understand why you would want to. Are you sure, though that it is not just the way you are? Did you friends just start telling you this after you started taking the medicine?
It is good to defer your emotions sometimes. I believe Keppra has effected my anger to the extent that people can certainly see that I'm angry, but as for everything else, I have trouble with expressing it.
With my job, I need to control myself in intense situations, so when people can't see my emotions, it is to my benefit. It is intimidating, so it is good for work, but at times in my past, I found out a group of friends were actually kind of scared of me.
I know this is who I am, so I accept it and still love being who I am. I have a fun life. My closest friends know that I will not show the emotion I feel. That is important to me.
Good luck with your decision.
Zolt
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I'm just like you N Sperlo, i never was good at showing emotions. Except when i was on Keppra, i had that keppra rage and it was not fun. Personally i try to be as logical as possible. I've been called mr spock once by a girlfriend. 
ceresna92, if i read you right, you say you have been seizure free for 5 yrs? Or have you been having seizures? If i didn't have a seizure in 5 yrs, then i would ask my doc to get me off the medicine. I for one hate taking meds, but have to in order to drive. I've been on Keppra, dilantin, lamotrigine, and now i'm on gabapentin. Gabapentin seems to me to have the least amount of side effects for me, compared to the others. I still have my seizures, but since i've been on gabapentin, they have mostly been in the mornings, which to me is a God send. I'll have it in the morning, take my emergency pill, then call in sick to work and sleep most of the day.
ceresna92, if i read you right, you say you have been seizure free for 5 yrs? Or have you been having seizures? If i didn't have a seizure in 5 yrs, then i would ask my doc to get me off the medicine. I for one hate taking meds, but have to in order to drive. I've been on Keppra, dilantin, lamotrigine, and now i'm on gabapentin. Gabapentin seems to me to have the least amount of side effects for me, compared to the others. I still have my seizures, but since i've been on gabapentin, they have mostly been in the mornings, which to me is a God send. I'll have it in the morning, take my emergency pill, then call in sick to work and sleep most of the day.