topamax question

[daisy.girl]

I know that topamax can alter the taste of soda....but has anyone had it give you a bad taste in your mouth all day long? if so....did you find anything that helped, or did it go away after being on it for a while.
thanks

 

[Endless]

Oh, yeah. I lost a bunch of weight on Topamax, for several reasons. One was the bad taste in my mouth all the time.

And all food tasted weird, exept for garlic for some reason. I also lost all interest in food, no apetite, had no energy to cook it, and just threw it up if I did eat it.

Ohhhh Topamax. Good if you want to lose weight. Not so good if you don't.

 

[Philc]

I know that topamax can alter the taste of soda....but has anyone had it give you a bad taste in your mouth all day long? if so....did you find anything that helped, or did it go away after being on it for a while.
thanks

Started medication a month ago currently on 100mg a day not having bad taste all day.....well for now.
I'm increasing to 200mg a day starting this week hopefully that side effect with many of the others don't make their presence.

On a side note
I am having outstanding results on this med ,no parcel seizures while sleep for the fist time in my life..that would be 42 years.
I'm kind of reluctant to increase dosage.....a little scared really.
Everything's going so well were dosage is currently at.



Phil-

 

[daisy.girl]

wonder why they are upping it? if you are getting the desired results on the 100mg, i would think they would keep you there.
why mess with success???

 

[Philc]

wonder why they are upping it? if you are getting the desired results on the 100mg, i would think they would keep you there.
why mess with success???

Final dosage is set to be at 200mg per day worked up very slowly

100mg tablet
Week 1) 1/2 Daily
Week 2) 1/2 Daily
Week 3) 1/2 Twice Daily
Week 4) 1/2 Twice Daily
Week 5) 1/2 in the mourning , 1 at night
Week 6) 1/2 in the mourning , 1 at night
Week 7) 1 Twice daily

I'm scheduled to start week 5 increase on Wednesdays but before doing so I'm going to contact doctor see if I can hold off.


Phil-

 

[stardust92]

When I started Topamax, my doctor told me that I would need to drink plenty of water because it could cause me to become dehydrated if I didn't. I drank plenty of water, but the Topamax reacted with the Lamictal I was already on and poisoned me. I lost like 30 pounds because I was never hungry, and I had frequent dizziness, blurred vision, and headaches. It made me feel heavily drugged.... Sluggish you could say.

This was like four years ago, so I don't remember a difference in taste, but that was probably because I wasn't eating much of anything.

 

[stardust92]

When I started Topamax, my doctor told me that I would need to drink plenty of water because it could cause me to become dehydrated if I didn't. I drank plenty of water, but the Topamax reacted with the Lamictal I was already on and poisoned me. I lost like 30 pounds because I was never hungry, and I had frequent dizziness, blurred vision, and headaches. It made me feel heavily drugged.... Sluggish you could say.

This was like four years ago, so I don't remember a difference in taste, but that was probably because I wasn't eating much of anything.

Gosh darn it, it wasn't Topamax that I had that problem with. I just remembered it was Trileptal. I've switched AEDs so many times I'm starting to forget which was what. I did take Topamax with Lamictal for the past 2 years though. It was only 200mg/day, but I still felt heavily drugged. There wasn't much difference in taste, but it did give me the tendency to have a rather dry mouth and bad breath.

 

[Zoofemme]

Topomax...love that it helps with my headaches but it does a number on food for me. You couldn't get me to drink soda if you paid me too...tastes like battery acid! Alters the taste of a number of foods for me....most milk products taste beyond spoiled except for cheese and cheese still tastes "different". Some veggies taste exceptionally bitter, I use to love to munch on carrots and cucumbers, can't anymore. Chocolate by itself is a no-go...bit into a candy bar one day, had to spit it out the window QUICK It's altered "sweet" enough that i kicked my sugar habit, lol. I lost weight (20 lbs) but I needed to so that didn't bother me.

Other side effects beside taste are memory, tingling, "duhs" and aphasia.

 

[Philc]

Well my doc is going to leave Topamax @ 100mg & lamictal @ 200mg level.
I have 6 month MRI coming up next week to check left temporal-lobe lesion with EEG following shortly after.
Hopefully all looks well.


Phil-

 

[daisy.girl]

so glad to hear that he is going to leave you at 100mg....I am glad that you asked!!

 

[Philc]

so glad to hear that he is going to leave you at 100mg....I am glad that you asked!!

Ya me to I was getting a little worried he would want to keep increase schedule in tact.

I did run into a very unpleasant side effect reported by many.
I had My first ever panic attack today.
It happened while in business meeting very embarrassing I never want to have another one

Phil-

 

[daisy.girl]

philc,

what happened?

I didn't know panic attack was a side effect!!

sorry you went through that!

 

[Philc]

philc,

what happened?

I didn't know panic attack was a side effect!!

sorry you went through that!

Sorry it took me so long to reply daisy.

One of my sales reps was running numbers to client....the wrong numbers and I froze up.
I Started breaking out in dripping sweat , couldn't talk got really confused.
I walked out of meeting not saying a word got some fresh air felt much better 20 min later.
haven't had one since thank goodness.

The medication is still working only side effect getting my attention at this time is weight loss.

My Heights 6.2
200LB on med start now at 180LB so im still safe as long as I don't get below 175



Phil-

 

[droolmonster]

topamax

I know that it made me lose weight, but I was on it so long ago that I don't remember a weird taste.

If I were you I would stop taking it. Talk to your neurologist, and say you can't handle it, and want to try something else.

I say this because Topamax is the worst drug I have ever tried. What that drug does to your mind and your body I wouldn't put up with even if it completely stopped my seizures.

I've never heard anyone else say anything good about it either.

Because I care, my opinion, stop taking that drug. Topamax is the only drug I feel this way about. I've been on a lot, put up with a lot of weird effects, but only Topamax makes me genuinely afraid.

 

[daisy.girl]

thanks

I posted this on Thursday....on a different thread, but should have put it here too.

I started this med three weeks ago at 25mg, then after two weeks upped to 50 mgs, then last friday up to 75mg (50 at night and 25 morning) and yesterday up to 100mg....
well last night I felt very winded and short of breath. when I went to bed I had a severe muscle cramp in my neck. this morning, I had a severe muscle cramp in my calf (like a charlie horse) and in my bicep......then, as I was getting out of the shower, I noticed a small red rash on my stomach and all over both of my legs.
I call the neurologist...they told me to take a benadryl immediately and to stop the topamax that I was having an allergic reaction!

 

[Philc]

Wow sorry to hear daisy.
Are you going to stay with it or cut down on dosage ?


Phil-

 

[daisy.girl]

thanks...
the neuro made me stop it immediately on Thursday, he changed me to zonegran. I did have a seizure last night and a horrible migraine today.....but I know it will take a while for zonegran to get to the right level.

But, I had a coke today....that tasted wonderful, thanks to no more topamax, I am really very glad to be off of that medication. I never felt quite right the whole time.

 

[Philc]

thanks...
the neuro made me stop it immediately on Thursday, he changed me to zonegran. I did have a seizure last night and a horrible migraine today.....but I know it will take a while for zonegran to get to the right level.

But, I had a coke today....that tasted wonderful, thanks to no more topamax, I am really very glad to be off of that medication. I never felt quite right the whole time.

Dropping Topomax cold turkey is serious business so take it way easy.
When Ive had to dump seizure medication fast my doctor advised me to stay away from junk foods , caffeine & to drink lots of water to flush system.

I pray zonegran works for you keep me posted

Phil-

 

[droolmonster]

zonegran

So I was right, topamax is evil. I have no idea why people would create a pill that makes people skinny and miserable, and then give it to innocent people. But there you are. Be glad its evil chemicals have left your system.

As for zonegran, I hope you do well on it.

 

[Nakamova]

Unfortunately, Zonegran was the drug that made me skinny and miserable, so all the AEDs seem to have that potential. Given that we each react idiosyncratically to the meds, I'll keep my fingers crossed and hope that Zonegran is a winner for daisy.girl.