Topamax

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StaceS

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Hey just wondering if anyone has any experience with a low dose of topamax (trying to get onto neuro...)
Since l started approx 4 weeks ago l have been plagued by lots of headaches. And really bad migranes roughly 10-12 hours after my dose. Currently 25mg once daily. Was wondering along with my husband if this could be for want of a better word a (withdrawal) type symptom or something else. Hoping for some feedback whilst trying to get a hold of the doc.... Suppose to be helping treat "possible migranes with Aura's".....?? Not noticing any improvement or changes other than lots of headaches and buzzy sensations.
Cheers!
 
Hi StaceS --

Hopefully CWE members will chime in about this. Some googling turned up threads about folks who had a similar experience to yours -- Topamax gave them headaches or made them worse. It sounds like it may not be the right med for you. You should definitely get in touch with your doc to tell them how its affecting you.
 
Did you not have headaches at all before starting Topamax? If not, then do contact your neurologist. Topamax is known to be a migraine prophylaxis, but as you know everyone responds differently to the various medications. If you were already prone to headaches/migraines, the timing of 10-12 hours after the dose could be coincidence. I take Valproic Acid as a migraine preventative, and it changed the timing of the migraines which is a little strange but may have something to do with peak levels in the body, medication half-life and wearing off time, etc. Does your doctor have any plans to increase the dose of Topamax? If so, it is possible that when the dose goes up that these headaches will improve/go away. Still, contact your doctor.
 
wow....I cant even remember being on that low of a dose! I'm on 400 mg a day now...I have been on it for 13 years now...I can honestly say that I don't ever remember having headaches...and I can say that the reason that I have stayed with it so long is because it was a new drug at the time, and I didn't want something from the 70's that made me feel like a zombie all the time...being on it so long now, the only things I still notice is that I still have thought process delay, getting my words mixed up now and then, weight loss, and I do go through spurts off fatigue, but that depends on how hard im working and what kind of labor im doing during my job etc...I could take a nap everyday if I wanted to...I never had headaches with this medicine...everyone is different...I stay on it because I really don't have any negative side effects...it has been very hard to find something that I could take...and I have to take vimpat now along with it, because I am at my maximum dose of Topamax...best of luck to you...
 
As Nak said, sounds like Topomax may not be the right med for you. Like Carpentergirl, I take 400 mgs of Topomax a day and don't get migraine(s) from that med, but some previous meds, one being Felbatol, gave me tremendous migraines.

Feel better!
 
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I had a lot of migraines when I was on a higher dose of Topamax, and I very very rarely had them before. But I also only got them during my cycle (but would have 5 straight days of them once a month). My migraines went away almost completely when I did two things--reduced Topamax and really upped magnesium. Tough to say which did it--either way I think magnesium really helps and Topamax did not agree with me personally in any way.
 
lindsayschu2 said:
I had a lot of migraines when I was on a higher dose of Topamax, and I very very rarely had them before. But I also only got them during my cycle (but would have 5 straight days of them once a month). My migraines went away almost completely when I did two things--reduced Topamax and really upped magnesium. Tough to say which did it--either way I think magnesium really helps and Topamax did not agree with me personally in any way.
Click to expand...

I'm guess you are no longer on Topamax for migraines. Did you ever try Valproic Acid for migraine prophylaxis? Just curious as it is what I am on, and wondering if you are as well how it is doing for you. The migraines still occur but are generally much milder (I can function fairly well) and less frequent. First thing my neurologist did was recommend trying magnesium first, but as I had already been doing this via recommendation from my family doctor we took things one step further to try to reduce the migraines.
 
Thanks all finally got a hold of neuro, he's upping dose thinks it might be a running out type of symptom. So now one am and one pm, seems a lot of symptoms for such a low dose of the med so shall see how l go. If no better in10 days taking me off it. Cheers :)
 
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