Posted by DSM on April 1, 2001, at 22:45:31
In reply to Topamax and Weight loss/how much? how fast?, posted by Katherine on March 28, 2001, at 10:24:03
My doctor put me on Topamax, Oct.2000 for seizure d/o and smiled when he gave me the prescription that I would have the lovely side effect of weight loss. I was delighted. I immediately lost my appetite and have lost 35 lbs. so far. The bad news is that I also have lost a great deal of my intelligence. I lost the ability and interest in reading (short-short attention span)---Which is very unusual for me---I am a writer and a voracious reader. I totally lost my concentration. My mind felt constantly fuzzy. I had major difficulty in word finding. When I got up to 200 mg. a day I was not eating at all some times.
Also interesting, as soon as I got on Topamax, I lost interest in exercise. My friends found this very surprising. I have always exercised, but as soon as I got on Topamax I stopped immediately.
The "word loss" got so severe at one point my doctor and I thought one such episode was a seizure, which is why I take Topamax, so we upped the medication to 300 mg. which only made the cognitive side effects worse and the anorexia worse. This is a serious medication and I found that my doctor had no idea all the side effects it can cause. Like worsening PMS. I already have PMDD, I do not need my that thank you very much doctor! It can also cause depression, so when I came in reporting depression, trouble finding words, terrible PMS, and cognitive blunting my neurologist still upped the dose to 350, believing I could not have side effects at such low a dose! He was wrong!
I have titrated down to 100 mg. a day and am not suffering the cognitive side effects; the anorexia is still a problem. But I already had a preexisting tendency not to eat, even though I was overweight. If I lose much more weight or cannot get myself to eat regularly I will get off it completely.
The weight loss is great but I feel like I paid a great price. My husband hates me on the Topamax. He says I am like a Stepford wife. I look great, but my mind is gone. It sucked up all my creativity.
I hope that I was just an anomaly, and that you have a great experience on this medication. I just wanted to share my experience of Topamax. Good Luck Katherine with your weight loss program!
All the best,
Anne
poster:DSM
thread:57778
URL: http://www.dr-bob.org/babble/20010327/msgs/58389.html