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Dr. Bob is Robert Hsiung, MD,
bob@dr-bob.orgShown: posts 1 to 5 of 5. This is the beginning of the thread.
Posted by Kingfish on November 9, 2000, at 16:04:30
I see that there are already some very serious posts about Topamax. I started on a 50 mg dose about a week ago to act as mood stabilizer. I have to take at least a 4 hour nap each day, and sleep a good 9 hours each night. I have the "odd taste" sensation another poster mentioned, especially with soda, and slur my speech sometimes.
These seem like pretty serious side effects to me. I take 40 mg of Celexa and had no problems getting used to that. What have you all experienced? Do they go away? I'm going up to 100 mg next week, then I believe to 200 mg.
Has anyone found any info on this drug pertaining to its use as a mood stabilizer? What about folks using it for migraines? All I can find is info on it as an anti-epileptic, and it makes me nervous. I prefer to know what's going on inside my body.
Thanks!!!
- Kelly, alias Kingfish
Posted by Lexie on November 9, 2000, at 16:52:10
In reply to Topamax, Sedation, and Other Side Effects, posted by Kingfish on November 9, 2000, at 16:04:30
Kelly,
Topamax might not be for everyone. It has worked for me in combination with Lamictal. I take 400 mgs per day and 200 mgs. of Lamictal. You can forget Soda's probubly forever, the taste of carbonation is gone. The drowsiness has gone away took about 4 weeks. I found a website that answered all of my questions about Topamax (Topiramate) as a mood stabilizer for Bipolar and I want to share it with you: www.psycom.net\depression.central.html I hope this is helpful. It will help you to educate yourself if this is the right medication for you. If you have any doubts discuss it with your doctor. The best advise I ever got was on this site the combination of the Lamictal with the Topamax I think has saved my life. Good luck. Lexie
Posted by Janice1 on November 9, 2000, at 19:33:58
In reply to Topamax, Sedation, and Other Side Effects, posted by Kingfish on November 9, 2000, at 16:04:30
hi Kelly,
I can just share with you my experience with Topamax as a mood stabilizer. It's done the job for me (as a secondary stabilizer after lithium) without any side effects (maybe cognitive slowing). I take 100 mg a day. Make sure you increase your dosage very slowly to decrease the chance of the cognitive slowing.
Janice
Posted by KarenK on November 11, 2000, at 13:35:12
In reply to Topamax, Sedation, and Other Side Effects, posted by Kingfish on November 9, 2000, at 16:04:30
I'm up to 100mg of topamax. I take it with depakote and prozac for anxiety. I sleep less since I reduced the depakote and added the topamax. And I now live on canned Coke... sometimes Pepsi. I do have dry mouth but my taste buds are fine. I don't have that metallic taste you're talking about.
It has helped in losing weight. Depakote gave me the munchies and 20 lbs.
My sleep is now very light and fragmented. I have a lot more dreams and they're more vivid.
Sometimes I miss getting a good nights sleep, but at this point, I think I'd rather lose some weight.Karen
Posted by Sunnely on November 11, 2000, at 23:28:25
In reply to Topamax, Sedation, and Other Side Effects, posted by Kingfish on November 9, 2000, at 16:04:30
Hi Kelly,
The most frequently reported side effects of topiramate (Topamax) are sleepiness, dizziness, unsteadiness, speech disturbances, cognitive dysfunction, psychomotor slowing, headache, nausea, nystagmus (rapid eye movement horizontally or vertically), tremor, fatigue, gastrointestinal upset, visual disturbances, and kidney stones. Dose-related side effects (i.e., the higher the dose, the higher the chance) include mood lability, weight loss, loss of appetite, tremor, fatigue, nervousness, difficulty concentrating, confusion, depression, and anxiety.
Among the anticonvulsants currently available in the US, Topamax appears to be the least associated with weight gain, and, in fact, may be associated with weight loss in many patients. Weight gain is a significant problem with many psychotropic medications, including antidepressants, mood stabilizers, and antipsychotics - especially the atypical antipsychotics clozapine (Clozaril) and olanzapine (Zyprexa). Due to its positive mood and appetite suppressant effects, Topamax has been used as adjunctive (add-on) treatment to treat bipolar disorder and to offset the weight gain associated with psychotropic drugs commonly used to treat bipolar disorder and schizophrenia.
Re: Kidney stone formation:
Approximately 80% of Topamax is eliminated by the kidneys. In epilepsy trials, 1.5% to 2.0% of Topamax-treated patients developed kidney stones. One of the actions of Topamax is inhibition of carbonic anhydrase (an enzyme). As a class, carbonic anhydrase inhibitors like Topamax, acetazolamide (Diamox), and zonisamide are known to be associated with kidney stones. While the rate of occurrence of kidney stones with Topamax, 1.5% to 2% is low, the risk appears to be greater with increased dosage and in males between the ages of 21-54 years. To date, there is no apparent relationship between stone formation and duration of Topamax treatment. For patients taking Topamax to lose weight, the risk of kidney stones may be increased even further if they are also on a high-protein, "Atkins"-like diet, which promotes ketosis and therefore stone formation. To minimize this risk, patients on Topamax should avoid these types of diets and to increase their fluid intake.
This is the end of the thread.
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