Hi everyone, I've been put on topamax to hopefully assist with weight loss as am obese and am really struggling with food. I've just titrated up to 75mg (25 in morning and 50 at night) and have so far found no changes in appetite and no weight loss. I realise weight loss is only a possible side effect, but I was so hopeful about this drug helping me! My question is, have people found that appetite suppression starts at a certain dose? Or do u think its too early? OR am I just one of those for whom topamax isn't working? Thankyou :)
Topamax weight loss side effect: dosage?
Question posted by Jess6702 on 15 Nov 2014
Last updated on 11 April 2023
This question has also been asked and answered here: Does topiramate cause weight loss?
85 Answers Page 5
Hi. I was put on topiramate 6 days ago. I too am 100 lbs overweight. I am also following a low carb diet. I have followed low carb before and lost a lb a day. I am on 50 mg in am and 100 mg at night.(when I'm done titrating from 50/50) I've lost 14 lbs in 6 days!!! The thing is I asked my doctor for a pill for my crabbiness... what a nice side effect!
Hello, I cant't reply to the original question, but I see so many here who have taken Topamax, yet make no mention of driving with it in their system.
I'm the sole driver in our household, and I need to know if this drug will cause me to drive dangerously, and what other's experiences are. Any help in this area would be greatly appreciated. I'm sitting here looking at my bottle of Topamax (50mg. x 2 daily), and am scared I will end up hurting someone. I also have glaucoma and elevated eyeball pressure, along with diabetes, so I fear the effect could cause me blindness. My doctor prescribed this for weight loss originally, but I have yet to take it. HELP, PLEASE!!!
I take 100mg of Topamax at bedtime. I titrated up starting at 25mg for 4 weeks at intervals of 25mg. I take this for chronic migraine as well as nerve pain from a bothersome post fusion herinated cervical spine surgery. Some days I'm a little groggy in the morning but my reaction times are not bothered. Best way to explain it is if you overslept and had to rush to get ready to go to work. I do notice having a bit more anxiety and heartburn. Otherwise, my exercise and diet efforts are making themselves pronounced. I see that benefit is a nice cherry on top of not having a headache every day. I hope this answers your question.
One of the possible side effects with Topamax is serious eye problems. I would be somewhat concerned about taking it with the eye issue you already have.
I was placed on this drug to help with my migraines; 100 mg twice a day. I went from 262 to 220 in three weeks, and I haven't tasted Coke sense!
I am now on 100mg 2x a day as well. I have lost almost 35lbs and even though I think the weight loss has slowed down some, I am continuing to lose weight. More importantly, it has kept my chronic migraines at bay for the most part though and I only have maybe 1-2 a month compared to the 15 or so I was having. So I am very thankful for that and this has really been a miracle drug for me, even though the side effects kind of suck sometimes. But I would much rather deal with them than deal with the severity of the migraine pain I was dealing with almost on a daily basis. Plus it has helped me lose the weight I was trying everything to get rid of, so, win-win.
I also have not had a soda in I don't know how long. And candy leaves a wretched taste in my mouth. Yuck. So its really helped me.
It sounds like it did for you too!
Be patient with the Topamax. It could be that you have just begun it and it may be too soon to notice that it is working, but o have been prescribed Topamax for migraines and I will tell you what... I went from 280-lbs, to 268, to now 241, and I have been out of physical therapy for three months because I had to havd bilateral carpal tunnel surgery, so to continue to lose weight has been a blessing. It truly does curb your appetite as well, once it it gets into your system. Give it a chance... it does work. I am so happy with my results and I pray I continue to lose. I am testing now for weight loss surgery in a few months. If i can continue to lose with Topamax and keep it off, which so far, so good... I may avoid surgery altogether. I am terribly scared of having to have surgery again. I wish you the best of luck. Be patient, and also... cut out sodas, sugars, carbs, and really hit up proteins and no carb snacks. There are tons out there! My best to you!
I have ben taking Topamax (topiramate) now for 3 months for chronic Migraine and have stepped up from 25 to 50mg 8 weeks ago with the facility to jump to 75 if needed. when I made the jump to 50mg, I came down from 13st 7lb to 12st 8lb fairly rapidly, though I am finding myself automatically eating more now to compensate, so there is definitely in my experience something going on in the brain that fires up the metabolism with this medication.
(I have found it tough though as conversely it slowed my thinking down considerably especially with the jump from 25mg)
I was prescribed topamax for migraines. My top dose got up to 200, 100 2xs a day, the first time on this med i went from 165/170 down to 117/120 i was also working out many hrs a day and eating very clean, but did notice a change in appetite..
i had side effects though i had my hands and feet that were none stop pins and needle feeling, my hair loss was insane, it could be very warm outside but my body temp would be low and feel cold, started to feel tired, my back has never had acne my whole life and it was covered soooo badly, muscle fatigue, felt very dumb thoughts were lost so easy, studdered speaking, slurring, confusion, kept messing up my paperwork at work, i got to a place of feeling like the weight loss and migraines werent worth everything else so i stopped the pills, then within a month migraines came back full force and gained 20 lbs so i decided to go back on them but try a different route, instead of 100 in morning and 100 in evening im now doing 150 at night and only 50 mid morning and i couldn't feel better.. the weight is slowly coming off, and the migraines are gone, but im not having any of the other symptoms i had the other time and ive been doing it this way for few months and the other way i noticed the symptoms within the first few weeks and they never got better, so im very hopeful i found the best way this medication works for my body..so if someones trying it for weight loss maybe try there high dose at night..
I just started taking Topamax and I have noticed a drastic change in my appetite. I am on 25 mg 1x a day to start and will be bumping it up starting tomorrow. I am taking it for migraine relief. I can say that I am already starting to notice that it is helping with that as well. I have been suffering from chronic migraines for some time now and finally saw my doctor for it. I am also taking Imitrex on an as needed basis also. So far I think I have lost about 3 lbs because I have pretty much zero appetite. It seems to have altered my taste because things do not taste as good as they did before or has enhanced the taste. Like certain things are saltier and other taste sweeter, so it's less appealing to me. I'm about 20lbs overweight? So if it helps me lose that and takes care of the migraines too, that'd be great.
I have responded to this question in the past and would like to add that I am going to taper off the Topamax starting today. I have lost weight rather dramatically while taking it but have also suffered other side effects, whether related to the Topamax or not is yet to be seen. I have lost quite a bit of my eye sight and I am going to taper off to see if I can regain this back. I never lost my appetite, just lost inches and weight. I was prescribed Topamax for migraines and it totally cured my migraines, I have not had one since taking it. If I begin having migraines again I will start back on Topamax. Will be interested to see if my weight returns.
Listen. Everyone knows this is weight loss medication, what they don't tell you is the longterm effects. I had been taking Topamax for migraines for years, Did I lose weight Absolutely, Did I need to lose weight No!!! I'm 5'3 and barely weigh 90 pounds, This medication has a ton of long term side effects such as kidney damage, extensive vision problems, nerve damage, and even permanent Dental issues. Doctor's shouln't be handing these pills out as a WEIGHT LOSE Drug...
I have been on Topirimate (Topamax) 25mg x3 in morning and x3 in evening for migraines and started in January. I have lost over 5 stone and have done absolutely nothing else differently. Had all kinds of tests because doctors are completely baffled as to why I have lost so much weight. I am guessing it must be these!! It can't be anything else as the times add up and there's nothing else I've done differently.
I have been taking it for migraine control for just over a year and have lost 44lb and am continuing to lose weight. I have no appetite and feel sick constantly however I suffered so badly with migraines that it's still worth it. I have exhausted all other medical options for migraine control but can't continue weight loss like this either or I will be dead in another year.
I am now down to 7st 6lb so can't afford to drop much more weight. Summer seems to make the weight loss increase as it's my busiest time at work and my activity level increases and it just drops off so quickly I seem to be constantly buying new clothing.
I don't want to go back to being a mole and living in the dark and avoiding the sunlight to stop my migraines. :(
What dosage are you on?
50mg am & 50mg pm.
Hi I have been taking topamax for around 13 years for seizure control which works really well. I take 300mg a day. I have not lost any weight( wish I had). I do get some side effects of changes in taste, pins and niddles in my face and poor concentration but overall this has not caused me a problem long term. I recently gave birth to my first child whilst taking tapiramate all the way through my pregnancy and Have had no problems. I think it varies from person to person which side effects you get, everyone wants the weight loss but unfortunately you may end up with something far less desirable.
I was started on Topamax for an appetite suppressant at 25 mg BID now at 100 meme at 100 BID & will be bumped to 150 mg 150 mg BID next week. I've not lost any weight nor had and any loss of appetite. Anyone else have this trouble? Just starving all the time?
Even on 100mg for neck pain and numbness in my arms and hands, it zapped my appetite!! I had lost a lot of weight before I started taking it, but needed to lose another 40 lbs to get to goal. I lost an average of 10lbs a months for 3 months. That's awesome considering I'm 53, female and in full blown menopause! I'd also already lost 115lbs and had just hit a wall and hadn't lost for a year. Now I'm 14 pounds from my ideal weight and where my rheumatologist wants me. I'm not sure what to do now. I hate the language disturbances. It's the only real side effect and they said it would go away in about 2 weeks. My doc says it may take a month. It's been 6 months and I'm no better with that side effect!! I worry it may become permanent.
Since this post I saw my gynocologist and had blood work done. He thinks my word recall issues are not the topamax, but my estrogen levels since they were untraceable in my blood. He says that would cause trouble with noun and name recall. I don't know. I'm now at my ideal weight and struggle to eat. Topamax makes me have zero appetite!
Hello!! I have had issues of this type I was also permanently damaged by risperidone in a different way than the new symptoms this is causing.. Look at all the people having issues with the brain and word issues I thought the range I th0ught it would go away I'm going down right now from 200 to see it if helps in worried this will be permanent BC other symptom's were it could very well be that to in additions to this I'm not a doctor so I would listen to your doctor however please don't over look this...
I want to lose weight so bad and nobody would prescribe anything or help me everyone over looked the fact that even my husband told them I honestly charged everything diet exercise everything for a yr and nothing and that was the second time so for bi polar two of my friends I noticed who don't know each other had been losing tons of weight both for this both for different mental reasons I take medication and maybe it was kinda wrong but I was trying different things anyways and hadn't found one so I thought a medication that would help lose weight and help with my mental stuff too sounds good right... I don't know I got so messed up from risperidone and didn't even know that I don't want anyone to ever get over looked again just keep your eyes and ears open good luck to you!!! Many blessings your way!!!
I lost 10 lbs. On 25mg. 2xs a day, only in the 1st month. Now Im on 50mg 2xs a day and I can't get a good night of sleep! I'll be so tired by 7pm, and go to bed at 10ish and Im still up wide awake 2am. I take melatonin, sleeping pills, seroquel, clonidine, Vistaril even xanax! I CAN'T SLEEP! I stare at my eyelids all night. Ive been taking Topamax for 2 months now, and see my Dr. Soon. If she increases the dose am I going to adjust or is this the way Im going to stay, sleep wise? Anyone else dealing with this? Do you skip the dose at night? Should I double up in the morning? It has helped me a great deal with my depression, and I get things done that I couldn't do at all, from cleaning up the house, and even going out. I have severe social anxiety and want to go back to work. Im very unhappy in my life and need all the help I can get
Blurred or rapidly decreasing vision
Double vision
Eye pain and redness
Increased eye pressure
Confusion
Dizziness
Drowsiness
Burning, prickling or tingling sensations
Nervousness
Clumsiness/unsteadiness
I would like to add that I thought BC I had cervical cancer and was unaware of the side affects I'm about to list other than the extreme tingling I had cancer in my lady parts which was removed but could've spread and so when I started fumbling words so bad I c couldn't speak or when I thought I made sense but I would sway words completely different then what my brain thought was coming out of my mouth, ( which btw still on it just figured this out and still having problems having good the scans yet but I just found this page) also I have been stuck like literally everything takes from my head and I know what I want to do it's right there like a word you just forgot that was on there tip of your tongue but with actions things I've done my rule life like typing my shoe and stuff like that lol, well when I started doing all of this I thought the father had spread but having PTSD bipolar etc.
They wanted to make sure it's physical not mental so I've been working with my mental professionals who have seem to forgot or maybe don't know the extent of these side affects however I guess the scans will tell but now that I looked to see about losing weight and saw all the ppl having the same exact issues even about not getting things done being in a fog the list goes on I feel my world is on top of me and I just can not concentrate enough to get it done or remember half the time second to the next... All medications have side affects I need to also lose weight a medication that didn't make me lose weight but helped with the mental this seemed like a good idea... BC I had been through them all I mean all... Now I just don't know... Literally lol ha ha
I am on topamax and am neither gaining weight or losing it. 150mg twice daily. I think this may be due to the other meds I am taking. I take topamax for epilepsy. I took it 10 years ago and I can't remember the dose they had me on - I know it was high- but I experienced significant weight loss. I went from a size 8 in women's to a size 16 in little girls. I couldn't find clothes to fit me. I weighed 95 pounds - I looked sick - and couldn't gain the weight back. I tried everything. I ate all the time, worked out, even weight gain shakes, and would just stand in the mirror and cry. I just kept losing weight. Looking too thin is definitely worse than having a little meat on your bones. it controlled the seizures, but not to the point of just withering away. It wasn't worth it to me.
Hi everyone,
I was just put on Topamax for seziures. I started off as a low dose of 15mg for 1 wk then 25mg for another and so on till I get to 100 mg a day. I an exstreamly tired, having a hard time pronouncing certain certain words, remembering things and a weight gain. What I want to know is this common? What are the effects of alcohol on this medication? Any information will be helpful. Thank you
I take mine in rhe evening before I go to bed. Then there are less hours that you will be?fired
Related topics
topamax, side effect, weight, dosage, food
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- Topamax uses and safety info
- Topamax prescribing info & package insert (for Health Professionals)
- Side effects of Topamax (detailed)
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