Topiramate for Bipolar Disorder User Reviews (Page 2)

• l8rsbby
• Taken for less than 1 month
• September 15, 2015

"I'm ultra-ultra rapid cycling bipolar II and bul. been through 6 mood stabilizers / APs / AAPs. My experience on those was disastrous. Lithium made me more suicidal, lamictal made me binge, destroyed my memory, didn't help my mood, seroquel put 20 lbs on me and made me a zombie, didn't help my mood, latuda and abilify made me shake. I was terrified of weight gain on Depakote/valproate/risperdal. I was at my wit's end, suicidal, and terrified that I wasn't going to live to my 33rd birthday, then I found NIH considers Topamax to be a mood stabilizer so I asked my pdoc about it. Within a week at 50 mg I had a full day where I didn't cycle at all. I woke up feeling okay and stayed that way all day. I didn't cycle at all. Things are looking good!"

• Anon
• Taken for 1 to 6 months
• November 6, 2016

"Following on from the previous comment, I forgot to mention this medication is working wonders for my alcohol dependency. I used to drink an entire bottle of wine a night, now I have one or two very small glasses! It's incredible for someone with a long documented history of alcohol abuse. Marvelous stuff!"

• Karley
• Taken for 6 months to 1 year
• June 23, 2015

Topamax (topiramate) "I was diagnosed with bipolar depression about a year ago. I have been on Topamax for that as well as migraine headaches for 8 to 9 months now. The migraines went away, and I have lost about 40 pounds since taking Topamax! The only downfall is hair loss. I highly warn anybody taking this drug not to miss a dose or try weaning yourself off, because I have done both and ended up with very bad mood swings and will be crying on the floor one minute, then raging and angry, then it will be as if nothing happened."

• Emmylou
• June 8, 2019

"I've been on Topamax about 20 years for bipolar. I went on it as a trial, and I can honestly say I've never looked back. I take 400 mg each morning, although I'm meant to take it in 2 separate doses, 200 mg in the morning and 200 mg at night, which I have never done. I came off it briefly during my two pregnancies, although when I did get pregnant, I was still on it and was concerned about birth abnormalities. Both of my babies were born perfect. My GP weaned me off it in both pregnancies during the first month after I found out I was pregnant. I was concerned about side effects of coming off it, but I didn't have any. After both my babies were born, I suffered from post-natal depression and went straight back onto it, meaning I was unable to breastfeed, but I knew I had to feel well to be a mom. 20 years on, I still take Topamax, it's my lifeline. Without it, or if I take it a couple of hours late, I'll get a headache. Yes, my hands and feet are always cold, but to feel mentally stable is worth that!"

• roymu...
• May 21, 2016

"Was initially prescribed for weight loss, and it started working on day one for that. Also levels out mood swings and gives me a slight boost in energy. So far, no memory or cognitive impairment. Side effects are occasional lightheadedness when I stand up, occasional numbing in hands and feet, and decreased thirst. 25 mg twice a day."

• snack...
• May 11, 2010

Topamax (topiramate) "This is a fantastic medication. The day I was prescribed it and started taking it was nothing short of a miracle. I had never heard of anything like it before. I had been on and off trials of anti-depressants like Zoloft, Wellbutrin, Zyprexa, etc for years and none of them did anything for me. This was an entirely different class of medication and the new psychopharmacologist I had told me so before he gave it to me. When it kicked in after several weeks, I literally felt it one day while riding the bus. I was trying to have one of those negative, anxiety-ridden feelings and a flush just came over me that downgraded that sensation. The only drawback is that this medication completely stopped working for me after one and a half years."

• life...
• April 5, 2010

Topamax (topiramate) "I had hit rock bottom and I finally went to someone who knew what they were talking about. They put me on Topamax and I am fine now thanks to my doctor. Thank you to everyone who cared enough to pay attention to my well-being."

• bentl...
• June 25, 2011

Topamax (topiramate) "Topamax helps tremendously with mixed bipolar and rapid cycling. However, I was an athlete at the time, rode cycling, and was a psychiatric nurse. I went from 120 to 105. This was not a bad experience for me. My manager illegally pulled me into her office and told me, granted she is not even an RN, that I had anorexia and an eating disorder, and illegally discriminated against me to stop me from working with eating-disordered patients. My doctor even told her I was normal and healthy, just solid muscle. P.S. Have you ever seen a serious road cyclist have an ounce of fat on them?"

• Best4...
• February 2, 2009

Topamax (topiramate) "I have a daughter that was suffering severely with Bipolar Disorder (started at age two and was diagnosed at age 12), which included severe anger, depression, and mania. We had tried her on nearly every other Bipolar medicine on the market, with no results. We took her completely off every other drug and started her on Topamax as a solitary treatment. Within 30 days, she was a new person and has been stable on Topamax now for over 5 years. We started at 25mg and worked our way up until we had the proper dose. At age 19, she takes 200 mg per day...100mg in the morning and 100mg in the evening."

• TCraz...
• Taken for less than 1 month
• May 29, 2014

"I'm going into my third week on Topamax. For the twelve years previous to this medication, I was treated vigorously for clinical depression. (Clearly, to no avail.) My 'mood spikes,' as my husband and I lovingly call them, are already beginning to subside. My toes, fingers, and nose do tingle, and now that my dose is doubled (third week, time to titrate up), I'm definitely losing my appetite. (I have a few pounds to spare, so I'm not mad about it!) I hope to update this page again in a month or so to let you know how the medication is going then. After being on every antidepressant the market has ever seen, it's a Godsend to have FINALLY been pointed in the right direction. (I'm 30 years old, married with a 2-year-old.)"

• Penny...
• Taken for less than 1 month
• August 19, 2017

"I was prescribed Topamax for my bipolar as a mood stabilizer and because all my psych meds have a side effect of weight gain, and I had put on 60 lbs in the last two years. So when my doctor told me Topamax had weight loss as its side effect, I was beyond excited to try it, and it has been nothing but smooth sailing. I was started at 25 mg at night and moved up 25 mg every week until now, three weeks in, when I'm currently on 75 mg and have lost 10 lbs already! At 3+ lbs a week! What this drug has done for me is curb my sugar and fast food cravings while eliminating my emotional eating and cutting my normal appetite in half. I've stopped all my addictions and binge eating, even alcohol. No bad side effects, but I am closely monitoring just in case..."

• fghyj...
• July 2, 2008

Topamax (topiramate) "I have been off and on Topamax for about 5 years now, and I must say that it works better for bipolar mood stabilization than any other one out there. The one thing I love the most about this medicine is that it is helping me lose weight. They need to put in the time to verify that this drug is, in fact, a mood stabilizer because it certainly does help with bipolar disorder."

• Anonymous
• March 17, 2012

Topamax (topiramate) "I was diagnosed with bipolar seven years ago and have basically been on Topamax along with Wellbutrin the whole time. I have not really experienced the weight loss. I do feel fatigued and have been feeling very angry lately. I also feel sort of zombied out."

• nypeach
• November 17, 2009

Topamax (topiramate) "I've been taking Topamax for two months, and the weight loss is great, but that's because everything tastes gross. I'm tired a lot and have to work hard to focus. But I can finally sleep at night and feel rested. After reading some of the other comments, I now understand why my fingertips sometimes feel numb or weird. I'm still not sure if the weight loss, better sleep, are worth the disgusting taste in my mouth, and the feeling sometimes that I just want to burst into tears (although that could be just because I work so hard and I'm still broke)."

• Hopeful
• March 1, 2017

"I've been on Top, 50 mg BID for about 3 weeks now. Let me tell you...!!! Psychosomatic or not, it worked within days! I was never diagnosed with this bipolar, yet my hubby always joked saying I was. I'm not too manic. I have anger, anxiety, and procrastination issues. But I work my ass off and do my wifely/motherly/grandma duties. So I didn't realize how truly bad off I was until I, for some reason, decided to try it when offered it. I'm actually a little more comfortable in social atmospheres now than I ever have been! I can get up with a plan and actually get stuff done! There was an invisible wall blocking me. I have a lot of pain that I can't afford to look into further, though. So far, so good. The pins and needles suck."

• DLano
• March 9, 2018

"This is the second time I have been on Topamax, the first time was two years ago, and I must say it helped me out a lot. I got sober, started eating healthy and working out, my mind was quiet, and I was feeling a lot better. I suffer from depression, OCD, BED, bipolar disorder (BPD), post-traumatic stress disorder (PTSD) - catastrophizing in my head is a huge thing I like to do or just worrying. Anyways, I became mindful and felt amazing and happy. I’m sure not all of this was from the Topamax, but it helped me get started, but for some reason, I was itching, so I got off. This time I am on Qudexy XR 200 mg for BPD/PTSD/mood/urges/motivation/energy/binge eating disorder. I am noticing a good start again: more energy, getting up early, more motivated, mind distracted so I’m not in my head so much (I am 34, and I sit home, don’t work, obsess about everything in a panic distressing state 24/7 every day, so the fact that I’m even getting out of the house again is amazing."

• Jeani...
• October 13, 2017

"I have been on Topamax twice now. I don’t typically write reviews for medications, in fact, I never have. I took Topamax at 100 mg along with Lamictal 100 mg for bipolar. I slowly titrated off my meds because my doctor and I thought I possibly could function without them. Bad idea. I spiraled into a terrible manic episode where I was sleeping less than 2 hours a night, even on high doses of Ambien and Lunesta. I finally was put back on Topamax 200 mg this time, and it has saved my life. I feel better than ever. Initially, I was put back on 100 mg, and I felt better, began sleeping 3-4 hours a night within a week. Went up to 200 mg, and within 2 days was sleeping 9 hours a night, and my racing thoughts and anxiety had completely gone away."

• Thank...
• November 27, 2015

"I took this drug for two reasons. First, to stop drinking so much and secondly, to iron out my highs and lows. Let me say it worked wonders on both fronts. But getting to the sweet spot on the dosage is tough. On the way to the 150 mg daily dose, which seemed to even me out and make me act right, it was super tough. I was more low. Suicidal even, and I could give a damn about anything. But I know once I got to 150 mg, I'd stick to my plan of not drinking and be much more motivated and optimistic. It's nothing short of miraculous. The sad state of affairs is about a year and a half in, I developed some liver issue. Was it this drug? Was it something else? Who knows, but I had to go off. Ode to how much life sucks without this chemical optimism!"

• Andrea
• Taken for 1 to 6 months
• February 17, 2016

"I am titrating up to a dose of 300 mg for PTSD. I've had no fuzziness or other issues, I'm sharp as ever, and I've lost about 15 lbs so far. I was a muscular 140 lbs at 5'1", about a size 8, and now I'm about 126, still losing and down to a 6. I'm about to make the step up to 200 mg. I went up in weekly steps of 25 mg. My doctor told me this was best and that there is a serious skin condition and an eye disease that can result from jumping up to a high dose too quickly, so I suggest asking your doctors about a slow titration to achieve maximum benefit and avoid fogginess."

• Calisto
• Taken for 1 to 6 months
• September 19, 2019

"Yes!! I'm almost 40 years old and have been diagnosed with Bipolar since I was 16 years old. I've been on SO many different antipsychotics that never helped with anything but weight gain. FINALLY, I'm on a great medication - Topiramate that has stabilized me!! I've only been taking it about 4 months but so far it's the best med for me. I do suffer some side effects, the worst being the painful tingling in my feet, but it's worth it to not be on that bipolar roller coaster or that dark downward spiral anymore."

• kurly...
• June 11, 2009

Topamax (topiramate) "I was on Lithium Carbonate for 15 years and never felt like a 'normal' human being. I felt like a zombie. When I was told by a new psychiatrist to pick out a new medicine for my bipolar illness, I chose Topamax. Even though it is an off-label treatment for bipolar disorder, it seemed to have the least amount of side effects, and I feel whole again. I have been on Topamax for 15 years (I think), and the only adverse effect I have is decreased sweating in hot weather."

• pharm...
• February 23, 2009

Topamax (topiramate) "Only recently have the makers of Topamax been disclosing the potential risks of acidosis, renal tubular acidosis, and bone disease. After being on this drug for 6 years or so, I developed kidney stones (another side effect) on five different occasions. My urine citrate levels dipped to 18. 550 and higher is normal. I had become so ill that I was close to renal failure. Calcium and vitamin D levels were dangerously low. My bones developed osteomalacia, or softening of the bones."

• liber...
• March 7, 2011

Topamax (topiramate) "I have taken this for about a year. I have lost about 40 lbs. I am taking it to help with depressed moods. I also have to take the brand and not the generic. I will have late-onset asthma with the generics and other unpleasant side effects. I tried more than once to use generics, but it won't work. So, give it a try if you can afford the brand name. It makes a big difference. I also found that all my migraines disappeared while taking this. What a relief that was."

• Anonymous
• October 8, 2009

Topamax (topiramate) "Topamax is the only medicine that works for me. I am willing to live with the side effects to keep from going up and down. The worst side effect for me has been trouble comprehending and mild memory loss. When I lowered the dose from 400 to 100, I don't have comprehension or memory problems now. The great part about Topamax is weight loss and not gaining weight."

• Anonymous
• Taken for 6 months to 1 year
• March 20, 2023

"I take 50mg of topiramate as a mood stabilizer for bipolar after trying many other bipolar medications that made me very fatigued and caused weight gain. I’m so happy I found this drug! It’s been a lifesaver I’ve stopped my anxiety medication and this is all I take for bipolar 2. I feel clear headed and I’m never depressed. I don’t suffer from anxiety anymore. It’s been a miracle drug! Being an off-label drug for bipolar don’t let that make you think it won’t work. Give it a go and don’t give up because I went through so many meds to find the right one and this is it. I don’t feel tired anymore and I’ve lost weight too. I hope this has helped anyone out there who was in my shoes trying to get the right medication and feeling the best they can be."