Topiramate for Bipolar Disorder User Reviews (Page 4)

• Mac...
• Taken for 6 months to 1 year
• March 8, 2018

"I've been taking this drug for about 6 months now. I take it in combination with lamotrigine. I was concerned about weight gain as I was already heavy for me, but weight loss was certainly not my primary goal. For the first 3 months, I felt really great. I did lose weight consistently, which I do think added to my feeling good. About 3 months ago, I entered a pretty severe manic episode. It was probably one of the most intense ever. I am increasing my dose, and it's early on with that. I'm headed to 250 mg per day. My husband and I are in hopes that this will help. My side effects of brain fog, fatigue, and dizziness were temporary. Other than that one bump in the road, I can honestly say this has been the most effective drug combination I've ever been on, and I can't see myself switching again."

• cra...
• Taken for 2 to 5 years
• May 24, 2017

"I've been on 50 mg of brand Topamax for two years, and the cognitive impairment is significant. I often forget how to spell my last name, I don't remember events from just yesterday, and I can't spell anything anymore for the life of me. I take it for Rapid Cycling Bipolar I and went off it for two weeks to attempt to get my cognition back. By about the 6th day, I started to show signs of mania, and by day 8, I was full-blown manic with psychosis. I'd do anything to get off this brain mush of a drug, but it serves a purpose. Oddly, I never went into psychosis until this drug. Oh, and the days that passed without Topamax led to the worst headaches ever. Buyer beware."

• Lau...
• Taken for less than 1 month
• June 15, 2019

"My psychiatrist put me on this before starting Transcranial Magnetic Stimulation to prevent mania, this was a treatment for chronic depression. Topamax made me feel worse than before, couldn't get out of it, so tired all the time. Also, the brain fog and the lack of focus made it impossible for me to do my work. The last days I took the medicine, I was severely depressed and had dark thoughts. If you start taking it, be careful and watch closely for adverse reactions."

• Bea...
• Taken for less than 1 month
• March 21, 2019

"Today is my first day on Topiramate. Reading the reviews has me extremely scared. I have a terrible time sleeping at night, have trouble controlling my mood, and have gained a lot of weight due to depression and medication side effects. If anyone has any information about how this medication treats bipolar symptoms and sleep difficulties, please comment. I’m only nineteen and have been medicated for bipolar for 2 years."

• Bea...
• Taken for 2 to 5 years
• December 28, 2015

"I was put on it plus Wellbutrin to stabilize my mood. For 3 months, I was extremely nauseous, unable to eat a thing. I lost 12 kg. The side effects were tingling in my hands and feet, a feeling that my head was being pulled to one side, metallic taste, extreme brain fog, loss of vocab (I sounded like an idiot, I could hardly string a sentence together), attention span diminished, and extreme muscle weakness. I became socially anxious/awkward and still am. I developed a strange curry-like smell to me. I stopped when I fell pregnant and put on 24 kg, still holding on to 9 kg. It seems to have ruined my metabolism. I loved the appetite suppression (why I stayed on it) but won't go back on it, the side effects are too severe and expensive."

• Iro...
• Taken for less than 1 month
• June 20, 2017

"My VA doctor started me on this medication for my PTSD, bipolar, mood disorder, and alcohol abuse. I've been on this medication for two weeks. I'm 48, a disabled combat marine, a big guy, 6'3, 260 lb. I'm ramping up on this med, right now 25 mg twice a day, and have gained 12 pounds. I crave food constantly, but not alcohol. I can't sleep very well, but the constant craving of food and gaining weight bothers me. I get paid once a month, started this on the 5th, and now have to ration my food, I don't eat everything before the month is up. I do have some fatigue, but mostly weight gain. I just started this med, but I'm happy I don't crave alcohol and don't have rage attacks. Thanks, Semper Fi."

• max...
• June 23, 2009

Topiramate "Overall, Topamax has been a very positive attribute to my daily 'cocktail' of necessary medicines. It has assisted in stabilizing my mood and thus helped me to resume a semi-normal routine. As for side effects, I experience loss of memory that I am told is due to the Topamax and is fairly common. Although irritating at times, it is much more tolerable than my past existence."

• Anonymous
• March 31, 2010

Topiramate "After taking 300 mgs (100 mg AM/200 mg PM) for three years, it's no longer working. When I first went on it, it worked great for both mood stabilization and weight control. I lost all the weight that I gained after being on Zyprexa and Depakote, and my moods were controlled well for about two and a half years. I had minimal negative side effects that seemed to fade after a few months' use. For the last six months, I've been struggling with dosage adjustments and adding new drugs to my cocktail while trying to keep Topamax. Finally, I'm giving up and going off Topamax because it's not doing anything anymore."

• deb...
• Taken for 5 to 10 years
• March 3, 2023

"You know, I have read several PubMed papers that say Topamax is not an effective mood stabilizer for bipolar. Well, I say they are wrong! At least for Bipolar II. I had a diagnosis done by a neuropsychologist (with five degrees), who ran several weeks of written, computerized, and oral tests on me. She's the one who finally correctly diagnosed me and recommended the medications I am on now. She confirmed my diagnosis of ADD, but also said I probably had Bipolar II (not unipolar depression) and severe post-traumatic stress disorder. She recommended Topamax as a mood stabilizer for me, and I am now at 100 mg twice per day. I also take Adderall IR, 20 mg twice per day, and Seroquel 200 mg at night to sleep. I have been stable for eight years now. I highly recommend Topamax as a mood stabilizer, especially for Bipolar II, which is a milder form of bipolar. I had some word-finding difficulty at first, however, that quickly subsided after a couple of weeks."

• Gra...
• Taken for 10 years or more
• November 8, 2018

"I was started on Topiramax for migraine, didn’t really help, but shortly thereafter, I was diagnosed with Bipolar I. Kept the T’max and went from 400 mg to 600 mg. It keeps me up at night, so I take it all at once in the AM. I also take Abilify and have not gained any weight. Only side effect is being cold frequently, especially my hands and toes. But I do remember starting slowly and thinking my head would explode at 50 mg, lol! Obviously, it didn’t."

• My ...
• Taken for less than 1 month
• January 17, 2022

"I wasn’t given Topamax for bipolar disorder but for migraines, but it made a major positive impact on my moods. I treated it a year ago, and the side effects were so intense I honestly couldn’t handle the medicine and ultimately stopped it. I recently began taking it again due to bad migraines again, and when I got the medicine filled, it had a note on it saying that the look of some ingredients has changed, but it’ll have the same effect as it did before. It seems to work so much better with hardly any side effects at all. Weight loss is a side effect, but a very welcomed one, as I am overweight and a bad binge eater. It’s helped my moods improve a lot since I started it. One thing I will say is to take or drink magnesium and potassium supplements/drinks to lessen side effects, and you’ll be fine. I've been on the medicine 3 weeks, almost 4, and the migraines have calmed down a lot already."

• gre...
• Taken for 1 to 2 years
• August 8, 2018

"I'm a 35-year-old female with rapid cycling bipolar 1 and anxiety. I take 250 mg topiramate and 300 mg quetiapine as mood stabilizers, plus 300 mg venlafaxine, 30 mg buspirone, and 1 mg lorazepam. Initial side effects were fatigue, brain fog, and loss of appetite. Fatigue eased up after two weeks, but it can still be a bit tough to wake up in the mornings. Brain fog is much better, but I'll occasionally misspell words when I'm writing or say the wrong one when I'm speaking. Appetite remains lower, but I'm still able to enjoy a healthy diet. No new effects have sprung up. Like many of you, I've lost weight. It started when I began the tablets, and the weight has stayed off. My mood cycles have basically stopped, leaving me functional and stable, and my symptoms feel under control. I'm not doing weird impulsive things, like constantly overspending while manic, generally being a nightmare, or having to deal with crushing depressive crashes. It's also great for preventing my migraines."

• BBP...
• Taken for less than 1 month
• May 7, 2017

"I was doing pretty well on Trileptal but was not happy with weight gain from AAPs. Greedily decided to ask my doctor to switch me from Trileptal to Topamax in hopes of some weight loss. There was none. I'm thinking this may be one of those meds that just doesn't work with me genetically. I was taking 50 mg twice a day, and it was not doing a thing for my weight or moods. It was scary. The anger, irritability, crying, brain fog. I was scared of ending up in the psych ward, so I went back to my Trileptal and left the Topamax behind. I quit it cold turkey after getting back to my regular Trileptal dose. Mentally and emotionally, I'm already feeling better, however, I am having some terrible muscle aches and nausea from quitting the Topamax."

• JJ ...
• July 27, 2016

"I took 100 mg for a week and had massive amounts of bleeding in my stools and urine. Doctors first thought cancer, but then saw I had just started this drug and took me off it straight away. Within 4 days, everything went back to normal and all my tests came back clear. It frightened me something terrible. Doctors say it only happens in less than 1%, but can cause major hemorrhaging. I lost 10 kg in one week. It took me two months to recover properly with weekly follow-up blood tests."

• BiM...
• Taken for less than 1 month
• December 10, 2019

"Used topiramate for 4 days, and it was a nightmare. I didn't sleep well (even a week after I stopped, my sleep is still not good). I felt extremely down (a lot worse), had really dark thoughts every day. I couldn't stop eating sugar even if I was not hungry (like an alcoholic feels with alcohol). I couldn't go out, I was extremely irritable, grumpy, even my clothes were bugging me. It completely stopped my menses (it's not back to normal yet). I will never touch this drug again, and I don't recommend it."

• Emm...
• September 23, 2018

"I take 150 mg Topmax in the morning and 150 mg in the evening for bipolar, and it works wonders for me. The only side effect I have is occasional tingling/pins and needles in my hands and/or feet, which can be a bit irritating, but I am willing to put up with it as I have lost nearly 2 stone in weight since being on this drug. All other medication for my bipolar made me put on a lot of weight, so this drug has really helped me. I guess everyone is different, and some people are more susceptible to the side effects. Sorry to hear some of you are having a hard time on this drug."

• Rez...
• Taken for 1 to 6 months
• June 11, 2019

"The topiramate actually really helped stabilize me and also helped me lose weight that Seroquel had helped me gain on. However, no matter how much water I drank, I had to stop taking topiramate because I had gotten two kidney stones in one month, and they were getting bigger. This is really unfortunate because I really, really loved this medication. It really helped me, but the kidney stone side effect is no joke."

• Loo...
• Taken for 6 months to 1 year
• June 25, 2020

"I enjoyed your comments, GOLDCT. I take 200 mgs daily for the past 3 to 4 months, and so far, pretty good. It has me losing weight, so the fact that it makes you shed some is something to watch in every way. I experience several symptoms, but it's nothing I can't handle in exchange for some stability, ya know? The brain fog stuff gets me... yet again, praying the good I get out of Topamax continues. Take care, you all!"

• Rek...
• Taken for 1 to 6 months
• June 23, 2020

"Took this topiramate for about 2 months. Was fine at first but still had some small manic episodes. Lost some weight, which I'm not complaining about, but also started losing my hair in large quantities. Nothing huge, but enough to fill a brush every time I brushed my hair. Switched to a different script."

• Anonymous
• Taken for less than 1 month
• November 11, 2022

"I was on topiramate for 5 days and ended up in jail. It put me through multiple psychotic episodes a couple of days after, so I discontinued right away. Never had been to jail in my life, nor set foot in one other than to work as a nurse. It took a huge toll on my life in as little as 1 week. I do not recommend. But we are all different."

• Mmb...
• Taken for 1 to 6 months
• November 4, 2022

"Best medication I have tried. I have cyclothymic disorder, and this stuff worked amazing. Bad anxiety as well. The only side effect I have is constipation and sometimes insomnia. But this is the only medication that helped me."

• Jes...
• Taken for 1 to 6 months
• November 18, 2019

"Worst medication side effects ever! Experienced sore throat for six weeks, severe mood swings, depression, major anxiety, night sweats, brain fog, tingles of the hands and feet, and the list goes on! Only positive was the weight loss! I'd highly not recommend this medication to anyone! It was such a nightmare experience."

• chi...
• Taken for less than 1 month
• July 30, 2021

"I began Topimax on Monday, 7/26, at .25 mg at night. I am hoping that it will help me to lose the weight that I gained while on Seroquel. I am still taking Seroquel, though, so I don't know if it will work. I am also using it as a mood stabilizer. I have a mood disorder, anxiety, and depression. It is day 5, and I already notice that my anxiety is better and my moods are more stable. I have not noticed any weight loss yet. I will be upping my dose to 50 mg this Monday after meeting with my doctor. The only side effects that I have had are that I feel very tired, which has resulted in me finally being able to enjoy a cup of coffee. My anxiety had been so bad that I had to cut all caffeine from my diet. I noticed heartburn the past few days, which is pretty uncomfortable, so I took an acid reducer. So many people talk about soda tasting different. I had a Coke Zero yesterday as an experiment. It tasted flat. I hope to lose weight and not to lose my hair on this med."

• Mis...
• Taken for 1 to 6 months
• March 4, 2022

"I was only on Topamax for a month or so. My doctor started me on 25 mg for 2 weeks, then jumped to 50. Everything was good, and I was happy until it hit me that I was manic the whole time I was on it. Like bad. The energy was great, though, so I miss that, but the mania was not healthy. I spent so much money on stupid things, and I randomly took every single photo off of my walls. It was weird. I’ve never been manic before."

• jul...
• Taken for less than 1 month
• December 15, 2021

"35 y/o personal trainer and mom of a 4 y/o boy. I was given Topamax for migraine prevention. A few days after starting the medication, I was unexpectedly diagnosed with bipolar 2 depression. After doing some research, I found out that Topamax is used for both diagnoses. The tricky part is I have a pituitary adenoma, which can mimic bipolar II symptoms. Doctor recommendations needed. After reading every review, I was not given the correct starting dose. I started at 50 mg, and a week later, increased to 100 mg. Since increasing: soda tastes flat and horrible, 4 days of continuous migraines, disgustingly dry mouth, food? What’s that? I cannot hold a conversation, I am so tired. On the positive side, I feel balanced for the first time in my life, no ups and downs, I am out of bed, did not spend my entire paycheck in one day lol, and there are more positives but can’t recall them (side effect lol). Please recommend docs!"