Topiramate for Borderline Personality Disorder User Reviews

• and...
• May 10, 2018

"I have been on many meds for BPD and nothing worked. I was suicidal daily. I was on a cocktail of meds which wasn't helping, so I just stopped them all. I did not feel better or worse. As with most days, I was calling the suicide helpline. I was going to work every day. My manager would not allow me to go on sick leave. My therapist was urging me to call in sick, saying I wasn't in any state to hold down a job. I was still taking my sleeping meds, 5 pills, which I take the minute I get home from work every day so I sleep until 5 the next morning. I was so depressed, anxious, and suicidal. I can't bear the evenings and weekends, which are just hours of crying and self-harming. I found this site and read about Topamax. I brought it up to my doctor. We tried 50mg for my bulimia, which I do as self-harm. It helped. I told my doctor that maybe if we upped the dose, it may help as a mood stabilizer. To cut a long story short, I'm on 200mg in the morning and 200mg in the evening. Just this is my 3rd day, and already I feel a difference :)"

• Mea...
• July 20, 2020

"Oh my, y’all. This topiramate is the best for borderline personality disorder (BPD)! It’s wonderful. I started out with 50 mg at night and now both morning and night, and it’s a life-changing experience. I’ve had so many bad and terrible years and on so many different kinds of meds. We all know there are NO meds for our illness, but I’m telling you this works! I’m happy and met a wonderful man that is soon to share my life with, and I really don’t think I would have made it without this medication. I strongly recommend it. ❤️"

• Jil...
• Taken for 6 months to 1 year
• December 13, 2020

"This medication has been a game changer. After trying so many medications (SSRI, SNRI, and then working my way through the mood stabilizers), Topamax has completely changed the way I think - I no longer pick at my skin. I feel very calm. I don't feel like I'm going to lose my life every time I leave my house. I did experience some cognitive issues for the first few weeks, but those side effects have subsided, and I am now thinking clearer. I attribute this to perhaps not being consumed by fear and anxiety. Loss of taste has definitely been an annoying side effect - I miss tasting salty and sweet foods - this has resulted in a 20 lb weight loss."

• Yah...
• August 6, 2017

"This drug is a game changer! I'm coping daily much better... I was a mess, suicidal, a roller coaster of instability and terrible migraines, so far, so good. I'm in a place where dialectical behavior therapy (DBT) can at least sink in... I'm hoping not too much weight loss because I'm tiny to begin with. But no side effects so far."

• PMR...
• Taken for 1 to 6 months
• January 11, 2021

"I was placed on this medication, topiramate, and it helped me with my borderline personality disorder! I was able to function better, and it assisted with mood and irritation. The side effects at first were difficult, however, it got easier. I was on 50 mg daily."

• Dri...
• Taken for 1 to 6 months
• December 22, 2019

"My doctor told me there’s no actual pill for BPD, so it was a long shot to try this drug. I wanted to love it like everyone else, but I had the most god-awful side effects. My hands and feet become painfully numb and tingly, like I sat on them and they fell asleep, and it also gave me a weird, phlegmy, deep cough. I’ve heard such good things, and everybody’s body chemistry is different, and my body did not get along with this drug at all. Nope, nope, I’ll never take this drug again!"

• Anonymous
• November 8, 2022

"The side effects are awful. The first three months had major insomnia, unable to eat, and overall major brain fog. The side effects went away for me with time. I still get tingling fingers. This drug has been amazing for my mood swings despite the side effects. Nothing worked to stabilize me like topiramate."

• Kay...
• Taken for 1 to 6 months
• November 4, 2020

"This pill worked great at first, then I started eating less and less and becoming very forgetful and numb. Friends even asked why I was so quiet. I haven't felt so dissociated and weird in forever, would not recommend."

• Kin...
• July 6, 2016

"Personally, this drug helped my mood swings greatly, however, I was quite disturbed that it agitated my diet as much as it did. I have a co-morbid eating disorder, which was agitated by the med. The topiramate made it so I HAD to eat my food a very specific way: something soft, yet crunchy at the same time. Normally, I wouldn't complain, however, it was always on my mind. I think the hardest thing about the med was the appetite suppression for me. I was down to eating one meal a day, which ultimately led to me not losing any weight, which I can say was very difficult for me. I had increased irritability, and I felt overly fatigued. I am also on citalopram, which is a terrible combination if you're prone to fatigue."

• KKa...
• Taken for 2 to 5 years
• May 13, 2020

"I did not notice any emotional or behavioral changes. I took topiramate for years. It gave me memorable and intense nightmares to the point I had panic attacks in my sleep, I remembered my nightmares vividly. I was told this would help with migraines, behaviors like intense emotional swings, also with weight loss. It may have helped me lose weight, but I was doing a lot of other things to lose weight, so hard to say. I would recommend trying, but really watch if it helps or not, and if your side effects are worse than the supposed help that it gives you."

• Anonymous
• Taken for 2 to 5 years
• May 8, 2022

"Topiramate has given immediate relief from my borderline personality disorder. I don't get angry for little to no reason anymore, and my moods don't bounce continuously throughout the day. I still get the highs and lows, but only at high levels of stress, and once it has gone, my moods calm again. The dose I'm on is 200 mg twice a day."

• Liv...
• Taken for 1 to 6 months
• December 31, 2021

"You got to be really careful taking this. Make sure you are taking it for the right reasons, please. I’m a high-functioning borderline: working out 5 times a week, signed with a well-known modeling agency; I’m on the Dean’s List at my college. This medication completely ruined me and the girl I was. I don’t feel enjoyment in anything anymore. Before, when I would be in my highs and a bit compulsive, I could control myself; now I don’t even have fun hanging out with friends, eating my favorite foods, listening to my favorite music. Warning: if you are very active, stay away. I’m now so weak in the gym; it’s impossible to fuel myself for my workouts because I crave nothing. I was given the medication because I model (no weight gain). I usually would be squatting 250 lbs, but I haven’t been able to push it, and it’s very discouraging (thanks, pills). I’ve always had borderline, but now I’m dealing with depression."

• Em3...
• Taken for 2 to 5 years
• March 14, 2022

"I was using this for years but noticed it blocked my sexual response, meaning I was very numb downstairs. It also made me very forgetful, and if you drink alcohol with this, it makes you even more forgetful! If I went out with friends, I was always losing my bag or phone, something I've never done before - personal belongings are usually glued to me when I'm out. I did feel it worked to begin with, but after a few years, things happened in my life, and then I had more triggers because of this, and then the medication stopped working altogether. When I came off it, I actually felt better. So overall, very confused about this drug. I'm currently feeling worse again, not using anything at the moment and not sure what to do next. My doctor wants me to go back on this drug, but not sure I want to."

• pmb...
• March 10, 2017

"My BP was up, so they reduced my Wellbutrin XL, which I take for major depressive disorder, and gave me this. Not a bright idea for someone with anxiety. I have mild anxiety. Racing negative thoughts. Took it 3 days, still have issues months later."

• Anonymous
• Taken for 1 to 2 years
• February 7, 2024

"It calms me. It does make me tired a little and takes away my appetite. I'm okay with that. After 8 weeks, I had dropped 10+ lbs. After adjusting, the symptoms seemed to need help in reducing rage again, so we bumped up to 0.50 at night. It works quite well. I need a nap during the day. The rage has subdued."

• Ton...
• Taken for 1 to 2 years
• June 18, 2022

"Yet another medication I’m on for migraines, but I also have borderline personality disorder, and it does nothing to help either. Glad to see it is helping others, though. My borderline personality disorder seems resistant to everything. :/"

• uns...
• Taken for 1 to 2 years
• April 6, 2025

"It was the first effective medication for my emotional dysregulation. It caused cognitive side effects, such as apraxia, stuttering, and aphasia, but its benefits incredibly outweighed the unwanted effects. I think topiramate works very well for those with a more paranoid or impulsive profile than for other BPD profiles. For those who suffer more from depressive episodes or existential emptiness, another medication is better. However, due to my neurotic profile, it was a lifesaver for me. While I was prescribed topiramate, I didn't attempt suicide, and before taking it, I averaged one attempt per week. I had to stop taking it due to kidney problems and low weight, but I've noticed a clear relapse in my anxiety and rumination levels since it was withdrawn."

• odd...
• Taken for 2 to 5 years
• July 12, 2019

"Topamax helped me discover that there are other 'beautiful' emotions besides sadness and rage."

• Jil...
• Taken for 1 to 6 months
• July 31, 2018

"Immediate relief! It regulates my mood, calms me down, and stabilizes my thoughts and feelings. I take 25 mg/day."

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

"In combination with Wellbutrin, the topiramate has been the only medication that has been able to stabilize my BPD symptoms. My mood is stable, and I’m so much less impulsive."

• Dec...
• Taken for 5 to 10 years
• August 21, 2016

"I love the memory loss, who wants to remember all the bad crap anyway? As for the good stuff, Facebook will remind you with your own damn photos!"

• Dan...
• May 29, 2017

"This helped my urges and impulses!"