Topiramate for Seizures User Reviews

• Arm...
• May 9, 2016

"I deployed to Iraq in 2012. I had my grand mal seizure at the age of 21 after a mission. Was sent home for testing. I was put on other seizure meds that absolutely sucked. Then my neurologist prescribed me Topiramate. It was a rough first few weeks with new tastes and tingly hands and feet, but slowly the almost constant minor seizures I had in my right arm were gone. I love this medicine. I haven't had a grand mal since October 2013."

• Awe...
• July 31, 2017

Topiramate "Was given this for seizures. Yet lost 83 pounds, was full diabetic when I started this medicine, now I am insulin resistant and my overall readings are 69, which they are saying is not good. I seem to sleep a lot, just can't keep these glucose up. Bone is not hungry. Have to put an alarm on phone to eat, or I won't eat. Started taking vitamins and juicing to ensure I get something in, being I am thirty-two. Though my eyes are bad in light, and memory is like a dream lately. Toes can't feel, fingers tingle, mouth water means I drool. No headache, smoke less, no seizures, lost weight, no diabetes. Can't have it all, I guess."

• ASh...
• Taken for 2 to 5 years
• July 21, 2016

Topiramate "So I've been taking topiramate for 3 years for seizures and migraines (both of which have disappeared). Yes, the side effects are terrible, especially the word searching and insomnia. But my seizures were debilitating, and I was having migraines 3 times a month, so I can deal with the side effects. My biggest problem is the lack of appetite. Because of my insomnia, my doctor switched me to Qudexy, which is topiramate in a time-release capsule. When I was taking regular topiramate, I did lose weight, approximately 60 pounds in 2 years, and then the weight loss stopped. I went from 200 pounds to 140 pounds, and I'm very happy with that. Since I switched to Qudexy 2 months ago, I've lost close to 20 pounds and have no desire to eat. I feel like I'm force-feeding myself. I don't know what to do."

• nat...
• Taken for 2 to 5 years
• January 26, 2017

Topiramate "I started taking this medication as soon as I was diagnosed with an inherited seizure disorder. Although I haven't had a seizure ever since I began to take the medication (which is good because the meds are working), the side effects were horrible. I would often feel very disoriented and saw a great amount of weight loss. This may not apply to everyone because everyone is different, but that was my experience with this medication."

• Chr...
• Taken for 5 to 10 years
• August 3, 2020

Topiramate "I was given this medication, Topamax, because of seizures caused by migraines. My left and right eyes were sending signals to the occipital part of the brain milliseconds apart. After over 20 years of bad migraines and seizures, Topamax cured my problems, and now I have seizures about twice a month rather than virtually every day. The seizures are far milder when they occur."

• emb...
• Taken for 1 to 6 months
• May 22, 2022

Topiramate "Started taking it to replace an expensive pill that wasn’t working. Had high hopes. Then, while watching TV, all of a sudden everything went dimmer, and I began having eye pain. Then, during three seizures of 18 seizures I had during the 2 months I took the pills, I urinated in the middle of seizures, yes, I peed my pants down the front where the pee reached almost to my ankles. Because of this embarrassment and my eyes beginning to go blind, side effects I contacted my neurologist, and he changed me to the next option ASAP. My eyesight is slowly returning to normal."

• Pea...
• Taken for 1 to 2 years
• August 22, 2017

"I was prescribed Topamax after experiencing two seizures from extreme stress, anxiety, and insomnia for an extended period of time. I have a history of anxiety/mood issues and have tried several SSRIs and other medications with no success over many years. I had given up hope until I tried Topamax. Within the first few days, I knew something was different. My anxiety was erased for the first time in 15 years. I was happy again and was looking forward to spending time with people. This medication completely turned my life around. If you are stuck in an anxiety/depression hole with very little hope, please be patient. There is something out there for you. Topamax has side effects, but you get used to them within a month, it's well worth it."

• Per...
• April 24, 2018

"Controls seizures in concert with Keppra. However, others do as well. My career and life require cognitive function. This med continues to depreciate memory and function over time. I have been using it for a long time, more than 15 years, I think. I did lose weight, however, managed diet and exercised. It certainly helps. Summary: if cognitive function and memory are high on your list of priorities, select another med. There are many options today. Don’t pick it for weight loss. Skinny and stupid is not what you want."

• Dus...
• October 25, 2016

"I went to a new doctor and mentioned to her that I had a binge eating problem in addition to having PCOS (also causes weight gain) and recently being diagnosed diabetic. She put me on Trokendi XR and told me it would help with the binge eating, and OMG has it! Not only has it changed the taste of foods, where before foods I would normally eat all of in one sitting, I now only eat a literal serving size of and don't physically want anymore, and most times don't even want to eat unless I'm physically hungry. I HIGHLY recommend trying this instead of surgery or letting them put you in a hospital if you have an overeating problem. Surgery should be a LAST resort! Good luck to all! <3"

• Ean...
• Taken for 1 to 6 months
• May 11, 2020

"This drug did help to prevent my partial complex seizures. I took 25 mg a day for three weeks and tried to increase to 50 mg a day. What a change just 25 mg a day made! I had very intense side effects. I was moody. But also, I pretty much felt like I took 10 doses of NyQuil and was trying to function in my life and work in some sort of normal way. It made my eyes have weird flashes of color. And it created weird twitches in my hand and my face. As the drug would wear off toward the evening, I would get intense anxiety. Not the drug for me. My hair also started falling out."

• Sei...
• Taken for 1 to 6 months
• December 9, 2017

"I used Topamax/Trokendi for seizures. It works wonders considering I have uncontrolled seizures. I have only taken it for 3 months and also lost 10 lbs. I am back to my pre-baby weight, which I wasn’t even trying for, but that’s a blessing in disguise. I’m finally experiencing some relief considering the misery I live in on a daily basis, which if you don’t have seizures, you’ll never understand the pain and suffering."

• Aus...
• Taken for 1 to 6 months
• February 3, 2022

Topiramate "I’m 25 years old and have tried many meds for my seizures. I had 3 brain surgeries and was on Lamictal, Vimpat, and Clobazam. I needed to go off of Clobazam because my body was adjusting to the drug. I started Topamax, and it improved my nighttime seizures, and the side effect of weight loss was great because all others cause weight gain. I was weaning onto it and was sent for blood work on the Lamictal levels, but the day after, my neurologist called. He said I needed to stop the Topamax immediately because the average liver enzyme level is 50 and mine was at 1,000! I wasn’t feeling bad or anything, but he is an experienced neurologist and said he had never heard of this happening to anyone before. It’s sad that it happened because it was decreasing the seizure frequency, and the weight loss was working, but it poisoned my liver. It sounds rare, but it worked. In my case, that’s why I rate it low."

• phx...
• Taken for 1 to 6 months
• December 7, 2020

"My wife had a seizure behind the wheel and involved two other vehicles. She was prescribed topiramate and lost weight from 140 to 95 lbs., muscle and tissue in three months (very concerned) and her bone structure is showing through her skin. She still hardly eats since being prescribed, lost/still losing hair. She just had an eye exam and her eyes have developed a 'film', her skin is extremely dry and sagging, she gets irritated easily and sleeps 9+ hours a day. Her blood results were okay, as well as X-rays and cancer tests were okay. Her doctor refuses to take her off, and I have spoken with her PCP and she says she can't do anything to take her off. I'm not on this drug, but seeing what my wife is going through, I do not recommend this drug. Is there anybody that can help us?"

• ste...
• Taken for 1 to 6 months
• December 17, 2016

"Topamax is an uncertainty at this time. I took it decades ago, and because no med or mixture of meds controls seizures sufficiently for me, I'm circling back. I've noticed major neurological feelings (e.g., tingling) transmitting down my legs to the point that it keeps me awake for many hours, which results in sleep deprivation and then seizure activity. It's not good at night. One reason I stopped the med years ago is because it can cause kidney stones. Not anything I want on top of seizures, plus the tingling, fogginess, and fatigue caused by Topamax."

• Sei...
• Taken for 2 to 5 years
• July 13, 2016

"Been on several different meds for my epilepsy. Take it in conjunction with Tegretol and Keppra. Works great initially but loses its potency after a while. Dosage has to constantly be increased. Side effects experienced include: increased urination, trouble searching for words/memory problems, and depression. Although I think the depression is linked to other influences, it might aggravate the symptom. (50 yr old male, Mid America)"

• Cyn...
• Taken for 5 to 10 years
• December 14, 2021

"I loved Trokendi! Easy to take and have been completely seizure- and migraine-free for 4 1/2 years. Unfortunately, my insurance refuses to pay for it, and I have run out of patient assistance. So very thankful for the help I did have as I have been unable to find a drug that I am not allergic to or that doesn't have serious side effects. I really miss Trokendi. It just worked great without any problems. It's a shame the insurance company dictates what is and what isn't allowed."

• Txg...
• February 27, 2021

"I took Topamax for a very long time without incident, but despite not following a keto diet or other specific dietary restrictions, I developed a case of kidney stones that five doctors missed in three years. Their treatment destabilized the seizures because of their method of treatment, and it finally resulted in a mild case of incontinence. I liked the way it worked initially, but not the final problems."

• Bay...
• Taken for 1 to 6 months
• February 16, 2018

"I was put on this for epilepsy. It has stopped my grand mal seizures. That's cool. Being in combo with Keppra. But it was also supposed to help with weight loss. It hasn't. I have been on it starting in November at 25 mg every two weeks, adding another 25 mg. Till now, it's at 100 mg in the morning and 100 mg at night. And that dose has been for a month now. Still no weight loss. When will I see weight loss?"

• Kyn...
• Taken for 1 to 2 years
• August 28, 2017

Topiramate "This med's side effects outweigh the benefits of it. Those of us with a fast metabolism have a hard time just trying not to lose any weight, have no energy, or ability to even remember what we were about to do. I only wonder how bad it's gonna get. I've only been on it a year: 200 mg XR combined with 200 mg Dilantin twice daily. There's got to be a better way."

• Ron...
• Taken for 1 to 2 years
• April 19, 2020

Topiramate "I took this med Topamax years ago, about 2003, for seizures (that's what it was made and intended for years ago, migraine was an off-label use). I didn't have hardly any noticeable side effects but was changed to another seizure med after around a year."

• Ajs...
• Taken for less than 1 month
• March 13, 2022

Topiramate "Topamax has caused me to feel dizzy and hand tremors. I wish I could select a 0 instead of a 1."

• Anonymous
• Taken for 6 months to 1 year
• February 2, 2023

Topiramate "It helped with the essential tremor, however, I experienced weight and appetite loss along with paresthesia."