Can you stop taking Topamax suddenly?
Key Points
- Talk to your doctor first if you want to stop taking Topamax (topiramate) or change your dose, even if you do not have epilepsy. You should not stop taking Topamax suddenly unless your doctor has told you to stop.
- Stopping suddenly may increase the risk of seizures or other withdrawal side effects. If you have epilepsy and you stop taking Topamax suddenly, you may have seizures that do not stop.
- Your doctor will tell you how to safely stop taking Topamax if you need to stop. It may take several weeks to months for you to slowly and completely discontinue your dose of Topamax.
How do I safely stop Topamax?
Do not stop Topamax with speaking to your doctor first and follow your doctor's instructions about how to slowly stop taking Topamax. Only stop Topamax suddenly if your doctor tells you to. Your doctor can determine the best way to slowly stop your medicine to lower your risk for a seizure.
Never stop taking Topamax suddenly, or “cold turkey”, because this may cause you to have an increased risk of seizures, more frequent seizures, or other serious withdrawal symptoms. This can happen even if you do not take Topamax for epilepsy. Topamax is also approved by the FDA to be used in patients to help prevent migraine headaches.
To decrease the risk for seizures or other withdrawal symptoms, your doctor will let you know how to slowly stop taking Topamax. Depending upon the dose you take, it may take several weeks to a few months to slowly discontinue Topamax.
You should always follow your doctor’s specific instructions on how to slowly stop Topamax.
- In adult epilepsy clinical studies, daily Topamax doses were decreased in weekly intervals by 50 to 100 milligrams (mg) per day.
- In migraine studies, daily doses of Topamax were decreased in weekly intervals by 25 to 50 mg per day.
- If rapid withdrawal of Topamax is medically required as determined by your doctor, you will need to monitored and followed closely.
This is not all the information you need to know about Topamax (topiramate) for safe and effective use. Review the full Topamax information here, and discuss this information and any questions you have with your doctor or other health care provider.
Related questions
References
- Topamax (topiramate) [product information]. Janssen Pharmaceuticals. Titusville, NJ. Revised 6/2020. Accessed Feb. 3, 2021 at https://www.janssenlabels.com/package-insert/product-monograph/prescribing-information/TOPAMAX-pi.pdf
Read next
How long does it take for Topamax to start working?
It may take 8 to 12 weeks for you to see the full effect of Topamax on your migraine headaches. In clinical studies, some people had fewer headaches after 4 weeks of treatment. In the treatment of epilepsy, Topamax is also started slowly and the dose is increased over a 6-week period. Continue reading
How long does Topamax stay in your system?
Topamax stays in your system for approximately 4 to 5 days after the last dose, but this may vary depending on personal factors, such as your age, weight, dosage, and what other medications you currently take. This estimate is based on the half-life of Topamax which is about 21 hours and experts agree that it takes up to 5 half-lives for a drug without active metabolites to be completely removed from the body. A drug’s half-life is the time it takes for 50% of that drug to be removed from the body. Topamax does have some metabolites, but these are not considered active and only make up about 5% of an administered dose. This means it takes 84 to 105 hours for Topamax to leave your body. Continue reading
Is Topamax a controlled substance?
Topamax is not classified as a controlled substance under the U.S. Controlled Substances Act (CSA). Topamax is an anticonvulsant (seizure) medication, but is also prescribed for other conditions such as prevention of migraine. It may causes side effects like confusion, drowsiness, dizziness, or blurred vision. Know how Topamax may affect you before driving or performing other hazardous activities. Continue reading
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Drug information
- Topamax Information for Consumers
- Topamax prescribing info & package insert (for Health Professionals)
- Side Effects of Topamax (detailed)
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