Topamax Withdrawal Here....

[Anonymous]

My M.D. recently weaned me off Dopamax (!!) due to it negatively affecting my memory.

He had prescribed it off-label to curb my appetite since I was gaining too much weight from my other meds, Zoloft + Seroquel.

Well, I have been weaned completely for a week and cannot stop eating! I am constantly starving and feel like I am eating close to double what I usually do.

Has anyone else experienced this when weaned off of Topamax? If so, do you know of another med that can be prescribed off-label to curb my hunger?

Thx.

[Anonymous]

Are you still taking the other 2 meds? I always felt ravenous on Zoloft.

[Anonymous]

Avocado is a natural appetite suppressant.

[Anonymous]

Did you lose any weight on the Topomax? I am sporting an extra 30 lbs thanks to Zoloft and was thinking about trying Topomax. I was worried about the "dopey"feeling that people describe but my doctor said that was rare. If you had it to do over again, would you still go on the Topomax?

Sorry to hijack your thread, OP. I'm sorry I don't have much advice - but I agree with a PP that I was ravenous on Zoloft too.

[Anonymous]

Topamax is way overused.

[Anonymous]

Yes. I take it for my migraines and when I have weaned off it to get pregnant I have definitely had an increased appetite. Wildly increased, even though i never lose weight while taking it. Soldier through, exercise, drink hot tea and coffee, eat carrots.

Also, whatever you do, don't get pregnant for six months. I lost my first child to a probable Topamax related birth defect. I had stopped taking it but not for long enough. This was before they knew it was harmful, my doc had told me it was OK to take during pregnancy. I didn't want to but got pregnant right after the taper and that baby had fatal defects I blame on the Topamax.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:Did you lose any weight on the Topomax? I am sporting an extra 30 lbs thanks to Zoloft and was thinking about trying Topomax. I was worried about the "dopey"feeling that people describe but my doctor said that was rare. If you had it to do over again, would you still go on the Topomax?

Sorry to hijack your thread, OP. I'm sorry I don't have much advice - but I agree with a PP that I was ravenous on Zoloft too.

OP Here:

I lost about ten lbs. overall from my Dr. adding the Topamax. But the memory issues are huge. I couldn't remember simple words and would stop in mid-sentence a lot. It was pretty embarrassing and I didn't want to disclose to anyone I was on this med. My sister also has the same issue so I wouldn't necessarily say it was rare. We were on 50 mg. tablets by the way, taken before bedtime.

If I had to do it over again, I wouldn't do it.

I would try Metformin and see if that works. Without the side effect.

Good luck.

[Anonymous]

I was on it for migraines. It gave me horrible side effects and did nothing for my migraines. My neurologist wanted me off all meds for at least a few months before getting pregnant.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:Did you lose any weight on the Topomax? I am sporting an extra 30 lbs thanks to Zoloft and was thinking about trying Topomax. I was worried about the "dopey"feeling that people describe but my doctor said that was rare. If you had it to do over again, would you still go on the Topomax?

Sorry to hijack your thread, OP. I'm sorry I don't have much advice - but I agree with a PP that I was ravenous on Zoloft too.

OP Here:

I lost about ten lbs. overall from my Dr. adding the Topamax. But the memory issues are huge. I couldn't remember simple words and would stop in mid-sentence a lot. It was pretty embarrassing and I didn't want to disclose to anyone I was on this med. My sister also has the same issue so I wouldn't necessarily say it was rare. We were on 50 mg. tablets by the way, taken before bedtime.

If I had to do it over again, I wouldn't do it.

I would try Metformin and see if that works. Without the side effect.

Good luck.

Thank you so much for responding. I was seriously considering the Topomax but this has helped me decide against it. I am already on Metformin - I've been on it about 6 months. I don't know that I've noticed much difference, but I am sticking with it. Best wishes.

[Anonymous]

PP here on it for migraines -- I have the memory issues as well. I often lose words and am horrible with names now. I sometimes forget tasks I was supposed to do so I have to write everything down. my speaking is rather jerky so when I do public speaking it is very stressful for me. I do some Alexander Technique to try to counteract this as I am a lawyer and need to do some speaking in public. It's fairly debilitating but I don't have many other options because my migraines are so severe it is not tolerable without the Topamax and I couldn't continue working without it. I am on a much larger dose, though (100 mg twice a day). I have tried everything else. I also do Botox. This combo keeps me moderately functional.

[Anonymous]

(BTW, I highly recommend Alexander Technique -- it is the only way that I have been able to continue practicing law and "hide" this disability. with it I'm about as good as I was before, even though inside I'm a hot mess!)