Topamax Lawsuits
Last Updated: July 2008 • 41 Comments
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The epilepsy and migraine drug Topamax, which is also available as generic topiramate, has been associated with an increased risk of major birth defects. Research has found higher than expected rates of babies born with cleft lips, cleft palates, genital defects and other birth malformations when the drug is used during pregnancy.
STATUS OF TOPAMAX LITIGATION: The potential for Topamax birth defect lawsuits is being reviewed for babies born with serious birth defects after the mother used the drug during pregnancy.
>>SUBMIT INFORMATION ABOUT A POTENTIAL TOPAMAX BIRTH DEFECT FOR A LAWYER TO REVIEW<<
MANUFACTURER: Topamax is manufactured by Ortho-McNeil Neurologics, a subsidiary of Johnson & Johnson. It was also made available in 2006 as a generic.
OVERVIEW: Topamax (generic topiramate) was first introduced as a medication to treat epilepsy, which is a neurological disorder characterized by recurrent, uncontrolled seizures. In 2004, the FDA approved Topamax for an additional use of treating migraines, and it has since become one of the most widely prescribed migraine medications in the United States. The drug is also often prescribed off-label to treat bipolar disorder.
TOPAMAX BIRTH DEFECT SIDE EFFECTS: In the July 22, 2008 issue of the medical journal Neurology, a small study was published which linked the use of Topamax during pregnancy to an increased risk of serious birth defects. The increased risk was seen among women taking the drug to treat epilepsy, either alone or in combination with other epilepsy drugs.
Researchers followed 203 women who used Topamax during pregnancy. Of the 178 babies born to these women, 16 were found to have major birth defects. Four of the babies were born with a cleft lip or palate, which is a rate 11 times higher than would be expected in the general population. Another four babies were found to have genital defects, which is a rate 14 times higher than would be expected in the general population.
Although the study only followed women who used Topamax to treat epilepsy, it raises substantial concerns about the use of the drug among women of childbearing age to treat migraines. Women are three times more likely to suffer from migraines than men, and the condition frequently occurs in women of childbearing age.
TOPAMAX SUICIDE RISK: Topamax is also part of a class of epilepsy drugs which have been associated with an increased risk of suicide. In July 2008, the FDA considered whether a “black box” warning, which is the strongest warning which can be placed on a prescription medication, should be added to Topamax and other epilepsy drugs about the increased risk of suicide.
In January 2008, the FDA issued an alert to healthcare providers about a review of about 200 different clinical studies involving nearly 44,000 individuals taking an epilepsy drug or placebo, which fouond that users of drugs like Topamax, Lamictal, Lyrica, Depakote and other epilepsy drugs were twice as likely to experience suicidal thoughts or behavior.
Pingback by Topamax Linked to Cleft Palate, Cleft Lip and Other Birth Defects — AboutLawsuits.com on 23 July 2008:
[...] research indicates that the use of the epilepsy and migraine drug Topamax, either on its own or in combination with other epilepsy drugs, may increase the risk of birth [...]
Comment by Arthur on 9 August 2008:
My wife had been recently taking a prescription of Topamax for her migraines. Well, she had tingling in her right arm with two numb fingers, vision impairment, short term memory loss, severe weight loss (she lost 35 lbs from an original 140), severe fatigue: constant physical malaise, OMG! Now that I am researching this after the doc has put her on something else, I am amazed at the problems this drug is associated with. This makes me mad that the drug company does not put out more significant warnings than the usual tiny print on the Walgreens sheet.
Comment by Susan on 17 August 2008:
My doctor had prescribed 800mg of Topamax beginning in 1999 for treatment of bipolar disorder and sleeping disorder. Cognitive problems were severe especially concerning language. Short term memory loss costed me my employment. I had an attack, of what was first thought to be MS, but later was proven not to be the case. I now have permanent neurological damage to the left side of my body.
If this wasn’t bad enough, I developed osteomalasia (softening of the bones) leading to a catostrophic break of all the bones in my left left with my ankle snapping off. Almost two years later I suffer from chronic pain, tendonitis and difficulty walking. This condition was determined to be caused by severe acidosis (in my case renal tubular acidosis) a condition known to be induced by Topamax in almost 26% of patients, even the the lowest dose. My citrate levels were among the lowest seen in the country. I was on the brink of renal failure and possible death. It was then a nephrologist suggested I quit taking Topamax before it killed me. No other doctor was aware of this potentially lethal side effect.
I quit Topamax and my condition improved immediately, although my kidneys have been damaged.
There is vague references to this side effect and few doctors are warned that patients should have their citrate levels monitored while on this product. A class action suit should be considered.
Comment by scott on 1 October 2008:
My aunt has been taking topomax for a while, and has lost 50lbs and is sometimes acting strange since taking the drug. My neice had a birthday party, and we asked her if she was going, she replied yes, although, she called back AFTER she went to the party and said she would not be able to come ??? whaaaa. Last week, she was in a bad car crash, and the bones in her neck were broken, and major brain swelling and she died later this week. No one knows what happened or how she drove off the rode and hit a tree. A couple days ago a women calls and request car insurance info, because she also got into a fender bender 30 minutes earlier. the owner of the inflicted car states my aunt was dazed and confused and dizzy.
the women said maybe you should relax before getting back behind the wheel. my aunt said she was fine, and drove off weaving and bobbing said the witness like a drunk. 30 minutes later she was being flown in a lifeflight copter fighting for her life. turns out she lost that fight
Comment by Art on 16 October 2008:
My wife still has not begun to regain her weight nor her strength. This has significantly prevented her from being able to return to work. And… since she was employed at a church, there is no unemployment.
Comment by Tammy on 16 October 2008:
I used to take Topamax, but I started getting blurred vision, dizziness and my hair started falling out. I quit takingi it, my eyes are better but not like they used to be. My hair is still falling out.
Comment by Gina on 24 October 2008:
Severe reaction to Topamax, not monitored by Neurologist.
Hospitalization twice. Questions regarding “Class Action Suit” I had seen noted on Web MD.
Comment by Paul on 4 November 2008:
I had a seizure during June 2007, and my neurologist prescribed 100mg of Topamax. I experience many symptoms. Some of which were immediate, and some that increased over time. They are: extended periods of numbness in my limbs, dry mouth, muscle pain, loss of appetite and rapid weight loss, increased urination, increased heart rate, confusion, severe fatigue, extreme insomnia, slowed thought process and difficulty concentrating and making decisions, slurred speech, and severe depression. I tried to explain some of these problems to my neurologist and he just waved them off as basic symptoms of the medication. Never once did he explain to me that Topamax could lead to severe difficulty with concentration, memory loss and depression. Even after the FDA announced that seizure medications can lead to severe depression and suicidal behavior during February 2008. My license was pulled immediately after the seizure, and I wanted to cooperate as much as possible to get back on the road. So I continued taking Topamax. It wasn’t until I fell into a period with extreme memory loss, insomnia and depression that I changed to a new physician, who prescribed a different seizure medication. My insomnia was so powerful that I was sent to a sleep specialist to determine if I had some form of disorder. After changing to a new medication, these symptoms gradually lessened over a period of five months. However, the damage was done. This medication had a detrimental effect on my work performance and placed a tremendous strain on my family and personal life. This medication should be taken off the market.
Comment by kim on 17 November 2008:
i do not use topamax any more but still suffer from migraines . i was taking 100mg 2x daily, stopped taking in 2004. while i was on topamax i was arrested for dui , i do not drink …experienced alot of confusion and some numbness in my hands. i still have severe numbness almost like my hands go to sleep and with severe tingling when the blood starts to flow back into hands, eye sight is bad and eyes sort of jiggle when trying to read. this has had detrimental effects on my ability to work ..i am a painter. i would very much like to see this medication taken off the market before it ruins anyone elses life. i’d like to here from others and what your doing about it i know that i took this medication of my own free will but it really has done damage in my life. i took the advice of my nuerolagist and i am paying a price for believing he knew best.
Comment by kim on 18 November 2008:
4 years later and my life is still a mess because of topamax. if you are on it please stop taking severe side effects and it could kill you! doctors don’t tell you side effects only benefits . i am a painter and have a very difficult time seeing and holding a paint brush for long periods of time withoiut pain in my hands.
Comment by Katina on 20 November 2008:
Taking topamax for migraine prevention (150 mg daily) Was walking to work and blacked out (thank God was not driving) Spent 2-1/2 days in hopsital ran all kinds of tests, no stroke no seizure. The hospital thinks it this was caused by the topamax. Now right side of face and body is numb. Can not drive so now, have to find ride to work and pick up kids. Now being weened off of topamax
Comment by juanita on 3 December 2008:
topamax ia a dangerous drug and somebody need to take what is being said here seriously, this drug almost killed me, i took myself off of it because my doctor wouldn’t. i lost 32 pound in one month blurred vision temporary memory loss, there is nothing as scary as not knowing where you are ,cant find your way home or remebering you have a cell to call someone to come and get you,or having breathing problems and being sent from doctor to doctor they know you are having a problem but cant figure it out. i know what you people are going through.
Comment by jill on 6 December 2008:
i have been taking topomax for 1 month…i had been suffering from migraines at least 3-4 times per week…
in a month i had 1sonce starting topomax
but lately i am unable to stop crying.
3 years ago, our 5 year old daughter passed away, and i cannot stop thinking about just being with her again. not sure if this is my normal holiday grief, or topomax, i do not want migraines again,
but i am so afraid that these thoughts i have are getting stronger.
i have 2 more little girls to take care of
Comment by Janet on 17 December 2008:
I have suffered from migraines all of my life, I have been taking Topamax ofr two years. It was increased to 100mg 2x daily. I have no desire to live. Isat with a gun to my head the other day but was afraid my kids would find me. I have severe drepression no energy, can;t hold a job and above all I still have migraines 2 to 3 times a week. Neither of my doctors will take me off, they say it may do more damage, but at this point I don’t know for sure what is killing me the headaches or the medicine.
Comment by Jennifer on 18 December 2008:
I started Topamax for migraine prevention. I spoke with 3 different doctors abouot the medication, I was told about the numbness and taste change and possilbe weight loss, but nobody talked about the serious vision loss. After one week my vision went from being fine, to me not being able to see 12 inches in front of me. I was only one day into 50mg a day….. We cant find much research showing when or if my vision will return. Its a waiting game and its scary… The doctors now dont have any answers.
Comment by Grace on 18 December 2008:
On my amazement, after just comming home from the hospital , my brother gave me this information. I could not believe what I was seeing. I had been suffering every day with suicidal thoughts, before I finally OD’d. This, after having my Topomax increased to 200 mg. I told my Psychiatrist about this after still feeling suicdal, after taking an additional medication. I reduced my Topomax to half (100 mg) So far… I am feeling normal. This could have been a fatal death for me.
Comment by Dawn on 26 December 2008:
I have been on Topamax for I couldn’t imagine how many years now. Each time my headaches/migraines get worse, my neurologist just increases the dosage. I’m concerned now reading all of these comments and I have been experiencing quite a bit of memory loss. I’m too young for this. How do I go about weening myself off? And, does anyone know of natural methods of reducing migraines? Confused and Scared.
Comment by Kate on 29 December 2008:
I began taking Topomax for migraines in Jan ‘06. From the beginning I had serious numbness in my hands and feet which lasted about 3 months. Within a couple of weeks on the medication I would lose words as a teacher this is difficult to overcome in a middle school classroom. My doctor advised me of these and of a few other side effects. She was concerned that I would need to see my eye doctor because of the possible vision problems (very vague, I am a contact lens wearer - I had constant “dry eye” along with other acuity issues). I was trying to lose a few pounds after Christmas and found the weight lose to be a positive side effect at first. Within 3 months I had lost 35 pounds, but when I tried to maintain my weight I found that every week I was still losing 1-2 pounds until I was down to 105 and could maintain that weight, my husband was concerned but we didn’t think it was the medicine. After one year on the medicine, I fell into a deep depression and could not SLEEP. I could not help my family, was failing in my job, and wanted to kill myself. My husband took me to the doctors, who first implied that my husband must be abusing me in some way and then prescribed Cymbalta for depression. My husband and I went to marriage counseling and threatened each other over and over with divorce, our 2 boys victims of this emotional rollercoaster. On the Cymbalta, I had a vague felling that I didn’t care what else happened to me. I was a ghost of myself with a degenerating memory and a deep hunger for SLEEP (which Cymbalta helped with). In the spring of ‘08, I began to have horrible migraines again, severely blurred vision, a halo headache 24/7, and constant dizziness (like I had just come off of a merry-go-round). I could not exercise or walk far due to the off-balance feeling. I stopped taking both medications in July, but the symptoms remained. Finally, one day in September I was having a horrible headache and discussing a work issue with a colleague when she interrupted me to ask how I felt. I shared that my head and left eye were killing me. Apparently, my left pupil was constricted while the right was normal and responsive. She suggested that I go to the minor emergency. After several brain scans and being referred to multiple doctors to help with the vision problems, dizziness, and chronic headache, I was given a clean bill of health. Now after being off of the medicine for almost 6 months, I feel pretty normal again. I didn’t know that I could feel so well, in fact. My memory, vision, and cheerful perspective on life are back and so are the migraines. I have a new strategy for pain control now - avoid triggers, eat right, drink plenty of water, exercise and try alternative pain control choices (accupuncture, yoga, physical therapy). Topomax did resolve the migraine pain and when I am unable to function I think about that positive of the drug, but it was not worth losing the rest of my life. If you are taking Topomax please think about your options.
Comment by Katina on 8 January 2009:
Weened off Topamax now but still have radiculopathy in my right hand and foot and some pain was given gabapentin for the radiculopathy and it is not helping
Comment by M Vetga on 8 January 2009:
I have been taking Topamax for an eating disroder for some 2 years now. In the beginning I did experience the inability to think of a word, and I do get the intermittent tingling and also the halos on vision very early in the morning. Aside from that it has hellped me to not binge eat and I am fine on it. I am monitored by a doctor closely who is excellent. For me it has been an excellent drug. I have not had problems with it.
He started me on 50mg and worked me up slowly. I am on 300mg and he stopped at that dose.
Comment by lisa on 20 January 2009:
I have been on topamax 50mg, 2 times daily for 4 years. I have been have a hard time remembering thing. I had went the migr. specialist got there and started crying for no reason. emotional roller coaster ride from hell I have been on. what did he do but put me on Effexor, this is one drug you have side effects on. (combine together.).. what’s up this some Doctors. Yes this works, not worth my live over. I’m coming off this med and i’m ready for a new me
Comment by Terry on 25 January 2009:
My wife Katina was on this drug, passed out walking to her office at hospital (thank God she was not driving) She was taking this for migraine prevention (100 mg qd) She has been weened off of medicine and is STILL suffering from side effects, generalized pain, headache numbness and tingling in rt side of head face and body, mood swings she flies off the handle and screams at kids over say spilling a glass of water. She is not the same person I married since this drug fiasco. I want my wife back! She has depression becasue she doesn’t know how to cope with this stuff. It is putting a strain on our marriage, our finanaces and our family. What is these side effects do not go away. I have been told to “Give it some time.” It has been almost 2 months since she stopped taking this drug
Comment by Cherie on 26 January 2009:
I have diabetic neuropathy in both feet. I was prescribed Topomax because one of the side effects is to subside nerve pain. Unfortunately I suffered a stroke due to this medication. After taking for about 15 days, I woke up and did not know who I was, where I was and slurred my words and still do not have full use of my right leg due to the stroke (which happed in 2003). Unfortunately I learned too late to not use medications side effects….only use them as intended by the manufacturer. At 45 I am completely reliant on using a cane to manuever.
Comment by Patti on 11 February 2009:
Tell Jill on Dec 6, 2008 that her thoughts are not just the holidays, Topamax’s own site says 3 in 1000 experience suicidal thoughts, I just tried to committ suicide 2 days ago, fortunately it didnt work, I also have 2 kids and a husband and my advice would be to see counsel from your doctor or other professional. I wish I had and I hope by sharing this info that others can avoid my experience.
Comment by Elizabeth on 16 February 2009:
Topomax saved my life about 3 years ago. I had migraine induced vertigo for a year and half and no one could figure out what was causing it because I never had headaches with my migraines-just the other intense symptoms.
Finally a neuro discovered the cause via a MRI and prescribed Topomax which stopped the vertigo and kept me from having further “spells”.
I now take 150 mg at night and did not really think about it but my vision has been worsening. I just thought it was because I was getting older. (about to turn 41).
I am going to investigate further.
Comment by Debra on 4 March 2009:
Took 25mg of Topamax for approx. 2 wks, 4 yrs ago. It has been a nightmare ever since. I have permanent visual damage w/ increased eye pressure. I ended up w/ traumatic cataracts which required surgery. I then had material herniate thru the sac holding the lense, w/ vitreal debris, clouding, seeing the lense shake, red painful eyes, & glare. The vitreous detachments led to a detached retina for which I recently had another surgery. I will need a vitrectomy on the remaining eye. I finally had to quit work due to my inability to see well enough to function well. My eyesight was perfectly fine before I took the Topamax for boccasional migraine headaches. I have suffered functional & financial disaster b/c of this drug & we need to band together & get a lawyer that can look into this.
Comment by Ellen on 17 March 2009:
I am writing this for my wife as she is not up to doing it. She has been on topamax for almost 8 years and ins, just stooped on Feb 20 so she has been with out. She was taking 150 mg and all the side effects she has lost a lot of her teeth root and all just fell out we did not know way we do now it was the topamax she also has nerve damage in left hand thanks to topamax. For the last 3 weeks she has been going through hell not having the topamax. She has been throwing up slurred speech bad chest pain headache and acts like some one with Parkinson’s and falling down. Today we went to the Doc, and he saw what was going on so he called the ins, and had them OK the refill. We told him she did not want to take it any more and he said to take it to cut down but could not find out how to do that in he’s book so he said to take 50 mg at the same time every day for a few weeks then start taking farther apart every day until you reach 3 days apart from last dose as it stays in the body 21 hours. People this is not a good drug nor is it safe stay away from it please. This demon drug from hell needs to be taken off the market.
Comment by Pamela on 24 March 2009:
I have been on Topomax for almost four years. I am on the for migraine relief. I have a little tingling on my fingers and have lost weight, but i was overweight. My migraines helped relieve my headaches enough so I can enjoy my life with my two daughters and my husband. I read all the warnings before starting the drug and I drink extra water to protect my kidneys. I am careful about what I do and even if I’m not hungry I make sure I eat three healthy meals a day. I am glad I was put on Topomax and would be very upset if it was taken off the market.
Comment by Christina on 28 March 2009:
I was on Topamax for 2 years and had all the symptoms everyone else has listed. I also had worked for the prescribing doctor for 2 years so of course I trusted him to know what he was giving me for my migraines. Needless to say I had the gastric bypass done 3 years previously, so really couldn’t eat alot anyway, but found out that this medication causes Anerexia. My weight went down to 83 pounds and my gastric bypass doctor said I was days away from death.. Why would any doctor in their right mind give me Topamax?? I took myself off of it per my gastric bypass doctor’s suggestion, but still cannot seem to function or gain weight.
Comment by Sandra on 10 April 2009:
I’ve had migraines for almost 12 yrs now, took every medication on the market and the only one that relieved the headaches was Topamax. After being on it for over 3 yrs, I found myself unable to remember basic directions and got lost in stores I had worked in. I had to leave my job for awhile while testing was done as I had no short term memory at all and couldn’t perform even the most basic tasks. Couldn’t even remember which way to turn out of my own driveway to go to town and had to have someone with me all the time. This drug scares me and I went off of it, but they later put me on a lesser dose because the migraines have gotten really bad and I’ve started having the memory problems again. I guess I have to choose whether to have no memory or no headaches……..I was tested at a well known clinic and they determined that I had lost most of my verbal skills and my short term memory. It took almost a year to regain it and at most, I’ve only gotten back around 85-90 %.
Comment by Cara on 12 April 2009:
I’ve been this drug since 2002. I had to ween myself off so many times do to fatigue, prickly pains and increasing visual discomfort. My optic nerves are swollen and my eyes are severely sore. I can’t open my eyes when I wake up every morning from trying to sleep. They hurt to open. My insomnia and depression are a mess. I have no hair. Even when I’ve weened myself off, the hair will not grow back. I isolate. I thought, per my physicians this drug was to help with my severe headaches, fatigue and vertigo? Unbelievable. I also lost my job from fainting. I can’t even explain things clearly and my thoughts are jumbled. I’ll never get my life back.
Comment by Marion H. on 26 April 2009:
Well for starters, I am 27 yrs old. 5 ft.0in. tall and now, 100 lbs. Remember this as you read. 3 and a half yrs. ago I was placed on Topamax as a mood stabilizer, and somewhat for weight control. At that time I was over 200 lbs. at age 23. Now standing at 5 ft. that quite a lot of weight and to lose all in just 19 months. I keep losing every day 3-5 pounds a night. At my lowest I have been 89 lbs. I looked like a skeletal person who was dying. It was really sad. That’s when I was taking Topamax every day @ 200 mgs. total. I hate it it has become such a loosing battle. I never feel healthy, very low energy, weak all the time-not my young self. I am on 100 mgs. 2 times daily. I have lost so much I have had to ask my Doctor if he’ll allow me to take them less frequently. So now I take my dose every 3-5 days. In addition to massive weight loss (which has left scaring stretchmarks) I have lost half my natural hair. It keep falling all over my apartment, in the shower, on my clothes, It keep getting thinner and thinner. Not only has these two side effects effected me but several others may be more severe…..I have a constant twitch in my left eye, upper and now lower eye lids for the past 3 months. There are times where I thought Topamax may have been triggering a migraine, (Iv’e never had Migraines before.) I will about one every two weeks or so get a pain behind my eyes that is so intense I begin to cry. That’s what I thought it was, but evidently from a little research on my own, I realized, that Topamax can cause a type of blindness and Glaucoma. I really fear this may have begun to start to progress in my eyes.I have as well lost most of my long term memory. I jumble words together I don’t sound as articulate as I could or used to. I don’t remember most of anything I learned in high school. I don’t remember my childhood, and family trips ect. I will leave out words in sentences, and my spelling is not like it used to be. I tend to slur my speech a lot.I don’t feel like I am caught up to my peers. I have also experienced pain in my hands when it gets minorly chilly, windy,foggy or cold. I will lose blood circulation and my fingers turn white with no pigment.My palms are a bright red under my white fingers. It is very painful. Iv’e heard of a condition called Rheiniods,? I don’t know if that is what I have been experiencing or not, but the blood tends to come back when I get warm again. I have suffered a lot from this drug, It seems as if it is aging me too fast. Be very careful to anyone who likes any weight loss or any other side effect that may appear to be positive at first, of this tragic medication, you may make you sick, very sick later. Don’t compromise your health like I have. Also if anyone can help with information about Topamax repair please let me know.
Comment by Joey on 6 May 2009:
Topamax destroyed my life. It was prescribed for migraines when nothing else would work. After being on it for months, my marriage began falling apart. I couldn’t see what everyone else could see. I was not “me” anymore. Lost too much weight. Hair started falling out and was aggitated, anxious, couldn’t concentrate or carry on conversations. This drug still haunts me. I walked out and left the most wonderful man that God put on this earth. We had it all. We did everything together and had a great relationship. We were married for 15 years and had two beautiful children. Hardly a harsh word was ever spoken between us. We were each others best friend. Now because of topamax, I lost the love of my life. The worst thing is that you don’t see it happening to you. It took me years to get off of it. Now life just doesn’t seem worth living sometimes knowing that I caused such pain for those around me and having to live everyday without my soulmate.
Comment by Smart Girl on 12 May 2009:
I have been on Topamax for 2 1/2 months. My dosages have been varied due to side effects that scared the daylights out of me. Never more than 100 mg a day, at which point I was a vegetable. After such terrible side effects - pressure in the eye, loss of vision, blurriness, loss of speech, coordination, complete exhaustion, stopping mid sentence with inability to complete sentence, shaking tremors and spasms, muscle pain and weakness, falling down, crazy heart rate, resulting in losing my business, not being able to work or drive, - I finally had it. I talked to the doctors all along that I was terrified what was happening to my mind and body but they just said it was too soon to tell if Topamax was working or not.
Out of pure frustration and concern for my own well being, I decided to try to taper off Topamax and then stop completely. I lost feeling in feet and hands, pins and needles, weakness in feet and hands as well as spasms- lovely. Too much to list. Frightened me so much I wound up in emergency thinking something else must really be wrong with me. MRI said all was fine as regards to MS or stroke, etc. Whew!
Continuing to withdrawal and mad as @#*! that the Dr.s don’t know what they are prescribing to poor patients, Topamax is a dangerous crap shoot with bad odds. Funny to me how something as horrible as this drug can be prescribed in our government, yet medical cannabis prescribed properly with little to no side effects is a crime in most states.
What have I learned from this experience?…be your own advocate. Don’t let anyone ever push you into saying something is black when you clearly see it is white. Get angry, state your feelings if you feel you are being harmed and brushed off and not helped. This is your life. Even if this drug has robbed you of your cognitive thinking…you still have the brain cells in you to make good decisions. Though Topamax and pressure from others about “not taking your meds” may knock your confidence for a loop - make yourself heard and know you are not alone.
I’m thankful I live in CA where I can make legal choices that are not available to others in the USA. Shame on the drug companies. shame on the Dr.s that need to do their homework. Shame on our FDA for letting this horrible drug on the market whilst holding back natural herbal relief that grows right out of the ground for all to use without the risk of being killed or damaged for life. Shame on me for not doing my homework earlier and doubting myself and letting other decide for me.
Good luck, hope you all find some comfort and fire in this message. We are our own best advocates. No one knows us better than ourselves. Freedom of choice is a wonderful thing - so thank you makers of Topamax, for helping me to find the strength inside to tell you….JUST SAY NO! to drugs - YOUR drug in particular. May you be recalled and not harm any others. May your profits plummet as you have made your $ on the suffering of so many others.
To those whom have had success with Topramax, these blogs don’t lie- they are real people, not funded studies - you are the minority, and I am glad you are ok for now. Please be kind to those of us whose lives and health have really been affected by this “legal drug”.
Comment by tari on 28 May 2009:
I have been on Topamax for 2 1/2 yrs for migraines. Without realizing what was happening I was becoming someone else. My mind could not hold a thought, memory, what memory, could not find the correct word when I needed it. I was tired all the time but could not sleep more than 3-4 hours at a time. I would cry at work……..and work. well my job performance started to slide and at of last week I was told if I could not improve in my job perforance………….with detail work and all the things I can do because of the medicine I will loose my job come August, 09. Has anyone lost their job related to this drug? If so what did you do?
Comment by MARY on 30 May 2009:
I have been on Topamax for five years now . I was on a 400 mg dose everyday. I too lost about 50 lbs with this DRUG in about my first year prescribed. I work for a Neurologist and see how this medication is handed out I have had the bad side effects , numbness , tingling , blurred vision , chronic dry eyes, abdomen pain, kidney infections, dizziness and the list goes on. The biggest problem was my vision. I have never wore eye glasses and I started having problems with seeing on the computer at work. I went and had an eye exam not to bad, Bi - Focals ! I played that down cause I had just turned 40 thought maybe that was age . No, my eyesight kept declining and chronic eyes were killing me. In one year I went to the eye Dr. three times and had three different prescriptions. All the Dr’s tell me my eye’s aren’t that bad I am thankful but I am now nearsighted and farsighted with chronic dry eyes. The bad part is I had 20/20 vision my entire life. Not to mention the kidney problems I have since taking Topamax. I cant remember anything I have to learn everything over and over again. I cant remember my sixteen year old daughter’s cell phone number, my fax number at work and I have been there four years! Some days it is like your memory has been erased. I am now on 75mg a day and trying to go completely off this medication.I see patients daily at work starting this and its like letting them leave with a prescription for POISON! These Dr’s are getting wined and dined by these Drug Reps and Patients are paying with their lives and health!
Comment by Sherry on 30 May 2009:
I’ve been taking Topomax for a month for migraines, and finally connected the severe vision problems: extreme blurred vision, severe eye pain and burning of the eyes, redness and twitching of the eyes as dangerous side effects of this drug. My physician instructed me to stop taking it immediately, and I am hoping for successful medical treatment or reversal of the symptoms. I can’t read or see anything clearly, even with my glasses, and am having more and more trouble driving, even with my prescription sunglasses. I can’t read street signs or road signs. I can’t make out faces or recognize people anymore until they are right up in front of me (socially immobilized). I’m scared to death, quite honestly, of permanent damage.
WHY are they still prescribing this, and why are there not warning labels on the bottles, instead of voluminous prescription information sheets (that those of us taking this medication can’t read anyway)???
Comment by Traci on 3 June 2009:
I was on Topomax for 9 mos went off of it cold turkey about a month ago because my entire left sidr went numb. I thought I had the onset of M.S.. I am still feeling tingling in my face and my tongue swells. This is a horrible, horrible drug. The side effects were never exlained to me in depth. I am in for a lawsuit, cause I think I have permanent vision damage. God bless all of you on this drug!
Comment by Heather on 18 June 2009:
I can not believe what I am reading. I have so many of these side effects…..if not all of them. It’s so sad. I have been on 200 mg. for about 10 months and now my neuro just increased the dosage to 300 mg. I have the tingling in my hands and feet. I am a zombie and constantly irritable. I have this constant neck pain that will not go away and my vision is very blurry. Constantly depressed too. My headaches have not gone away and my eyes are hurting as well. I hate being around people Is this normal????
Comment by RENEE on 23 June 2009:
I was put on topmax for 10 months I lost alot of weight so fast it has messed up my skin from the fast wiegth loss. My wieght was 135 and in one month i went to 115. It took care of my headaches but it done a lot ofdamage to my mind and body. I did not know what to do in my own home. THEN the worse part happened. My hair started to come out by the hand full and i had always loe to fix my hair.I called the DR she saw the next day and took me off.that was March09 .This is the worst drug that has ever been given to anybody.I want my life BACK. i WANT TO SUE OTHRO -MILLER for putting this drug on the market without telling everything it can do to a person.
Comment by Amy on 25 June 2009:
I have been on Topamax for 2 yrs now for migraines. I had some of the s/e’s the first month; hands tingling, loss of concentration, loss of appetite…but after then it tapered off. I was on 100 mg a day & now on 75 mg a day & it works great for me. It just goes to show you everything doesn’t work the same for everyone. I’m sorry for all of you who’ve had a bad time, good luck finding something that will work for you.