Comments on: F.D.A. Says Johnson & Johnson Topamax Sales Materials Misleading

By: Laurelle

Laurelle — Fri, 07 Oct 2005 17:35:42 +0000

I was just prescribed topamax yesterday, I am terrified to have it filled from reading this site. I was prescribed it because of a chronic burning pain in my upper back. I am also taking celexa and oxycontin for chronic pain. What should I do?

By: veronica

veronica — Tue, 20 Sep 2005 14:20:55 +0000

this stuff nearly killed me !

I was on it – then off it – but developed hives like welts all over my body that itched & burned –

I finally got a cortizone shot & it was then realized that it is a sulfer based drug & i have an allergy to it !

it had built up in my system enough the first time – that upon continuing it the 2nd time around – it was near fatal !

By: Colleen

Colleen — Tue, 30 Aug 2005 18:05:47 +0000

i have been on topamax for just over one year….the most insame year of my life…i’d rather have the migranes The neurologist couldn’t find a comfortable dosage from the beginning…it seemed like i could only handle 50mg a night and i myself decided to take it in two doses…the side afftedcts were everything described…memory loss, short attention span, sleepy, moody…depression, then my GP put me on adivan, then finally Effor, more side effects. I have now bewen off work for a month with seizures, loss of vision, exhaustion, i literally almost died. my husband knew if was the meds and convinced another neurologist to start taking me off them. after a couple of weeks i started to feel my head clear. i got print outs from the pharmacy…4 of 5 meds i was on were all not supposed to be prescribed with one another…..my GP prescribed them along with the neurologist who had the entire list….I have had seizures!!!!!!! MAKE SURE YOU STOP THE MEDICATION AT THE EARLIEST SIGNS, DO NOT WAIT UNTL YOU HAVE PERMANENT VISION LOSS OR WORSE!!!! HAVE A LOVED ONE CHECK ALL OF YOUR MEDS, EVEN OVER THE COUNTER FOR DRUG INDICATIONS.

By: Karen

Karen — Tue, 30 Aug 2005 17:36:43 +0000

A neurologist put my 12 yr. old neice on 100 mg a day of this topamax for her migraines. I told him that’s too much, that’s the amount for an adult. He says she gets that much cuz she’s 185 lbs. This stuff hits your temporal lobes in your brain, not your stomach! And a twelve year olds brain is still developing! Migraines have stopped at 50 mgs. (while titrating). Should I seek second opinion.?

By: Angela

Angela — Sun, 24 Jul 2005 16:52:51 +0000

Just because some of us had really bad side effects from it doesn’t necessarily mean you will. Both my aunt and sister-in-law were both put on the Topamax for the migraines and had no problems with it…it’s actually helped them. The reason for my posting was because many people are not told of the severe side effects like eye damage that affected me. Doctors are prescribing it but not warning of all the side effects. Please make yourself totally aware of all the side effects just in case. Good luck to you!

By: Ed

Ed — Thu, 21 Jul 2005 06:35:14 +0000

Ok, now I’m scared… I just started taking this yesterday, I thought I would do anything to get rid of my chronic migraines, but my spelling is already worse, my attention span is gone, cola tastes like it’s flat and had something really horrible added, and none of this was mentioned by my Dr., I hope it’s because he wasn’t aware, he has always been very knowledgeable and caring in the past… should I stop taking this right away? or call him first?

By: Kimberly Duff

Kimberly Duff — Thu, 14 Jul 2005 19:25:19 +0000

I want people to hear your stories and concerns. I want to make a documentary on this drug and show people how dangerous it is. Just a website is never going to be enough to get this message across. Email me @ keduff203@yahoo.com if you wish to be apart of this and are willing to tell me your whole story. People need to know the REAL side effects of this drug and what they’re putting at risk; they’re lives.

By: Janet

Janet — Wed, 13 Jul 2005 05:51:02 +0000

I have been on Topamax 300 mg for a couple of years which controlled my headaches, seizures and worked as a mood stablizer real well. However I had been complaining about loss of memory, confusion, and recently the headaches came back and my eyes hurt and jiggled. I had my eyes checked, they were physically fine. My doctor cut me back to 200 mg of Topamax and started me slowly on Lamictal until I could get to a Neurologist to take me completely off of Topamax. Just this small reduction has helped reduce the headaches and the pain in my eyes. If changing medicine will help with all that I am having problems with I will be happy. I really feel the Topamax is the culprit with the headaches and the eye problems and partially the problem with memory loss and confusion. So beware if you are having similar problems.

By: Lisa

Lisa — Mon, 27 Jun 2005 19:44:57 +0000

I think it’s a crime that my father was put on Topamax for his migraines. He initially had symptomatic relief with Imitrex, but his doctor authorized its daily use. So when Imitrex quit being effective, due rebound headaches, my father’s doctor prescribed Topamax. The doctor should have been working with my father on treating the source of his headaches, which I believe is a stress disorder. My father is susceptible to kidney stones and works in physically dangerous conditions. How could these doctors have ethically prescribed Topamax knowing that he needs to have his full mental faculties for work, and knowing of his susceptibility to kidney stones?

Don’t doctors check-up on the medications they prescribe? My father said that his urologist knew nothing about Topamax causing kidney stones, and approved the prescription, and that the product insert said nothing about kidney stones.

By: Caroline

Caroline — Tue, 14 Jun 2005 19:09:12 +0000

I have been on 200 Topamax and 225 of Effexor now for 3 years, occasionally, because of taking a SSRI( effexor) long term my doctor will precribe 10 days worth of wellbutrin. I have never felt better. I have never had any adverse effects to the Topamax other the tingle in the feet and hands and that is occasional and tolerable. Yes, there are good meds out there, and yes, good meds can sometimes to bad things to people if they don’t take them the way they are intended. There are also some bad docs out there that don’t have a clue. The saying is what do you call some one who graduates dead last in his/ her class in med school? Doctor…Your health is ultimately up to you.