In rare cases, it's possible to have a serious allergic reaction anaphylaxis to topiramate. You can report any suspected side effect to the UK safety scheme. But for safety your doctor will only advise you to take it in pregnancy if the benefits of the medicine outweigh the risks. If you have epilepsy, it's very important that it's treated during pregnancy as fits seizures can harm you and your unborn baby.
If you're pregnant, or trying to get pregnant, and taking topiramate, you're recommended to take a higher dose of folic acid, a vitamin that helps your baby grow normally. Your doctor might prescribe a high dose of 5mg a day for you to take while you're trying to get pregnant and during the first 12 weeks of pregnancy. For more information about how topiramate can affect you and your baby during pregnancy, read the leaflet about the best use of medicines in pregnancy BUMPS.
If your doctor or health visitor says your baby is healthy, topiramate can be taken while you're breastfeeding. Topiramate passes into breast milk, but it's unlikely to cause any side effects in your baby. If you notice that your baby's not feeding as well as usual, or seems unusually sleepy, or you have any other concerns about them, talk to your pharmacist, health visitor or doctor as soon as possible. Do not take St John's wort, the herbal remedy for depression, while you're being treated with topiramate. Tell your doctor or pharmacist if you're taking any other medicines, including herbal remedies, vitamins or supplements.
Topiramate works by reducing the spread of seizure activity in the brain and restoring the normal balance of nerve activity. For epilepsy - brain cells normally "talk" to each other using electrical signals and chemicals. Seizures can happen when the brain cells are not working properly or working faster than normal. Topiramate slows down these electrical signals to stop seizures. For migraines - we do not fully understand how topiramate works. It's thought that topiramate calms overactive nerve cells in the brain that cause migraines.
Once your condition is under control, you'll usually need to keep taking topiramate for many years.
There are lots of other medicines that can be used for epilepsy and migraines, but they work in different ways. If you have migraines, there are other medicines that can be used to reduce the number of migraines you get. It varies from person to person, and depends on the type of seizures and how often you have them. To help to decide, your doctor will take into account your age and gender, the medicines you're already taking and any other health problems you may have.
If this medicine is not working well or you're getting side effects, your doctor will generally try you on a different one. If a single medicine is not preventing your seizures, your doctor may recommend taking 2 or more epilepsy medicines at the same time. If topiramate is giving you side effects or you're worried it's not working for you, ask your doctor or specialist to recommend a different medicine. The choice will normally depend on your age, gender, any other health conditions and how your other medicines have worked for you in the past.
Would It Be A Horrible Idea To Still Be Interested In Taking It?
If you want to switch medicines, it's very important to do it exactly as your doctor tells you to. If you want to switch, you'll usually start taking the new one at a low dose and slowly build up the dose while you're still taking topiramate. Once you're taking the correct dose of the new medicine, you should be able to slowly reduce your dose of topiramate. But if you're taking it to prevent migraines, your condition could get worse for a short time after stopping it.
If you're taking topiramate for epilepsy, it's possible that you'll get seizures once you stop taking it. If you have epilepsy, you're entitled to free prescriptions for all of your medicines, not just your epilepsy ones.
Topiramate
To claim your free prescriptions, you'll need a medical exemption certificate. But it may make you feel sleepy or tired, and alcohol and hangovers can bring on seizures in some people with epilepsy. If you do drink, try not to have more than the recommended guidelines of up to 14 units of alcohol a week. A standard glass of wine ml is 2 units. A pint of lager or beer is usually 2 to 3 units of alcohol. If you're affected, do not drive or ride a bike or operate machinery until you feel more alert.
Does Topamax Work For Weight Loss - Topamax
If you have epilepsy, you're not allowed to drive until you have had no seizures for 1 year. If you change your epilepsy medicine, your doctor will tell you whether you need to stop driving and for how long. Driving rules if you change or withdraw your medicine , Epilepsy Action. Page last reviewed: 25 February Next review due: 25 February Topiramate On this page About topiramate Key facts Who can and can't take it How and when to take it Side effects How to cope with side effects Pregnancy and breastfeeding Cautions with other medicines Common questions.
About topiramate Topiramate is a medicine used to treat epilepsy. It can also be taken to prevent migraine. This medicine is only available on prescription. It comes as tablets or capsules. You can take it with or without food. Common side effects of topiramate include feeling sleepy, dizziness, diarrhoea and feeling sick.
These are usually mild and go away by themselves. If taking topiramate for epilepsy, it usually takes a couple of weeks for it to work. If taking topiramate to prevent migraines, it can take up to 3 months for it to work fully. Topiramate is also called by the brand name Topamax. Topiramate can be taken by adults and children aged 2 years and over. This med is royally screwing up my ability to get to my morning classes. MRI shows I have a brain lesion not sure at this point if I actually had a stroke.
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I started on a low dose of 25mg twice daily which increased to a maximum dose of mg twice daily. I got side effects of brain fog and forgetfulness, mainly with word recollection. I also felt tired quite often. The main side effect was my lack of appetite though. I was already quite slim, around lbs but went down to lbs. I just had no appetite or interest in food. After a 2 year break from topiramate I am now on a daily mg dose again and the weight loss side effect has returned. No change in anything. I see my doctor on Monday. I also need to be able to maintain my weight loss.
I recommend with caution, be aware of the side effects. Rather than my body adapting to the side effects, the side effects seemed to intensify until I finally called my doctor to say I was not taking them anymore. Chronic, burningly sore throat. Terrible insomnia, and I have severe sleep apnea so this doesn't help. At first my face was just hotter than usual I also have rosacea , and my hands were ice cold.