Hi all...
I was on Topamax for almost 9 years...as an adjunct to depression meds. It helped tremendously for just about the whole time. It helped me lose weight at times, especially initially I lost 20 lbs with diet and exercise and kept it off easily. However, I had pervasive numbness and tingling in my hands and feet whenever it got cold or damp. But the biggest thing with Topamax, for me, was memory loss. I forgot everyday things as well as major events! Then, this past year, when I told the MD my s/sx depression were worsening, he increased me from 100mg daily to 200mg. I immediately started getting tremors in my face, below my lip, and especially my lower eyelid. It looked like it was dancing, it was so embarassing. I also noticed tremors all over...muscles I didn't know existed came to life! So then I changed to Geodon...awful, awful awful! Same side effects but I became angry and exhausted. Then onto Trileptal...made me want to crawl in a hole and not come out! I seriously wanted my Topamax back, for its mood stabilizing qualities. However, the memory loss, numbness and tingling and tremors aren't worth it. Now I am on Lexapro and Abilify...just started the Abilify, waiting to see how it does.
Hope this helps anyone interested in Topamax side effects. I'd say the benefits outweigh the side effects, if you can handle memory loss. That was the worst. Now my short term memory has improved tremendously!
Good luck!
Amy :)
