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Topamax, please help!!

Thu, 03/03/2005 - 10:56
Topic: Medication Issues
I have just started my daughter on Topomax for newly diagnosed "Generalized Epilepsy". Some of you may remember me---she had one seizure at home and an abnormal EEG in the ER that day. A repeat EEG (sleep deprived) a week later was normal, but the neuro told me she thinks my daughter is at high risk (75%) for more seizures. So reluctantly we put her on the Topamax. It has been a week and a half, and she is only taking half of her full dose because we are titrating her up. But I notice such a big change in her. She is sleepy, seems depressed, normally she is a bright cheery ray of sunshine, but not now. She cries at the drop of a hat. And I got a note from her teacher that she is not following oral directions well, seems tired, and is having trouble gettting her assignments in on time (before she was a straight A student and no trouble at all).The info on Topamax from my MD says these side effects are only temporarywith the inituatuib if treatment and usually go away. But I want the truth from you all. Is it true? Is it just temporary? Every fiber of me wants to stop the meds and get my little girl back. She just had one seizure. Maybe she will never have another one. I know a lot of kids have problems in school before being medicated, but what about after? This is just what I was afraid of, my little girl becoming someone else, someone unhappy, someone having problems in school.Please tell me your experiences. Right now, I would risk her having another seizure rather than see her like this. I can't take it. Let me know if it gets better please!Thank youRachel

Comments

RE: Topamax, please help!!

Submitted by akelton on Tue, 2005-02-08 - 00:00

Rachel,

My husband started Topamax on 12-1-04 at 400mg/day (JME - on many, many different meds for 17 years). The first 2 weeks were an absolute nightmare - no memory, disorientation, exhaustion, you name it. He is now on only 200mg/day and is doing much, much better. His memory and speech are much improved and he's handling the drug well. So in our case - it definately got better with time. My DH was willing to put up with the side effects b/c Topamax was the only drug stopping the seizures.

Good luck!

Rachel,

My husband started Topamax on 12-1-04 at 400mg/day (JME - on many, many different meds for 17 years). The first 2 weeks were an absolute nightmare - no memory, disorientation, exhaustion, you name it. He is now on only 200mg/day and is doing much, much better. His memory and speech are much improved and he's handling the drug well. So in our case - it definately got better with time. My DH was willing to put up with the side effects b/c Topamax was the only drug stopping the seizures.

Good luck!

RE: RE: Topamax, please help!!

Submitted by mrdavids on Tue, 2005-03-01 - 10:02

Hi Blondie,

I am no expert on this, but I am living on 600 mg's of Topomax a day and 1800 mg's of Tegretol. (I take more tablets a day than my dog.) That is beside from vitamins and my anti depressants.

There are plenty of drugs out there and your doctor can try many of them in place of Topomax, BUT DO NOT DO ANYTHING BY YOURSELF and DO NOT GO COLD TURKEY.

Also, you could take her to see a Psychiatrist and start anti depressants. (THey saved my life).

God Bless

David Singer

Hi Blondie,

I am no expert on this, but I am living on 600 mg's of Topomax a day and 1800 mg's of Tegretol. (I take more tablets a day than my dog.) That is beside from vitamins and my anti depressants.

There are plenty of drugs out there and your doctor can try many of them in place of Topomax, BUT DO NOT DO ANYTHING BY YOURSELF and DO NOT GO COLD TURKEY.

Also, you could take her to see a Psychiatrist and start anti depressants. (THey saved my life).

God Bless

David Singer

RE: RE: Topamax, please help!!

Submitted by Ladybug on Tue, 2005-03-01 - 10:13
Hi Blondie,I just saw my neuro yesterday and the subject of topamax came up. I had been on zonegran and IT was the worst med I had ever been on. I have memory loss, couldn't think clearly, etc. Anyway, when my neuro and I were talking, the subject of topamax came up. She told me that topamax is worse than zonegran. If your daughter is still having problems, I recommend researching keppra or lamictal. I'm on keppra now and doing wonderfully.Good luck! :)

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