TOPAMAX^®
                               (topiramate)

Topamax Trials Show Side Effects

Topamax was created as a seizure drug. Even though disturbing side effects frequently occurred, Topamax was approved by the FDA as a seizure medication.

As like many drugs today, the patent was about to expire for topiramate as a seizure drug, other markets for the drug were sought and trials begin in hopes of finding new uses for Topamax.

At least one of these trials was abruptly stopped when noticeable side effects became all too obvious to ignore.

These were not new side effects, but rather the very same ones, including memory problems and difficulty in concentration, that are now listed by the FDA as those that may occur when Topamax is taken as a migraine drug (see Side Effects column).

Popular, Fast Rising Drug for Migraines.

What make Topamax so popular? Extensive marketing campaigns to doctors and magazine, television, and the Internet advertisements that are directed toward potential consumers.

One thing that does not change no matter what the reason Topamax is prescribed for is the way the drug works on the brain.

Your Brain On Topamax

The Topamax publication (7517114 02T566 © OMN 2005) reveals: several central nervous system adverse events, including some that represented cognitive dysfunction, may occur.

The most common adverse events are fatigue, nausea, anorexia, dizziness, diarrhea, somnolence [sleepiness] difficulty with memory, attention, and concentration.

Since seizures are located in the temporal lobe of the brain, Topamax and the other drugs developed to prevent seizures are designed to alter the chemistry within these areas of the brain.

Your temporal lobe areas of your brain are where such vital faculties as cognitive reasoning, short term memory, attention, concentration, word formation, and organization of thoughts are located. Do you really want a drug to mess with these faculties?

You and especially children need full use of the capacity of the temporal lobe area to learn and think clearly. When drugs disrupt this process they can impair the ability to learn new ideas, reason things out, remember events, know what to do next, follow instructions, and even recall what was just said.

Can you imagine how difficult it is to work, care for children, learn at school (especially for children), drive a car, or do much of anything when a drug disrupts your mental faculties and capabilities. Do you really want to send your child to school and compete for grades under such constraints?

There is no reason for you or your child to become mentally disadvantaged by drugs in order to be free of migraines.

Did your doctor warn you about Topamax?

Topamax Physician's Desk Reference states: "Patients should be warned about the potential for somnolence (drowsiness), dizziness, confusion, difficulty concentrating, and visual effects and advised not to drive or operate machinery until they have gained sufficient experience on topiramate to gauge whether it adversely affects their mental performance, motor performance, and/or vision." Topamax is approved for migraine prevention in adults only.

FDA

Topamax is required by the FDA to make available to the public warnings on possible side effects from the drug (see list on right).

Do not abruptly stop taking Topamax because that can lead to adverse reactions including convulsions. Consult you physician or pharmacist before making any change to any drugs, especially Topamax.

How well does Topamax work?

Topamax conducted a trial of 1,700 people who suffered an average of 5.5 migraines per month. At the end of a six month period the study found that by using 200 mg of Topamax per day the average person could expect to reduce the number of migraines each month by just two.

In other words, Topamax prevented just two migraines each month. That means the average person could still expect to suffer 3 out of 5.5 migraines in any given month; that means Topamax to be about 37% effective in preventing migraines.

A Word From the People at Tuliv

We know migraines from experience and research. We have been where you are now and we know you deserve better care and someone who will listen to you. You are faced with hard decisions. Please do the right thing for you and your loved ones.

We welcome you to call and visit with us about your migraines. We offer this as a free service without any obligation or pressure to buy anything. We know what it is like to search for answers and feel alone. We also know what it is like to become migraine free and live a life that is no longer controlled by migraines.

Call our toll free number 1-866-367-5953 to ask questions or learn more about how you can have a migraine-free life.

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Topamax Data from U. S. Food and Drug Administration

Cognitive/Neuropsychiatric Adverse Events Adverse events most often associated with the use of TOPAMAX® were related to the central nervous system and were observed in both the epilepsy and migraine populations.

Cognitive Related Dysfunction (e.g. confusion, psychomotor slowing, difficulty with concentration and attention, difficulty with memory, speech, or language problems, particularly word finding difficulties).

Psychiatric Behavioral Disturbances (e.g. depression or mood problems)

Somnolence and Fatigue (e.g. drowsiness, sleepy, tired)

Kidney Stones: An explanation for the association of TOPAMAX® and kidney stones may lie in the fact that topiramate is a carbonic anhydrase inhibitor.

Paresthesia: Paresthesia (usually tingling of the extremities) appears to be a common effect of TOPAMAX®. Paresthesia was more frequently reported in the migraine prophylaxis trials versus the adjunctive therapy trials in epilepsy.

Information for Patients: Patients taking TOPAMAX® should be told to seek immediate medical attention if they experience blurred vision or periorbital pain.

Patients should be warned about the potential for somnolence, dizziness, confusion, and difficulty concentrating and advised not to drive or operate machinery.

Topamax
Data from PDR Health

Topamax can depress the central nervous system. Be extremely cautious about combining it with alcohol, sedatives, tranquilizers, and other central nervous system depressants.

More common side effects may include: abdominal pain, abnormal coordination, abnormal vision, agitation, anxiety, hallucinations, headache, hearing difficulties, hot flashes, hyperactivity, impotence, increased sweating, involuntary muscle movement, irritable bladder, joint pain, kidney stones, loss of balance, loss of consciousness, low sex drive, mood swings, confusion, depression, difficulty with concentration, difficulty with memory, dizziness, menstrual problems, mood problems, nausea, nervousness, muscle ache, muscle tension, muscle weakness, personality problems, appetite loss, double vision, drowsiness, fatigue, flu-like symptoms, language problems, leg pain, loss of coordination, slowing of movements, speech problems, tingling or burning sensations, tremors, weakness, weight loss.

Less common side effects may include: Abnormal gait, abnormal menstrual bleeding, acne, aggressiveness, allergy, apathy, changes in taste, body odor, decreased awareness, decreased mobility, decreased sensitivity, dry mouth, eye pain, feelings of illness, feelings of unreality, hair loss, ringing in the ears, sensitivity to touch, severe itching, shortness of breath, sleeplessness, suicidal tendencies, urinary incontinence, vaginal infection, vomiting, weight gain.

Topamax Data from the author of Crazy Meds. He actually takes Topamax to control his epileptic seizures.

FDA Approved Uses: Adjunctive treatment for epilepsy (i.e. you must use another drug along with it) for a variety of seizure types, including partial onset seizures (you're still awake, one or two limbs spazzing out), generalized tonic-clonic (unconscious and completely flopping all over the place) and Lennox-Gastaut syndrome. Migraines.

Topamax Pros: It is one of the best meds on the market for temporal lobe dysfunctions. It really helps with the sensory integration problems in autism.

Topamax Cons: If you don't have a temporal lobe dysfunction or problems with other parts of your brain that Topamax hits, or you're at the wrong dosage, it will make you dumber than a box of rocks. The kidney stones aren't much fun.

Topamax's Typical Side Effects: Memory loss, aphasia (weird words coming out in place of what you meant to say or write), word find problems (not being able to recall the names of people, things or concepts), and a general cognitive impairment that has earned this drug the nicknames "Stupamax" and "Dopamax." As Topamax typically makes you really sleepy and has a long enough half-life, you can usually get away with taking it all at bedtime.

Topamax is best known as "Stupamax" or "Dopamax" because it turns you into an idiot on drugs. It really is a super model drug that will make you skinny and stupid. Your memory will go down the toilet.

You will experience mild aphasia, the inability to recall the correct word for something or calling something by a completely bizarre name. Your thinking will become fuzzy.

And you had best drink lots of water, because Topamax is not extensively metabolized, is a weak carbonic anhydrase inhibitor, and is primarily cleared by your kidneys, so Topamax will give you a propensity for kidney stones.