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Depression and Topamax

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Posted 12/14/2005 1:05 AM (GMT 0)
eyes  I am a 26 year old single parent.   I have suffered from depression, migrane headaches and chronic anxiety for a LONG time now.  I just started topamax and my doc took me off my effexor when she started me on it.  She said that the topamax somtimes works as a mood stabilizer.  I feel so much worse I am having panic attacks and my depression has worsened. Any advise
Posted 1/13/2006 6:48 AM (GMT 0)
When I went on Topamax I was ready to drive my car off a cliff!  I would talk to your doctor.  Most people stay on an anti-depressant whenthey are on topamax.

Posted 1/13/2006 2:44 PM (GMT 0)
Hi Wenmarie,  I worked in the mental health field for many years, I also have depression and take Topamax (for headaches associated with multiple sclerosis).  I have to say that in all the time that I have see this medication prescribed I have never seen it given for depression.  It is a Migraine medication that when it came on the market doctors found that it had effects as also a weight loss pill so I have also seen it prescribed for weight loss.  I would call your doctor and tell them exactly how you are feeling that is what they are there for. There is NO reason you should have to suffer through having panic attacks and worsting depression.  It sounds to me as if you need to be on a better/ more medication regime that what you are on ie: Topamax.  Good luck and please keep us informed of what happens. ~elisha

Posted 1/13/2006 6:21 PM (GMT 0)

Wenmarie, my daughter was put on Topomax a few weeks ago, is now tappered off.  The highest dose she went to was the starting dose of 25mg.  Her pdoc put her on it for irritability and said it would also help with the weight loss that she had encountered from the side of effect of zoloft.  She also said that if my daugher still felt some depression after being on this she could maybe try a small dose of zoloft again with it. 

She said that they are finding it to work with persons with Bi Polar.  I had also read about it on a web site that it is used for people wheo have weight gain from their other anti-depressents.  She had said it was also a mood stabilizer.

It made my daughter very tired, unable to consentrate or remember what she talked about the previous day.  She was also becoming withdrawn again, very flat line, meaning just kinda their.  Not having any ambition to do anything. sad redface

She has been off now for two days, we will have to see if her irritablity is still a problem.  This wasn't really a problem until she was on Wellbutrin XL.  We have tried a few different routes since coming off zoloft.  I do beleive the side effects of the zoloft were mistaken for some other problems, such as irritability, mood swings, and etc.

Good luck to you, just know that your not alone out their!  Be sure and let your dr. know what your feeling like joanne noted.

Posted 1/13/2006 8:01 PM (GMT 0)

Hi Wenmarie,

I am 26 and also suffer from depression and anxiety.  I am on Topomax and Wellbutrin.  My doc. put me on Topomax as a moodstabalizer not for migranes.  If you are on it for migranes you should also be on an antidepressant for your depression.  Topomax and Wellbutrin has been a good combo for me but everyone is different.  Talk to your Dr. ASAP about how you are feeling and you may want to think about asking about medication for your panic attacks like lorazepam or something.  You wouldn't have to use it longterm but just to get it under control while your going through this tough time.  I hate taking medication myself but I surrendered this year when I hit rock bottom.  Anyway, I hope this helps and if you have any questions feel free to ask.  Take care of yourself!

OhSoSad tongue

Posted 1/16/2006 1:18 AM (GMT 0)
Hi Wenmarie,
I agree completely with els...(I, too, am a nurse with 18 years experience),Topamax is NOT normally prescribed for depression. Also it is not normally used as an "off-label" drug for treatment of depression. It is primarily for seizures, and as an off-label drug for migraine headaches. It was inappropriate for your dr. to stop your antidepressant med unless it had a direct contraindication with Topamax. If that were the case he should not have started the Topamax in the first place. Were you having migraines?

Topamax can have some interesting side effects that some can find distressing such as a lot of numbness and tingling in the fingers & toes, and some very fine tremors around the mouth and eyes. It may also cause a lot of ringing in the ears. Some people may be prone to developing a type of glaucoma called narrow-angle glaucoma after having been on it a while. And last...and this could be a "good" side effect for some people...it can cause weight loss. Some people find that they lose the desire to munch or overeat. There have been weight losses of up to 40 pounds in individuals who were more than 50 pounds overweight to begin with. This usually stabilizes and "wears off" when the person gets to their normal body weight. It won't come back, and it won't make anyone anorexic. Another thing about Topamax.

The label warning says don't stop taking it all at once or you could have seizures. That was written for people who take the drug because they HAVE seizures in the first place. If you're taking it for migrianes, it's not that important. If you were Rx'd it for depression, you can stop it any time without having to worry about any seizures.

Good luck with straightening out your med situation...that can be a real challenge. Hang in there!!
lakota
Posted 2/3/2006 12:53 AM (GMT 0)

Topamax has been approved for Migraine treatment. I, too, was given Topamax partly for the mood stabilizer qualities as well as for the migraines.

A side effect CAN be weight loss. I lost 30lbs pretty rapidly (I was at about 400mg daily)

Topamax worked great for migrianes and weight loss and fairly well as far as mood stabilizer until I had a family tragedy and needed more...I was then prescribed Wellbutrin also. This seems to be the winning combination for me!

 

Sara

Migraine/Headache Forum Moderator

Posted 10/8/2007 8:45 PM (GMT 0)
Hi,
I have been on 100 mg/day Topamax as a mood stabilizer for a while. It has worked for me and as a plus, has helped with my IBS. I just had it bumped up to 200 mg/day because my doc said that I would benefit more from the higher dosage (I have had some problems lately with relapsing with mood swings etc). My question is, should I be splitting the dosage by taking 100 mg in the morning and the other 100 mg at night like I have been, or the entire 200 mg at night? The doc said either way is OK but I wanted some feedback from someone else who had "been there".
Posted 6/25/2008 4:28 PM (GMT 0)
wenmarie,

I too am on effexor and have tried several times to come off the drug.  It is a terrible drug to stop.  After reading your post I am wondering if your Dr tried to "wean" you off along with the topamax or did she just take you off?  If you just stopped taking it that could be why you are feeling so terrible.

Posted 6/25/2008 4:32 PM (GMT 0)
I also forgot to mention that while I was trying to come off effexor, I was suffering from panic attacks and depression. I am now back on effexor and just taking the dosage as perscribed. Guess I will just have to stay on it. :0(
Posted 6/25/2008 8:44 PM (GMT 0)

Hello Moodgypsy

Welcome to  HealingWell.  wenmarie normally posts in the Migraine Headache forum and her last post was in March of 2008.

This is an old post, sorry.  You informations was helpful but might I suggest you start a thread of your own as we would all like to meet you.  Tell us a bit about you and you will be surprised how many members will be out to say hello.  We love new members.

Kitt

Posted 6/25/2008 9:48 PM (GMT 0)

Kitt is right, although this is an old post, starting a new thread is a great idea. I have started one for you called "Coming off Effexor..." and I have used both of your posts to start it going.

Darren

Posted 6/25/2008 10:45 PM (GMT 0)

Thanks Darren,

I should have thought of doing that.  I will try to remember in the future. eyes

Kitt

Posted 6/26/2008 6:31 PM (GMT 0)
Wow!   Thank you for making me feel so welcome.  I am a grandmother of 6, and great grandmother of a 2 1/2 year old boy.  I have been on effexor for about 8 years.  I tried to come off the drug as I said about 2 months ago and suffered with severe anxiety and depression.  My friend takes topamax for migraines and also has lost about 65 pounds.  She told me about topamax also being prescribed for depression so I thought I would check out the information on it.  That is how I stumbled onto this site.  I really like it.  yeah
Posted 5/28/2009 4:15 AM (GMT 0)
you need to talk to your doctor about the dosage. it has been a great med for me, but i've been adjusted on the dose,  sometimes it goes down and sometimes needs to be brought back up.
Posted 5/28/2009 12:49 PM (GMT 0)
tjfsb

Hello and welcome to HealingWell.  You have posted on an old thread as the last person to post has not been seen since 6/26/2008.  I do not know if this person will see your response but thank you for your input. 

Please read through the current threads and join us in this great forum.

Kitt

Posted 11/15/2010 8:16 PM (GMT 0)
nono  

Ok, if you're thinking about going on this medication for any other reason than because you're epileptic, please think again.  I actually didn't have a problem with depression.  My doctor put me on it to help combat some chronic headaches I was getting because I was also taking Lyrica for Fibromyalgia.  When I read about the 20 to 30lbs that people were gaining on Lyrica, I wasn't too upset with the idea of taking a drug that actually caused weight loss.  Granted, I was at a pretty good weight anyway but maybe they would balance each other out.   Now before the Topamax I was a top performer at work, quick with the jokes, ton of friends, very sarcastic but very happy, and while I was an acquired taste, most people would tell you that they liked me.  Here I sit, 5 months later, granted I've lost 20lbs but I'm anorexic and people talk about it, my friends are scared of me because I've become so "emo", I think about , any day now I'll get fired, I'm miserable angry and hate everything especially myself.  I have enough of a grasp on reality to know that it's the medication and I'm tapering myself off.  I had epilepsy as a teen so I'm doing it slowly because I'm not going to risk having another seizure and I've gotten so weird with everyone that I know that I can't ask for help.  So really think about what you're doing before you do this to yourself.  I'll be fine because I'm strong and I'm not going to let this beat me but losing weight isn't worth losing your mind.  And this drug is NOT USED TO TREAT DEPRESSION it is used to treat BIPOLAR disorder in rare occasions.  I honestly think in my case it has caused me to become insanely depressed.  I stopped showering and I'm a bit OCD about that kind of thing.  So just think about it before you try it because it's not a drug that you can just stop, it takes a long time to stop and if you don't stop correctly it could cause you to have a seizure.

Post Edited By Moderator (getting by) : 11/15/2010 2:11:59 PM (GMT-7)

Posted 12/12/2011 11:22 AM (GMT 0)
i have been looking on the net for info about the medication topamax, I have suffered from major depression for 6 years and anxiety for almost 3. i have also suffered from major migraines which i get 3 times a week for the past 13 years which leaves me bed ridden foe days and i had enough I finally saw a neuro. he put me on topamax and the only reason i went on it was because he said it would not only make my migraines go away but also make me loose weight. now i was also on anti depressents and i told him this and there was no mention of any side effects. but this drug was evil.... after a week i had serious thoughts of suicide to the point id break down and begged my family to commit me. I had no idea why i was always feeling guilty and crying randomly. I went to to docs and the only thing she thought to do was up my of anti Ds. it wasnt untill i started surfing the net to see if depression was a side effect of this drug that i realised it was a major side effect.  i have never ever felt this horrible in my life (apart from before the anti Ds). i just want to warn people if you HAVE EVER HAD or have depression.. dont go on this. now im not saying everyone will be like this but the amount of info i have found from other people who felt this way on this drug. i went cold turkey off topamax and didnt experiance much side effects, and the depression has lifted.
Posted 12/12/2011 1:35 PM (GMT 0)
Topamax isnt for all Red_hot...

Different meds work differently on different people. I am sorry that it made you depressed. Thanks for your input and welcome to the forum. I hope that you post more.

Hugs, Karen
Posted 4/19/2012 9:00 AM (GMT 0)
Hi Asdfgh,

Welcome to the forum. As I posted before, topomax works for some, not all. Thank you for sharing your experience.

Hugs, Karen
Posted 6/6/2012 3:00 AM (GMT 0)
I have been diagnosed with schizoaffective disorder bipolar type and i'm a migraine sufferer too. However my doctor perscribed me to topamax for various reasons. I was on wellbutrin xl first and that wasn't cutting it alone for me. Then i was diagnosed with this disorder by a psychologist and he recomended my meds get re-evaluated. My doctor then added the topamax which helped me out in various ways. It helped because it along with wellbutrin supported each other. I think what i have seen is that topamax and wellbutrin are good supports for each other in treating bipolar and bipolar related disorders. Also Topamax is good for treating migraines, epilepsy and can help with weight loss. 2 of those reasons are why my doctor also put me on them. I wanted a medication that didn't make me gain weight because i wanted to lose weight, and i also suffer from migraines. My insurance didn't cover migraine meds for migraine reasons, so topamax was the perfect thing to try to see if it helped me for my moods too. Which it did in combination with wellbutrin. Maybe if a doctor is reading this, maybe it's worth looking into a study- how wellbutrin and topamax work together and maybe making a combo drug since it's worked well for a few people on here!
Posted 6/6/2012 10:14 AM (GMT 0)
Hi Artmel15,

I am so happy that topomax is helping you. I am also glad that you joined the forum. I hope to hear more from you. Keep posting and know that we all care about you.

Hugs, Karen
Posted 10/9/2012 3:32 AM (GMT 0)
I swear by topamax for my SEVERE depression boarder line bi-polar. I also suffer from migraines. I had been on every anti depressant known to mankind and nothing worked before treating my migraines with the topamax i was not functioning at all.(a devastating divorce was the last straw) Not getting out of bed except to make it to work, I stopped doing my hair (pony tails) stopped putting on make-up didnt care how i dressed. My family had to take total control of me and my young children i was completely GONE. They finally dragged me, practically by my pony tail to a therapist for weeks. She put me topamax after discovering I also had migraines and I have NEVER felt so WONDERFUL in my entire life. My 16 yr old sister killed herself when I was 21 and since then I have been depressed so for 21 years I have been unhappy.(hospitalized for a week for attempting the same stupid stunt my sister did right before my divorce after finding out some horrible info) When my nuerologist tried to ween me down and add something else I felt the depression coming back on so I left her and went to a new Dr. I refuse to stop taking it. The side effects I have are tingling in my hands and feet (sometimes) and my memory SUCKS!!But I live with that by writing stuff down and my family reminds me. I will take a few side effects over being miserable. of course I would love to have had the weight loss side effect but I have not experienced that one. AND YES MY MIGRAINES are pretty much under control
Posted 10/9/2012 12:41 PM (GMT 0)
I have heard that topomax is good for weight loss. Maybe though you wont have to worry about gaining.

Welcome to the forum. This is kind of an older thread, so I don't know if you will get a lot of responses. If you don't, you are welcome to start a new thread. Just click on "new topic" and go from there.

I am so sorry to read about your sister. I am glad you didn't complete your task and that you are still with us. Know you are a special person, worthy of love and affection. Know that you will get support here. We all care...

I hope you have a good day, keep posting. Know we are here for you.

Hugs, Karen
Posted 10/9/2012 4:07 PM (GMT 0)
Levity,

I also am on topamax 200mg a day for migraine/TN pain management. I agree it is a good drug for maintanence.

Glad you posted and joined the forum.

Keep posting, we are here for support and we listen.

Trina
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