New Member seeking goods and bads of Topimax

My wife who is 50 has epilepsy mostly the Starring Spells but an occaisional Grand Mal. Within the last month she had a series of seizures both types and having multiple Grand Mals in a month is not a common thing for her. She might average one or two a month but like I say most of her seizures are the Starring type. We got to figure she built up a tolerance to Lamictal and Keppra which she is currently on. The Neuro added Topimax to the regiment of meds she takes right now. Has anyone here experienced any similar problems as far as their current drugs no longer being effective, anyone can share the good points and bad points they had with Topimax or is anyone aware of any newer meds recently that have lesser side effects. My wife is worried about the hair loss effect of Topimax and she thinks there is also a Stupor kind of effect affiliated with Topimax. Any kind of response would be appreciated

Honestly the neuro from Columbia Pres in New York didn't offer a reason and honestly I don't think he knows. I believe he wants to back her off one of the other meds as soon as we get a handle on how she reacts to the Topamax. Been thru so many, Depakote, Tegretol. I will never forget when her old Neuro put her on felbatol or felbamate. He was praising this new med for Epilepsy. It wasn't long before her co-workers were calling me up and telling me to take her to the DR and get her off it cause it was making her like a Zombie, really downing her out. Than I believe not much later after that the FDA banned the drug. Thanks for your correspondence Darren and if you think of anything else I am all eyes. Oh yes during her last month she had a feeling of tiredness during her days like she was on the verge of having a seizure but then at night she would have one. Of course we had her levels checked and they were above normal. When shes feeling good she works out rigorously durin her lunch for a half hour at the gym. Being she is 50 I wonder if some hormonal changes in her body could be causing this????? I am always looking for answers in the hope that she could be seizure free completely. One could always hope can't they. She is thinking of VNS. but we had to try another med right now to stop the higher number of seizures right now

Topimax was a wonder drug for me. after do the range of others, topimax was the only drug that stoped my myoclonic jerks. it didnt do much for my grand mals(tegratol, diet and routine help there). as for side effects, i had some thinning but that may just be age, now the fog....OH the FOG....im a scientist by trade, and felt like a 6th grader for about 5-6 months, but gradually my mind cleared. In the end i gratefully took the side effect for the peace of mind. besides my wife thought the break of not having the "Mr Know-it-all" was great.