Topamax Hangover?

While in the quest for Fibro pain relief I was on Topamax for about 6 months and it made me crazy. No memory, mixed up thought process, blurting out words that weren't right and don't get me started on taste changes in food and soda! I went off of it over a year and a half ago but I still have memory issues and my thinking is not accurate and jarbled. Has anyone else had these issues? How long did they last? Anything worked to help with it? It's frustrating because it has taken away what makes me- me. I used to be sharp and quick witted but now mostly I just make an ass out of myself when I talk because it doesn't come out right. So now I have anxiety about leaving my house- I hate it. Any help?

I was on topomax for one week for migraine and seizure control. It was horrible. I barely could think right. I have cognitive issues already, it just got ten times worse. One of my Dr's called it the dopey drug. I sure can bout for that. My cognitive thinking got back to my baseline as soon as the drug got out of my system. My memory has got worse over the years. I worry about the future, but I try to stay in the moment. Therapy has helped.

I'm fairly new here been reading the blog for a year getting a lot of help dealing with the fibro and diagnosis just from reading everyone is so very kind. Anyway I'm on Topamax I can't drink soda anymore I will when the kids ask me to take a taste of thiers just so they can laugh at my face. They did laugh at me today cause I picked up a can of some I haven't tried yet and i couldn't believe I actually liked it both of my kids started laughing then said "mom that's gross thats from last night" yes, you guessed it the soda was flat and warm so i have figured out it's not the soda it's the carbination. As far as the forgetfulness and putting words that don't belong in my sentences I was doing that before the topamax. I can remember when I was working I had to stop at the store on the way home to pick something up I had to call my husband as soon as I left work to ask him what I needed to pick up, then again on the way home, pulled into the parking place at the store and guess what " hi honey, what do I need to get? Oh yea, ok. love ya", and yep you guessed it walk in the store get the cart walk through the other doors and stand there for a minute and think ok i only needed 3 things why can't I remember them "yea I'm in the store this time, ok yep one at a time will work". Yeah some days are worse then others. Or theres the time I went to get gas and stood there scared cause I forgot how to pump gas luckly my husband was in the car with me.

I've been on it for about three years now and it never exacerbated my fibrofog. I have the fogginess every one else does but I never noticed topomax making anything worse.

I appreciate everyone's help- but this isn't fibrofog. I have that too, but this started when i went on the Topamax. Literally the day I was on it- and it never went away. Fibrofog- for me is different. Its quirky. This is different- it makes my mind lazy. Like I proof read something and then I do it again because of fibrofog and I turn it in and there's this huge mistake - as if I never went over it at all. It's like those movies on TV when someone is messing with the lead character and doing all these things to make her feel like she's crazy. I had fibrofog for years and then literally the day I started the Topamax this other thing started. Once I got off the Topamax it got a little better. I just want to know if anyone else has been on it and then got off? And if it has gone completely away? And if so how long did it take? It's like this anti-seizure drug DID something to me.

Part of the medicine's side effects lists:

Topamax can cause cognitive problems, such as confusion, problems with concentration or attention, memory loss, and speech problems (such as difficulty finding the right words).

The changes to soda is a common side effect as well (taking it myself now).

But side effects to medicine do not usually cause permanent brain damage, especially a year and a half later.

I think, in this situation, you might want to take a look at what cause you to go on topomax in the first place. It is used to treat migraines and epilepsy, typically. What was causing your migraines? Could that have potentially caused this lasting damage and not the medication? I would talk to your doctor about this for sure, let them know what is going on and that you suspect the medication, so they can assuage your fears.

I have the pin-prickling sensation with Topomax, and it reduces the effectiveness of birth control so we have to double up and use condoms too (which I hate). And for the last 4 weeks I've had not ONE migraine, when I was getting them daily!! But, with all that said, I'm not sure I like it -- it does what I need it to do, I just wonder if there is a better medicine for it.

I've had a few episodes of seeing things that aren't real. One of which terrified me. Not sure if they were seizure related or Topomax related. I thought my dog was a giant rat. I also thought my cat was trapped outside on my balcony.