pat, my neurologist gave me topamax to take for nerve pain due to trigeminal neuralgia. it actually causes weight loss i was told. my family dr said most ppl really love it for that and because the other side effects aren't that great.

i took it for a short time and felt like at different times of the day, my mind would just go blank...completely blank...void of words, thought, anything. it didn't last but a very short time. it wasn't a horrible side effect for me. that was it. i had more energy it seemed to...but not a tooth gritting, no sleeping kind of energy...just a high stamina it seemed? it didn't help with the pain and i would've had to increased the dosage on just the chance it might, so i discontinued use.

that's about all i can tell ya from my experience of the med as far as side effects. i can't tell ya anything about it relating to bipolar though, except my mind would feel blank at times. so, it might help with a built up continual dose, low side effects adn weight loss. might be a good thing?

gl. hey would you let me know how it's going?

kd