I find Topamax to be a very good drug for me. It did at first give soda a weird taste, as well as beer ( I know, I shouldn't be drinking it on meds ) . But it went away after a while. I also had some brain fog. Maybe I slurred my words, too. All the side effects went away after a few months. You really have to give it some time to get in to your system. For me, it is my wonder drug. It has leveled my moods and helped alot with my depression. It doesn't seem to keep me wanting to lay around all the time like Lithium did. I also lost alot of weight on it. I think of it as my diet pill. The side effects I can tolerate because of the good things this pill does for me.