Put on Topamax...any experiences?

So I'm on Seroquel again unfortunately. I've been back on it for about 6 weeks and gained 6 pounds. I came off of it in March because it caused pre-diabetes and my triglycerides to go thru the roof. I then lost 30 pounds but I am back on it for sleep but also because it stabilized me. Well I saw my pdoc today and expressed my concern about the weight. He said I shouldn't be gaining any weight because I am on Metformin for my pre-diabetes. I told him I eat healthy, low calories, just water, no desserts, and I eat out once a week. I told him I lost 30 pounds as soon as I came off of the Seroquel. So he decided to put me on 25mg of Topamax in conjunction with the Seroquel and see how it goes. Does anyone have any experiences? I'm hoping this works. I've lost a total of 60 pounds and don't want to put it back on. You know it's bad enough suffering from mental illness but then to have to deal with the side effects of the medication. Sorry, just frustrated.

I have gained weight on both Metformin and Topamax. In the case of Metformin, I gained weight despite of Metformin. In the case of Topamax, I believe, and my person trainer had the same experience, that I gained weight because of it, since my body started believing that it was starving, and when you are in a starvation mode, every calorie goes right to your visceral fat.

The dr who says that you should not be gaining any weight due to Metformin is a bad dr so it is best to look for somebody else.

Seroquel ideally should not be used for sleep - there are far gentler choices for that. The best way is to avoid both Seroquel and Topamax altogether. What else have you tried for sleep? The use of Seroquel as the first treatment to try for sleep is highly objectionable, but, unfortunately, widespread.

Among gentler choices for sleep are Trazodone and Elavil. I would start with Trazodone. It can stop working with time, but, supposedly (I have not tried myself), if you give it a long break and resume taking it, it will work again.

Between Trazodone and Seroquel Trazodone very easily wins in terms of its having a far more benign side effects profile.

Of course you'd be frustrated!

Is this a pdoc or a GP?

They call it Dopamax, since it can make your cognitive skills slow down. It also makes things taste weird, and I didn't find it at all effective for mood stability or weight lose. Best of luck though!

My experience with it was good until I accidentally took too many one night, (forgot I'd already taken it twice) and it caused me to convulse I guess you could say. I felt really sleepy, but my body wouldn't stop shaking & twitching for me to sleep. It scared me so bad that I stopped taking them. But before that night, as long as I took them the right way I was fine.

This is a pdoc and I actually really like him he has been right about so many things thus far. He wants to keep me on the seroquel because it was the only med we could find that would stabilize me. I have been on lamictal for 7 years and it just isn't enough. The nice thing about the seroquel is the sleep which is partly why I am stable. He said if I can't lose the weight what we will do is lower the seroquel and add trazodone. I have tried basically everything for sleep. I have been on several meds at once and would still have to add 4 Benadryl and NyQuil. I suffer from OCD and GAD as well, which adds to the insomnia.

I understand your sleep issues. I've been fighting insomnia myself forever. I've tried every sleep med out there. My neurologist put me on Seroquel for insomnia (lack of sleep triggers horrible migraines for me). When a heart condition forced me to go off Geodon (a stabilizer that keep me stable for over 10 years) so my pdoc increased the Seroquel to compensate. Unfortunately that was not enough (along with too many things going on at work and home) and I relapsed into a crushing depression. 6 years since the ECT and life had been great. No problems at all. Seems messing with my one maintenance med, and overextending myself- as usual- has left me struggling to find a reason to live. So, I did what I always do, called the pdoc. Back on low dose of Cymbalta. It hasn't been long but it feels like things are settling just a bit.

I did take Topomax. It wasn't bad in low doses. Messed me up cognitively when the dose increased. Kept repeating myself. Couldn't remember what I said or did. Really groggy and tired. Took almost a year to get off it. Trazadone worked great for sleep for a while, but stopped working after a bit.

Good luck. Meds are different for everyone. I hope things work out for you.

Years ago I placed myself on Topomax which helped. I had no side effects.

I had that effect. I normally am a good writer with good vocabulary but I was unable to write coherently while on topamax.

Topamax caused me to lose hair, I took it for migraines. Unlike other anticonvulsants there is little evidence that it works as a mood stabilizer.

That is a tough case to be sure. OCD+GAD=what a sleep-killing combo!

I still do not understand why the pdoc wants to wait and see before trying to mix a lower dose of Seroquel with Trazodone. What is he waiting for?