[Mountaindewed]

I have been on Topamax for two weeks. So far it’s been working well. I’ve been losing weight and I’ve noticed an improvement in my moods. However I have noticed annoying cramps in my lower legs and numbness and tingling in my feet. today I had pins and needles so badly in my feet it was very painful. I had to walk around for several minutes. For about 15 minutes now my feet have felt very cool.

Has anyone expirenced this with topamax? Is topamax known to cause people to develop neuropathy or something?

Yes, it’s a known side effect. It caused the same in my hands and face. Soda tasted really Metallic-y, too.

[Mountaindewed]

Thanks.

Soda just tasted really flat to me. I just stopped carbonated drinks all together.

[Mountaindewed]

Originally Posted by IRememberMyFirstBee

Yes, it’s a known side effect. It caused the same in my hands and face. Soda tasted really Metallic-y, too.

Did you have severe constipation with it as well? In two weeks I’ve barely gone at all. I’ve been taking stuff for it too and nothing.

[Wild Coyote]

Most, if not all, meds in the anti-epileptic category may cause neuropathy. It's interesting because many of these meds are also used for the pain associated w/neuropathy.

It's not guaranteed that Topamax or others will cause neuropathy, but they might do so.

Please report your changes to your prescribing physician.

Take care!

WC

Originally Posted by Mountaindewed

Did you have severe constipation with it as well? In two weeks I’ve barely gone at all. I’ve been taking stuff for it too and nothing.

Not at all. That sounds horrible. Does your doctor know?

[jerryjack]

I've been taking Topa for 12 years now. When I first started taking it I had the numbness/tingling in my hands and forearms. It wasn't neuropathy, just an initial side effect and did go away in about a month. It's a pretty common side effect.

I don't remember any constipation issues though.

In case your doc didn't tell you, it's really important to drink a lot of water while you're taking Topa. It can increase the risk of kidney stones.

So drink up!.....

[Mountaindewed]

I had the opposite of constipation pretty badly Sunday. Now it seems to have returned. I do drink some water but mostly diet Snapple, iced tea, and vitamin water zero. No soda though. The pins and needles thing is really the only annoying thing.

I really have noticed that it’s really easy to control my mood swings with the topamax. I think it’s really helping. I don’t know why more doctors don’t use it as a mood stablizer. I’ve had trouble before with getting doctors to prescribe it. The same who said no to benzos. But it really has helped.

[jerryjack]

It's great for me too. Actually I was already on a cocktail of meds when Pdoc rx'd for me. They were working really well but not as well as we hoped they would. Once we added Topa to the mix it was all good.

In my experience, some docs don't like to rx it for bp because it's used off label, and some think it's not effective for mood disorders. Could be other reasons I'm sure.