United Brachial Plexus Network, Inc.

Dear Holly:

I had terrible facial pain with my heaches that went away after taking topomax. But i got other problems. Let me know, I took it for two years and now am discovering the extent of problems it can cause.

Eye pain i s serious. It can signal serious problems that can actually lead to blindness if not treated. Read the literature. Ortho McNeil recently put out an alert on it causing glaucoma and iner ocular pressure. I had many other problems. Letm e know if you have had any.

Read the literature and warnings. It can cause glaucoma and blindness. Look out for any sign of eye pain. Good Luck, If you have questions write me

Hi - just a short warning re: Topomax - and NOT WEANING YOURSELF OFF . I was on 100 mg a day diagnosed by a neurologist for shakiness and leg and hand numbness and tingling and had been taking for almost 9 months. I found that none of my symptoms were getting better and decided to stop taking the mdeicine. I just never renewed my prescription , in essence stopping COLD TURKEY. That was about 30 days and last week ( to the day) I left work at 5:30 PM and got about two blocks on a major highway and don't remember anything until waking up in Intensive Care with the MD telling me that I had been in an auto accident and my spleen had exploded and he put 50 stiches into my calf. I apparently rear ended a semi trailer that was stopped and I had been going about 50 miles per hour. I HAVE A REASON TO BE HERE because I should have been killed. It is a major miracle that I didn't hurt anyone else either. Car totaled, in major pain, but ALIVE! I guess I blacked out. I remember at one point when I first started taking T-Max reading about the dangers of stopping the drug w/o weaning off of it. I was only mildly concerned about the potential of that, but obviuosly it is now a MAJOR concern. I had been taking a pain medication (7.5 mg. of Lortab) for a broken toe and normal hormones from a hysterectomy , but as prescribed and not immediately prior to the crash. I don't know if it was the topomax, the combo of the drugs or what, but PLEASE BE WARY ABOUT STOPPING w/o a plan. I really believe that's what happened and will not take it again. Be safe. Thanks for reading. KJ2003

what happens when you stop taking it?

did you gain all the weight back?

i'm switching to something else and i'm curious b/c i don't want to gain it all back as quick as i lost it while on it. that was the only perk to the drug.

please respond asap!

I can tell you that I did slowly gain the weight back. I actually went off of it, the pain went way up so I went back on it but on a smaller dose. I still feel some of the cognitive side effects but I'm used to it since I've been on it as long as I have. Incidently, since I've been on a smaller dose, I haven't lost any weight.

I wonder if the flu like symptoms might be as a result of going off the Paxil. You might ask your doctor about this.

well actually I'm not used to the cognitive effects, it is still extraordinarily frustrating to be forgeting words and thoughts mid sentence but what are the choices..........forgetting words and having a little less pain to deal with or going out of your mind with pain and remembering what you're talking about. Reading this, I'm not sure, but for now I've chosen the latter.

my neurologist had me switch from Topomax to Keppra, because it apparently has just been found to cause liver damage - has anyone heard of this? I also experienced strange leg pain and when I wore socks they lefts marks as if my legs are swollen (although I don't detect any swelling). This still persists although I've been off topomax for a month now, after taking 100mg/day for 3 months.

I stopped taking topomax about a month ago when my neurologist switched me to Keppra, apparently because topomax has just been found to cause liver damage. I lost about 8 lbs when I was on it for about 3 months. Now I'm gaining it back, which is quite distressing.