Effects of Topamax

Topamax is the brand name for the generic drug topiramate. It is an anti-convulsant approved by the Food and Drug Administration to treat migraine headaches and epilepsy. It is also used to treat seizures in patients who have Lennox-Gastaut Syndrome, a disease that causes developmental delay and seizures. Some doctors use it for bipolar disorder, but this is considered off-label use of the drug.

Migrane Headaches

• Unlike many other migraine headache medications, Topamax is taken on a prophylactic, or preventive, basis rather than at the start of a migraine. It takes about 2 to 3 months to determine if the drug will be effective in calming nerve cells during a migraine headache. A study by the Idaho Drug Utilization Review Program showed that prophylactic therapy was a good idea for patients with severe or recurrent migraine headaches, with a decrease in headaches by as much as 50 percent.

Epilespy

• Topamax is prescribed to prevent epileptic seizures is both adults and children; however, if it used for children younger than age 10, it must be combined with another epilepsy drug. Topamax is one of several available medications for seizures. Doctors should monitor a patient's serum bicarbonate while on Topamax and other anti-seizure drugs to make sure there is no excessive acid in the blood.

Bipolar Disorder

• Bipolar disorder, also called manic-depressive disorder, is characterized by dramatic mood shifts and activity. Topamax is sometimes prescribed for bipolar patients. But according to the National Institute for Mental Health, there have been no large studies performed that show it is more effective than the standard drugs used for bipolar.

Side Effects

• Although Topamax, like any drug, can produce side effects, most patients find them to be mild. Few people stop the treatment because of side effects. Numbness and tingling in the arms and legs are the most common side effects and usually occur when people first start the drug. Fatigue is another common side effect. Other people experience taste change, weight loss and difficulty concentrating. Topamax can cause birth control pills to be less effective. A few patients develop kidney stones while on the medication.

Eye Problems

• Topamax can cause a severe eye problem in some patients that starts with eye pain and blurred vision. Left untreated, patients can develop myopia and a form of glaucoma. Patients experiencing eye problems while taking Topamax should immediately discontinue the drug.

Sprinkle Capsules

• Topamax tablets should be swallowed whole. However, for patients who have difficulty swallowing, sprinkle capsules are available. The capsule is opened and the contents sprinkled over a teaspoon of soft food that can be easily swallowed, such as ice cream, pudding, yogurt or applesauce. The patient should swallow the entire teaspoonful without chewing, and drink water immediately afterward to make sure all the medication has gone down.