topamax in bipolar disorder

(I have a mild underlying seizure disorder) I am under constant supervision of a doctor who specializes in bipolar disorder. It works for me where the other drugs have failed. The explanations are unclear. However, at this high a dose, the weight loss effects are apparent. I am over 40, 5'5" and 110 llbs - a loss of 25 llbs, and what I weighed in junior high. I do not recommend this. I have no fat reserves in case of serious illness.

A man I know is on Clozapine for his bipolar disorder. His psychiatrist prescribed it.

Hello.....I am a 42 y/o female who has had a tremor in both hands for several years. My tremors are not noticeable unless I have my wrists resting on a counter top or something similar. Then my hand(s) go to shaking. They do not shake while I am doing tedious tasks or are still at my side or in my lap. Just when my wrists are resting. And it happens just about every time! A little background info now......

Namaste, You never mentioned what your final diagnosis was. If it is in fact, bipolar disorder, treating it with a mood stabilizer such as Topomax is a viable alternative, although I would have started you on Depakote or Lithium.

I had periorbital migraines and was placed on Topamax, technically an anti-seizure but also great for migraine/headache control and mood stabilization in bipolar disorder. That for a while was the only thing that worked for me. It can have a sedative and appetite suppressant effect. I was also shortly on a low dose of Elavil for migraines. Carefull with that one, take only the amount prescribed.

I was seen by a mental health professional in February 2016 where I was loosely diagnosed with bipolar II disorder. I was put on an antipsychotic (Latuda) and then Topamax in March to off set the side effects of Latuda.. in April, I noticed a patch of discolored skin on my right foot. It didn't hurt, itch, or bother me in any way other than being discolored. It showed up on my other foot a few weeks later and then spread up to my ankles within a few months.

Does it take 9 pills to get rid of your migraine? I mean why are you taking so many? I take topamax for bipolar disorder. I've never experienced anything that you described. Maybe your doc needs to up your mg. or something. Are you suppose to take so many?

I ask this firstly because of the use of anti-convulsants in both, but also because there are a lot of overlap in symptoms, not only in the kindling concept but also especially in simple partial seizures. Having read the symptoms of simple partial seizures in regards to myself, I thought, oh really? There is also a higher co-morbidity between the two disorders than in the general population.

hello im 26 yrs old have 2 children i have had a partial hysterectomy a yr ago im anemic i have severe migraines and i am also bipolar i know alot to take in but my problem is that im having almost period like cramps,im lactating i have severe body aches, joint pain,muscle spams, dizzy spells and ive lost ten lbs in a month my hair is falling out in handfuls ive had numbness in my legs and my hips keep giving out has anyone heard of anything like this before i am waiting to get confirmation on a

I am a 41 year old woman who is on her 2nd attempt at taking Topamax for Bipolar Disorder. This go round I was put back on it in July of 2014. I am taking 100 mgs in the AM and 100 mgs at bedtime. One of my main side effects was the tingling & numbness in my fingers & toes. I am still experiencing the tingling & numbness but only in my fingertips not at all in my toes.

I have been on Topamax for 5yrs and have had my left and right shoulders frozen in the past 2 years. I am in my late 40's and in good health and the ortho said this was very unusual. He said that some seizure meds may cause this and I knew that higher doses are taken for epilepsy. He said they had never looked into this. Also, I have recently had episodes of memory loss. I know that this is a side effect but will it go away if I go off of Topamax?

I take topamax for my sever mood swings and bipolar disorder. I've been on it since I was 15 now I'm 16 and slight weight loss is only thing I have. To be safe i go for monthly check ups to see for side effects and if anything is wrong. I get tension headaches from another disorder and topamax has reduced them greatly. Keep it at a low dose to start if you choose topamax but don't go in with a specific medication in mind ask and do research for migraine medicines.

but I am about to ask for it from my pdoc for bipolar disorder. It is supposed to help there as well. I asked him about it once and he agreed to give it once I stabilized....I hope this is what he means....he is a pharmacologist....so I tend to ask him questions and report back here...

s every seizure so they kept him for 5 days total and we were released with orders to see the neurologist in 2 weeks. The DR put him on keppra (in which had too many side effects), then Topamax and valium, in which he stayed on for 2 1/2 months. He continued to have the seizures, sometimes 4 a day, and sometimes 3 days in between them.

Topamax does tend to cause weight loss, but trust me, this is not the way you want to lose weight. Topamax (I was taking it for bipolar) first of all did nothing for my moods. I was back in the hospital a few months after first being prescribed this, along with seroquel and ativan for panic and anxiety. That's not what makes this medicine so undesirable though. With each dose increase, I had numbness in my legs and arms. This could continue for as long as 2 weeks after a dose increase.

I have numerous medical conditions including bipolar disorder,depression,social anxiety,osteoarthritis,degenerative disc disease,spondylosis,and spondylothesis.I take Depakote and Xanax for the mental illnesses.I also had gastric bypass surgery 9 years ago.My pre surgery weight was 379 and within 1 1/2 years I got down to 180.After being diagnosed bipolar 3 years ago and starting the Depakote,I gained back 70 lbs which has put a major strain on my back condition.

First of all, there is no clear consensus as to how many types of bipolar disorder exist. In DSM-IV-TR and ICD-10, bipolar disorder is conceptualized as a spectrum of disorders occurring on a continuum. The DSM-IV-TR lists four types of mood disorders which fit into the bipolar categories: Bipolar I, Bipolar II, Cyclothymia, and Bipolar Disorder NOS (Not Otherwise Specified) like I said, so I was in fact numerating the aknowledged types only, yet articles tell you there are even more than 5.

I am Type 2 Bipolar and currently take 200mgs of Lamictal, 900mgs of Neurontin, and 1.5mgs of Klonopin. My doctor and I will be weaning off of the Klonopin within the near future as we don't feel that it is medically necessary. I don't mind the Neurontin as I have been on and off of it for years. We are looking at just using the Neurontin and the Lamictal. However, a recent family even has gotten me wondering; would the Lamictal be a good enough mood stabilizer for me alone?

For more information about bipolar disorder (which consists of bipolar depression and bipolar mania), google "Phelps + psych education." Some mood stabilizer med work from the bottom up; they are best for treating bipolar depression. Other mood stabilizer meds work from the top down; they are best for treating bipolar mania. Depending on whether your mood episode is mania or depression, your doctor should choose an appropriate mood stabilizer.

I have been on many many medications over the past 2 years. I switched from Paxil, Prozac, Abilify, Seroquel, Zoloft, Clonazepam, Lorazepam, Effexor, Trazadone, Lamictal, Buspar,and many, many, others I just can't remember them all. Yeah, I'd have to say that maybe, just maybe, all these medications just may have screwed with my physiology at least a little, but what do I know, I was just a mere LAB RAT!

s Meds) Plaquenil......Evoxac (Bipolar Meds) Topamax---off label for bipolar......Zoloft......Klonopin---PRN........Vistaril----PRN.......I have been on Plaquenil everyday consecutively since 7/18/16 (this is my 4th attempt at taking it) and I have been on Evoxac 30 mg 3 X a day since April. As far as my Bipolar meds......I have been on this cocktail for about three years now and haven't had a med increase in over a year.

You are on a lot of meds. I was like that yrs. ago; way overmedicated and way overweight. I'm now down to 2 antidepressants and 1 mood stabilizer. (I am also a rapid cycler). Everybody is different and responds to medication differently. The best and most all-around useful mood stabilizer for me has been Topamax. It is an anti-convulsant, also indicated for propylaxis of migraines (which I also have). The great side effect, if you're overweight, is WEIGHT LOSS. Be careful, though.

Topamax in bipolar disorder

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