Topamax and liver
Common Questions and Answers about Topamax and liver
topamax
it stopped when I stopped the topamax.. My doc wanted me to go on Nuerotin, and I wanted to retry topamax, as I was afraid to go on Neurotin, as it is a nasty drug! So... no side affects this time as I'm taking it 50mg 2X daily...except the hair loss... now my hair is then, see through hair follicles, a buch of hair in my brushes...and my hair was ALWAYS thick... always always thick :( Now I just want off... i want off of everything and I'll deal with the seizures unmedicated...
I have digenerative disc disease and my neirologist just prescribed topamax,
he said it would help with the pain and tingling but could result in weight loss.
I am wondering if prescribing topamax for ddd is common among neurologists? I can't seem to find any other information related to topamax as a pain med, only information I have is that it's a powerful drug with lots of side effects, most not so good.
The weight loss aspect is the only plus...
I recommend you find a post on this site or the internet related to Topamax and Fibromyalgia and print it off and take to your Rheumatologist as there are 1000's of patient prescribed with Topamax in which to treat Fibromyalgia.
copy and paste the link below in your browser and read patients view on Topamax!
http://www.revolutionhealth.com/drugs-treatments/rating/topamax-for-fibromyalgia-syndrome-fms
Hope this helps!
(Seriously thinking that may have something to do with my depression, bipolar II, and anxiety.) And my father had a liver transplant and went through medical hell for about 8 years. I worked in mental health for 15 years. I know a lot about medications and medical issues. I try to be an informed patient, but some doctors don't really like this.
Anyway, here is the real catch that I know topiramate effects the thyroid. About two months ago, I was at my PCP and he asked my about my dosage.
The good news is that there are many other medications than tegretol and depakote, many with much better dies effect profiles. Depakote can cause tremors, weight gain, hair loss, liver toxicity/failure and platelet dysfunction. Dizziness, balance problems, fatigue and thinking problems can be encountered on any seizure medication if the dose is too high (Depakote and tegretol included).
I'm doing much better now mentally, but since then my liver enzymes have been elevated. I also have Psudotumor Cerebri and have a VA shunt. I take Topamax 175 mg for headaches and 300 mg of Luvox for Depression. The only medication I take now are the two and my enzymes are staying elevated. I don't know how elevated they are, but I do remember the doctor saying to me that they weren't terribly elevated. Could this be from the overdose? I am overweight, but just lost about 45 lbs.
Thyroid hormones/antibodies are within range (other than 1 slightly elevated free T4), but right lobe of thyroid gland was found to be enlarged on ultrasound (endocrinologist does not believe that to be the cause). Liver enzymes originally checked in December and found to be on high end of normal. Retested in March '10 and found to be slightly elevated. Retested again in April '10 and found to be increasing slowly.
You are correct in saying that a small percentage of people develop kidney stones due to Topamax, and they probably didn't drink enough water. This was something that both my doctor and pharmacist failed to tell me when it was prescribed to me. You can never do any harm if you educate yourself on the meds you are taking. In many cases, you will probably know more about the med than your prescribing physician does.
Hope this gives you some info you were looking for.
The pain could be related to an enlarged liver, but your liver might not be enlarged, and so the pain could be totally unrelated. It's just impossible to tell right now. It sounds like you might be seeing several doctors. I think it's going to be real important for you that all of them are well-apprised of what's going on with your various problems. The GI doc will know what tests need to be done on you. If you are worried that you might have hepatitis, ask him about this.
The anti-psychotic medication they take cause them to have life-threatening side effects. Massive weight gain, diabetes, high cholesterol and fatty liver to name a few. Topamax has been offered to a few of our heavier patients. I have personally seen huge success in weight loss for these individuals which also impacts the other said side-effects. I have battled my weight as well as bulimia for years.
Last time we checked in January, AST was 23 and ALT was 37, potassium was FINE and so was TSH. Went to my neurologist today, and he believes the Topamax may pushed up the AST and ALT (150mg daily) so we're suspending it. I've been taking Topamax for years as migraine prophalaxis, I'm not epileptic. I also take HCTZ for my blood pressure and there are known issues with Topamax and HCTZ causing serum potassium depletion when combined, so this may address the hypokalemia issue as well.
I have found that with myself, Topamax works well with controlling the seizures, and has much less effect on liver functions, making it a much safer drug for me. I would be intersted to know what 3 meds he is on for seizures, any severity of liver damage so far by hep c, and how old he is. As always, consulting with his neurologist and his GI in conjunction is the safest bet. As far as websites for the two, I have not found any.
I took Topamax for awhile trying to stop a "non-stop" headache. The side effects were bad enough for me that it was discontinued. The lack of balance and eye pain I had were what my neurologist decided were reasons to discontinue. The headache pain was as bad on Topamax as it was off Topamax, so it just wasn't the drug for me....
Hi sunflower200,
I am so sorry that you were frustrated and would not get an answer from your physician regarding topamax and hair loss. Topamax was reported to associate with alopecia about 2% of the time. I would recommend to discontinue topamax. However, before you do so, please go to your neurologist/epileptologist and ask for an alternative seizure medication. For further treatment of medication induced alopecia, please consult a dermatologist.
The one that i am considering taking is the Depakote, however I am into all the natural stuff and are aprehensive to take this drug. I am totally over this headache and am considering taking this drug. The Dr. stated that he truly cannot pinpoint the cause of these headaches and that the depakote will stop the signal for the headaches. He has prescribed it to start with 250 mgs. tid for the first week and 500 tid for 3 more weeks.
My other Dr. suggested pamalor and midril.
With medication we were able to get them to a couple of months apart.She is on 500 mg of dilantin, and 100 mg of topamax and 1800 mg of neurotin.Now all of a sudden she is having seizures days apart and sometimes more than one in a day.This just started!We wondered if physicial activity could cause this.My wife feels that when she does her exercise(especially on her arm)that it may be causing seizure.Is this possible?
This past weekend I came to the conclusion that it must be the Topamax and the Imitrex that is causing this. So, Google and I have been working on finding the precious little about this combination of effects. I need to get to the specialists that are treating me and present some of my findings. I am sure they will love me coming with the few remarks about this that I have found.
I appreciate what you had to say.
But we watched my husband's best friend die from liver failure last year, and that was scarier (albeit alcohol cirrhosis, not hepc, so I could tell myself not to worry). And now my Mom and my Aunt's sudden cirrhosis and now liver cx, (which I really thought would never happen), has me REALLY scared.
<<Wellbutin is for mild to moderate depression, and you may require stronger drugs, or a combination of several drugs>>.
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