 Topamax – things "tasting funny" a common side effect for migraineurs |
Topamax (topiramate) has been a help to many patients with migraine and epilepsy. Unfortunately, many migraine patients also experience Topamax side effects, and these side effects make them more likely to stop topiramate treatment.
Researchers at the University of California in the United States and the University Medical Center in the Netherlands decided to ask the question – why so many problems? Are migraineurs actually more likely to have side effects from Topamax?
The researchers compared patients with epilepsy and patients with migraine who were taking topiramate alone as a treatment. The data showed that migraineurs were indeed more likely to stop taking the drug because of adverse reactions.
Epilepsy patients were more likely to suffer behaviour reactions and headache. Migraine patients were more likely to find that things "taste different", or have cognitive problems (such as language problems). Migraineurs were also more likely to drop out of topiramate treatment because of adverse reactions.
Technical data for the study can be found here: Are Migraineurs at Increased Risk of Adverse Drug Responses?
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I’m 43 and have had migraines most of my life. Until 2008, my migraines were infrequent so I was able to treat with a dose Imitrex or Relpax. When my Peri-menopause symptoms began to worsen coupled with the stress my mother having had two heart attacks in one year, my headaches came to a crescendo. My headache was a daily companion. The pain was so intense that I named it “Pete the Icepick.” My doctor put me on Topamax. The dose climbed to 200 mg. per day. It reduced the pain to a dull roar, but it never went away completely, plus I had new symptoms to cope with such as tingling and numbness in hands and feet, cognitive slowing, memory loss, and an inability to perspire during exercise. It took me a long time, but I backed the dosage off to 50 mg. per day. Headaches were manageable w/o all the uncomfortable tingling. I asked doc for help, and he put me on Inderal. For nearly two years, this drug almost wiped them out completely, but my headaches were trying to make a resurgence. Plus I was living with constant pain and soreness in my neck, shoulders, and arms. Now I have stopped the Topamax completely (this was a long arduous process), and I am now taking Cymbalta. I have never had a drug work so effectively on the prevention of my migraines. Now I rarely have head pain, in addition to no more neck, shoulder, back, and arm pain.
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