Topamax

Hi C.,

My husband is on Topamax. It's made a big difference in his life, but just the opposite of what you are saying. He has more patience. He doesn't feel the daily headaches he was feeling. He's a lot more grounded. He's able to get more done.

That being said, he is also on a restricted diet. He no longer can eat a lot of the foods he used to and we are slowly introducing things back after 3 months. The guys at work give him a hard time because he can't go out for lunch every day like he used to so they feel that he is distant now. This bugs him because he doesn't have the connection with them he did before, but I am trying to remedy that by making sure he has 'play dates' with his friends (one of which he works with).

I guess I'm saying that it may be other factors that these women are going through that are making them cranky. Maybe now that they don't have daily migraines, they can see the doofuses they are with and notice more of the things those guys are doing wrong. Or maybe the Topamax is allowing them to find the real reason for their daily misery and they are having hormonal issues. You never know.

I would suggest just keeping yourself in check. Confer with your significant other and kids about this just to make sure that they aren't feeling Mom is a bit out of sorts as of late. They may actually be like me and see a big difference in the other direction.

Good luck!
Jodi

C.,

I was on Topomax for a few months last year. I never had any of the bad side effects. In fact, quite the opposite. I felt great! No more headaches, and I was a productive member of society again :)
My cousin has been on it for quite awhile with no ill side effects either. If you aren't having any problems, then it's obviously working for you right now. Still it never hurts to be cautious. Good luck, and here's to many more pain free days!

I used to take it along with a couple of other drugs, so I don't know for sure which one caused which reactions. I did have some mood swings/personality changes. With me, it basically let down some of my guard so I basically started acting how I felt, rather than the "right way" so yes, crankiness was a part of it. I wouldn't want to take it again. For migraines, I had good luck with Zomig.

I was on this medication for a few weeks 4 years ago. It really affected my moods. For the first time in my life, I suffered depression -- didn't want to get out of bed, didn't want to care for my son, was really short with my husband. It was TERRIBLE!!!!! I remember one day that I dumped Cherios on the floor for my son, put him in his room with the baby gate and went back to my bed and just laid there. I asked the doctor to quickly wean me off of it because I didn't like how it made me feel. He said it was not necessary to suffer with the side effects when there were plenty of other medications that we could try. I don't remember what we switched to but it really helped. I now am headache free and off all medications.

Good Luck!