How TOPAMAX works


"Some migraine medications you take when you feel migraine pain coming on ...TOPAMAX works differently." — it is a daily medication.

Some migraine medications are taken at the start of a migraine. They work one migraine at a time. TOPAMAX works differently. It's a daily prescription medication that you take for as long as you and your healthcare professional decide you need it. Migraines can't be completely eliminated, but TOPAMAX can help stop them before they start, so you can get fewer of them to think about.

How TOPAMAX Is Believed To Work

Although no one knows exactly why migraines happen, the process is believed to be a series of events in the brain that cause pain and the other symptoms of a migraine attack. For people with migraines, the brain is felt to be very sensitive to change and the nerves become overexcitable. There are many different triggers that may start the process of a migraine attack by increasing this excitability. The excitability in the brain may then activate pain-causing nerves to release chemicals around blood vessels that surround the brain. These chemicals cause inflammation and swelling of the blood vessels, which will cause head pain and throbbing. Specific areas in the brain may then become very sensitive to otherwise normal sensations causing sensitivity to light and sound, nausea, and tenderness of the scalp.

Unlike medication taken at the start of migraine pain to treat an attack, preventive medications like TOPAMAX are taken every day to help decrease the frequency of migraine attacks.

The exact way that TOPAMAX works is not known, but it is believed to help "calm" overexcitable nerves in the brain so they don't send out the signals that can cause migraines. Medical research has proven that taking TOPAMAX every day may help reduce the total number of migraine attacks that occur over time.


Calming nerve cells in the brain

TOPAMAX is believed to help "calm" the process that leads to migraines. During a migraine, overexcitable nerve cells send pain signals. With TOPAMAX, it's believed that overexcitable nerve cells are "calmed" to help reduce migraine occurrence.

Sticking with TOPAMAX

Clinical studies found that TOPAMAX began reducing the frequency of migraines at 1 month and showed sustained improvement throughout the 6-month studies. To achieve best results, TOPAMAX should be taken for 2 to 3 months and then its effectiveness can be determined.

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TOPAMAX

Attention TOPAMAX Patients and Medical Professionals
Dispensing errors have been reported between TOPAMAX® (topiramate) tablets and Toprol-xl® (metoprolol succinate) extended-release tablets.

Please be sure to check your tablets to ensure you are taking the right medicine.

*Toprol-xl is a registered trademark of the AstraZeneca group of companies.



TOPAMAX® is approved for migraine prevention in adults only.
TOPAMAX® is not used to stop a migraine after it starts.

IMPORTANT SAFETY INFORMATION

Serious risks associated with TOPAMAX® include lowered bicarbonate levels in the blood resulting in an increase in the acidity of the blood (metabolic acidosis). Symptoms could include hyperventilation (rapid, deep breathing), tiredness, loss of appetite, irregular heartbeat or changes in the level of alertness. Call your doctor immediately if you get these symptoms. Your doctor may want to do simple blood tests. Chronic, untreated metabolic acidosis may increase the risk for kidney stones or bone disease.

Like other antiepileptic drugs, TOPAMAX® may cause suicidal thoughts or actions in a very small number of people, about 1 in 500. Pay attention to any changes and call your doctor right away if you have any of these symptoms, especially if they are new, worse, or worry you: thoughts about suicide or dying, attempts to commit suicide, new or worse depression, new or worse anxiety, feeling agitated or restless, panic attacks, trouble sleeping, new or worse irritability, acting aggressive, being angry, or violent, acting on dangerous impulses, an extreme increase in activity and talking (mania) or other unusual changes in behavior or mood.

Do not stop taking TOPAMAX® without first talking to your doctor. Stopping TOPAMAX® suddenly can cause serious problems.

Other serious risks include decreased sweating, increased body temperature, kidney stones, sleepiness, dizziness, confusion, difficulty concentrating, and increased eye pressure (glaucoma). Call your doctor immediately if you have any decrease in vision or eye pain. These problems can lead to blindness if not treated right away.

More common side effects are tingling in arms and legs, loss of appetite, tiredness, nausea, diarrhea, taste change and weight loss.

Tell your doctor about other medications you take.

You are encouraged to report negative side effects of prescription drugs to the FDA. Visit www.fda.gov/medwatch , or call 1-800-FDA-1088.

Please see full U.S. Prescribing Information.