Understanding TOPAMAX Side Effects


While everyone is different, some people may experience side effects with TOPAMAX. In clinical trials, most side effects were mild to moderate, and most patients did not discontinue treatment because of them (side effects).

The safety profile of TOPAMAX has been proven in large, well-controlled clinical trials and through extensive patient experience.

What are the common side effects of TOPAMAX?

In clinical trials, they occurred more often during the early stage of treatment and were generally mild to moderate. More serious TOPAMAX side effects are described in the Important Safety Information section.

Numbness and tingling
This is known as paresthesia and is the most common side effect of TOPAMAX. People have described this as numbness or "pins and needles," most often in the arms or legs. More people had paresthesia during the early stage of treatment; however, it didn't stop most people from taking TOPAMAX

Fatigue
Some people may feel tired while taking TOPAMAX. More people reported fatigue during the early stage of treatment.

Taste change
Some people on TOPAMAX may have taste changes where food or drink tastes differently. This has been reported with carbonated beverages, for example.

Weight loss
Some people may have weight loss while taking TOPAMAX. This seems to be related to the dose of TOPAMAX taken.

Difficulty with concentration/attention and difficulty with memory
TOPAMAX may make it hard to concentrate. Some people may have memory recall issues. This reaction varies, but people have described it as "difficulty finding the right word" or "losing my train of thought."

Talk with your healthcare professional if you are feeling any symptoms or have additional questions. While side effects can be frustrating, they were not unusual when first starting TOPAMAX.

Other common TOPAMAX side effects are loss of appetite, nausea, and diarrhea. Your healthcare professional is the best person to talk with about your side effects and can adjust your dose of TOPAMAX if necessary.

Back to top

My Way With Migraines Promo

TOPAMAX USERS ON VIDEO
People like you share their experiences at My Way With Migraines

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.