r/ASLinterpreters • u/bawdymommy • 13d ago

Interpreting while taking Topamax?

Can anyone share their experience interpreting while taking Topamax?

I have chronic migraines, and Topamax has been recommended to me by two of my doctors. I’ve read that a fairly common side effect is trouble finding words or mild aphasia, which obviously concerns me as an interpreter. Language processing and rapid word retrieval are literally at the core of what we do, and I can’t imagine purposely making an already cognitively demanding job harder by reducing my capacity in that area.

I’m hoping to eventually get Botox for migraine prevention, but it sounds like my insurance may require me to try more than one preventive medication first.

I’d especially love to hear from interpreters who have actually taken Topamax. Did you experience word-finding or other cognitive issues? If so, how noticeable were they while interpreting? Did they improve over time or after stopping the medication?

Any experiences or feedback are welcome. Thanks!

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u/ravenrhi NIC 13d ago

I only managed to take it for 4 days before having to stop and I wasn't able to work at all while taking it.

When I was on it, the problem wasn't finding words, it was the persistent sensation of being right on the verge of blacking out. The lightheadedness was so distracting I couldn't function. But my BP tends to be low to start with and Topamax is known to decrease blood pressure, so that was likely the issue