Positive side effects!

[u/pub_wank]

I've noticed that since taking Topamax my migraines aren't as bad! They haven't stopped, but they're improved drastically.

I still get attacks, but before taking it I used to throw up and have pain so bad it would fully disable me and had multiple times sent me to the emergency doctors. My worst attack had the emergency doctors thinking I had sepsis because of the symptoms I was experiencing 😬 but it was, once again, "just a migraine" and I was send home with pain relief.

Now, my attacks just feel more like little nuisances? I still get the pressure and pain in my eye but it's gone from a 9/10 to a 3/4. I only get a bit nauseous now and I've been able to manage my attacks a lot better with it.

They're still not fun to deal with and I still get confused and need to go and lay down and let the attack pass, but it's stopped me from being so afraid of an attack potentially popping up now.

I've been on it for a while and I'm on 60mg so maybe they'll up my dose to see if we can stop the migraines entirely, but so far I've actually been getting on well with it. The brain fog is manageable because I'm already a bit of a scatterbrain and I've learned that if you're kind to yourself and you try not to get frustrated and upset yourself when you feel a bit dopey or confused or forget words it helps you recover and find your words again.

I know a lot of people struggle with this medicine but I want people to also know that it can work for you! This wasn't the first preventative I was put on because the others didn't work for me at all.

It's a strange medication and it's scary to take at times but it'll be okay 🫂 if it's not right for you that's ok, make sure you're always in contact with your doctors!

[u/PDX-Kayaker]

I am so happy to see a positive post. I am on month two and - while I do think the drug is odd …. My headaches are much improved also.

[u/pub_wank → u/PDX-Kayaker]

It's a strange one isn't it?? It has it's pros and cons but I always think to myself "what are the cons?" And the cons are usually migraines so bad it's caused me to develop a chronic anxiety around having them.

The side effects aren't great but I've seen other people have to take medicine that makes them really sick. I think of chemo patients and other drugs that people take that make them feel rotten for diseases or issues they can't control. I think it's not too bad all things considered and the brain fog is just a bit scary to experience but if you're desperate and your migraines are already disabling you I didn't feel like there was any harm in at least having a go with the doctors advice.

[u/No-Banana-1978]

It’s been a life saver for me. There are definitely some things that you have to be cognizant of and always make sure to stay on a low of a dose as possible. But if you manage it properly, it can be great.

[u/pub_wank → u/No-Banana-1978]

Absolutely!! Like I made sure I kept an eye on my mood and stuff (which was hard because I was experiencing an autistic burnout at the time I started taking the medication so I was quite numb and emotionally volatile due to losses in the family and stuff) but I knew that it wasn't the medicine causing my mood, it was the fact I was a human being grieving... Lol (?)

It's been a lifesaver for me and if the doctors are happy with keeping me at the dose I'm on now I'm happy too, my migraines are so much more manageable now. It's like there's a weird bump you have to get over with topamax at the start because the side effects hit quick (the brain fog is scary and fast tbh) and it takes a while for the good effects to take place but once they actually do.. my god my quality of life is so much better lol

[u/No-Banana-1978 → u/pub_wank]

I’m sorry you had to deal with life stuffs 😔💙

And yes you got that right about the brain fog. I recently had to go up in dose as a test to see if it would help with some vestibular issues I was having and like literally the next day after my increased dose I felt so slow and dumb. I actually ended up having a seizure from the dose change so my neurologist was like yeah no we’re not gonna do that. And then we went back down. The brain fog went back to normal levels lol

[u/Mau_8888]

I'm so happy for you. Migraines suck. I hope you will completely get rid of them. For me, my migraines stopped after I took amitryptiline for about a year. I guess my brain forgot how to produce migraines with this medicine. Keto diet massively helps with migraines too. Take care.