Migraine

Perhaps this is ridiculous, but I have to ask... Could topamax cause a migraine?

I got a migraine that started on April 8th. I started Topmax 3 days later, on April 11th. The migraine hasn't left since April 8th. I'm wondering if the Topamax could have done something to keep the migraine in status state.

I've NEVER had a migraine that lasted more than two weeks, let alone three months. I also never had a migraine with this intensity, this much nausea, or this much sensitivity to sound and light. I've had a few days where the pain lets up briefly, or hovers at a '2' or a '3', but I haven't had a headache-free day.

I'm still working with my doc on meds, and I'm looking into a migraine specialist. However, what if it's all just the Topamax? I've gotten so many "paradoxical" reactions to drugs before, couldn't this be another one?

I wanted to try getting off the Topamax to see if there was any change, but my neuro wants me to stay on it. I keep asking and asking. So, I thought I'd ask you guys!

I know Topamax is supposed to help migraines, but couldn't I just be a strange case of the opposite?

I don't think this is a ridiculous question at all.

Some of us find in our trial and error of preventative that we have an increase in migraine number or intensity with certain meds. Mine definitely were more frequent and worse when I tried Inderal, for example. I don't know that it was the Inderal that was triggering me, though. I went severely hypothyroid at the time, and it's most likely the hormone shifts that did me in. Inderal was more indirectly involved, because it exacerbated the thyroid stuff.

I think the best thing to do would be to ask your prescribing doctor and your pharmacist aobut whether or not Topamax might trigger you.

When the only headache Dr I consider sane, Dr Aroura, not the prescribing dr, told us (my wife & I) to taper off and see if the side effects got better. My headaches started getting worse again. I started bringing my dose back up to the 400 grs I had been on. As I raised it, my headaches got worse and worse. I was in unberable pain nearly 24/7 for 3 or 4 months. Probably a couple beyond the time I finally quit Topamax. Based on my experience, I would certainly find out. No Dr approved my quitting and I'm 95% sure I'd be dead now if I had not quit. The fools wanted to put me on massive doses of Seroquel to correct the topamax side effects. When they started me on 200 mq for a day or two, I turned into a zombie setting in the corner starring at the wall! :-(( Fortunately, my wife said no-way. The Dr said he would quit my case. She said fine, I want him back the way he was a year ago, not an invilad to take care of the rest of our lives. Bottom line is, it is your head, your body, your life and your quality of life. Use our own best judgement. Good luck, take care. I hope it works out for you much better than it did for me. Bob

I spoke with the neuro 2day. After pleading, she is going to try tapering me off the topamax. I have my fingers crossed, as I'm feeling a bit desperate right now. I can't think straight, can't walk across a room, and I'm so non-stop nauseous... You all know how it goes.

This is my only hope for an 'easy fix'. If it's not a drug-induced headache, then I definitely need to get to a migraine specialist.

I can't keep this up. Every time I get a break from the pain, I think I'm okay. Then, when it hits again, I feel like I can't make it another minute.

Not too many people responded here. So I guess a headache from topamax isn't a common thing.

Chronic HA, I've already been going thru' so many other drug trials to counteract the headache. If it was just from the topamax... I'll be so angry! Yet, so relieved if I can get this behind me.

Keep your fingers crossed for me?

I'm not really sure. I take Topamax and have taken it in the past and stopped. I usually find now that if I can get it in my system when I am really sick as in vomitting and level 9 migraine, that it seems to help.

When I first started back on the dosage, it really just changed my migraine pain. As in it moved it around in my head some and maybe didn't hit me in my eye as much.

Think of it this way---if you are like me, you try to hold or apply pressure to those areas that are throbbing, well the Topamax made those areas change a little bit and I would have other weird pains going through my head as if it was trying to disolve the pain. Sorry that sounds crazy, but only way I can describe.

Today is day 7 of a Bad run, but I feel better today, but the nausea just came back. I've only had ice chips today and then decided I could eat some watermelon and now I'm nauseated all over again which makes the migraine build back up. I love losing weight, but I can't take meds on an empty stomach and the Tompamax does make me nauseated even on a good day--mainly when I wake up.

Maybe you could try taking your biggest dosage at night and then give yourself time in the morning to be ill, drink sips of watered down tea and eat crackers is how I try to work through it. Good Luck to you.

((((( Counting.sheep ))))) I hope you get the quick easy fix!! I've tried so many drugs in vain, I now believe a lot of them in vain because I was on such a high dose of Topamax. Towards the end, I was super sensative to chemicals. The soap isle, anybody with very much perfume, my son and dau-in-laws clothes from their laundry soap, something on my wife's clothes everyday when she came home from work ........ her hair spray just before she left......... something in the car, sometimes..

You get not only the fingers crossed, but the toes too, a few prayers, all the hugs you can use. Sure wish Mommy could kiss it and make it go away like those little owies:-))

I was like that prior to Topamax and I'm still like that. I can't remember if I got more sensitive, although if I were any more sensitive I would have to wear oxygen 24/7 and might not be able to tolerate that smell, lol.

My chemical sensitivity went away with most of the other sides after I was off Topamax for 2 or 3 months.

Mine have been present and accounted for since becoming pregnant 15 years ago when migraines reared their ugly heads. The sensitivites have only gotten worse. Not sure why.

The smell sensitivities are driving me nuts too, and they've been worse since the Topamax. Almost ANY strong smell makes me nauseous. I also have asthma, and when a strong smell sets THAT off, I start coughing uncontrollably. Ever have a migraine AND an uncontrollable cough TOGETHER?!?! It's pure torture. Every cough makes your head feel like it's going to explode, and you can't stop.

I have to used nebulized lidocaine to stop the cough - - it's the only thing that works. It numbs me from the tip of my tongue down to my chest: NO cough :-). BUT, when I'm nauseous, I can't use lidocaine, as if I vomit, I risk aspirating. (Hard to lose your cookies when you can't feel anything).

I guess today is day 4(?) of my bad run. I was up half the night holding my head and moaning. Fun. And today, all I've been able to get down is my coffee.

I guess Topamax takes a while to get out of your system? I always take it in the evening (as GaDiva had suggested already). Last night was my first lowered dosage. I guess I'm looking for some immediate change. (Mommy, are we almost there????)

I'm so impatient. I guess that's what pain does to you, right?

Anyhow, thanks for the finger AND toe crossing!

I couldn't tell whether Topamax made my migraines worse. I was having chronic daily headaches, too. The daily noise was so severe that a migraine attack didn't add much to the pain.

I spent 9 miserable months on Topamax. I lost about 40 pounds, which was very welcome. But it zonked me out so much that I spent the entire time on the couch, watching daytime TV. What a waste.

Gretchen

[QUOTE]Originally posted by Counting.Sheep:
The smell sensitivities are driving me nuts too, and they've been worse since the Topamax. Almost ANY strong smell makes me nauseous. I also have asthma, and when a strong smell sets THAT off, I start coughing uncontrollably. Ever have a migraine AND an uncontrollable cough TOGETHER?!?! It's pure torture. Every cough makes your head feel like it's going to explode, and you can't stop.

Great Big Hugs, I am so sorry to hear that, I know you must be miserable. Boy I can't imagine. On the Topamax, I can say that the 2nd or 4th time around--it's been better, but I had to consciouslly give it effort. I think I would have given anything effort after Lyrica and all the weight I gained from taking it.

I also think that the combo of drugs that you are taking with Tompamax makes a huge difference.

I have been on topamax for two years. I don't think it has ever caused a migraine for me. But I have had some awful ones!

Well, while Topamax initially helped my daily migraines that I wake I with, I found that my basilar migraines, that usually come during PMS, got exceedingly worse... when not on Topamax, my basilar migraines tend to last between 2-7 days w/ "moderate" pain. When I was on Topa, the basilar migraines lasted 2 to 4 weeks. When I titered off of it, within 2 weeks, I found my appetite improve, feel less zombi-ish (I'm normally foggy & spacy, but it's a definate improvement over zombi), my ataxia improved, my language issue slightly improved (ie. aphasia/ slurring/stuttering) AND the next time I got a basilar migraine, it lasted about 10 days or so, so it was a definate improvement.

The only bad thing is my daily headaches came back, when I titered off of it my "seizure like symptoms", especially during sleep, increased & became more frequent (although by then I was unemployed, so I was not as sleep deprived & didn't have as many "dramatic" episodes) and frequently woke me up throughout the night. Also, memory issues, writing issues & sensory issues didn't go away.


I have sensory issues/hypersensitivity to my environment & chemicals to begin with & Topamax definately made it worse. I can still hear things far away, have become less tolerant to sounds & light & have an extremely sensitive sense of smell, coupled with occasional "phantam smells" so I never know what's real or not. It makes it difficult to walk around in the big city. I am still waiting for all of this to go away, and maybe it will...but it's been almost 4 months and I'm still getting this stuff, so I am having a hard time believing that this will just "vanish", as the typical side affects disappeared within a week or so after I was off.

All that being said, I much happier being off of Topa, than on, even though I got a ways to go to be functional.

Alex Morpheus

So here's my update...

I lowered the Topamax Friday.

Saturday, my migraine went to about a 6 on a pain scale

BUT (and here's the exciting part...)

Sunday was the BEST BEST absolutely most INCREDIBLE day I've felt in four months!!!


AND (it get's even better...) Monday and Tuesday have been pretty good too!!!


So, while the jury is still out, it's looking like the Topamax may have been contributing to my never-ending headache and migraine pain. I'm still decreasing the dosage. And, perhaps the headache is just giving me a break... But, gotta be hopeful.

It's so nutty. I get such unexpectedly bizzarre reactions... A migraine prevention drug causing a migraine?

If it was just the Topamax, I can't believe I wasted three months on it, and have to pay off the hospital bills to boot.

But, today is such a bright HOT smiley day... Whatever it is...Topamax or not... I 'm greatful for the break today.