I just read a few postings about Topamax being a mood stabilizer. I was prescribed Topamax by my neurologist, to help with my migraine headaches. I've never heard of it as a mood stabilizer. I take Lamictal as a mood stabilizer. It's works great for me. I actually stopped taking the Topamax because I was getting more headaches, I was very tired and extremely forgetful. I would talk to your doctors about this "cocktail" of yours. Doesn't sound quite right.

The wife took (dope a max) as a help for mood. As I understand lots of the drugs have other uses. ex. depakote is for the headaches too

I am taking Topamax right now for bipolar and it has really helped me out a lot!! :D Now I have known some other people whom this has not helped with. I guess it is a trial and error process. For some of us it works and for some of us it doesn't!! My pdoc. didn't say it was a mood stabilizer for me, she upped my dose of Effexor XR to 225 mg from 75 mg, gradually of course, for the mood stabalizing. So I don't know about using the Topamax for that or maybe it is for that and I just don't know it! Who knows!! :eek:

Take Care,
Beth :wave:

I actually started taking topomax for nerve pain..I found at 200 milligrams a day . I dont have a very big appetite and my mood is great compared to before taking it!! I dont want to have this burning pain forever but wish i could conitnue taking it just for my mood..

I was put on topamax for a mood stabilizer but it didn't take long at all for it to send me into the worst depression almost of my life. So I'm no longer on it, however I am on Effexor XR 150mg for my depression. I'm still not sure the dr. that diagnosed me as bipolar II has a clue what he is doing (long story)... I saw someone a year ago that had me diagnosed as major depression recurrent without psychotic featurs. Since you comment on using the effexor for a mood stabilizer, I'm wondering if maybe I could just try upping my doseage. That would be wonderful if I could try it and have it work. It helped my depression really well when I first began it 4 years ago at only 75mg. It just seemed to lose it's effect. I do not want to try another mood stabilizer as now I'm scared to death of being sent to the stenches of hell again by them. This gives me some hope. Thanks.


I am taking Topamax right now for bipolar and it has really helped me out a lot!! :D Now I have known some other people whom this has not helped with. I guess it is a trial and error process. For some of us it works and for some of us it doesn't!! My pdoc. didn't say it was a mood stabilizer for me, she upped my dose of Effexor XR to 225 mg from 75 mg, gradually of course, for the mood stabalizing. So I don't know about using the Topamax for that or maybe it is for that and I just don't know it! Who knows!! :eek:

Take Care,
Beth :wave:

I have been taking topamax for 3 years for mood stabilization, and I absolutley love it :) I haven't felt this good in a long time. How amazing that a med could be used for so many things.

I have tried Depakote and it made me confuse my dreams and my reality. I think my dose was too high. I tried Tegretol and had the worst headaches ever and I have now had Topomax as my mood stabilizer for the last 2 1/2 years and it is the best that i have found. I am working on finding the right dose but it is alot less harsh than those other two that i tried...at least for me. My mom takes it for nerve pain. My best friend takes is for migranes. Of course we all have differnent dosages. I dont think this should be just handed out to anyone. I think if the dose is too high it will definetly cause some major problems. But I have been taking it with Wellbutrin XL for my bipolar and most of the time I am OK. Not great but OK. Its better than ive been before. H

were you taking topomax and lamictal at the same time? that sounds like a dangerous and unnecessary combo. the topomax has not been effective in trials as a mood stabilizer, but the lamictal has been effective. lamictal won't give you the weight loss factor, but it won't necessarily make you gain weight like depakote.

In reply to Gambletx, I take Lexapro and Lamictal everyday due to being bipolar. I was taking Inderal because I have at least 2-3 migraines a week. The inderal was not working so I switched to Topamax every night because I was told that it was a migraine prevention medication. This was told to me by my neurologist at the time. I had no idea it was used as a mood stabilizer. I was probably overmedicated and that's why I felt so horrible :dizzy: The topamax actually made me feel worse. I stopped taking topamax about a month ago and I feel great :D .

we are in the same boat. last year I was experiencing multiple migrianes weekly and went on topomax for about a day and then was diagnosed BP and my "nutty professor" (cute, huh?) said the lamictal would work better for the migraines and cycling. glad to hear it's working for you as well! shame though about the topomax... i'm always open to new ways to drop a few pounds! ;)