Can anyone direct me to a website that speaks of Topamax being FDA approved for bipolar. My doctor said, --- topamax hasn't been approved and clinical trials are sketchy.

Anyone on Topamax for more then a year? What is your experience? thx.

I honestly don't know whether or not Topamax is FDA-approved for the treatment of bipolar disorder. I do know that my grandfather takes it for a non-Parkinsonian tremor he's had in his hands for 25 years- he's NOT bipolar in the least. Personally, I don't really know why Topamax is being used for bipolar disorder as it's primary focus isn't epilepsy, so it's obviously not an anti-epileptic drug like Depakote and Tegretol...
-GatsbyLuvr1920-

klawk316-
Good question! I don't know why I even take Topamax for BP, the doc said it was going to be d/c'd in the next few months for me anyways. I'm sitting pretty with Lamictal and my other meds. Less is more, right?

Hi,
I've been taking Topamax for over a year now..I know that my doctor said that it's a mood stablizer and used for other things as well ..I been through several different meds before finding the one that suits me and Topamax has worked for me...It's not a weight gainer like some of the other meds out there..For some people it does make you tired but i take my dose at night and sometimes it does help me sleep since i do have a sleeping problem as well..As for FDA approved i'm not sure, i've never looked into.Thinking that a doctor prescribed it to you i guess you would think it's safe but really what meds are any more..

Hi again,
I was just searching the web to see what Topamax is used for since you have me curious now..It is used for PTSD, Mood stablizer, migraines, weightloss, epilepsy, and chronic pain..As for FDA approved i found several web sites that said that it is approved but has several FDA warnings..Just looking them up on your computer..It's kind of scary what we actually put in our bodies..

daystar91-

FDA warning on Topamax???Great-music to my ears :rolleyes: , I've been down that road with Geodon and the "warning" about the rash on Lamictal. I think I'll just scrap it all and go back to Lithium only and my antipsychotic when things get bad. I hate to start venting on this topic here, but I am on multiple psych meds and the doctor asks me is the Lamictal helping you, is the Topamax helping you,...and so on. How the h*ll do I know? I do know I was doing alot better on Lithium and Risperdal-but accordinly, "the combo was making me fat." What do I know, I guess less isn't more anymore. I take 5 psych meds and 4 of them are very low dose, so what is the point? Does anyone else have this problem? :confused:

Hi,
I had a weight problem with other meds but at the same time they weren't helping me..When my doctor decided to change my meds i asked him to find a med that is not a weight gainer so now i'm on Topamax 100mg at night and Wellburtrin 300mg in the morning, this combination has been working for me for over the last year..I also have a sleeping problem where i don't sleep at night so the Topamax has a side affect of making you tired so sometimes it helps me sleep as well not always..I think the only side affect that i only had from the two comibination which i don't know which one it came from is that i had a little bit of the shakes in my hands not that it was noticeable but you could feel it, it's gone now though..
I read on a web site that there is a fda warning on topamax for secondary angle closure glaucoma in some Tompamax patients..If you look all these meds there is warning for almost all of these meds that we are taking..

daystar91-

you are only on Topamax and Welbutrin for BP? I am definately going to have a chat with my doc next week. Take a peek:my med list(psych meds)
Lithium 900mg
Abilify 5 mg
Seroquel 75mg
Lamictal 150 mg
Topamax 100 mg.
My complaint isn't the drowsiness or even weight gain now, any way-but how do I know if something goes wrong with one of these meds? Like rapid heartbeat, could be Abilify or Seroquel, for example.

WOW!That is alot of meds...I wonder can that be safe to take all those meds..I take just those two meds for BP and PTSD, plus i go to therapy twic a month..I would double check with your doctor if he thinks there is nothing wrong with taking that many meds at one time..Then maybe you should get a second opinion from another doctor if your own doc doesn't have a problem with you taking all those meds..How long have you been on all these meds??

Another thing i forgot to add what happens if you had a side effect you would never figured out which one of these meds would be causing it..That's scary..Medication all together is very scary to me, i always read up on them before taking them and talk them over with my doc, even though there is alot of what could happen to any meds..I just can't get over all the meds they have you on..My sister in law is also BP and she is only on two different kinds of meds i can't remember which ones or how much she takes..Have you had any kind of side effects from these meds???

Hello,

I'm not sure about the particulars re: if topomax is FDA approved or not. I will preface this by saying (what u no doubt already know), that medications work differently for everyone. But I will pass along my BAD experience with topomax.

I had been happily on depakote for years (diagnosed with BP 1 in 1999), but was unhappy with the terrible weight gain. My psychiatrist put me on topomax, with the hope that it would be a better choice. After a couple of months on it, I started having horrible side effects. After work, at 8 pm every night, I could not keep my eyes open anymore or think straight. Also, at work , I began not being able to think straight AT ALL, nor was I able to remember anything--lots of short-term memory loss! I honestly think that topomax was responsible for my being demoted at that job and later quitting from embarrassment. Needless to say, I have been back on old faithful, depakote, for a while; and doing well.

I spoke with my psychiatrist about it. She said that after a bunch of other clients had negative reactions to topomax as well, she no longer recommends or prescribes it.

I hope I didn't scare you, but I just thought you should be aware, since noone that replied to your post thus far had had a bad experience. Take care:)

--Emily

Hi again,
I think meds work different for everyone so unless you've tried it you won't know how it will work for you..As for the sleeping part i take Topamax around six o'clock at night by eleven o'clock sometimes i'm still not ready for bed so for some people it doesn't make them tired as it does for others..I take a 100mg at night and about to be increased..Now i can say alot of bad things about Tripletol but that's because it didnt' work for me but i know it has worked for others..Myself and as well as alot of other people have struggle with finding the right meds that work with there bodies.