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keppra vs. topamax
Sun, 12/23/2007 - 15:06Comments
Re: keppra vs. topamax
Submitted by dianna609 on Thu, 2009-01-22 - 13:04
I was diagnosed with JME in 1999 at 19. They started me on Depakote, but I gained 80 lbs. I have been on Topamax (100 mg 2x/day) and Lamictal (300 mg 2x/day) for 5 years. I've lost 2/3 of my hair and 100 lbs. I started switching to Keppra yesterday and will taper off of Lamictal in 2 weeks. I AM EXHAUSTED! I am about to fall asleep at my desk. I have to take caffeine pills to stay awake.
The topamax makes me stupid. I can't remember words and my short-term memory is horrible. I don't know which drug is causing the hair loss, but I will be on just Keppra within a year.
Can anyone relate? I think I may go insane. I take Aldactone (look it up and try it), 1000 mcg Biotin, 100 mg B6, 100 mg B12 and a Multi-vitamin. If I didn't, I can't imagine how much worse it could be. It is getting so thin in the front now and all of the tests say there's nothing wrong with me.
I was diagnosed with JME in 1999 at 19. They started me on Depakote, but I gained 80 lbs. I have been on Topamax (100 mg 2x/day) and Lamictal (300 mg 2x/day) for 5 years. I've lost 2/3 of my hair and 100 lbs. I started switching to Keppra yesterday and will taper off of Lamictal in 2 weeks. I AM EXHAUSTED! I am about to fall asleep at my desk. I have to take caffeine pills to stay awake.
The topamax makes me stupid. I can't remember words and my short-term memory is horrible. I don't know which drug is causing the hair loss, but I will be on just Keppra within a year.
Can anyone relate? I think I may go insane. I take Aldactone (look it up and try it), 1000 mcg Biotin, 100 mg B6, 100 mg B12 and a Multi-vitamin. If I didn't, I can't imagine how much worse it could be. It is getting so thin in the front now and all of the tests say there's nothing wrong with me.
Re: keppra vs. topamax
Submitted by katie338 on Thu, 2009-02-05 - 00:18
Hi- I was put on keppra when I was 14 and it stopped all my episodes, but it also caused me to gain 60 lbs, and during high school, as you can imagaine it sucked. Finally right before college, I switched to topamax, I'm already down 40 lbs just a few months. I know what you mean about feeling stupider, but i'd rather work harder and have a kwirkyness about me then a major weightgain.
If I were you I would just keep taking nutrion bars. And if you're really that unhappy try a differnt medication. I know it sucks to keep on switching, but it's different for everyone. . . .
Good Luck!
Hi- I was put on keppra when I was 14 and it stopped all my episodes, but it also caused me to gain 60 lbs, and during high school, as you can imagaine it sucked. Finally right before college, I switched to topamax, I'm already down 40 lbs just a few months. I know what you mean about feeling stupider, but i'd rather work harder and have a kwirkyness about me then a major weightgain.
If I were you I would just keep taking nutrion bars. And if you're really that unhappy try a differnt medication. I know it sucks to keep on switching, but it's different for everyone. . . .
Good Luck!
Re: keppra vs. topamax
Submitted by writer33 on Wed, 2008-11-19 - 13:05
I have been on Dilantin while I was pregnant and when I wasn't, it didn't do a thing to my child. My son is 14 and is taller than me, he might bug me a little but don't all children do that (smile). Dilantin didn't help me at all so I took depakote regular and the time release (something like that). But before that I took Tegretol and Tegretol time release (something like that). As you forget I forget somethings. But depakote was the worst with side effects, I had swelling, sleeping problems, hair falling out, and gained weight. Plus my seizures didn't stop or even cut back, they got worst. I had to take other meds with the Depokote. I was on Depokote for about five or six years and nothing stop if anything it got worst. Now I am on Keppra, Topamax, and Lamictal. They are doing better for me than the other meds but I am still having seizures but hopefully I will have one of the meds taken away. Now as far as which one is better Keppra or Topamax. I don't know because I take both. Now at first Keppra made me kind of moody for a month or so but I got over it. Topamax was wonderful only one side effect, I am 50 pounds lighter. I don't know about Lamictal at all. Now my hair fell out where I had to cut my hair but now I didn't have long flowing hair but I had to cut my hair because my hair would fall out a lot. But I could handle it because short hair is in style lol. Now I have a VNS too and the meds so hopefully this will all help me. I will just keep finding out more information on Keppra and Topamax and which one is better during pregnancy. But I know which one I would take after, TOPAMAX! LOL!