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Topamax and Acne
Thu, 01/05/2006 - 08:40Topic: Women With Epilepsy
Has anyone experienced severe acne breakouts related to Topamax? Right now I have a huge zit (like 3 or 4 zits in one) on my chin. I was reading up and noticed that a side effect of the medication can be acne like this. What can be done about it?
Also, I haven't had seziures since I was 5. Well, I real seziure well I fell out and immobile for 2 minutes. Reading up on the website I come to realize that I still have small ones were I remain conscious (smells, hearings things, not being able to get words out or remember words, etc). I tried to go off of the mediciation about 2 years ago but when I was tested I had to much brain activity. My nuero stated that I was still in the grand mal stage.
Any suggestions?
Comments
Re: having acne problems from Topomax
Submitted by babygirl5958 on Tue, 2010-03-09 - 12:55
Did your skin eventually stop breaking out though? At first I only had a bump here and there (cystic kind) on my face while taking topamax, but as time went on it got worse and I had almost sore-like bumps on my forehead that were very swollen and surrounded by a lot of redness. They surrounded a harmless mole that was on the right side of my forehead and that is where they continued to gather. I didn't understand why that particular area that was so bad. It hurt for me to even touch my face or wash it. My skin did not even feel like real skin anymore. It was just so sensitive to the touch because of how infected it was, I guess. When I cut my dose in half, the acne/rash on my forehead got better, but in the past the doctor had misdiagnosed it as being impetigo! I am completely off topamax now, but still breaking out on my cheeks and sides of my face. For some reason, the right side is worse than the left and I have some acne that won't go away underneath my chin, going onto my neck. I still have some discoloration where all the sores were on my forehead, but at least I am not breaking out as bad up there...but now I am just concerned about the rest of my face. I have so many red and dark marks on it and I am worried if the breakouts don't stop, I will be nothing but a bundle of scars. My skin looks hideous with no make-up, and even with make-up it looks uneven..plus I think make-up irritates it, even though it's the exact same kind I have been using for years and had no problem with! The only place I wasn't affected was the skin underneath my eyes and my nose...basically right down the middle of my face I had no acne!!! So those areas look the way my skin is supposed to look, while the rest looks completely messed up! I had really nice skin before the topamax experience. That is how I knew something was wrong. I just hope it will eventually clear up. It took time for it to get bad, so I guess it will take time for it to get better.
Re: having acne problems from Topomax
Submitted by fashunchic1 on Wed, 2012-07-11 - 22:35
I also had an awful experience with Topamax. At first I thought that maybe it was my make-up or skin care, but then I realized that nothing had changed except for my medication. I had been on Topamax for a few months before I noticed any major changed and then all of a sudden I went from having one or two cystic pimples (which I never got before) to having break outs. They were usually on my chin or on my cheek. I have only had these break outs for around three months now but I am stopping Topamax. I take the meds for my migraines and I am on a very low dosage. I know that there are other meds out there that will not cause such damage to my skin. I dont want scars on my skin and at this rate I may have scars if I continue to use Topamax. I tried everything to control the breakouts. If anyone knows any way of clearing up the breakouts quicker then please let me know! I've tried steaming my face, saliycic acid, neutrogena acne wash, etc. Thanks!
Re: having acne problems from Topomax
Submitted by Shairon on Sun, 2009-02-15 - 06:11
Topamax caused me to have a huge acne breakout, even though I had perfect skin all my life prior to that. I have now changed drugs but am left with huge scars all over my face! Not happy!