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Memory Loss/Side Effects - Lamictal vs. Topomax
Fri, 10/30/2009 - 20:17Hello,
I am wondering if anyone can tell me their experiences with the side effects of different medicines, particularly Lamictal and Topomax.
I have been on Lamictal for about 2 (going on 3) years now and since then I have had a lot of difficulty with my memory as well as other side effects that I didn't have when I took Tegretol XR. I take 300 mg twice a day of Lamictal.
I really have never felt controlled with Lamictal, have become fairly clumsy, am SUPER tired (moreso than when I was on the Tegretol), have migraines, and NO MEMORY. My short-term memory, especially is VERY bad. I had fogginess and tiredness with Tegretol, but I don't remember it being nearly this bad.
Now, I am having significant auras multiple times a day, every couple days, and had a breakthrough partial complex last week so my neuro and I are talking about switching meds. Apparently the Lamictal levels in my blood are too high and I am showing signs of toxicity b/c of the way I am metabolizing the meds, so increasing my dosage of Lamictal isn't an option. My neurologist suggested putting me on Topomax for control purposes and to help with my migraines which I was totally fine with until I started reading some of the posts here about Topomax.
Topomax sounds. . .scary. I am terrified of switching to a medication that will not only sustain my clumsiness, tiredness, and memory loss, but also increase depression, make my hands tingle, give me extreme weight-loss, etc., etc.! The brain-function issue and the tiredness issue are huge for me. . .I am in the middle of writing my thesis and need all the brain-power I can manage. I am so tired of being tired and like I can't function. While my friends go to work at 7, then exercise afterwards, go out to eat and to a concert all in one day (!). . .I go to work or school and am so tired that I can't do much of anything else. It's terrible. If I am already struggling with that while being on the Lamictal, will Topomax be worse? Now I feel like both medicines aren't good choices for me.
Does anyone have any advice about this? Has anyone out there ever had positive results with Topomax? Is there ANY anti-convulsant that DOESN'T cause such horrible cognitive fogginess and tiredness???
Sorry for such a long post, but any help or advice would be very much appreciated.
~JLSB
Comments
Re: Memory Loss/Side Effects - Lamictal vs. Topomax
Submitted by sdeas on Tue, 2010-03-23 - 16:51
I currently take Lamictal, Topamax, Keppra XR, and now Vimpat. I know...but surgery is not an option. I take the 300mg of Lamictal twice a day and have fatigue with it, however, the Topamax is what drives me insane. I take 75mg twice a day and I have problems completing a sentence and remembering what I wanted to say. I was on 100mg twice a day and was starting to step down but I started having an increase in auras and partials so I stayed at the 75mg dose. It's frustrating though because I was once an eloquent speaker and now I have to practice what I want to say in my head before I speak or I can't find the words. It makes me very nervous. I always have a notepad with me so I can remember what was discussed at meetings and what my assigned tasks are because I seriously cannot remember at times. It's so frustrating!!!
The new medication Vimpat has worked amazingly well. I haven't had any auras or breakthrough seizures since I've been on it the last 11 weeks. I'm no more fatigued or mentally exhausted as I was before I started taking it so things are pretty good. Maybe look into it because it's for partial seizures.
I presented my thesis while I was Dilantin, Lamictal, and Topamax. Stand strong for a 'lil while longer and then make a med change. You're used to what you're dealing with now and having to do research, analysis, and a crucial presentation while adjusting to a new medication regiment may be too intense.
Let me know if I can help out in any other way.
SLD
I currently take Lamictal, Topamax, Keppra XR, and now Vimpat. I know...but surgery is not an option. I take the 300mg of Lamictal twice a day and have fatigue with it, however, the Topamax is what drives me insane. I take 75mg twice a day and I have problems completing a sentence and remembering what I wanted to say. I was on 100mg twice a day and was starting to step down but I started having an increase in auras and partials so I stayed at the 75mg dose. It's frustrating though because I was once an eloquent speaker and now I have to practice what I want to say in my head before I speak or I can't find the words. It makes me very nervous. I always have a notepad with me so I can remember what was discussed at meetings and what my assigned tasks are because I seriously cannot remember at times. It's so frustrating!!!
The new medication Vimpat has worked amazingly well. I haven't had any auras or breakthrough seizures since I've been on it the last 11 weeks. I'm no more fatigued or mentally exhausted as I was before I started taking it so things are pretty good. Maybe look into it because it's for partial seizures.
I presented my thesis while I was Dilantin, Lamictal, and Topamax. Stand strong for a 'lil while longer and then make a med change. You're used to what you're dealing with now and having to do research, analysis, and a crucial presentation while adjusting to a new medication regiment may be too intense.
Let me know if I can help out in any other way.
SLD
Re: Memory Loss/Side Effects - Lamictal vs. Topomax
Submitted by cacky on Tue, 2011-03-29 - 09:11
hello,
I have been on Keppra for the past year ( I had been on tegretol for many years,with very good control-(-until two years ago) I was initially put on 1,000 mg. a day--then2,000--3,000 now 4,000 --I have never been a depressed person in my life (until now) It has also made me really tired ( I have always had an abundance of energy) I also have been very grumpy and I am so afraid people aren't going to want to be near me. I really don't want to go on anti-depressants so have been doing everything I can to help with the depression ( multi-vitamins, extra c, omega 3,extra b) I have only been on the4.000mg. for a couple of months (I really didn't notice many side effects on the 1,000 and 2,000 level)-Good Luck finding the right medicine (tegretol controlled my seizures for many years with very few side effects and a very small dosage--unfortunately, things changed)
hello,
I have been on Keppra for the past year ( I had been on tegretol for many years,with very good control-(-until two years ago) I was initially put on 1,000 mg. a day--then2,000--3,000 now 4,000 --I have never been a depressed person in my life (until now) It has also made me really tired ( I have always had an abundance of energy) I also have been very grumpy and I am so afraid people aren't going to want to be near me. I really don't want to go on anti-depressants so have been doing everything I can to help with the depression ( multi-vitamins, extra c, omega 3,extra b) I have only been on the4.000mg. for a couple of months (I really didn't notice many side effects on the 1,000 and 2,000 level)-Good Luck finding the right medicine (tegretol controlled my seizures for many years with very few side effects and a very small dosage--unfortunately, things changed)
Re: Memory Loss/Side Effects - Lamictal vs. Topomax
Submitted by blaarb on Tue, 2010-03-23 - 10:17
I too was just on topamax and man let me tell you it kinda made me feel like an extra in a george romero flick ( a zombie) so i got together with my doc and we just started me on a switch to keppra. I stated the step down the ladder and i feel like a new man again. while on the topamax i did see a definate decrease in migraines and also in simple partial episodes, but it was like cutting off a hand because you had a hang nail. then again you don't really know unless you try. most of these meds might work for some and not for others. That being said any body ever had any significant side effects on keppra? hope you don't mind if i ask in someone else's forum. Med changes are kinda scary, its the evil you know versus the evil you don't i guess. Anyways i think you should give it a go, but maybe wait until after you write your thesis if you think you could get the paper out the way you are in case it gets worse.