Topiramate and Weight Loss

Re: Topiramate and Weight Loss

Submitted by Monika Del Bosque on Fri, 2010-12-31 - 03:36

Hi, These postings struck a chord with me because I began taking Topamax in August of 2010. It is the 1st AED that I have been able to tolerate that has kept my seizure activity under control and for that I am grateful. It was only in the past two+ years that epilepsy became an issue for me although in hindsight, I realize that it is something that I suffered from all my life, it just wasn't apparent be/c it wasn't manifesting itself as complex seizures. There is a family history of epilepsy--a brother and sister both have it. So, there's some background. I have battled with eating disorder and body image issues as a teen and in my early twenties, and did a lot of internal and therapeutic work to "heal" from that sort of destructive thinking toward myself. I grew to really love my body in whatever state it was in, even through two pregnancies, and had accepted that after my 2nd pregnancy, I was never going to be a size 2 again (I'm petite, small framed). Plus, with a thyroid disorder, to be thin would be working against the tide of my body. So, I had embraced my size 8, 5'2, 129 lb. body. Then I started the Topamax in late August. I am now down to 116 and a size 4. The neuro doc and my GP aren't too concerned about it--but then neither of them know about my history of having an eating disorder. They both say it's my decision to make regarding whether the seizure benefits outweigh the other side effects. I am really in a quandary. I haven't been able to tolerate the other 4 medications I've tried, so I'm loathe to fiddle with my meds. My HMO denied my request to see a nutritionist to help me with meal planning, etc. Yet, the Topamax has definitely suppressed my appetite. I can go a whole day and only eat one full meal. Large meals make me feel sick to my stomach. Many foods taste strange, or downright bad. Chocolate and coffee taste horrible, and many other things taste bland and make me want to over salt my food. Not good for my blood pressure. I eat a lot of protein, crave fatty salty things, and would love to carb load, but I'm a celiac (yeah, I'm a real piece of work, aren't I?!)--so mac-n-cheese isn't an option. That gluten free kind just doesn't cut it. My hair is falling out, I'm tired and no longer as physically strong as I used to be, and I feel this can all be attributed to poor nutrition at this point. Keeping a garden and cooking the fruits of my gardening labors are some of the great pleasures of my life, and a big inspiration for me, so the quality of my life has gone down--thus contributing to a flatness in my life and a deepening feeling of depression. Depression is something that the epilepsy has always made me battle with. About the only thing the neuro could suggest was giving me an antidepressant, but reminded me that this could lower my seizure threshold (real helpful guy). I feel that if I could get some help with menu planning and find a support group (this whole epilepsy thing is still a pretty new realization), that I could turn a corner and get some weight back on. So, sounds like this rapid weight loss is very common with this drug. For other people, has it come from food tasting bad? Just not being hungry? A combination? Would love feedback and thoughts on this and any of the above. Thanks and best New Year wishes, Monika