Topimax
Topimax is a medicine used to treat epilepsy (seizures) in adults and children, and to prevent migraines in adults.
Form
tabletti, kalvopäällysteinen
Strength
100 mg
Active Ingredient
Topiramate
Manufacturer
Janssen-Cilag Oy
How to Use
Dosage
Your doctor will start you on a low dose and slowly increase it until the best dose for you is found.
Method
Swallow Topimax tablets whole. Do not chew them as they taste bitter. You can take Topimax with or without food. Drink plenty of fluids throughout the day to help prevent kidney stones.
Important
Your doctor will determine your maximum daily dose.
Possible Side Effects
COMMON
- •Depression (new or worse)
- •Stuffy or runny nose, sore throat
- •Tingling, pain, and/or numbness in different body parts
- •Drowsiness, tiredness
- •Dizziness
- •Nausea, diarrhea
- •Weight loss
- •Seizures
- •Anxiety, irritability, mood changes, confusion, feeling lost
- •Problems concentrating, slow thinking, memory loss, worse memory
- •Kidney stones, frequent or painful urination
- •Anemia (low blood count)
- •Allergic reactions (like rash, redness, itching, face swelling, hives)
- •Loss of appetite, decreased appetite
- •Aggression, agitation, anger, unusual behavior
- •Difficulty falling asleep or interrupted sleep
- •Speech problems or slurred speech
- •Clumsiness or lack of coordination, feeling unsteady when walking
- •Reduced ability to do routine tasks
- •Decreased, lost, or absent sense of taste
- •Involuntary shaking or trembling, rapid, uncontrollable eye movements
- •Vision problems, such as double vision, blurry vision, decreased vision, difficulty focusing
- •Spinning sensation (vertigo), ringing in the ears, ear pain
- •Shortness of breath
- •Cough
- •Nosebleed
- •Fever, feeling unwell, weakness
- •Vomiting, constipation, stomach pain or discomfort, indigestion, stomach or intestinal infection
- •Dry mouth
- •Hair loss
- •Itching
- •Joint pain or swelling, muscle cramps or twitching, muscle aches or weakness, chest pain
- •Weight gain
RARE
- •Increased blood acidity (can cause breathing problems like shortness of breath, loss of appetite, nausea, vomiting, extreme tiredness, and fast or uneven heartbeat)
- •Decreased or absent sweating (especially in young children exposed to high temperatures)
- •Serious thoughts of self-harm and attempts to harm oneself
- •Loss of part of the field of vision
- •Decreased platelets (blood cells that help stop bleeding), decreased white blood cells (blood cells that fight infection), decreased potassium in the blood
- •Increased liver enzyme levels, increased eosinophils (a type of white blood cell) in the blood
- •Swollen glands in the neck, armpit, or groin
- •Increased appetite
- •Elevated mood
- •Hearing, seeing, or feeling things that are not there (hallucinations), severe mental disorder (psychosis)
- •Lack of emotions and/or inability to show emotions, unusual suspiciousness
- •Panic attack
- •Difficulty reading, speech problems, difficulty writing
- •Restlessness, hyperactivity
- •Slowed thinking, decreased alertness or wakefulness
- •Decreased or slowed body movements, unusual or repetitive involuntary movements
- •Fainting
- •Abnormal or decreased sense of touch
- •Decreased, distorted, or absent sense of smell
- •Unusual sensations that may come before a migraine or certain types of epileptic seizures
- •Dry eyes, sensitivity to light, involuntary eyelid twitching, watery eyes
- •Decreased or lost hearing, hearing loss in one ear
- •Slow or irregular heartbeat, feeling your heart beat in your chest
- •Low blood pressure, low blood pressure when standing up (causing some people taking Topimax to feel weak, dizzy, or faint when standing up suddenly)
- •Blushing, feeling hot
- •Pancreatitis (inflammation of the pancreas)
- •Lots of gas, heartburn, feeling full or bloated in the stomach
- •Bleeding gums, increased saliva, drooling, bad breath
- •Drinking a lot, thirst
- •Skin discoloration
- •Muscle stiffness, side pain
- •Blood in urine, incontinence (loss of control) of urine, urgent need to urinate, side or kidney pain
- •Difficulty getting or keeping an erection, sexual dysfunction
- •Flu-like symptoms
- •Cold fingers and toes
- •Feeling intoxicated
- •Learning difficulties
Important Warnings
- Do not take Topimax if you are allergic to topiramate or any other ingredient in this medicine.
- Do not use if you are pregnant or might become pregnant, unless your doctor says it's the only way to control your seizures. If you can become pregnant, you must use very effective birth control during treatment and for at least 4 weeks after your last dose.
- Tell your doctor if you have kidney problems, especially kidney stones or if you are on dialysis.
- Tell your doctor if you have had abnormal blood or body fluid acidity (metabolic acidosis).
- Tell your doctor if you have liver disease.
Show 7 more warnings
- Tell your doctor if you have eye problems, especially glaucoma (high pressure in the eye).
- Tell your doctor if you have growth problems.
- Tell your doctor if you are on a high-fat diet (ketogenic diet).
- Your weight might decrease while using Topimax. Your weight should be checked regularly. If you lose too much weight, or if a child's weight does not increase as expected, contact your doctor.
- Some people taking Topimax have had thoughts of harming themselves or suicide. If you have these thoughts at any time, contact your doctor immediately.
- Topimax can cause serious skin reactions. Tell your doctor right away if you develop a rash and/or blisters, or if you notice skin irritation, sores, or swelling in the mouth, throat, nose, eyes, or private areas. These rashes can lead to severe skin damage that might be life-threatening.
- Topimax can sometimes increase ammonia levels in your blood, which can affect your brain. Tell your doctor right away if you have trouble thinking, remembering, solving problems, or feel less alert or very sleepy with low energy.