clinic Posted May 5, 2015 Share Posted May 5, 2015 Has anybody here reversed the cognitive impairment caused by topamax without using stimulants(ritalin,adderal,vyvanse) ? I've psychosis so I can't take stimulants, so I was wondering what options I have. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Wonderful.Cheese Posted May 5, 2015 Share Posted May 5, 2015 You are already taking a stimulant though. Modafinil is Provigil brand name. Unless your sig isn't current. Stimulants make me whack so I don't take them either. I just stopped ritalin today. I can't afford it with the constant EKG's and the cardiologist appointments too. Not everyone has to go through that though apparently. So I guess what I'm trying to say is talk to your pdoc. Latuda is also an AAP that is supposed to help cognitive functions for those with SZ disorders. I take it and notice my head is clearer. But do talk this all over with your pdoc. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
jt07 Posted May 5, 2015 Share Posted May 5, 2015 I don't take topamax, but I take meds that have the potential for cognitive impairment. I've found that Abilify really, really helps. I think more clearly and my thoughts move more quickly on Abilify. (Usually, my thoughts move like molasses in January due to my depression.) Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Stickler Posted May 5, 2015 Share Posted May 5, 2015 For me, the dopey part of Dopeymax decreased quite a bit while I was still on it. ...It's not that it did not work as a mood stabilizer, but it makes me vulnerable to heat, and that's a problem for me. It's hot here. I was on 125 mg/day for a while. I'm now taking trileptal, it seems to be doing the trick without the heat sensitivity. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
clinic Posted May 5, 2015 Author Share Posted May 5, 2015 You are already taking a stimulant though. Modafinil is Provigil brand name. Unless your sig isn't current. Stimulants make me whack so I don't take them either. I just stopped ritalin today. I can't afford it with the constant EKG's and the cardiologist appointments too. Not everyone has to go through that though apparently. So I guess what I'm trying to say is talk to your pdoc. Latuda is also an AAP that is supposed to help cognitive functions for those with SZ disorders. I take it and notice my head is clearer. But do talk this all over with your pdoc. I can tolerate Modafinil only upto 100mg. Never tried latuda. I told pdoc about stopping clozapine cuz of weight gain. He said no, instead he added topamax. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
San Posted May 7, 2015 Share Posted May 7, 2015 I took 400mg of Topamax at one point because I kept getting manic and they were trying to stop it, so the dose just went up and up. Eventually I came off it due to too much weight loss that wouldn't stop (I was dangerously underweight in a baaad way) The dope-a-max goes away after a little bit. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
clinic Posted May 8, 2015 Author Share Posted May 8, 2015 I took 400mg of Topamax at one point because I kept getting manic and they were trying to stop it, so the dose just went up and up. Eventually I came off it due to too much weight loss that wouldn't stop (I was dangerously underweight in a baaad way) The dope-a-max goes away after a little bit. I'm now on 200mg of topamax and haven't lost any weight. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
dancingteapot Posted May 8, 2015 Share Posted May 8, 2015 I didn't lose anything on topamax...I gained I didn't have any cognitive issues I'm also on clozaril but I can't change that Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
uncomfortable thoughts Posted June 8, 2015 Share Posted June 8, 2015 (edited) I was on topiramate for five months, at 100mg tops, it completed reversed my cognitive problems and very quickly after I quit, I didn't felt difficulties even when I tapered to 50mg a day. it become kind of severe at 100mg, I started to feel confused in the middle of a simple conversation, couldn't express myself and find words, was frustrated to speak or elaborate arguments. What did not reversed yet was my hair loss and kidney stone. I used to lose almost 6lbs a month on it but I couldn't keep myself on it because of the kidney stone, I was bearing being confused and dizzy for the weight lose, I was on topiramate mono therapy, that's probably why it worked wonders on losing weight, but I couldn't feel safe as a mood stabilizer in a mono therapy, I had to handle some stressful things more than usual, but was working, no problems on those 5 months and in this low dosage. Minimum for bipolar. Edited June 8, 2015 by uncomfortable thoughts Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Sloane Posted June 8, 2015 Share Posted June 8, 2015 I wouldn't suggest taking any stimulant at all for the "cognitive impairments" stemming from Topamax. I tend to get the sudden loss of words, confusion, forgetfulness (like what was I doing?), etc. - but after being on a stable dosage for a long period of time, the side-affects (although still there) lessen and become more tolerable.Also it's important to drink A LOT of water with Topamax, to lessen your chances of developing the kidney stones (and if you ever had kidney stones before, stay way from Topamax).Also increase and decrease the dosage slowly to help metabolize it slower, that way to make the side-affects more tolerable and make it less likely to develop metabolic acidosis.And Topamax doesn't really make you "lose weight"; that's really a common misconception of it. What it does is, it makes you not eat by 1) "forgetting to eat" sometimes 2) physically losing the interest in the taste in some foods (like some sugar type food and soda tastes like ass) and 3) generally causes loss of appetite. And with a little bit of all (3) of those combined a lot of people tend to lose weight. However considering not all people get the same side-affects (and it's a side-affect thing, not a metabolic/pharmacology thing) not all people lose weight with it. 1 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
IcePrincess88 Posted June 8, 2015 Share Posted June 8, 2015 I'm currently on 300mgs of Topamax a day. I was initially prescribed 100mgs of Topamax for migraine prevention by my Neurologist, then my Pain Management doctor told me it could also be used for pain and he started prescribing it to me at 200mgs. It eventually went up to 300mgs. . I frequently can't think of words I need, have horrible memory, stuff like that. It got so bad that I was pretty worried so I went to my neurologist and talked to him about it. He assured me it was just a side effect from the Topamax, but me being me, I didn't believe him and I insisted I had a Brain CT. He ordered the CT, I went the same day to have it, and I waited by the phone all day just knowing my life was about to change and there was going to be something horribly wrong with me. He called about 2 o'clock and let me know that everything was completely normal. I was so relieved! But also so baffled that Topamax was causing all this. I also lost a good amount of weight being on it because it killed my appetite. I wouldn't eat all day until night when I got the Seroquel munchies. Does anymore know if this "Dopamax" effect is permanent? Or is it something that goes away after a while when you stop taking it? 1 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
uncomfortable thoughts Posted June 8, 2015 Share Posted June 8, 2015 I was on topiramate for five months, at 100mg tops, it completed reversed my cognitive problems and very quickly after I quit, I didn't felt difficulties even when I tapered to 50mg a day.My experience. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
RNwithISSUES Posted September 6, 2015 Share Posted September 6, 2015 I'm currently on 300mgs of Topamax a day. I was initially prescribed 100mgs of Topamax for migraine prevention by my Neurologist, then my Pain Management doctor told me it could also be used for pain and he started prescribing it to me at 200mgs. It eventually went up to 300mgs. . I frequently can't think of words I need, have horrible memory, stuff like that. It got so bad that I was pretty worried so I went to my neurologist and talked to him about it. He assured me it was just a side effect from the Topamax, but me being me, I didn't believe him and I insisted I had a Brain CT. He ordered the CT, I went the same day to have it, and I waited by the phone all day just knowing my life was about to change and there was going to be something horribly wrong with me. He called about 2 o'clock and let me know that everything was completely normal. I was so relieved! But also so baffled that Topamax was causing all this. I also lost a good amount of weight being on it because it killed my appetite. I wouldn't eat all day until night when I got the Seroquel munchies. Does anymore know if this "Dopamax" effect is permanent? Or is it something that goes away after a while when you stop taking it? I've been on 200mg of Topomax for at least 5 years and I remember having significant problems with my memory and with word recollection especially during the first year and also the entire first year after my dose was increased. However, as the time has passed, I have noticed that my memory is getting better and I am able to think on my feet much easier than before. I also recently stopped taking Seroquel as well so that might have something to do with it. I was on 200mg of that also. I am on 4 other meds but I won't go into that since we are just talking about Topomax. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
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