• Effectiveness

  Moderate (for epilepsy)
• Side effects

  Severe (for Overall) (weight loss, blurry vision, hearing problems, unexplained itching)
• Adherence

  Always
• Burden

  Not at all hard to take

Dosage: 400 mg Daily

Advice & Tips: Hearing loss is becoming more obvious, vision problems are rapidly becoming a problem also. itching of my larger skin areas is an unusual and new problem that could maybe be due to Topamax or the antidepressant Prozac, unsure about this. I have had terrible crying jags and depression over inappropriate issues in the last year or so that was assumed to be due to my aging process, but was recently debunked by a hormonal test. I therefore believe that the Topamax is a more likely suspect.

Cost: < $25 monthly

Side effects: weight loss, blurry vision, hearing problems, unexplained itching, unexplained itching

• Effectiveness

  Major (for epilepsy)
• Side effects

  Moderate (for Overall) (weight loss, blurry vision, hearing problems)
• Adherence

  Always
• Burden

  Not at all hard to take

Dosage: 400 mg Daily

Advice & Tips: The side effects of Topamax are really tough, but not as tough as others, and certainly not as tough as beating the heck out of yourself and frying your brain during a seizure. I never miss a dose, if I do, I could really end up hurting myself. I take it as exactly to the minute as I can, I do the same with all my meds, and for the last several years since I have been doing this, my seizures have been much less invasive into my life. I also NEVER NEVER take generic epilepsy medication. It must be brand always! Generic is NOT the same, no matter who insists that it is. I can take generic on other medication, but generic Topamax allowed me to have 3 months of severe cluster seizures last year.

Cost: < $25 monthly

Side effects: weight loss, blurry vision, hearing problems, unexplained itching, unexplained itching