I was on Topamax twice. Within 2 weeks of taking it I would get very sick almost flu like and stop eating all together for a week. Lost about 5 lbs each time. To me it wasn't worth it. I didn't notice any positive effects for me. Hope you have better luck!

Topamax at 50 mg twice a day is my lifesaver when it comes to migraines. It virtually eliminated my migraines entirely, which were so bad I was utterly debilitated about 15-20 days per month. It took the better part of 2-3 months for me to become aware it was working and the fact that I hadn't had a migraine in at least a month (started in June, revalation in September). The wonderful part is I started it in the beginning of summer which is the peak of my migraine season and I had at most one migraine all summer! Yes, I've had a few mild migraines since, but they've been readily treated with Fioricet. I can count on one hand the number of days I've been prostate with a headache since after that first month!

The side effects I experienced were minimal. I did lose the interest in food for about a month so I literally kept a diary of meals and my husband asked me throughout the day if/what I had to eat and basically made me eat, even if it was just a couple of Ensure. I have a tendency not to eat to begin with so this made things worse. So keep an eye on your food intake and be sure to keep up with your food to be sure you don't stop eating or lose too much weight. I occasionsly did and rarely still do get some mild tingling (pins and needles) in my feet and now in the tips of my fingers, but nothing severe or so disconcerting that I would consider stopping the medication. In fact I keep kicking myself for putting off the neurologists for so many years and not trying this earlier!

Topamax requires split dosing, morning and night, so be sure that you're building up to 50 mg in the morning and 50 mg at night (usually as 25pm, then 25pm/25am, 50 pm/25 am, finally 50 pm/50 am), and not the full 100 mg in a single dose. It needs to be taken in a split dose in order to keep a steady level in the bloodstream throughout the course of the day.

I tried the beta blocker route years ago although I don't recall what medication was used (I was/am also on a different blood pressure medication for hypertension). I found it utterly ineffective and all it did was to make me extremely tired (a very common side effect as beta blockers are designed to both slow the heart rate while relaxing and expanding the arteries). Even while exercising my heart rate never went above 100 beats per minute, which was very disturbing. It had no effect on my blood pressure, so at least in my case it didn't lower it further than it needed to be (I don't know what effect it had on my kidneys, which regulate blood pressure; they must have gone crazy trying to counteract the effect of so much BP medications....I have the hypertension from a kidney disease).

I'm a firm believer of trying one medication at a time in order to be able to determine which is effective. I did this with the Topamax. I was getting Botox injections (somewhat effective in reducing the intensity of the migraines), but purposely skipped the injections after starting the Topamax to ensure I was only trying one medication at a time. As it turns out, I don't need the Botox anymore (thankfully I do have the option of going back to it if my headaches change again).

By starting both Topamax and the beta blocker at the same time, if something works or you get severe side effects, you'll never really know which to cheers for and which to blame. Personal opinion, I would highly recommend talking with your headache specialist about a single drug approach. I know you are desperate for relief and want it now, but if you can hold out just a bit and try one medication first, see how it works, and either discontinue the first or add a second medication depending on the effectiveness of the first one, you'll be better off and less medicated (and probably less frustrated) in the long run. Personal opinion, I'd try the Topamax first and give it a full 3 month trial, and if it works on its own, great; you're good to go. If it's helpful, but you need more, add the beta blocker. If it does nothing, TAPER OFF, the Topamax (never stop it abruptly) and start the beta blocker. This way you always know what is actually working.

Good luck and I hope you get some relief soon. In the mean time, try some wraparound the head icepacks. I have some that literally wrap all the way around and stay in place with velcro and stay cold for a couple of hours.

thank you so much. one of my friends is on her third month of topamax and is saying the same thing. i pretty much descided to not take the beta blocker for the reason you mentioned plus i already have really low blood pressure and my pharmasist( who is better than most doctors!!!) is quite concerned. im going to contact the doc after the hoiliday and let her know. thank you again so much.

dear lord i have missed everyone!!! i dont know how i survived the last 3 1/2 months without you all!

wishing everyone a pain free 2010 or at least pain free moments.