Migraines are painful headaches, accompanied by various bothersome symptoms including nausea and sensitivity to light and sound. According to Medline Plus, women are three times more likely to experience migraines than men are. Topamax, an anti-seizure medication, is prescribed for those who experience regular migraine headaches, as it may reduce the occurrence of headaches, helping migraine sufferers eliminate many debilitating days of headache pain.
Mental and Behavioral Changes
Topamax (topiramate) is different from common pain medications taken to relieve the symptoms of a migraine. The drug is a prevention method, which works to decrease the migraine headaches by calming excitement in the brain thought to initiate a migraine headache. Side effects associated with Topamax include mental changes like difficulty finding words, memory problems and trouble concentrating. Suicidal thoughts or thoughts of harming yourself may also arise, though this side effect is rare, occurring in about one in 500 people, according to Medline Plus. Other adverse behavioral side effects include depression, anxiety, aggression or panic attacks.
Serious Physical Effects
Serious physical effects associated with the use of Topamax for migraines include blurred vision or eye pain, slow heart rate or irregular heartbeat, difficulty breathing or breathing changes, nausea, vomiting or stomach pain, pain in the back or side, loss of appetite, fever or chills, changes in urine such as bloody or cloudy urine and frequent need to urinate. Chest pain, excessive tiredness and inability to respond to things around you may also occur. According to Medline Plus, these side effects are severe and require medical attention.
Other Side Effects
Other side effects that can occur with the use of Topamax for migraines include numbness in the hands or feet, back muscle or bone pain, lack of coordination, headache, drowsiness, excessive movement or uncontrollable shaking of a part of the body, excessive thirst, bowel changes (constipation or diarrhea), heartburn, inability to taste food, difficulty swallowing, nosebleeds or swelling of the tongue. Women may experience menstrual changes, such as missed menstrual periods or heavy menstrual bleeding. These symptoms may decrease with use with regular use of the drug, however.
Changes in Appearance
Some side effects occurring with Topamax for migraines may affect the appearance, causing weight loss, loss of hair or hair growth in unusual places, dandruff, skin problems or changes in skin color. Swelling may also be visible in the hands, arms, ankles, legs or feet.
