What is Topiramate?
Topiramate is used with alone or with other medications to treat certain types of seizures in people who have epilepsy. Topiramate is also used with other medications to control seizures in people who have Lennox-Gastaut syndrome (a disorder that causes seizures and developmental delays). Topiramate is used to treat patients who continue to have seizures even when they take other anti-seizure medications. Topiramate is also used to prevent migraine headaches, but not to relieve the pain of mi...
Brand Name
Topama
Other Names
What is Topiramate?
Topiramate is used with alone or with other medications to treat certain types of seizures in people who have epilepsy. Topiramate is also used with other medications to control seizures in people who have Lennox-Gastaut syndrome (a disorder that causes seizures and developmental delays). Topiramate is used to treat patients who continue to have seizures even when they take other anti-seizure medications. Topiramate is also used to prevent migraine headaches, but not to relieve the pain of migraine headaches when they occur. Topiramate is in a class of medications called anticonvulsants. It works by decreasing abnormal excitement in the brain.
How
Topiramate may control your seizures or migraines, but will not cure your condition. Continue to take topiramate even if you feel well. Do not stop taking topiramate without talking to your doctor. If you suddenly stop taking topiramate, you may have severe seizures, even if you have not had seizures in the past. Your doctor will probably decrease your dose gradually.Prepare a teaspoonful of soft food such as applesauce, custard, ice cream, oatmeal, pudding, or yogurt.Hold the capsule upright over the food. You should be able to read the word 'TOP' on the capsule.Twist off the clear part of the capsule and pour the entire contents onto the spoonful of food.Swallow the entire mixture immediately without chewing.Drink fluids right after swallowing to wash down the mixture and to be sure that you swallow all of it.
Side Effects
numbness, burning, or tingling in the hands or feetslowed reactionsdifficulty concentratingspeech problems, especially difficulty thinking of specific wordsmemory problemslack of coordinationconfusionnervousnessaggressive behaviorirritabilitymood swingsdepressionheadachedrowsinessweaknessexcessive movementuncontrollable shaking of a part of the bodyuncontrollable eye movementsextreme thirstweight lossconstipationdiarrheaheartburnchange in ability to taste foodswelling of the tongueovergrowth of the gumsdry mouthincreased salivatrouble swallowingnosebleedteary or dry eyesback, muscle, or bone painmissed menstrual periodsexcessive menstrual bleedingskin problems or changes in skin colordandruffhair lossgrowth of hair in unusual placesringing in the earsdifficulty falling or staying asleepswelling of the hands, arms, feet, ankles, or lower legsdifficulty urinating or pain when urinatingTopiramate may cause other side effects. Call your doctor if you have any unusual problems while taking this medication.http://www.fda.gov/MedWatch/index.html
Precautions
Before taking topiramate,tell your doctor and pharmacist if you are allergic to topiramate or any other medications.tell your doctor and pharmacist what prescription and nonprescription medications, vitamins, nutritional supplements, and herbal products you are taking. Be sure to mention any of the following: acetazolamide (Diamox); amitriptyline; antidepressants; antihistamines; dichlorphenamide (Daranide); digoxin (Lanoxin, Digitek); ipratropium (Atrovent); iron; isoniazid (INH, Nydrazid); hydrochlorothiazide (Microzide, Oretic); lithium (Eskalith, Lithobid); medications for anxiety, irritable bowel disease, mental illness, motion sickness, Parkinson's disease, ulcers, or urinary problems; metformin (Glucophage); methazolamide; oral contraceptives (birth control pills); other medications for seizures such as carbamazepine (Tegretol) and phenytoin (Dilantin, Phenytek); pioglitazone (Actos); risperidone (Risperdal); salicylate pain relievers such as aspirin, choline magnesium trisalicylate (Trisalate), choline salicylate (Arthropan), diflunisal (Dolobid), magnesium salicylate (Doan's, others), and salsalate (Argesic, Disalcid, Salgesic); sedatives; sleeping pills; tranquilizers; valproic acid (Depakene, Depakote); and zonisamide (Zonegran). Your doctor may need to change the doses of your medications or monitor you carefully for side effects.tell your doctor if you or any family members have or have ever had kidney stones, if you drink or have ever drunk large amounts of alcohol, and if you have ever thought about killing yourself or tried to do so. Also tell you doctor if you have or have ever had metabolic acidosis (a disturbance in the body's acid-base balance that results in excessive acidity of the blood.); osteopenia, osteomalacia, or osteoporosis (conditions in which the bones are soft or brittle and may break easily); diabetes; glaucoma (a type of eye disease); any disease that affects your breathing such as asthma or chronic obstructive pulmonary disease (COPD); depression or abnormal moods; a growth problem; or liver or kidney disease. Also tell your doctor if you have diarrhea or if you develop diarrhea during your treatment.tell your doctor if you are pregnant, plan to become pregnant, or are breast-feeding. If you become pregnant while taking topiramate, call your doctor.if you are having surgery, including dental surgery, tell the doctor or dentist that you are taking topiramate.you should know that topiramate may make you drowsy, dizzy, confused, or unable to concentrate. Do not drive a car or operate machinery until you know how this medication affects you.if you are taking topiramate to control seizures, you should know that you may continue to have seizures during your treatment. You may need to avoid activities such as swimming, driving, and climbing so that you will not harm yourself or others if you lose consciousness during a seizure.ask your doctor about the safe use of alcoholic beverages while you are taking topiramate.if you are taking oral contraceptives (birth control pills), tell your doctor if unexpected bleeding or spotting occurs. Topiramate can decrease the effectiveness of oral contraceptives.you should know that topiramate can prevent you from sweating and make it harder for your body to cool down when it gets very hot. This happens most often in warm weather and to children who take topiramate. Avoid exposure to heat, drink plenty of fluids and tell your doctor if you have a fever, headache, muscle cramps, or an upset stomach, or if you are not sweating as usual.you should know that you may be more likely to develop a kidney stone while you are taking topiramate. Drink 6-8 glasses of water every day to prevent kidney stones from forming.
Overdose
In case of overdose, call your local poison control center at 1-800-222-1222. If the victim has collapsed or is not breathing, call local emergency services at 911.
seizuresdrowsinessspeech problemsblurred visiondouble visiontrouble thinkingtirednessloss of coordinationloss of consciousnessdizzinessstomach painvomitingagitationdepressionloss of appetitepounding or irregular heartbeatfast, shallow breathing
What If I Forget
Take the missed dose as soon as you remember it. However, if it is less than 6 hours before you are scheduled to take your next dose, skip the missed dose and continue your regular dosing schedule. Do not take a double dose to make up for a missed one.
Storage
Keep this medication in the container it came in, tightly closed, and out of reach of children. Tablets should be stored at room temperature and away from excess heat and moisture (not in the bathroom). Sprinkle capsules should be stored at or below 77
Dietary Restrictions
Talk to your doctor before changing your diet or beginning any type of weight loss program. Do not follow a ketogenic diet (a high-fat, low-carbohydrate diet used to control seizures) or any other high-fat, low-carbohydrate diet, such as the Atkins diet, while you are taking this medication.
Miscellaneous
It is important for you to keep a written list of all of the prescription and nonprescription (over-the-counter) medicines you are taking, as well as any products such as vitamins, minerals, or other dietary supplements. You should bring this list with you each time you visit a doctor or if you are admitted to a hospital. It is also important information to carry with you in case of emergencies.
Other Uses
Topiramate is also used for the management of alcohol dependence. Talk to your doctor about the risks of using this medication for your condition.
The AHFS MedMaster Consumer Medication Information CMI® database is copyrighted by the American Society of Health-System Pharmacists, Inc. © 2008, ASHP, Bethesda, Maryland 20814. All Rights Reserved. Duplication must be expressly authorized by ASHP, unless such duplication consists of printing or downloading portions of the data inherent in the program for non-commercial use. The American Society of Health-System Pharmacists, Inc. represents that the database provided hereunder was formulated with a reasonable standard of care, and in conformity with professional standards in the field. The American Society of Health-System Pharmacists, Inc. makes no representations or warranties, express or implied, including, but not limited to, any implied warranty of merchantability and/or fitness for a particular purpose, with respect to such database and specifically disclaims all such warranties and representations. Users are advised that decisions regarding drug therapy are complex medical decisions requiring the independent, informed decision of an appropriate health care professional, and the database is provided for informational purposes only. The entire monograph for a drug should be reviewed for a thorough understanding of the drug's actions, uses and side effects. The American Society of Health-System Pharmacists, Inc. does not endorse or recommend the use of any drug in the database. The information contained in the database is not a substitute for medical care.
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