Topamax and losing my hair

My psychiatrist started me on Topamax 2 yrs ago for depression from being 75 lbs overweight. Started at 25 mg/day up to 50/day for 2 yrs. Lost 70 lbs and kept off with only minor side effects. Also took 150/day Wellbutrin during this time. (For being kind of a neat freak and washing my hands a lot.- didn't affect my social or work life much) Have slowly started gaining the weight back (+12 lbs). Seem to have built up an immune to the 50/day dosage over the 2 yrs. So he added 25 in the am in addition to the 50 I've been taking in the evening. (1 mo. ago) Having some strange reactions. My memory seems to be taking a real hit. I am a CPA (passed these exams 15 yrs ago) and now I'm studying for the Cert.'d Internal Auditor exams. I am having a great deal of trouble trying to memorize for these 12 hour long tests! I feel fatigued every day. My blurred vision (that requires reading glasses) has gone crazy. I can't read the song book at church at all. And I'm only 47!. I've had acne like bumps all around my nose and face. How could such a slight increase cause so much change? Also sometimes my heart feels like it is going to beat out of my chest. And I'm losing patience w/my 13 yr old son who's pushing my buttons to see how much he can get away with. He seems to sense that I'm not at my best. But if I go off this Topamax and gain back my 70 plds I know I will plunge into a DEEP depression. Has any one talked to their doctor about the possibility of these side effects going away after time? My tingling hands and feet did and my slight hair loss did. And my weight loss is trying to go away but I don't want that. I'm majorly concerned about the memory loss and blurred vision eventually going away. DALIAL

I started Topamax in November of 2007 the usual 25mg and worked my way up to 150mg. I have always had pretty thick hair and now have hair loss in the widows peak and top part of my hair. Needless to say I am devastated. I have cut myself down to 50mg in the am and 50 mg in the pm. My Neurologist states that she has not heard of hair loss but even this web site and the drug company states that it can cause hair loss. I have with the help of a very good massage therapist determined that my migraines are cervical so I am seeking a second opinion and taking myself off this drug. Not worth the hair loss if I don't need to be on this drug.

I am also experiencing hair loss and have been on Topamax about 2 months. I had no idea this was a side effect. I initially lost weight which was wonderful, but then my weight dipped so low my family and friends thought I was anorexic. I was finally wearing a size 3 pants. I normally am in size 8's. I am on it for bi-polar and to help with binge-eating. But I cannot deal with the hair loss. I don't think that being skinny is worth losing my hair for. No other meds have helped my depressive moods without making me gain weight and at this point I just don't want to take any drugs. I would rather try some therapy...that has become less common. The doctors just want to give you a pill now-a-days.

I've been on Topamax since just Tuesday, 10/9/07. I find that I get very tired a couple hours after taking it and I have horrible nightmares and very dark thoughts, too. Diet coke tastes so HORRBILE which is bad because I loved my diet cokes, but then again I guess that's good b/c I need to stop drinking them anyway. My worst side effect is that I have horrible mood swings. Is this normal? Is this going to go away over time? Because if not, I'm going to stop taking it now. This is not like me and I am not going to subject my family to this - losing weight is not THAT important to me. Thanks for any help. :(

P. S. I'm taking 25 mg in the morning, afternoon and evening.

My wife has been on Topamax for 6 months and I feel our relationship is in the gutter. Lack of affection , no sex drive and she zones me out (like a zombie). Doe anyone have the same problems with their loved ones?