Colin - I know you were given this drug for headaches. What I don't know is if you told your doctor you have headaches and wanted to try out this drug knowing it was being studied for use treating scars. Or did you research a drug that had already been prescribed to you and then find out about its side effects.

I just want to know if you spoke at all with your doctor about scars and how topiramate might affect them.

Faye, there was no discussion of scarring improvements with my doc.

I was on it for migranes 50 a day.

Alopicia is a possible side effect, the Dr told me he did not think it was the topamax but after trying hair vitamins and other vitamin treatments such as zinc and black currant oil I finally stopped the topamax and the hair loss stopped as well. So I really do think it was the topamax.

As for the cavities, I live in an area with no floride in the water. They don't believe in it. I think honestly that the dry mouth led to cavities but it is really just a theory.

It took a long time for me to notice the hairloss and become bothered by it. But then after I realized it was happening I freaked out and became totally obsessed with it.

Topamax is excellent for weightloss though I will add. It makes carbonated drinks taste funny and sweets taste yucky. I lost weight on the drug about 10lbs which I have put back on since stopping it.

I still have not gone back on the topa, I am using mederma and hoping that will work. I am still thinking about it though. I had 3 headaches this week.

also about the birth control thing, It makes birth control absorb really fast into your system and become useless.

My Dr said that the birth control becomes metabolized in the liver and becomes diluted to a strength that is too weak to stop you from becoming pregant so while taking it use condoms or some other barrier method

Kady,

How long were you taking it?

Kady, one more question for you. did you have any scars at the time you were taking it and see any imrovemnt? did the indented scar that you're trying to improve now come afterwards?

I was taking it for over 2 years and I stopped Sept 10 2005. I wrote the date down in my dayplanner because I was so upset about the hairloss.

I tried zonegrane afterwards with no good effects and continued shedding, not sure if that was left over topa or not.

I have some scars on my knees and I honestly have no idea if they were better afterwards because they don't bother me. So I wasn't looking.

I just got the indented scar. I am hoping it will still heal but I don't know. I am going to try the mederema and cross my fingers.

Also I was thinking of doing avon anew clinical peel.

I am afraid to take the topamax again. I keep looking at it and then changing my mind.

I wish I had know about the scar thing before because I would have checked all my scars before and after taking it.

I also think maybe the side effects I had from it were because I was on it so long. The dry mouth leading to cavities probably will not happen over night, and it took a long long time before I noticed hair loss.

50mg a day for two years that's quite a bit. I'm only planning to take 25mg a day for 3 months.

50mg a day for two years that's quite a bit. I'm only planning to take 25mg a day for 3 months.

 

I found this discussion thread through a google search on topamax and I just had to register and add my thoughts.

I've had problem skin all my life (acne and roseacea) and have tried so many of the things everyone else has on this board (antibiotics, retin-a, 9 months of accutane, birth control pills, etc etc).

I have also been on Topamax (400 mg) for 2 years now. Let me tell you from my experience, it has done nothing noticable for any scar--either small depressed scars, red scars, or any other sort of facial acne scar, nor any other scar, raised or otherwise, on any part of my body, new or old.

And here's something that hasn't been addressed on this thread--Topamax primarily works by messing with the *frontal lobe* of your brain. Do laser treatments or other forms of facial resurfacing make you forget words, see halos and trails, feel faint and exhausted, or make your limbs feel like pins and needles for hours or days on end? No? Because Topamax does, and it's not fun. It can even cause seizures. Sometimes, you'll forget dumb words like "cup" or "dog" or "pencil," which is why this stuff is commonly known as "Dopamax."

Trust me, it is SO not worth messing with your frontal lobe for a very remote and dubious chance at reducing your facial scars. This stuff is NOT the holy grail you seek!

Personally, I've been having good luck lately at fading scars with Diacneal and then faithfully covering up every day with Vichy's SPF 60 (the only mexoryl that doesn't break me out). But that's for another thread.

So remember kids, there's no hope in Dopamax--at least when it comes to your face!

Thanks for the input. 400 mg is a quite a bit more than 25 mg. By the way in the psoriasis study there was mention that when a particular patient went above 100 mg that his skin improvements diminished.

Yes, thanks for the input, but as Pocket Aces has mentioned I think that's different. You taking 400mg a day for 2 years is a lot more than taking 25mg a day for 2-3 months. Like he mentions, improvements don't seem to happen with higher doses.

Colin, any updates so far, have you had any side effects, seen any improvement?

I have not seen any negative side effects and I won't be making any judgments until 3 months have past.

I have not seen any negative side effects and I won't be making any judgments until 3 months have past.

 

It's great that you haven't encountered any side effects, but that doesn't negate the fact that this drug alters your brain function and chemistry, whether you're taking 5mg for a week or 400mg for several years. It's serious stuff that requires blood and liver monitoring. Everyone who is considering Topamax should be well informed that this stuff is a serious brain drug--not a skin supplement--initially prescribed to prevent seizures. All I'm saying is, hey, knowledge is power.

Agree, but 400mg is 16 times more than 25mg so you're bound to have more problems with the higher dose. Sort of like drinking a beer a day vs 16.

Agree, but 400mg is 16 times more than 25mg so you're bound to have more problems with the higher dose. Sort of like drinking a beer a day vs 16.

 

And taking 25 mg a day is still messing with your frontal lobe. All I'm trying to say is that *regardless of the dose* this is a still a brain drug, not a skin drug, and there's still a chance of side effects. I was feeling the effects of this stuff when I was starting out on 25, and there's plenty of others out there who do as well.

Scarring is hell, and people are willing to try almost anything to get rid of them, but it's just irresponsible to brush aside discussion of the fact that Topamax is first and foremost an anticonvulsant drug with serious side effects, regardless of dosage. Comparing this stuff to beer is unfair.

So please, if you're thinking of taking Topamax for your scars, please read up on the stuff and talk to your doctor first!!!!!

Colin,

I understand that you don't want to make a judgement too quickly but we would all love to know if you have ANY initial thoughts on this drug. I promise we'll take it with a grain of salt.

 

50mg a day for two years that's quite a bit. I'm only planning to take 25mg a day for 3 months.

 

 

I found this discussion thread through a google search on topamax and I just had to register and add my thoughts.

 

I've had problem skin all my life (acne and roseacea) and have tried so many of the things everyone else has on this board (antibiotics, retin-a, 9 months of accutane, birth control pills, etc etc).

 

I have also been on Topamax (400 mg) for 2 years now. Let me tell you from my experience, it has done nothing noticable for any scar--either small depressed scars, red scars, or any other sort of facial acne scar, nor any other scar, raised or otherwise, on any part of my body, new or old.

 

And here's something that hasn't been addressed on this thread--Topamax primarily works by messing with the *frontal lobe* of your brain. Do laser treatments or other forms of facial resurfacing make you forget words, see halos and trails, feel faint and exhausted, or make your limbs feel like pins and needles for hours or days on end? No? Because Topamax does, and it's not fun. It can even cause seizures. Sometimes, you'll forget dumb words like "cup" or "dog" or "pencil," which is why this stuff is commonly known as "Dopamax."

 

Trust me, it is SO not worth messing with your frontal lobe for a very remote and dubious chance at reducing your facial scars. This stuff is NOT the holy grail you seek!

 

Personally, I've been having good luck lately at fading scars with Diacneal and then faithfully covering up every day with Vichy's SPF 60 (the only mexoryl that doesn't break me out). But that's for another thread.

 

So remember kids, there's no hope in Dopamax--at least when it comes to your face!

 

I'm wondering what could possiby seperate you from those individuals who experienced scar reduction in the Florida experiment. It could be likely the doses at 400 mg act differently than that of 50mg.

I don't believe (I hope) people viewing this thread are regarding topirmate as a "holy grail." Point is, in my opinion, if you encounter reduction in scars comparable to that of microdembrasion, chemical peels, etc for three months of threatment, saving nearly a thousand dollars seems economically feasible. No chance of a doctor botching the procedure and further exposing your scars either. Basically no downtime makes this attractable as well.

I'll add this: if improving the physical appearance of my scars means I'll have to endure several months of lapses in memory-- or possible verbal communication, I'll accept it. Yes, the effects of a drug will produce side effects at 50mg or 400mg--but you can't deny the disparity in dosage may be a huge contributer to your experiences.

I trust Colin's input. If he endures problems resulting from adverse side effects, I believe he'll report it.

How goes it?

Man, you topiramate people are stingy with information.

Yup, I don't think Colin wants to update until a much more significant period of time has passed. Faye, did your smoothbeaming + toki work?

Yes, it worked but my scars are not totally gone. They are less apparent and the rest of my skin looks great. In some ways that makes the scars seem a little worse to me. I see almost flawless skin marred by tiny holes. It's very frustrating. I will not be buying any more toki for awhile because I am done with smoothbeam for a few months. I'm going to be traveling and spending money on other things for the time being and I don't know that toki would be worth the money without additional treatments. So I was thinking this might be a great time to pop a pill for a few months and see how that works. But I'm concerned about finishing my thesis while on "dopamax" so I've been waiting to hear if Colin and tj were experiencing any side affects.

Faye, are you quoting your above post from someone, it is a bit confusing. I don't recall you mentioning you were taking Topiramate, are you?

The statement is also contradictory as you say scars are less apparent and then say they look a little worse.

Faye answered to j.l.r.m i guess.

Sorry it was a little confusing. I was answering J.l.r.m. When I said my scars seem worse what I meant was that since the rest of my skin looks so good the scarred parts become even more frustrating. Its like fixing anything. As soon as the most glaring defect is taken care of the more minor problems seem to grow in importance.

I'm not, at this time, taking topiramate but have been considering it.

Oops, yep, sorry I now see the j.l.r.m. post above mine and it makes perfect sense, somehow I missed it...

...it appears no one else is taking the Topiramate for their scars or they are but like you mentioned, they're stingy with the info...probably a side effect of the Topiramate

Yeah, I guess so. Well keep us updated if you get it.