Topiramate / Topamax
I have chronic migraine and cluster headaches and have previously tried Botox, calcium channel blockers, prednisolone, candesartan and triptans without any effect. My next step is Topiramate, which I have now taken for two weeks at 25 mg. During the first couple of days I felt very dizzy and a bit nauseous, but it was still manageable. A few days later the nausea eased, but instead I started to feel anxiety creeping in. From day six I began having a constant sensation of being on the verge of a panic attack almost all the time. I also experienced periods of feeling detached from reality or having a dreamlike feeling.
Now after two weeks the plan is to increase to 50 mg per day. The slight dizziness I had in the beginning has become much stronger and it now feels like I am drunk when I walk. At certain times I do not even dare to drive. I work as a nurse and I probably have a bit of an occupational habit of reading about medications and side effects more than I should. I am not sure if I am making the symptoms worse by worrying about them. I am especially anxious about the memory issues because my job requires me to stay sharp, and maybe that is why the anxiety gets worse.
My doctor knows about my experiences and has given me the choice to either stop the medication or continue. My main question is whether anyone has had dizziness that eventually goes away, because that is the side effect that bothers me the most right now.
I would really appreciate if anyone wants to share their experiences with this medication🩷