New Daily Persistent Headache Support Group

I started Topamax (actually Topiramate) a week ago. I started at 25mg and the same day noticed that my headache was worse. It has been constantly bad ever since (I'm still taking the Topamax and have increased my dosage to 50mg/day). I have other side effects of arm/leg tingling, feeling lethargic, cognitive disruption, and if it was just those I could handle it fine, but this headache is awful. It is different than my normal, daily headache, which is how I know it is attributed to the Topamax, and it is very intense. Taking Ibuprofen seems to take the edge off enough to be able to function, but I don't want to become dependent on that.

This is my second time on Topamax. I first took it a year ago and did not experience anything like this.

Has anyone else experienced this?

I haven't been on Topamax, but I'm currently on Zoloft and found that thats making my headache worse. I've heard it quit a few times before that peoples headaches became worse on certain meds.

Strangely, I too had the same problem the second time around on topamax. The first time I was on it for a year with only mild tingling feet and some cognitive problems. The second time my head flared up an eventually settled when I came off the topamax. I know it is possible for a med to not work as well the second time around, but it is strange that it makes the pain worse.

I have not had that with topamax, but I have had a different med make my headache worse. It is sort of odd for it to do it the second time instead of the first though. I am not really sure why it would do that unless it is something about the difference between generic and regular. I know I had to adjust my dosage when I switched between those (apparently different and inactive ingredients does make a difference in how it works for me) so maybe it makes some side effects more prominent too?

It was Topiramate that I was on last year too, and I had some mild success then which is why I was trying it again. I think I'm going to taper off of it, the pain is too much. I just find it so odd that it hit me on day one on the lowest dose.

I didn't get worse on Topamax, but have on other meds. My best suggestion is to go back to the 25mg and stay there until either the side effects start to subside or you can't take the increased headache and other side effects anymore. Sometimes side effects may go away quickly, and sometimes they don't. If you just can't hold out, then make sure you call your doctor, who may want you to stay at 25mg a couple days to taper off, even though you haven't been on it long. I haven't ended up re-trying preventatives, but I know some other meds I've re-tried I had different results with years down the road. Kinda surprising. My best guess of why this is happening is you had a different brand last time, whether it was the brand name or just a different generic. Some folks are affected more by those inactive ingredients, and the dose can vary by +/- 20%. Best wishes.

Topamax didn't make my head worse but other meds have. Sometimes it settles down after a couple of weeks, sometimes they just didn't agree with me and I went off them.

I'd advise you to titrate the dose up slowly. Often going up too quickly, especially with something like topamax, can make things worse, and give it some time. If it gets unbearable then talk to your doctor about stopping it. But, if you can hang in there then you might find that it ends up helping. Unfortunately it is very much a process of trial and error.

Welcome! Thank you for sharing. Feel free to start a new intro thread and share as little or much about your headache journey as you feel comfortable. Hope to see you around here again soon. Interesting that you didn't get this affect the first time (assuming the pain increase is from the Topamax and not a coincidence). So did you have daily headaches before the Topamax? Maybe I'm confused with the "I have now had a total of 13 days of headaches", as most of us use the term headache (singular not plural). Have you put a call in to your doctor about this? I have to say that I wouldn't have the will power to have held out for two weeks of increased pain. Its good the plan is to move up very slowly on dose though. Best wishes.

I didn't have any success with Topamax, but it didn't make anything worse for me though. Except my kidneys. Damn drugs gave me a 4mm kidney stone.