I have been on topamax for a long, long time for migraine prevention and it worked very well for me. They increased my dosage to help with trigeminal neuralgia and RSD in my face. My migraines were reduced tremendously! But now, topamax is not as effective so the neurologist is trying elavil...so I am doing the reverse as you, tapering off of topamax while going up on elavil.

I will tell you, not everyone can tolerate topamax. I have so many sensitivities, but I did ok. My neuro told me that my hands would tingle at the beginning and when the dosage was increased, and all I needed to do was eat a kiwi a day and it would take care of it. It worked! The extra potassium gets rid of the tingles. The other side effects usually go away in time, unless they are too severe. Sometimes the dosage needs to start at 25mg instead of 50mg and gradually work up from there. Some people can't tolerate more. I was up to 175mg per day.

Your sleepy feeling may also be coming from taking both meds. My neuro told me if I got too sleepy, to stop the elavil and taper down the topamax more before adding the the elavil again. Your dr may need to adjust how you are tapering/adding these two.

Good luck!!
Nanc

I'm a couple weeks in now and not so sleepy. Almost off the amitriptyline and mostly over to Topamax. So far, I think I'm having fewer headaches. Yay!!! So exciting!!! **knocking furiously on wood***

Yay for you!!! Fewer headaches is definitely exciting! I am still transitioning, so I am sleepy.

I've been on this drup for "maintenance" of headaches since August 2011 and haven't really seen any improvement since I am currently still experiencing headaches. The side effects for me were intense on this drug. They don't call this drug "dopamax" for nothing. I was warned that it would make me stupid and between the Topamax and the Zoloft, I was living in a fog. I had no emotion at all. I was very forgetful and did stupid stuff all the time.

Another side effect that many doctors don't know about is that Topamax will made the taste of soda taste funny to you after a week or two while on this drug. Soda will taste flat while on this drug.

This upside for me while on this drug was that it turned out to be an appetite suppressant. I'm normally a runner working out and running 5 days a week and due to the concussion, I've been out of running 11 months now. This drug has kept me from gaining a lot of unwanted waited. I've been told that some doctors actually prescribe this drug for weightloss but those who use for that intended purpose actually gain weight.

I didn't know aobut the hair loss. I thought I was going crazy!!!! I was losing my hair before the Topamax due to stress but lately its been coming out again but couldn't really come up with a reason. Topamax!! Thanks for posting this!

I have now completed my switch to Topamax and have been on 100 mg Topamax for a couple of weeks. I am having fewer migraines, and when I do feel one coming on I'm usually able to shut it down with Imitrex. I haven't had a really bad headache in quite a while. To be fair, I'm also keeping my days generally more calm and quiet, too.

I am having more trouble sleeping again since being off the amitriptyline, though. I wake up pretty consistently 2 times a night, often around 1-2 and 3-4.

On the bright side, I have quit having the crazy vivid dreams.

Oh, and now I'm waking up with headaches more often. But they seem to be more tension-like than migraine-like, and they are just as likely to go away or stay the same as the day goes on, rather than getting worse.

Wait for a week or two after you're up to your full dose, and then if the side effects are still bad tell your doctor and consider switching. If they're bad you don't have to live with that medication. I had a bad experience with nortriptyline similar to what you're experiencing now and I couldn't do anything until I got off of it. I know I had side effects every time they raised the topamax (I'm currently going off it), but your side effects could be amitriptyline withdrawal too. I also have memory issues that people are talking about and loss of appetite. My first doctor told me that those side effects were rare but my current doctor said that people who are on topamax for post-concussion syndrome experience more of the side effects than seizure patients (who also take the drug).

I'd say my experience with this drug was pretty similar. I could only take it for two weeks before the spinning got so bad I was having a hard time getting around my house.

I've been on a very low dose of topomax for about 6 weeks now, 15 mgs 2x a day. I've not noticed a dramatic improvement, but also not any bad side effects at this dose. We're starting so low because I've reacted poorly to every other drug prescribed. I expect the dosage will increase at my next appointment.

One thing I have noticed, is I haven't woken up crying at night because of my headaches for a couple weeks. They still wake me up, I'm just not crying. That IS an improvement, really.

I'm hopeful that a slight increase will bring more relief and not too many other problems.

Starr