Epilepsy can be a complex disorder.

Taking Control

Master the Basics

Think of epilepsy as an ongoing challenge that can be managed.

The way you choose to deal with your condition, your treatment, any side effects you may experience, and even your day-to-day routine can have a tremendous impact on the way you live your life. Developing the right skills now can make a critical difference.

Begin with the basics. There are many things you can do to increase your independence—but there are a few things you must do.

  • Follow your healthcare professional’s instructions. Take your medicine exactly as prescribed, and consult your healthcare professional before making any changes.
  • Stick to your treatment plan. Make taking your medicine a part of your daily routine.
  • Take sensible precautions. Speak with your healthcare professional or other healthcare professional before taking part in activities such as skiing, skateboarding, or scuba diving.
  • Avoid alcohol. Alcohol can lower the threshold at which seizures occur and may increase the side effects of your medicine.
  • Minimize stress. Get enough sleep on a regular basis, and avoid unnecessary stress.
  • Communicate. Talk with your healthcare professional and those who care about you to let them know what you’re thinking, how you’re feeling, and any concerns you have.
  • Learn as much as you can. Get in touch with others who have epilepsy. Keep up with news from epilepsy organizations. Ask your healthcare professional to recommend groups and newsletters. Keep yourself well-informed, and take an active role in your own care. And—if your healthcare professional decides TOPAMAX is right for you—be sure to join Everyday Essentials™, the FREE support program for people with epilepsy and their loved ones.

Define an Approach That Works for You

A healthy life is the goal: independence, with your seizures as controlled as possible and any limitations overcome or kept to a minimum. But once you’ve set your goal, how do you get there?

The good news is, you’re not facing epilepsy alone. You can partner with your physician to find the appropriate therapy and, if you’re taking medicine, the right dosage levels to control your seizures. Be as active in your own care as you possibly can; if you experience side effects, get your healthcare professional’s advice on how to counter or minimize them.

Treatment aside, you know your situation best. How you choose to deal with the challenges you face depends not only on your condition, but also on who you are. How you choose to set up your life can make the difference between merely coping and taking control.

Keep Learning

More than 3 million Americans have some form of epilepsy, and most of them live their lives with their condition, not around it. Get in touch with other people who are living with epilepsy, and learn what has worked for them. Online communities and local organizations are a good place to start.

 

If you have questions about TOPAMAX, there’s a way you can get answers quickly and easily from people who care.

Just call 1-800-526-7736 to speak with friendly, knowledgeable healthcare professionals.

M-F, 9 AM to 5 PM EST

For more facts and information about epilepsy and its treatment, ask your healthcare professional to recommend publications. Many responsible organizations devoted to epilepsy have Web sites, newsletters, and other useful publications.

Make use of online resources. To read up on specific topics and concerns, visit the Epilepsy Foundation Web site at www.epilepsyfoundation.org.

For links to many other epilepsy resources, visit the Epilepsy Information Page of the National Institutes of Health’s National Institute of Neurological Disorders and Stroke (NINDS). Please see our Important Organizations and Resources page for more.


Access2wellness™ provides access to more than 1,000 free and discounted prescription medications for uninsured and underinsured individuals who qualify.

About TOPAMAX®

TOPAMAX® is approved as initial monotherapy in patients 2 years of age and older with partial-onset or primary generalized tonic-clonic seizures.

Safety and effectiveness in patients who were converted to monotherapy from a previous regimen of other anticonvulsant drugs have not been established in controlled trials.

TOPAMAX® is approved as add-on therapy for patients 2 years of age and older with primary generalized tonic-clonic seizures, partial-onset seizures, or seizures associated with Lennox-Gastaut syndrome.

Important Safety Information

Warnings and Precautions

TOPAMAX ® may cause eye problems. Serious eye problems include: sudden decrease in vision with or without eye pain and redness; blockage of fluid in the eye causing increased pressure in the eye (secondary angle closure glaucoma). These eye problems can lead to permanent loss of vision if not treated. You should call your healthcare professional right away if you have any new eye symptoms.

TOPAMAX ® may cause decreased sweating and increased body temperature (fever). People, especially children, should be watched for signs of decreased sweating and fever, especially in hot temperatures. Some people may need to be hospitalized for this condition.

TOPAMAX ® can increase the level of acid in your blood (metabolic acidosis). If left untreated, metabolic acidosis can cause brittle or soft bones (osteoporosis, osteomalacia, osteopenia), kidney stones, can slow the rate of growth in children, and may possibly harm your baby if you are pregnant. Metabolic acidosis can happen with or without symptoms. Sometimes people with metabolic acidosis will: feel tired, not feel hungry (loss of appetite), feel changes in heartbeat, or have trouble thinking clearly. Your healthcare provider should do a blood test to measure the level of acid in your blood before and during your treatment with TOPAMAX ®. If you are pregnant, you should talk to your healthcare provider about whether you have metabolic acidosis.

Like other antiepileptic drugs, TOPAMAX ® may cause suicidal thoughts or actions in a very small number of people, about 1 in 500. Pay attention to any changes and call your doctor right away if you have any of these symptoms, especially if they are new, worse, or worry you: thoughts about suicide or dying, attempts to commit suicide, new or worse depression, new or worse anxiety, feeling agitated or restless, panic attacks, trouble sleeping (insomnia), new or worse irritability, acting aggressive, being angry or violent, acting on dangerous impulses, an extreme increase in activity and talking (mania), or other unusual changes in behavior or mood.

TOPAMAX ® may affect how you think, and cause confusion, problems with concentration, attention, memory, or speech, depression or mood problems, tiredness, and sleepiness.
Do not stop taking TOPAMAX ® without first talking to your doctor. Stopping TOPAMAX ® suddenly can cause serious problems.

If you take TOPAMAX ® during pregnancy, your baby has a higher risk for birth defects called cleft lip and cleft palate. These defects can begin early in pregnancy, even before you know you are pregnant. There may be other medicines to treat your condition that have a lower chance of birth defects. All women of childbearing age should talk to their healthcare providers about using other possible treatments instead of TOPAMAX ®. If the decision is made to use TOPAMAX ®, you should use effective birth control (contraception) unless you are planning to become pregnant. Tell your healthcare provider right away if you become pregnant while taking TOPAMAX ®. You and your healthcare provider should decide if you will continue to take TOPAMAX ® while you are pregnant. Metabolic acidosis may have harmful effects on your baby. Talk to your healthcare provider if TOPAMAX ® has caused metabolic acidosis during your pregnancy. If you become pregnant while taking TOPAMAX ®, talk to your healthcare provider about registering with the North American Antiepileptic Drug Pregnancy Registry. You can enroll in this registry by calling 1-888-233-2334. The purpose of this registry is to collect information about the safety of antiepileptic drugs during pregnancy.

TOPAMAX ® may cause high blood ammonia levels. High ammonia in the blood can affect your mental activities, slow your alertness, make you feel tired, or cause vomiting.

Taking TOPAMAX ® when you are also taking valproic acid can cause a drop in body temperature (hypothermia) to less than 95ºF, feeling tired, confusion, or coma.

Adverse Reactions

As monotherapy, the most common side effects of TOPAMAX ® (in the 400 mg/day group and at a higher rate, ≥ 5%, than the 50 mg/day group) in adults were tingling in arms and legs, weight decrease, loss of appetite, sleepiness, and difficulty with memory; and in children, fever, weight decrease, mood problems, cognitive problems, infection, flushing, and tingling in arms and legs.

In combination with other antiepileptic drugs (AEDs), the most common side effects of TOPAMAX ® in adults (200 to 400 mg/day) were sleepiness, dizziness, loss of muscle coordination, speech disorders and related problems, psychomotor slowing, abnormal vision, difficulty with memory, tingling in arms and legs, and double vision; and in children (5 to 9 mg/kg/day), fatigue, sleepiness, loss of appetite, nervousness, difficulty with concentration/attention, difficulty with memory, aggressive reaction, and weight decrease.

Tell your doctor about other medications that you are taking. Report any side effect that bothers you or that does not go away.

These are not all the possible side effects of TOPAMAX ®. For more information, ask your healthcare professional or pharmacist.

You are encouraged to report negative side effects of prescription drugs to the FDA. Visit www.fda.gov/medwatch, or call 1-800-FDA-1088.

Please see full US Prescribing Information and Medication Guide.

© Janssen Pharmaceuticals, Inc. 1999-2011. All rights reserved.

Your use of the information on this site is subject to the terms of our Legal Statement. Please see our Privacy Policy.

This site is published by Janssen Pharmaceuticals, Inc., which is solely responsible for its contents.

Capitalized product names are trademarks of Janssen Pharmaceuticals, Inc.

This information is intended for use by our customers, patients and healthcare professionals in the United States only. Janssen Pharmaceuticals, Inc. recognizes that the Internet is a global communications medium; however, laws, regulatory requirements and medical practices for pharmaceutical products vary from country to country. The prescribing information included here may not be appropriate for use outside the United States.

This site was last modified on: Dec 28 2010 at 03:12:20 EST