We know you’re concerned about seizures

We also know seizures aren’t your only concern.

How TOPAMAX Can Help

Freedom From Seizures Is the Goal

TOPAMAX may help you reach your ultimate goal—freedom from seizures.

TOPAMAX has a proven safety and efficacy profile and is a generally well-tolerated antiseizure medicine, proven to be effective in controlling a broad range of seizures in adults and children age 2 or older.

TOPAMAX Works Well With Other Antiepileptic Drugs

Because TOPAMAX works well with other medicines, it may also be prescribed along with another antiepileptic drug for patients who are still having seizures while taking the other treatment.

In combination with other antiepileptic drugs, TOPAMAX has been proven to be effective at controlling seizures in adults and children age 2 or older who have:

Partial-onset seizures
Primary generalized tonic-clonic seizures
Seizures associated with Lennox-Gastaut syndrome

TOPAMAX: Used by Millions Since 1997

Since its introduction in the U.S. in 1997, TOPAMAX has helped many people to achieve better control of their seizures. Other facts you should know about TOPAMAX are listed below.

TOPAMAX has a proven safety profile.
More than 4 million people worldwide have taken topiramate since it was first introduced, regardless of condition.
TOPAMAX is not associated with drug-induced weight gain.
TOPAMAX can be combined with many other medicines that you may be taking.

TOPAMAX May Be Right for You

Just as every person is different, so is every antiseizure medication. Because different people do not always respond in exactly the same way to the same medicine, you may need to try several medicines before you find the medicine (or combination of medicines) that does the best job of controlling your seizures with the fewest side effects. Your healthcare professional can work with you to find the treatment that is best for you.

TOPAMAX Offers Treatment Support

Treatment support can make a difference. If you or your loved one are taking TOPAMAX, join the FREE Everyday Essentials™ support program and learn how to get the most out of your treatment. Benefits include expert answers to your treatment questions, product rebates, support giver information, help finding resources in your area—and much more.

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About TOPAMAX^®

TOPAMAX^® is approved as initial monotherapy in patients 10 years of age and older with partial-onset or primary generalized tonic-clonic seizures.

Effectiveness was demonstrated in a controlled trial in patients with epilepsy who had no more than 2 seizures in the 3 months prior to enrollment. 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

Serious risks associated with TOPAMAX^® include lowered bicarbonate levels in the blood resulting in an increase in the acidity of the blood (metabolic acidosis). Symptoms could include hyperventilation (rapid, deep breathing), tiredness, loss of appetite, irregular heartbeat or changes in the level of alertness. Call your doctor immediately if you get these symptoms. Your doctor may want to do simple blood tests. Chronic, untreated metabolic acidosis may increase the risk for kidney stones or bone disease.

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, 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.

Do not stop taking TOPAMAX^® without first talking to your doctor. Stopping TOPAMAX^® suddenly can cause serious problems.

Other serious risks include decreased sweating, increased body temperature, kidney stones, sleepiness, dizziness, confusion, difficulty concentrating, and increased eye pressure (glaucoma). Call your doctor immediately if you have any decrease in vision or eye pain. These problems can lead to blindness if not treated right away.

More common side effects in adults are nervousness, coordination problems, fatigue, speech problems, slowed thinking, memory difficulty, tingling in arms and legs, and double vision; and in children, fatigue, loss of appetite, nervousness, memory difficulty, aggressive behavior, and weight loss.

As monotherapy, the most common side effects of TOPAMAX^® (in the 400 mg/day group and at a rate higher than the 50 mg/day group) in adults were tingling in arms and legs, weight decrease, sleepiness, loss of appetite, dizziness, and difficulty with memory; and in children, weight decrease, upper respiratory tract infection, tingling in arms and legs, loss of appetite, diarrhea, and mood problems.

In combination with other antiepileptic drugs (AEDs), the most common side effects of TOPAMAX^® in adults (200 to 400 mg/day) were sleepiness, dizziness, nervousness, loss of muscle coordination, fatigue, 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 you take.

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 U.S. Prescribing Information.

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This information is intended for use by our customers, patients and healthcare professionals in the United States only. Ortho-McNeil Neurologics, Division of Ortho-McNeil-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: Jul 26 2007 at 13:45:29 EDT