Some medications taken for migraine prevention such as Depakote, Elavil and Pamelor have a tendency to cause weight gain. According to the Journal of the American Medical Association, researchers have established what many of us knew from our own experiences: preventative Topamax (topamirate) does not. In fact, patients taking it often lose weight.Treating Migraines Without Weight Gain
Lead author Jan Lewis Brandes, M.D., a neurologist in Nashville, Tenn., studied 468 people with chronic headaches. People taking Topamax had fewer headaches, experienced fatigue and nausea and lost weight.
Those taking 100 mg of Topamax a day went from an average of 6 headaches a month to 3.5. People taking 200 mg of Topamax a day went from an average of 5 headaches a month to 3. Patients taking Topamax lost an average of 3-4 percent of their body weight.
My personal experience with Topamax was not favorable. I definitely lost weight while on the drug, but it was because I was so constantly nauseated that I couldn't stand to eat. It was not an effective preventative for me. However it is effective for many people. Further, many are able to tolerate it quite well.
For more information about the use of Topamax as a migraine preventative, please read this article by expert Teri Robert:
Topamax Doseage, Titration and Tapering
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Migraine Prevention News: Depakote, Topamax Better Than Placebo
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Content by Diana E. Lee.
