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Topamax is an anticonvulsant, currently offered as a treatment that reduces frequency of migraine headaches. Topamax has been available since 1996 as a treatment for seizure disorders, but has been approved as a migraine prevention treatment only in 2004.

Follow the directions for using this medicine provided by your physicain. Swallow whole: do not break, crush, or chew before swallowing. This medicine may be taken with or without food.

Store at room temp. in a tightly-closed container, away from heat and light.

If you miss a dose, take it as soon as possible. If it is almost time for your next dose, skip the missed dose and go on as usual.

Side effects that you may experience include drowsiness, constipation, loss of coordination, numbness and tingling, tremor, change in speech, decreased sweating, or loss of concentration. If any of the usually mild symptoms listed above persist or are especially bothersome, consult your physicain. Consult your physicain as soon as possible if you experience severe abdominal pain; significant weight loss; memory problems; vision changes; unusual eye movement; fast, deep breathing; unusual tiredness; or irregular heartbeat. Get immediate medical help if you experience increased body temp., unexplained fever, or very serious eye problems such as a sudden vision change or blurred vision, eye pain, or redness. It is unlikely that you will experience an allergic reaction to Topamax, but if you do, you will need immediate medical attention. Topamax may reduce sweating, which could raise the patient's body temp., especially in children. When in hot weather or when you exercise, you should drink plenty of water and dress lightly. Check carefully for signs of decreased sweating, and if this happens, promptly stop exercising and/or look for a cool place to rest in. Seek immediate medical attention if your body temp. is above normal, or if you have mental or mood changes, headache, or dizziness. Contact your physicain for more details.

Additional monitoring of your dose or condition may be needed if you are taking birth control pills; carbamazepine; or other medicines that cause decreased sweating including anticholinergic medicines such as benztropine, amitriptyline, and haloperidol, or carbonic anhydrase inhibitors including acetazolamide and dichlorphenamide. For women, taking this medicine while you are using birth control pills may decrease the effectiveness of your birth control pills. To prevent pregnancy, use an additional form of birth control while you are taking this medicine. Ask your physicain or pharmacist if you need more information. Do not start or stop any medicine without physicain or pharmacist approval.

Tell your physicain about all medical conditions you may have, including allergies, pregnancy, or breast-feeding. Do not take this medicine if you are allergic to any of its ingredients. Do not quit using Topamax without first consulting your physicain; some conditions may become worse when the medicine is suddenly stopped. Keep all physicain and laboratory appointments while you are using this medicine. Laboratory and/or medical tests may be done, such as measuring bicarbonate levels in your blood, before you start taking this medicine and during therapy to monitor for side effects. Before you have any medical or dental treatments, emergency care, or surgery, tell the physicain or dentist that you are taking this medicine. Topamax will increase the effects of alcohol and other depressants. Do not drive or perform any other potentially dangerous activity until you know how you react to Topamax. Before you begin taking any new medicine, either prescription or over-the-counter, check with your physicain or pharmacist. For pregnant women or women who plan to become pregnant: discuss with your physicain the benefits and risks of using this medicine during pregnancy. It is unknown whether Topamax passes into breast milk. If you are or will be breast-feeding while taking Topamax, consult your physicain about possible risks to your baby. If overdose is suspected, contact your local poison control center or emergency room immediately.

Ortho-McNeil Pharmaceutical, Inc. was formed by the 1993 merger of Ortho Pharmaceutical Corporation and McNeil Pharmaceutical. It is a wholly owned subsidiary of Johnson & Johnson, one of the world's largest manufacturers of health care products and provider of various health services. Ortho-McNeil headquarters are located in Raritan, N.J.