Topamax
® (
topiramate) is a prescription medication licensed for the treatment of certain conditions that affect the nervous system. Specifically, Topamax benefits include treating epileptic
seizures (either used alone or in combination with other
seizure medications) and preventing
migraine headaches.
Although it is not entirely clear how this medication works for
epilepsy or
migraines, it is believed to help slow down abnormal electrical signals in the brain. It is also thought that
migraines may be triggered by nerve cells in the brain that are too easily excited. Topamax helps calm the nerve cells, working to prevent a migraine from ever starting.
In studies on the benefits of Topamax, this medication increased the time until the next seizure and decreased the number of seizures. In one study of adults with epilepsy, approximately 75 percent of people taking 400 mg of the drug per day were seizure-free for at least one year.
In one study that used Topamax for preventing migraines, 200 mg per day reduced the average number of migraines from 5.5 per month to 3.1 per month.
(Click Topamax for a more in-depth look at possible Topamax benefits, including information on how it works and general dosing tips for when and how to take this medication.)
