Topamax
® (
topiramate) is an oral medication used for treating
epilepsy and preventing
migraines. It is available by prescription only and comes in the form of tablets and "sprinkle" capsules. This medicine is taken by mouth, usually twice a day.
In studies where Topamax was used to treat
seizures, it 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 per day were seizure-free for at least one year. In a study using the drug to prevent
migraines, 200 mg a day reduced the average number of migraines from 5.5 to 3.1 per month.
It is not entirely clear how Topamax works. An epileptic seizure occurs as the result of abnormal electrical signals in the brain. Topamax slows down those signals, helping to prevent seizures. The medication works similarly for
migraine headaches. Migraines may be triggered by nerve cells in the brain that are too easily excited. Topamax helps calm these nerve cells, working to prevent a migraine from ever starting.
(Click Topamax for more information on when and how to take Topamax oral tablets and capsules, to find out what side effects may occur with this drug, and to learn about the risks associated with its use.)
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