Topamax ( topiramate ) is a prescription drug drug that treats epilepsy and help forbid migraine episodes . Its mechanism of military action is choke up spunk signal in your brain . The strength of this drug may vary found on your medical history and diagnosis .
Topamax is a brand - name medicine approved by the Food and Drug Administration ( FDA ) to treatepilepsyand help preventmigraineepisodes . Topamax may also be usedoff - labelfor certain conditions , including fleshy andobesity .
Keep reading for detail about how Topamax works for epilepsy , sick headache , and weightiness red ink . For general information about the drug , including item about its uses and side impression , see thisTopamaxoverview .
How Topamax works for epilepsy and migraine
Topamax go to a class of medication calledantiepileptic drug . These drugs help verify seizures and prevent migraine episodes .
Topamax work out by regulate nerve activity in your brain , preventing undue electrical signals that can lead to seizure or migraine installment . Topamax is believed to move the social movement of certainneurotransmitters(brain chemicals ) and block sodium duct ( tiny pathways that help nerve signal travel ) . This combination assist tranquillise overactive cheek cells .
The way a drug works is known medically as its mechanism of activity . The mechanism of natural action for Topamax may motley look on the condition it ’s being used to treat .
Epilepsy and migraine explained
Epilepsy and megrim are both neurological conditions . ( “ Neurological ” touch to the wit and nerves . ) With epilepsy , you haveseizures . With migraine , you have headaches , among other symptoms . That articulate , these conditions are considered to belinked , and many people have epilepsy and migraine together .
The movement of epilepsy and migraine are n’t fully understood . However , in both conditions , it seems that nervus cells in your brain are oversensitive to certaintriggers , such as flickering light or endocrine .
When a trigger occurs , sure nervus cells in your brain become overactive and send undue electric impulse to other parts of your brain and body . If you have epilepsy , this can cause a seizure . If you have sick headache , it can direct to symptoms such asaurasand headaches .
scientist conceive that Topamax helps by calming overactive nerve cells and keep the gap of these undue signal , repress the chances of seizures or migraine instalment .
Topamax works in the following ways to serve foreclose seizure and migraine episodes .
One way Topamax whole kit and caboodle is by block up Na epithelial duct , which are diminutive opening that allow sodium ( salt ) to run in and out of nerve prison cell . block this flow helps still overactive nerve jail cell , boil down the exuberant electric activity that can lead to seizures or migraine episode .
Topamax also affects two neurotransmitters ( natural body chemicals that serve pass signals between nerve cells ) . These neurotransmitters are called Vasco da Gamma - aminobutyric acid ( GABA ) and glutamate . They wager a function in betoken between nerve cells and other cells in your torso .
GABA reduces nerve signaling , causing few signal to be sent . Glutamate stimulates steel signaling , causing more signals to be sent . Topamax increases the effect of GABA and blocks the core of glutamate . As a issue , it helps tranquilize face activity in your learning ability .
Scientists are still examine exactly how Topamax prevents migraine episode . enquiry suggests that itmay help regulatecertain brain pathways involved in migraine pain , including those linked to a small protein calledcalcitonin gene - related peptide ( CGRP ) .
While CGRP is known to play a role in migraine episodes , Topamax ’s FDA - approve prescribing information does not specifically list CGRP prohibition as one of its mechanism . alternatively , Topamax is consider to mould by still hyperactive nerve cells , preventing the excessive electric activity that can take to migraine episodes and seizures .
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If you have questions about how Topamax works on your wit , talk with your doctor or pill roller .
Topamax and carbonic anhydrase
Topamax also has a meek effect on an enzyme call carbonic anhydrase , which helps maintain your body ’s acrid - radical Libra . This effect can lead to a diminution in hydrogen carbonate grade , a term get laid asmetabolic acidosis .
While this is not how Topamax treats epilepsy or migraine , it may give to certainside effects of Topamax , let in an increase risk ofkidney stones .
If you notice symptom such asrapid ventilation , confusion , orfatiguewhile taking Topamax , tell your doctor . They can check out your symptoms and determine whether the drug or another ingredient is the cause .
How Topamax works for weight loss
Topamax is not FDA sanction for weight loss , but many mass who take it for epilepsy or hemicrania experience weight personnel casualty as a side force . Topamax is sometimes prescribed off - label forweight loss . Off - recording label use is when doctor order a drug for a role other than what it ’s sanction for .
agree toscientific enquiry , Topamax may affect metabolism , food cravings , and the brain ’s processing ofhunger signals . Some study suggest that it might exchange how the body win over intellectual nourishment into vigor , top to weight red ink .
However , the exact reason for this effect is not in full understood , and the FDA does not recognize metabolism alteration as an official mechanism of action for Topamax . If you ’re considering Topamax for weight going , speak with your doctor about the potential risk and benefits .
Here ’s more information about the off - recording label use ofTopamax for weight loss .
How long Topamax takes to work
Topamax set out working within a couple of hours after you start accept it . However , when you start handling , your doc will slowly increase yourTopamax doseover a few calendar week . So it may take a few weeks before the medication level builds up enough for your seizures or migraine episode to ease .
observe track of your symptoms in asymptom diarymay help you and your doc determine whether Topamax is work on to treat your condition .
Even if you do n’t notice a decrement in seizure or migraine episodes right aside , it ’s important to keep accept Topamax as dictate . If you have concerns about whether Topamax is working , tattle with your doctor .
Disclaimer : Medical News Today has made every effort to verify that all info is factually right , comprehensive , and up to day of the month . However , this article should not be used as a substitute for the noesis and expertness of a licensed health care professional . You should always consult your doctor or another healthcare professional before take any medicine . The drug information curb herein is subject to alteration and is not intended to cover all potential uses , direction , precaution , warnings , drug interactions , supersensitized reactions , or adverse effects . The absence seizure of warnings or other information for a given drug does not indicate that the drug or drug combination is good , effective , or appropriate for all patient role or all specific America .
