Topamax Headache or Heartache?

Washington, DCIn today’s high-stress, ambition-driven world, the delicate balance for a woman to maintain a career and undertake a successful pregnancy is complicated further by living in an over-medicated society. Busy people tend to favor the quick-fix that a medication brings over more involved treatment options requiring greater amounts of time and effort. But for a pregnant career woman, Topamax side effects can be devastating.

Most women will embark on lifestyle changes while attempting to become, or upon learning they have become, pregnant. Changes in diet, reduction in caffeine, smoking cessation and cutting out alcohol are a given for most women who want to give their unborn child the best possible start in life. And while Topamax (topiramate) is prescribed to help mitigate and manage epileptic seizures - something that affects a small percentage of the population - Topamax and pregnancy remain an issue for a wider swath of Americans in an everyday world laden with stress, high expectations and being on call 24/7.

To that end, the prevalence of migraine headaches appears to be growing. Little wonder, given the intensity stemming from career demands. Add to that the stress that already comes with being a “helicopter parent,” carpooling the kids to school and serving as chauffer to facilitate dance classes, recitals and any number of structured activities that barely existed 20 years ago.

Little wonder that a modern mom, already managing a busy career and a demanding family schedule, is subject to the occasional migraine headache. Or perhaps they are more frequent. Topamax topiramate can help with that. Better to proactively mitigate the symptoms with medication, than to try and tough it out on your own. Who has time for that?

“And should I ever become pregnant again, I’ll stop,” you might say. You’ll cut out all unnecessary meds and find a way to tough it out in favor of your unborn child.

But by then, it may be too late. Research has suggested that the greatest potential for Topamax birth defects occurs across the first trimester, when most women are just becoming aware they are pregnant. Stopping Topamax topiramate at the first sign of pregnancy is the responsible response. But the damage may have already been done.

For its part, the US Food and Drug Administration (FDA) has studied the research and determined the potential risk is such that topiramate has been recast to a higher risk category within the context of a pregnancy. Product labels and medicinal guides have been updated. And the regulator has also suggested that doctors reconsider the prescribing of topiramate to any woman of childbearing age.

For a woman suffering from sporadic epileptic seizures, this might be easier said than done. Akin to antidepressants, stopping a vital medication for a serious medical condition is fraught with additional risks. And no one argues that a severe migraine headache cannot be dismissed out of hand. A migraine can have a dramatic impact on job performance, the ability to cope with everyday pressures or the capacity for sleep.

But weighted against the need for relief from a migraine that Topamax can potentially deliver is the risk to an unborn fetus of Topamax side effects in children. Topamax Cleft Lip and Topamax Cleft Palate are two common birth defects that can be surgically repaired - and it has been reported that most children do well following treatment.

However, it also depends on the severity of the topiramate birth defects. Severe defects to the lip or palate can be repaired, but physical scars can remain. The resulting emotional scars for the affected child can run deep.

There is little doubt that the marvels of modern medicine, overall, have increased life expectancy and allowed Americans with severe medical conditions to function. However, the accompanying tendency to over-medicate for reasons of expediency and convenience can put some at unnecessary risk. Topamax side effects in women remain worthy of discussion with a doctor as to the possibility of minimizing or stopping any and all unnecessary medications.

Every parent wants the birth of a child to be accompanied by the words “…he’s perfect,” and “…she’s beautiful.” For the doctor to say, “…no issues.”

The alternative leaves a new mother wishing she could turn back the clock or considering inclusion in a Topamax class-action lawsuit.

Headache or heartache? For any woman of childbearing age, it’s a question that needs an answer before a pregnancy has the opportunity to even start.