What are the advantages of topiramate?
Topiramate seems to be effective in some people with bipolar mood disorders that have not responded to lithium and/or other mood-stabilizers. Some people who have not been able to tolerate any antidepressant because of switches to mania or increased speed or intensity of cycling, or because of the development of mixed states, have been able to tolerate therapeutic doses of anti- depressants when taking topiramate. For most people, topiramate has tolerable side effects and it can be taken twice a day. The weight loss that accompanies topiramate therapy in some instances is useful for those individuals who have gained weight while taking other mood stabilizing drugs. In some studies 20-50% of people taking topiramate lost weight.
