Topamax Over-Prescribed for Migraines?

Topamax and Migranes

When discussing Topamax’s indications, it’s important to know that the U.S. Food and Drug Administration’s (FDA) protocols for approving a drug do not always coincide with what’s in the best interests for users. As a result, just because the FDA allows doctors to prescribe Topamax for migraine headaches doesn’t mean Topamax is well suited to the task. Why? Because Ortho-McNeil designed Topamax as an antiepileptic first and foremost—not as an anti-migraine. Consequently, it combats epilepsy in migraine patients.

Is Topamax Effective for Migranes?

You may be wondering, “Is using Topamax for migraines like smashing a square peg into a round hole?” Answer: Possibly. There is no real connection between epileptic seizures and migraine headaches. Seizures occur in the brain’s temporal lobe while migraines are thought to occur in the nearby trigeminal-vascular systems when the blood vessels in that region expand and place pressure on the surrounding nerve endings. Topamax is meant to affect one part of the brain for reducing seizures, yet Ortho-McNeil and Johnson & Johnson are fine prescribing it for another. The only theory for why Topamax works as a therapy for migraines is that rather than prevent them from occurring, it merely prevents the user from knowing he or she is experiencing a migraine in the first place. This theory is not exactly medical science at its finest.

Topamax’s Correlation with  Birth Defects

Most circumstances of Topamax causing birth defects occur when the drug is prescribed for its more common use: combating epilepsy. However, if you took Topamax for migraines and gave birth to a child who had birth defects, Ortho-McNeil and Johnson & Johnson may be responsible, and you may be eligible for an amount of compensation in a topamax lawsuit. Contact the Rottenstein Law Group for a free consultation by clicking on this link or by completing our contact form to the right to see if you are eligible.