What are some side effects How long do I have to of topiramate? take topiramate?

You and your provider will decide on Common Side What Can I Do if I your treatment plan. Effects Experience This? Tingling, prickling, Avoid irritants Most take topiramate for at least or numbness such as hot water, 6 months and often longer. tight fitting shoes or clothes Difficulty Contact your For more information about drinking concentrating, provider if they and HIV visit the VA’s website: speech difficulties, are notable slowed thoughts or worsening http://www.hiv.va.gov/patient/ or movements symptoms daily/alcohol-drugs/index.asp Dizziness Rise slowly to prevent falls Veteran's Crisis Line Loss of appetite/ • Maintain 1-800-273-TALK (8255) or weight loss a healthy Text - 838255 balanced diet • Monitor weight U.S. Department of Veterans Affairs Veterans Health Administration Notify your provider if you experience: VA PBM Academic Detailing Service ¡¡Changes in vision, or in urine such Topiramate as blood or painful urination. Contact info: ¡¡Mood changes such as depressed Using Medications to mood or irritability. Help Manage Alcohol Use All medicines can have side effects. Not everyone has side Disorder with HIV effects though. They usually get better as your body gets used to the new medicine. Talk with your provider or pharmacist if any of the above side effects trouble you. May 2017 PBM Academic Detailing Service IB 10-947, P96828 www.va.gov How can topiramate help me What do I need to know before Drinking and HIV cut down or stop drinking? starting topiramate?

Many people living with HIV drink Topiramate can help decrease more than people without HIV. the desire to drink and help you Drinking can be a problem for remain sober. several reasons. A successful alcohol treatment Drinking unsafe amounts of alcohol program will include a combination may weaken your immune system, of medicine and social support, like: and ability to fight illness or infection. ¡¡Alcoholics Anonymous What is topiramate? Drinking at risky levels can: (AA) meetings Topiramate is used for seizures and ¡ ¡¡Be harmful to your liver, and ¡Counseling migraines, and has also been shown increase risk for developing ¡¡Individual or group therapy to help treat alcohol use disorder. cirrhosis or liver cancer ¡¡Hospital treatment, sometimes Taking medicine for alcohol use ¡¡Make it more likely that you will disorder is not substituting one drug take risks, such as have unsafe sex for another. ¡¡Make you more likely to abuse What percent of "pure alcohol" is in other drugs one standard-size drink of...? How should I take topiramate? ¡¡ Make it harder to take your medications 80-Proof The recommended dose of topiramate on time every day Regular Malt Table Distilled for the treatment of alcohol use Beer Liquor Wine Spirits* disorder is 200 milligrams (mg) by mouth divided into two doses daily. Recommended Drinking Limits 5% 7% 12% 40% To minimize side Single-day Weekly effects you will be Limit Limit started on a low Men 4 or less 14 or less dose that will be Age 65 standard- standard- increased slowly. or under size drinks size drinks Women 3 or less 7 or less 12 8–9 5 1.5 It is important to drink or Age standard- standard- fl oz fl oz fl oz fl oz shot plenty of fluids while taking topiramate. over 65 size drinks size drinks * Gin, rum, tequila, vodka, whiskey, etc.