The Federal Food & Drug Administration (FDA) has developed a list of pregnancy categories for prescription and over-the-counter drugs.  These warnings assist medical personnel in evaluating the risk of certain medications when taken prenatally. Category A:  Studies have been done with first-trimester pregnancies and show no risk to the fetus. Category B:  Animal studies prove [...]

Certain medications are especially dangerous in first trimester (13 weeks).  For instance, the acne medication Accutane and certain antibiotics like tetracycline, can cause serious medical problems for an unborn baby. Recent studies have shown that taking Topamax, an anti-convulsant used to treat migraine headaches and seizures, can cause serious birth defects.  In fact, women taking [...]

How do drugs get approved for use?  Are all drugs thoroughly tested?  How does the public know certain drugs are safe?  What warnings are used to sufficiently notify the public?  These are all good questions to ask before you begin taking any type of prescription or over-the-counter drug. The development and approval process for drugs [...]

Studies show that 64 percent of pregnant women use at least one prescription drug during pregnancy.  However, with all prenatal drugs, doctors must weigh the potential benefits against the risk of possible fetal harm.  Unfortunately, little information exists because of the ethical issues surrounding clinical trials on pregnant women. Many women may have taken the [...]

Many women have concerns about taking medications during pregnancy.  Should you avoid all medications?  Which medications are safe?  What if you’re already taking a drug to treat an ongoing health condition? Even innocuous over-the-counter medications, such as ibuprofen or aspirin, are not recommended for use during pregnancy.  If you have a health condition that requires [...]

50 million people worldwide have epilepsy, and nearly two out of every three new cases are discovered in developing countries.  Epilepsy is a chronic neurological disorder characterized by sudden seizures.  The seizures are symptoms of abnormal, excessive or synchronous neuronal activity in the brain. Common treatment of epilepsy is through medications such as Topamax. Topamax, [...]

A Topamax lawsuit is a type of product liability claim in which a person is injured as the result of taking the drug Topamax.  When Topamax is prescribed by a doctor, it is generally assumed that the medicine will help treat a medical condition – unfortunately, Topamax has dangerous side effects that can harm your [...]

Persons who took anti-convulsants should be aware of a recent Topamax lawsuit.  Topamax is an anti-convulsant drug used for the prevention of epileptic seizures and migraine headaches.  Topamax was also sold under the trade name Topiragen. Topamax doesn’t actually treat migraines and seizures, but rather prevents them from occurring by calming overexcited neurons.  These over-stimulated [...]

Migraines are chronic headaches that can cause serious pain for hours, or even days.  More than 28 million Americans suffer from migraines.  Women suffer migraines more than men, and seem to experience them more frequently.  Migraines not only cause painful headaches – they can also cause nausea, vomiting, and sensitivity to light and sound. Many [...]

Available since 1995, more than 4 million patients have taken Topamax.  Topamax, or Topiramate, has been approved by the FDA for use to address certain types of epileptic seizures and migraine headaches.  Topamax does not treat these conditions, but instead acts as a preventative.  The drug calms over-excited nerve cells, which can then lead to [...]