"this was my first medication for bi-polar, i&#039;m a 40 year old woman and a long distance runner. this medication was great because it made the rapid thoughts and anxiety go away. however if you&#039;re an athlete like i am, i found this difficult as it caused extreme fatigue to the point where i was a couch potato not wanting to do anything. i gained 10 pounds in the first month and found it exhausting to run even a mile where i&#039;m accustomed to running much more. my doctor is switching me to topamax, today will be my first day taking it and i&#039;m praying for good results."