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Not as dumb as Tegretol

Posted by dddiane on July 1, 2003, at 6:52:52

In reply to Re: what dose were you at that you lost 20 lbs.? » Stacy Louisa Beus, posted by zenclearer on June 30, 2003, at 21:43:44

> Does it make you feel dumb, like they say? What does it make you feel?

Zen,

I have taken Topamax for bipolar I for 7 months now, and the first two were the most difficult in the cognitive department. I was VERY leery of Topamax after reading about "word-switching" "loss of words" "cognitive dulling" and hearing it called dopamax and stupamax.

I guess everyone is different in their response to these drugs. I have had no word switching, some forgetfulness in the first two months, some flaky spelling, but it just isn't bad, and it really gets better with time. Now by contrast, Tegretol made me really stupid and hyper at the same time, and I took it for years. It would be talking to someone and completely forget what I was saying. The word switching was so bad everyone would be exasperated with me. At work I could never remember anything and had to ask the same question over & over. And it iced my memory. At other times my mind would be very sharp. I was an intellegent, senile person on that drug.

But it was the best thing going for many years, and it beat being crazy. So the "dumb" aspect of Topamax is a walk in the park for me. I have my mind back.

Thin? I lost 28lbs on Topamax, but 25lbs was weight I gained on other psych drugs I was trying out after I became intolerant of Tegretol.

That's my story anyway. :)

Diane


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poster:dddiane thread:50878
URL: http://www.dr-bob.org/babble/20030701/msgs/238388.html