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Dr. Bob is Robert Hsiung, MD,
bob@dr-bob.orgShown: posts 1 to 4 of 4. This is the beginning of the thread.
Posted by AKC on July 20, 2001, at 12:31:37
Not sure why I feel this is so important to do, but just feel like sharing my topamax experience. Part of it is because I was very scared to go on this drug. All that off-label stuff, it being so new, and the side effects just seemed a little scary to me.
Anyway, I am now have been on this med for 5 weeks, having bumped my dosage to 150 mgs yesterday. My doc's and my goal is 200 mgs - we have been increasing the dosage 25 mgs per week. My initial side effects were some pins and needles in my feet mainly - nothing real bad, off and on throughout the day, lasting just a few minutes (maybe at most a dozen times). It wouldn't start until a couple of days after an increase in the dosage, and would stop a couple of days after that. And that pretty much has stopped altogether now.
Throughout I have also had dry eyes - though that could also be allergies do to the summer heat and being in the midwest - I had eye surgery a year ago, so this is my first full summer after that. Nothing that the natural tear drops doesn't deal with.
I also had some menstrual issues early on. And may be having some more problems with (some bleeding yesterday - again not my normal time). I'm keeping close track.
The final side effect is one that has appeared the past few weeks. When I increased from 75 mg to 100 mg, I had one day of cognitive dullness, I think is the word. Then last week when I went from 100 to 125, I had about 3 days. Both times it went away. It is not a very good symptom in my line of work, but as long as it leaves, I don't care. Hopefully, on these last three bumps, it won't get too much worse.
So those are the bad things.
The good thing is the med is doing wonderful things for my emotions.
I am also on 75 mg of Effexor XR (have been on Effexor XR for almost 2 years - never more than 225, this level for probably over a year). Also on Seroquel 200 mg twice a day. My depression level is zero. My anxiety is zero 90% of the time. I am neither high or low. I suffer from bipolar II (my doctor is certain, I am starting to understand and agree). Depression and anxiety are my biggest problems. To be symptom free of both at the same time - I don't know if I have ever had an extended period of this ever - at least never more than a day.
So this cocktail is working for me at the moment. The devil is on one shoulder saying it won't last - that it will crap out after 6 months or a year or two (I have read some of your stories to know that can be the case) - but, the angel is on the other shoulder saying the glass is half full and to enjoy this while I got it.
What a crap shoot - it has taken 3 hard years to get here (hard in the sense that I and my treatment team have really been trying to find the solution). This doesn't count the years of agony before that when I and others were aware that there was something wrong, but didn't really even know to go try to find a solution.
Thanks for reading this far. I'll keep you posted. Though I'll try not to be so long winded next time - damn lawyers - We never no when to shut up! :)
Your resident hounddog.
Posted by MB on July 20, 2001, at 13:23:48
In reply to My topamax experience, posted by AKC on July 20, 2001, at 12:31:37
> Not sure why I feel this is so important to do, but just feel like sharing my topamax experience. Part of it is because I was very scared to go on this drug. All that off-label stuff, it being so new, and the side effects just seemed a little scary to me.
>
> Anyway, I am now have been on this med for 5 weeks, having bumped my dosage to 150 mgs yesterday. My doc's and my goal is 200 mgs - we have been increasing the dosage 25 mgs per week. My initial side effects were some pins and needles in my feet mainly - nothing real bad, off and on throughout the day, lasting just a few minutes (maybe at most a dozen times). It wouldn't start until a couple of days after an increase in the dosage, and would stop a couple of days after that. And that pretty much has stopped altogether now.
>
> Throughout I have also had dry eyes - though that could also be allergies do to the summer heat and being in the midwest - I had eye surgery a year ago, so this is my first full summer after that. Nothing that the natural tear drops doesn't deal with.
>
> I also had some menstrual issues early on. And may be having some more problems with (some bleeding yesterday - again not my normal time). I'm keeping close track.
>
> The final side effect is one that has appeared the past few weeks. When I increased from 75 mg to 100 mg, I had one day of cognitive dullness, I think is the word. Then last week when I went from 100 to 125, I had about 3 days. Both times it went away. It is not a very good symptom in my line of work, but as long as it leaves, I don't care. Hopefully, on these last three bumps, it won't get too much worse.
>
> So those are the bad things.
>
> The good thing is the med is doing wonderful things for my emotions.
>
> I am also on 75 mg of Effexor XR (have been on Effexor XR for almost 2 years - never more than 225, this level for probably over a year). Also on Seroquel 200 mg twice a day. My depression level is zero. My anxiety is zero 90% of the time. I am neither high or low. I suffer from bipolar II (my doctor is certain, I am starting to understand and agree). Depression and anxiety are my biggest problems. To be symptom free of both at the same time - I don't know if I have ever had an extended period of this ever - at least never more than a day.
>
> So this cocktail is working for me at the moment. The devil is on one shoulder saying it won't last - that it will crap out after 6 months or a year or two (I have read some of your stories to know that can be the case) - but, the angel is on the other shoulder saying the glass is half full and to enjoy this while I got it.
>
> What a crap shoot - it has taken 3 hard years to get here (hard in the sense that I and my treatment team have really been trying to find the solution). This doesn't count the years of agony before that when I and others were aware that there was something wrong, but didn't really even know to go try to find a solution.
>
> Thanks for reading this far. I'll keep you posted. Though I'll try not to be so long winded next time - damn lawyers - We never no when to shut up! :)
>
> Your resident hounddog.
That makes me really happy to hear that you're doing well!
Posted by steve2 on July 20, 2001, at 15:05:02
In reply to Re: My topamax experience » AKC, posted by MB on July 20, 2001, at 13:23:48
I've been on an increasing dose (now 100 mgs) for 6 weeks and the cognitive side-effects are substantial. I think I will have to discontinue, but I was only taking it for the weight reduction possibilities. Hope you have better luck!
> > Not sure why I feel this is so important to do, but just feel like sharing my topamax experience. Part of it is because I was very scared to go on this drug. All that off-label stuff, it being so new, and the side effects just seemed a little scary to me.
> >
> > Anyway, I am now have been on this med for 5 weeks, having bumped my dosage to 150 mgs yesterday. My doc's and my goal is 200 mgs - we have been increasing the dosage 25 mgs per week. My initial side effects were some pins and needles in my feet mainly - nothing real bad, off and on throughout the day, lasting just a few minutes (maybe at most a dozen times). It wouldn't start until a couple of days after an increase in the dosage, and would stop a couple of days after that. And that pretty much has stopped altogether now.
> >
> > Throughout I have also had dry eyes - though that could also be allergies do to the summer heat and being in the midwest - I had eye surgery a year ago, so this is my first full summer after that. Nothing that the natural tear drops doesn't deal with.
> >
> > I also had some menstrual issues early on. And may be having some more problems with (some bleeding yesterday - again not my normal time). I'm keeping close track.
> >
> > The final side effect is one that has appeared the past few weeks. When I increased from 75 mg to 100 mg, I had one day of cognitive dullness, I think is the word. Then last week when I went from 100 to 125, I had about 3 days. Both times it went away. It is not a very good symptom in my line of work, but as long as it leaves, I don't care. Hopefully, on these last three bumps, it won't get too much worse.
> >
> > So those are the bad things.
> >
> > The good thing is the med is doing wonderful things for my emotions.
> >
> > I am also on 75 mg of Effexor XR (have been on Effexor XR for almost 2 years - never more than 225, this level for probably over a year). Also on Seroquel 200 mg twice a day. My depression level is zero. My anxiety is zero 90% of the time. I am neither high or low. I suffer from bipolar II (my doctor is certain, I am starting to understand and agree). Depression and anxiety are my biggest problems. To be symptom free of both at the same time - I don't know if I have ever had an extended period of this ever - at least never more than a day.
> >
> > So this cocktail is working for me at the moment. The devil is on one shoulder saying it won't last - that it will crap out after 6 months or a year or two (I have read some of your stories to know that can be the case) - but, the angel is on the other shoulder saying the glass is half full and to enjoy this while I got it.
> >
> > What a crap shoot - it has taken 3 hard years to get here (hard in the sense that I and my treatment team have really been trying to find the solution). This doesn't count the years of agony before that when I and others were aware that there was something wrong, but didn't really even know to go try to find a solution.
> >
> > Thanks for reading this far. I'll keep you posted. Though I'll try not to be so long winded next time - damn lawyers - We never no when to shut up! :)
> >
> > Your resident hounddog.
>
>
> That makes me really happy to hear that you're doing well!
Posted by steve2 on July 20, 2001, at 15:22:14
In reply to Re: My topamax experience, posted by steve2 on July 20, 2001, at 15:05:02
Anyone ever used provigil to counteract the mental dullness of topamax?
> I've been on an increasing dose (now 100 mgs) for 6 weeks and the cognitive side-effects are substantial. I think I will have to discontinue, but I was only taking it for the weight reduction possibilities. Hope you have better luck!
>
>
>
>
> > > Not sure why I feel this is so important to do, but just feel like sharing my topamax experience. Part of it is because I was very scared to go on this drug. All that off-label stuff, it being so new, and the side effects just seemed a little scary to me.
> > >
> > > Anyway, I am now have been on this med for 5 weeks, having bumped my dosage to 150 mgs yesterday. My doc's and my goal is 200 mgs - we have been increasing the dosage 25 mgs per week. My initial side effects were some pins and needles in my feet mainly - nothing real bad, off and on throughout the day, lasting just a few minutes (maybe at most a dozen times). It wouldn't start until a couple of days after an increase in the dosage, and would stop a couple of days after that. And that pretty much has stopped altogether now.
> > >
> > > Throughout I have also had dry eyes - though that could also be allergies do to the summer heat and being in the midwest - I had eye surgery a year ago, so this is my first full summer after that. Nothing that the natural tear drops doesn't deal with.
> > >
> > > I also had some menstrual issues early on. And may be having some more problems with (some bleeding yesterday - again not my normal time). I'm keeping close track.
> > >
> > > The final side effect is one that has appeared the past few weeks. When I increased from 75 mg to 100 mg, I had one day of cognitive dullness, I think is the word. Then last week when I went from 100 to 125, I had about 3 days. Both times it went away. It is not a very good symptom in my line of work, but as long as it leaves, I don't care. Hopefully, on these last three bumps, it won't get too much worse.
> > >
> > > So those are the bad things.
> > >
> > > The good thing is the med is doing wonderful things for my emotions.
> > >
> > > I am also on 75 mg of Effexor XR (have been on Effexor XR for almost 2 years - never more than 225, this level for probably over a year). Also on Seroquel 200 mg twice a day. My depression level is zero. My anxiety is zero 90% of the time. I am neither high or low. I suffer from bipolar II (my doctor is certain, I am starting to understand and agree). Depression and anxiety are my biggest problems. To be symptom free of both at the same time - I don't know if I have ever had an extended period of this ever - at least never more than a day.
> > >
> > > So this cocktail is working for me at the moment. The devil is on one shoulder saying it won't last - that it will crap out after 6 months or a year or two (I have read some of your stories to know that can be the case) - but, the angel is on the other shoulder saying the glass is half full and to enjoy this while I got it.
> > >
> > > What a crap shoot - it has taken 3 hard years to get here (hard in the sense that I and my treatment team have really been trying to find the solution). This doesn't count the years of agony before that when I and others were aware that there was something wrong, but didn't really even know to go try to find a solution.
> > >
> > > Thanks for reading this far. I'll keep you posted. Though I'll try not to be so long winded next time - damn lawyers - We never no when to shut up! :)
> > >
> > > Your resident hounddog.
> >
> >
> > That makes me really happy to hear that you're doing well!
This is the end of the thread.
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