Phentermine + Topirmate (Qsymia) Help??

kayvanne
kayvanne Posts: 35 Member
in Health and Weight Loss
Oops, messed up the title. Topiramate**
Topiramate is the generic form of Topamax, I believe.


A few days shy of exactly a month ago I was at a clinic thing with my mom to get her mole removed. She lives in a different country and was visiting, and noticed I was trying to work out more and I was just casually complaining to her a few days prior about how I have such a big appetite though and I'm always hungry.
Anyways, she kept me there and was talking to the doctor for an hour and essentially we left with a prescription for phentermine and topiramate for me. It was one of those things where I told her I did -not- want to be on meds and she co-erced me into at least trying it and the doc was so damn adamant that there were no bad side effects.

LOL NO BAD SIDE EFFECTS SURE.

I'm a headache-ridden girl stuck in zombie mode now. I'm constantly on the edge of a manic depression/panic attack. My arms, shoulders, and scalp are constantly tingling. And I will randomly become very short of breath.
I can't even read a sentence and process or understand it the first or second time. I am surprised they are affecting me at such a low dosage.

I mean, hell, my appetite is non-existent. I can go until 2pm without eating and even then I'm -forcing- myself to eat.

But it's not worth it.


BUT I am scared to cold-turkey quit the meds LIKE THE DOCTOR TOLD ME because if you just up and quit Topamax/Topiramate (same drug, diff names right?) there is supposedly a high likelihood of getting seizures. SEIZURES. I can't believe the doctors in the States, seriously. They care so little that when I specifically ask how to wean off of the drugs they just tell me to stop taking them altogether? Ugh.

So my main question, does anyone have advice on weaning off of:
phentermine (37.5mg pills, 1 taken every morning)
& topiramate (25mg, taken every morning)
?????

IE) Should I have half a pill of each for the next week, then half a pill every second day the following week, then once every 3 days another week...or whatever? I am not finding consistent advice online when I search.



What's the point in being on these meds if I can't even drive to the gym because I can't concentrate enough?D:
In 1 month I have lost 3lbs so it's not worth it.

Replies

  • CaddieMay
    CaddieMay Posts: 356 Member
    Check with your doctor first, but I am almost positive that you will not have a seizure if you quit this drug immediately without tapering off. I take Topamax for psychiatric reasons, and I never heard that stopping it suddenly will cause seizures (until someone was put on it for seizures to being with - because it is an anti-seizure medication, in many instances). The tingling you are feeling is from the Topamax. So is the zombie-like feeling you are having. A lot of people do not react well to this medication. Call your doctor and get off of it as soon as possible. Best of luck!
  • agrafina
    agrafina Posts: 128 Member
    I quit taking topirimate about 2.5 weeks ago after being on it about 6 weeks with no problem. I quit cold turkey, but if you are experiencing severe side effects, I would step down your dose of one first, then the other.
  • SpecialKitty7
    SpecialKitty7 Posts: 678 Member
    Check with your doctor first, but I am almost positive that you will not have a seizure if you quit this drug immediately without tapering off. I take Topamax for psychiatric reasons, and I never heard that stopping it suddenly will cause seizures (until someone was put on it for seizures to being with - because it is an anti-seizure medication, in many instances). The tingling you are feeling is from the Topamax. So is the zombie-like feeling you are having. A lot of people do not react well to this medication. Call your doctor and get off of it as soon as possible. Best of luck!

    CaddieMay is right as far as my experience was. i was on topamax for 6 years for migraine, quit cold turkey, no issues. in fact, because i started to have side effects, i had to go cold turkey.
  • nutmegoreo
    nutmegoreo Posts: 15,532 Member
    Check with the pharmacy that filled your prescription. I have found that pharmacists know way more about medications than the doctors prescribing them. I am sorry that you have had to experience this. Important lesson: all medications can have side-effects! Take care of yourself.
  • MyOwnSunshine
    MyOwnSunshine Posts: 1,312 Member
    You need to go to a (different) doctor and ask this question. Internet strangers probably don't have the knowledge to instruct you on tapering off an anticonvulsant.
  • kayvanne
    kayvanne Posts: 35 Member
    Well it was from a 'clinic' thing so it was prescribed and given from the doctor.

    Weird thing is you're supposed to have a pregnancy test before you get the prescription aren't you? I'm not pregnant but I was not given a test so I just don't think this doctor really gives a crap about the patients. :/


    ^ @MyOwnSunshine I trust someone's testimonials a lot more than a doctor who is using WebMD to get their information haha.
  • CaddieMay
    CaddieMay Posts: 356 Member
    A doctor doesn't necessarily have to give you a pregnancy test before putting you on a medication, but I find it strange that he gave you this medication without informing you of the possible side-effects. I know a doctor in my area ( he does a lot of Botox, weight-loss gimicks, etc.) who prescribes Phentermine like it's candy. Some "doctors" make their money from doing this. You may have gone to one like this (or maybe not). Either way, I'd check with your family doctor, or even one at your local urgent care clinic, and tell him/her what's going on.
  • kayvanne
    kayvanne Posts: 35 Member
    I don't have a family doctor though haha. I'm from Canada originally and while I have health coverage in the states under my dad's insurance, I find it absolutely ridiculous that you have to pay a co-pay for every single doctor's visit? Doesn't make sense to me to pay to go wait an hour to see a doctor for 2 minutes and be told nothing I couldn't just google...
  • Ackinney91
    Ackinney91 Posts: 10 Member
    Dear OP, I used to do clinical trials of the two drugs before they were even on the market together as a weight loss drug. I lost 40 pounds on it, didn't have terrible side affects, but I was never a big guy on commitment. So one day I just kind of stopped taking them. It had literally no effect on me. Hell, one night I drank alcohol on them, which was supposed to be a no no. Didn't really affect me either. This was just in my experience, however. So take with a grain of salt.
  • conqueringsquidlette
    conqueringsquidlette Posts: 383 Member
    I have taken Topamax. It is the zombie brain eating drug from hell. I would forget words while I was saying them.... trying to do math was impossible. Do not recommend.

    ETA: Definitely do not go cold turkey. It's a seizure med so the withdrawals can be downright dangerous.
  • SLLRunner
    SLLRunner Posts: 12,942 Member
    You need to go to a (different) doctor and ask this question. Internet strangers probably don't have the knowledge to instruct you on tapering off an anticonvulsant.

    This.
  • pleasepleaseno
    pleasepleaseno Posts: 166 Member
    I quit cold turkey after about a year at 200mg/day and was fine besides minor withdrawal symptoms for about a week (nausea, headaches). The symptoms sucked! It's a great drug for appetite suppressant (I was on it for bulimia) but the effects can be awful.
  • RodaRose
    RodaRose Posts: 9,562 Member
    Do one medication at a time. Taper the Topiramate very very slowly. Some people have luck on their side apparently. Be smart and call a pharmacist.

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