Topamax?

Page down. There have been at least two other threads on Topomax in the last couple of days.

Is a doctor recommending this for you?

Hi,
I was on Topamax for a few months. I'm unsure as to why you would be put on it as it's a anticonvulsant drug. That's why I was put on it, to try and treat my Epilepsy. I've never heard of it being used to treat the conditions that you have.
I have Depression, Anxiety & Body Dismorphia too, along with a number of other conditions. I'm taking meds for my Depression and Anxiety.
I don't know if I am able to help but feel free to add me so we could talk.

I took Topamax for epilepsy for awhile.

I lost the ability to sweat. Since I like to work out, hard, that kind of sucked because of how easily I overheated.

More of a problem were the cognitive difficulties. You know the joke about "I can't math today"? Yeah, I couldn't math any day. I mean basic addition, making change, dividing recipes in half. I had trouble processing other languages. (This is relevant to my job.) It has the nickname "Dopamax" for a reason...

I did not lose appetite or weight.

DragonLadyLiz wrote: »

Have you thought of asking someone well versed about a natural alternative for Topamax? Check with someone who is a well versed apothecary and see if you can use something more "natural" than the medication.

No! Please do not suggest "natural" remedies for those who need medication for psychiatric disorders. It can be really dangerous.

Topamax is not a first line tx for mood stabilization. It is a decent drug for many things (epilepsy, migraine), but there are better things out there for mood.

Aspirin is a good drug for many things. But that does not make it appropriate for all conditions. Same with topamax.

Start with your doctors. Tell them where you are at this point and see what they suggest. That would be a decent place to start.

I've been on Topamax for almost 2 years for migraines. I will say that the "dopamax" effect wears off after time if that's one of your concerns.

I responded to one of the other recent Topmax threads, but I have more time today to dive into it.

I was put on Topamax 10 years ago as a migraine control. I was recovering from blood clots in my brain and all the fun problems that causes. I didn't have much of an appetite to begin with. I had a severe migraine for a week before I ended up in the hospital for 2 weeks. I didn't eat solid food for those 3 weeks so my appetite was all messed up.

Due to my appetite being messed up anyway, I have no idea if it affected that or my taste buds. I was on quite the pile of pills. I was super dopey, I have no idea if it was the Topamax, the inflamation in my brain, or both. My family would sit me down with my Grandfather who had suffered several strokes, and we were at the same level. I still have some problems with my words, again not exactly sure what combo caused that.

Topamax did 100% cause my fingers and toes to go numb, and they still do. It happens more often in the winter cold, but I've learned how to keep that at bay, most of the time.

I wish I had called my doctor when the first 'odd' symptoms started up. It started with not being able to digest anything oily or greasy. I ate 1 slice of pepperoni pizza and thought I was going to die. The pain I experienced is so indescribable. Then a dull ache would kick in around mid waist on the right side. I learned not to eat anything with oil or grease very fast. What I didn't know was that there was some serious damage going on.

I woke up one morning completely jaundiced. Like my eyes were the color of the bright yellow highlighters and my skin was yellow. I couldn't look in the mirror. It turned out that the Topamax had been destroying my liver since the first pill.

I was on it for 3 months. It left me with a liver that has "Dalmatian-like spots of cirrhosis". I was 22 whan this happened.

Talk to your doctors, therapist, nurses. See if there are other therapies/drugs you could try. To me, Topamax isn't worth the risk. In fact it's cold enough right now tjat my fingers are starting to numb a bit, makes typing interesting.

I was put on Topamax after a car accident that left me with vertigo and very bad headaches. I ended up losing my job and couldn't get another job until I got off the medicine. Stupimax is another nickname for it. If you don't have to function then the medicine has its place.

swole_elsa wrote: »

Hey y'all. I wouldn't consider myself a n00b to the whole diet and fitness business by any means, but when it comes to meds and my mental state I have zero idea what I'm doing.

I currently am fighting a losing battle with my BED, depression, and anxiety. While most days I do well with my stress relief techniques and actively work on preventing triggers, I still have been having problems. My BED has been slowly slipping into bulimia territory and it's terrifying me. Yes, I am getting help, but I feel like therapy is just not helping me anymore. I'm just.. At a loss, you guys. I know you guys aren't doctors (well, most of you) but it would be nice to get some feedback.

I've heard about Topamax a few times and I do not take the decision to get on medication lightly. I've read both sides of the story, the pros and cons of taking this medication. I'm still somewhat on the border about it. I've never taken any medication of this kind so it's completely uncharted territory for me. Does anyone have any experience with it? Good or bad, I'd like to hear it all. Thanks in advance!

I took that for 5,years for migraine and I lost 30 pounds , no side affects went up too 100mg but it stopped helping me , so I went off it , I didn't know it treated anixity and depression , in fact my anixity is bad maybe I should of stayed on it , I'm going to ask the doctor about that , just ask your doctor about what you been hearing about the drug , it was actually for seizures but was given also friend for headaches

swole_elsa wrote: »

cheshirecatastrophe wrote: »

swole_elsa wrote: »

Yes, I am getting help, but I feel like therapy is just not helping me anymore. I'm just.. At a loss, you guys. I know you guys aren't doctors (well, most of you) but it would be nice to get some feedback.

So...not BED, but this is something I know a little about. I am *horrible* at therapy. Therapists of MFP, I am your nightmare. And on purpose, too--I sabotage the sessions because deep down something in me doesn't want to get better. Here's what helps:

-There are different types of therapy. CBT, traditional psychotherapy, psychodrama, DBT, dynamic, blends of styles, psychoanalysis, and so forth. I really like CBT in particular because it focuses on actually changing destructive thought patterns=>behaviors, rather than being squishy and "tell me about your feelings." A lot of people are the opposite. Maybe it's time for a change.

-I need (NEED) a therapist who is as ballsy, pushy, loud, and stubborn as I am. Someone who will swear right back at me and get me back on track for our session. My best friend, on the other hand, could not be more different in what she needs out of someone. Maybe you would work better with a different type of therapist.

-At the same time, I need to understand the what and the why of therapy and advice. It's easy to say "accept this," but I need to know what it *means* to accept something in order to do it. There are a lot of therapeutic code words that aren't so obvious. Maybe this is something to hack at.

Therapy that WORKS is brutal and slow and filled with more stumbling and setbacks than a lifetime of yo-yo dieting. When I was working through compulsive exercising issues, I ragequit about once a month.

And always went back. Because in the end, it's worth it.

ETA because mornings are almost as hard on my spelling as Topamax

I think you are me, lol. Every therapist I've been to is a squishy touchy feely kind of therapist. No one has had the balls to tell me like it is/yell back at me. I'm not sure how to go about finding a therapist like this, however. I guess I'll ask my GP for a referral with those specifications while I'm there, lol.

And to the person telling me not to go on it looking for weight loss.. I'm not. Like I said, I don't take medication lightly and I wouldn't consider going on meds just for funsies. I have a serious problem and I'm just willing to try different paths to see what might get me to recovery other than traditional routes. Just like most things in life, there's no one size fits all for recovery.

Yup, finding a good therapist is tough. Each time I have to start over (moving and such), it takes me 3-4 initial visits to different therapists before I find a good match. I always ask my doctor for a list and then work through it until I find someone. First appointment, I test them out to see if they let me push them around and direct (deflect) the session away from the hard things to talking about, like, dinosaurs. If they do, I won't go back, because there's no point. I don't need to spend $$$ to talk s--- about dinosaurs once a week.