Topa time?

[Kitty]

Dear all,

Been away for a while, and after a really successful May, June has been just awful and I'm really beginning to feel that I need a little extra help.

Read quite alot about Topa and am a bit scared about the eye issues and such but my main worry is it's adverse effects on the contraceptive pill. I know it is fine taking it with the mini pill but I am now on the progesterone only pill due to my age (and the fact I still smoke) and I have read that Topa can minimise it's effects.

I know the effects aren't conclusive so I would really appreciate any of your experiences.

I have talked to my bf about med's and he is very anti meds and believes will power is the only way. But I really feel like I need a little extra help, just for a short time so I can re-train my brain a bit and get used to living without the cravings and maybe develope some new habits. I am willing to take Topa behind his back but I really don't want to compromise
my contraception and certainly don't want to conceive until I feel ready.

Thanks,

Kitty

[YoungAtHeart]

Topa time?

Hi Kitty,

You're bf isn't the one trying to stop drinking, Kitty--only you can really decide about the topa.

I would talk to your doc about the topa. Unfortunately, I don't have experience in this area, since I don't need to use birth control at this point of my life. If your bf is so against meds, perhaps he would like to use the rhythm method for birth control or a diaphragm? Sorry, I get my back up about guys who want to control women's choices.

If I'm out of line, sorry!

[ScoobyDoo]

Topa time?

Hey Kitty

I know some have had great success with Topa (look at RJ & Gabby) and I would give it a try. I tried it for 10 days and it just made me realise that I can't take a pill to make this addiction go away, and I needed to work on myself and psyche. I really think it's a personal choice that only you can make.

I have an IUD which is really great! That might be an alternative for you. Here's another suggestion; try the Topa for a period of time so you can see if it works for you and in that time, keep taking the pill but also use a diagphram as an extra precaution before, during and after ovulation.

Good luck with it!

*hug*
Scoobs

[Cinders]

Topa time?

Scoob and Young are right.

However, another aspect of this is that you need to recognize tis hat if you let your bf drive your decisions about yourself, and you fail, two things can and probably will happen:

1. You will blame him somewhere deep inside because he didn't "let" you do what you felt you needed to do to overcome this. (May or may not be true but the niggling feeling will be there.)

2. You will feel he is right that you don't have enough "will power" and feel badly about yourself.

Both of these are bad feelings in a relationship.

I am most certainly not advising you one way or another on the topa, I am, however advising you to consider your priorities and talk openly with him about your feelings. Explain it is your decision to make because it is your situation to handle. In 32 years of marriage, we both have taken paths in our lives the other did not necessarily agree with but open discussion and honest feelings made the decisions much more palatable to each of us.

In the end, even though we are one unit, we are both very independent people. We respect each other much better that way.

Sorry if this sounds preachy, it isn't meant to be, just some advice from someone who has come down that long path and learned this the hard way.

My best wishes for you and I hope whatever decision you make will help you with your future.

Cindi

[rottrod]

Topa time?

Kitty,
One of the other drugs may work better with the pill but I'm not sure about that either. Talk with your doc whether he/she gives you the Topa or not. Sorry I'm not much help, I don't need to use birth control either as husband has a vasectomy.

I think you are being very sensible about the meds and the contraception.

Melissa

[gabby]

Topa time?

Kitty I havent had any eye troubles at all. Or any side effects to speak of except of alcohol tasting horrid and no cravings.