Topamax and anger

[BigMac]

Topamax and anger

I too am experiencing a bit of the 'anger' side effect from the Topa. I don't have a wife or kids so it makes it much easier to deal with from a home-life perspective. At work I find myself getting very frustrated with vendors and others to the point of being a real a-hole at times, but I do end up apologizing when I'm in the wrong. Then at other times I'm just fine. Anyway, I'm not drinking so I'm sticking with it for now. Best of luck to all.

[Tiny]

Topamax and anger

my biggest issue with Topa is that I end up with hives around my neck ... they were so visible and itchy that I stopped... I have ordered Antabuse -- my intention is to stop... I just can't right now :upset:

[ohmaggiemae]

Topamax and anger

It's so nice to finally feel like I'm not the only one who suffers from the anger side-effect! I think I even scared my therapist with my behavior! After giving this topamax yet another chance, I'm now asking myself, "What's worse? Being 'sick' or acting psycho!?" I can't imagine how I would act on more than 50mgs! I can barely tolerate 25! What comes to mind is Bride of Chuckie!

I would be willing to add another drug to the mix to help as long as I knew it wouldn't cause weight gain - another common side effect. Find me the right "cocktail" and I'll take it! In the meantime, I'm going back down to 15mgs, maybe even nothing. I'm so disappointed, though. I got all the vitamins and everything hoping it would help. It's been three weeks, and I'm back to square one.

Thanks to everyone who responded with their stories and kind advice. It seems as though anger is a rare side effect, so hearing back from people who do experience it is incredibly reassuring. I wish us all the best.

[ohmaggiemae]

Topamax and anger

Here's my latest attempt to make this topamax work for me. I really like the benefits of it, so I'm determined to find a solution for the negative side effects - particulary the anger. I'm doing 15mg of topa and 300mg of Wellbutrin. Both have also helped me to drop weight like crazy in the past, which is more motivating than the lack of desire to drink. Feeling fat makes me want to drink. I have an eating disorder, too, which topa works wonders on as well. That's why I'm determined to find a way to be able to take it and not suffer from the anger. So far, so good. I feel really good. Also, I found this great book by Levy, PH.D called "Learn How to Moderate Your Drinking And You May Not Need to Quit". I strongly reccommend it to everyone on this forum!

[SassyGirl]

Topamax and anger

OhMaggie,

I am on 75mg of Topa and 150mg of Wellbutrin. Funny that we're on a similar combo! (Btw, you're right - this is money for weight control. No appetite at all on this combo!)

I have a post on this board very similar to yours about "topa & depression". After a lot of soul searching this past week, I am pretty certain that while topa may contribute slightly to my emotion (be it anger, depression, what have you...) I think facing life for the first time in 15 years without alcohol is truly what has me depressed, overwhelmed, anxious, upset and prone to outbursts.

And I really don't think I was an "alcoholic" - certainly not a hard core alcoholic anyway (although I was probably headed in that direction if this went on for another 10 years.) Anyway, I liked having my wine and having my fun... and after I moved away from my family and friends wine BECAME my family and friends. I relied on it and my laptop for company for the last three years.

And giving it up made me face the fact that I was really just lonely, and all the drinking I had done just allowed me not to deal with it or venture out and find a real life for the last three years.

Sigh.

Anyway, enough about that.

I think for all of us with alcohol "problems", depression/anger can be sort of an underlying theme with us. I am glad you got on Wellbutrin. I just got on it four days ago, and am hoping it kicks in soon.

Hugs...

[AMELIA]

Topamax and anger

Hi All,
Yes I had HUGE anger outbursts when I was on Topa. Mind you I was going through some very stressful times with boyfriend. I ended up jumping on him one night and just screamed non stop at him for a few minutes (not normal at all for me!). I remember his face....like he was staring into the eyes of a crazed woman.
I would add here though, that the couple of times I 'flipped out' while on Topamax, I had been drinking.
When I was on it and didn't drink...I didn't have the anger.

[WaitingToExhale]

Topamax and anger

Oh Boy. I just moved up to 50mg last night. So far so good. The weepiies are better better and I think there were more from the Ex situation than the Topa.

Side effects scare the hell out of me. But the amount of wine I was drinking scares me even more. Maybe I'll hold at 50mg longer than a week and see how itgoes. I'm already at less than 1/2 of what I used to drink daily. Think the supps are helping withthat as well ...

Please, those of you new on Topa, keep posting. I want to know how everyone is doing and what to expect as we move forward.

Amelia: I hear ya! ALL of my anger outburst at BF were with drinking. and WITHOUT Topa! LOL

[DeeBee]

Topamax and anger

Hmmm, that has given me food for thought.

I too found myself mouthing off at hubby and daughter when I was on Topa but figured it was the lack of AL that I was really cross about and I was taking it out on them.... oh I was a right b*tch at times.

I did find that the GABA and other supps really helped with my PMS-like symptoms.

[CaptJBean]

Topamax and anger

I had better luck with Naltrexone than Topa. I think it's best to take Zofran for stomach upset and they suggest Campbral... but I didn't think that helped me. They say Naltrexone doesn't work as well for women. I also so a place that for one "procedure" they will ... infuse your brain to get it off chemicals and then put you on the monthly shot of Naltrexone.
Obviously, therapy would be in order as well. At least for me.

http://www.rapiddrugdetox.com/?gclid...FQGVGgodYlEyYw

[SassyGirl]

Topamax and anger

Waiting,

I am relatively new on Topa...I think I am on day 18 or something like that. I am 75 mg, and so far this is day 9 on that dose. It seems to be working (I'm not craving al) BUT my body doesn't seem to have adjusted to the topa yet (I don't feel like my old self.) So...until I do, I'm think I'm gonna stay at 75 mg.

I'm just gonna do this nice and slow and easy. So long as I'm not drinking, and not climbing the walls wanting to drink, then there's just no need for me to rush.

[Isolde]

Topamax and anger

It's nice to know I'm not the only one that has been experiencing some issues with anger while on Topa. It started from the get-go, even on the low doses. For some reason, when I had my one month check up with my doc last week, I completely forgot to mention that side effect! Of course it hit me like a ton of bricks when I got home!
However, he did say that most of the side effects only last for a month or so, and that as you go up in dose, the side effects do not worsen and that I can pretty much go as high with the dose as I want to. He said I could go straight from 100 mgs to 150 mgs, but I deiced to use the sample pack of 25 mgs that he gave me to take the extra week at 125 mgs. Tomorrow I'll go up to 150 mgs.

I definitely have been noticing a craving reduction. It's pretty easy for me to go AF when I choose to, or limit myself to just one if I decide that's what I want. And it takes me a LOT longer to finish drinks, which is great.

I've been trying to utilize the Calms Forte to help with the anger. I take 2 pills before leaving work because I noticed that I was getting REALLY bad road rage! I always tended to be a bit of an aggressive driver, but lately I could go from a nice mellow mood to a completely foul, angry GOTTA HAVE A DRINK mood because of the road rage! It was terrible. The anger does not seem to be as bad anymore as it was the first few weeks, I have to say. I'm trying to be much more aware of my moods now and what's causing them. Whether that's helping or whether my body is just getting used to the Topa I'm not sure. I'm glad to be feeling less bitchy though!

I remember that RJ did mention in her book that she was pretty angry at the start of beginning Topa as well. Apparently it's not such an uncommon side effect, if that makes anyone feel better!!

[julie001]

Topamax and anger

I feel really fortunate that anger has not been one of the side affects that I have experienced so far. I had the usual huge crabbiness from weaning off of alcohol those first few weeks, but that seems to have leveled off. I still have some cravings and am at 175mg. for the past four days, but it is significantly less than before. I don't drink very much these days. Nothing at all compared to days prior to Topamax that's for sure. I think I might give the Calms Forte a try. I bought some, but never gave it a serious effort. It might be just what I need at the end of a long work day. Good luck everyone.

[AT]

Topamax and anger

I ditched the topa today, threw them all down the toilet. I have put on 10kg in 10 weeks and feel like i want to drink and eat more and also get a little titchy in the evenings. I also didn't feel like myself, now after ready your posts maybe I should give it another go? Im desperate to cut down my drinking. Has anyone else had any of these side effects?

[AMELIA]

Topamax and anger

I have started taking topa again. Am on Day 4.
Because of the anger issues that I had on Topa last time I took it, I am keeping a close eye on my feelings etc at the moment.
I am not drinking as much as I was last time I took Topa, I have cut my drinking by about a half. Am doing the All One, lots of water and exercise and feeling generally ok and positive.
Will see how it goes this time.....would really like to go AF for good.

[committedtoquit]

Topamax and anger

I started taking topo four weeks ago. The first two weeks on 25 and then 50 mg, I too was very irritable, and when I hit 75 mg, I felt much calmer. When in week four I upped to 100 I was very irritable and felt depressed again, so I backed down to 50 again for two days, felt blah and depressed and today went back to 75 and feel much calmer already. I think it is a matter of playing with the right dosage for you. I also take 20 mg of prozac daily which I forgot to mention on another post earlier. It is all a matter of chemistry and finding the right chemistry for each of us.