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    #1

    Warning about Topamax

    I recently went to a doctor who brought up Topamax after hearing about my AL issues. I described to her my experience with the Topiramate I got from River Pharmacy, and she said that ANY website that doesn't require a doctor's prescription to order drugs may not be selling you what you are buying. She mentioned cases she had heard about that had stuff like canine vitamins and baby laxatives in them.

    My experience was that I started off with 25 mg a day and did that for about a month before increasing to 50 mg a day, which I did for 3 weeks. Besides the predicted side effects of brain fog and tingling in hands, feet and face I also was really dizzy/lightheaded, nauseous and felt my blood pressure go up. I also had a strange sensation that felt like my heart and lungs were swollen. This particular doctor thought these last symptoms could be due to something else in the pills. When I started experiencing these feelings I tapered back down and off the topa.

    While this is just what one Doctor said, I thought I'd put it out there for anyone taking Topa from an online pharmacy or thinking about doing so. We should be careful about what we're putting into our already stressed bodies! Perhaps better to go through a regular doctor.

    Cheers!
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    #2
    Warning about Topamax

    so did she give you a script then?
    Gabby :flower:

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      #3
      Warning about Topamax

      Yes, she did write a prescription and I'm going to try it again. Its seemed to go through my insurance OK.

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        #4
        Warning about Topamax

        During the brief time that I was on Topa, it was covered by insurance, but considered a "tier-3" prescription, so it was still $60. This was largely why I did not stay on it.

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          #5
          Warning about Topamax

          cso4 my goodness we must have the same ins co.

          spotty, i am anxious to see it it does the same or not. if you remember could you please pm me after you have taken it the same amt of time. just my curiousity is all but i would appreciate the info.
          Gabby :flower:

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            #6
            Warning about Topamax

            gabby, sure I will let you know. I'm starting it on Friday (I'm also starting a thyroid drug so my doc wanted me to space them) so I'll check in next week. On my insurance it wasn't cheap either, $35.

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              #7
              Warning about Topamax

              HELLO! How much money did you spend on alcohol? And how much more money will you have to spend on your health if you keep drinking? $35 or even $60 sounds like a bargain.

              I think you need to ask yourself how much you want to quit if you are making that kind of excuse.

              Sorry... I sound harsh, but I did that for years-- oh, it costs so much!-- and I hope that by being a little rude and "in your face" about it, you might reflect on how much you would spend on wine or spirits, and how that relates to the cost of the meds that will help you stop drinking.

              Plus, your life is priceless.
              Your time is limited, so don't waste it living someone else's life... And most important, have the courage to follow your heart and intuition. They somehow already know what you truly want to become. Everything else is secondary.

              Steve Jobs, Stanford Commencement Adress, 2005

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                #8
                Warning about Topamax

                Hi all - I've been at 150 mgs a day for about a month now, and get the tingling sensation in my finger tips and lips every once in awhile, and definitely have the foggy head feeling, but am moderating much more easily now. The hangovers are gone, but replaced by a topamax hangover. May see about backing down to 125 mgs to find that sweet spot. My topa comes from a prescription, and my insurance covers it, but still have a $60 copay...

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                  #9
                  Warning about Topamax

                  I have been on Topa going up to 75 mgs. and now I'm going back down to 50 mgs. All is prescribed by a MD. He is a psychiatrist specialist in addictions.
                  The brain fog and tingling and weightloss are all side affects for me as well, as well as THE ABATEMENT OF THE URGE TO DRINK AND THE START OF MY REAL LIFE.
                  With this said, my $10-12 bottle of wine X4 or maybe 5 a week has been replaced with activities, new clothes for a slim body....ballet class and.....LIFE!!!!
                  Go for it!
                  Elenitak:h

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                    #10
                    Warning about Topamax

                    I thought Topa was the miracle 'nudge' I needed when I started it. Cravings WAY down and even a few AF days getting strung together. Something that had not happened for 20+ years. I also ordered it from River. I took it for not quite 2.5 months.

                    While I celebrate dramatic decrease in drinking, never once getting drunk and that period of waking up bright and without a hangover - I also say CAUTION.

                    After slowly moving up to 100/100 mg a day, it became more than brain fog. At times I actually felt like I was in the beginning stages of Alzheimer's. Some of the simplest things I had to re-think over and over again - like how to type my name??????? (ok, I have a long name)

                    I also found that if I screwed up and DID have more than one glass of wine, perhaps 3 or so, the effects of the AL were dramatically increased. Don't drink through Topa.

                    And, I know not a concern for many here, but, if you are a normal weight or close to it WARNING again. I weighed 135# at 5'9" when I started. When it finally scared me enough, and today, I weigh 113# and look like the poster child for Bangladesh. I simply could not eat and didn't even think about it. So with the loss of calories from not drinking and than no appetite - I got scared enough I stopped taking it a few weeks ago.

                    I am one of you that didn't / couldn't put it through my insurance and see a DR. I think now that is a major mistake. It wasn't the cost, but the risk of it being on my medical records. I'd pay 10 times the cost for anything that would help the cravings like Topa did for me. But it simply is too scary of a medication to play with on your own - at least it was for me.

                    I know the weight loss would be celebrated by many, but the other side effects got pretty scary as well. I am just now feeling like I am getting 'normal' brain activity back after almost 2 weeks of stopping it.

                    Please be careful. The OP is right is stating that we really are unsure what we are getting over the Internet. Mine was shipped by River through Canada but was 'Marketed by Johnson & Johnson in INDIA". Yikes!

                    On to Plan B.

                    WTE

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                      #11
                      Warning about Topamax

                      I was on Topa until a few days ago when I read it is not good for the liver and kidneys. I mean, hello!, we're alcoholics and those are the two organs hugely affected by drinking. No more Topa for me. It helped but I'll use other supplements, not that one.
                      "Action is...the enemy of thought." :l Joseph Conrad

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                        #12
                        Warning about Topamax

                        Hi Be, where did you read this, do you have a link or other info? Thanks.
                        vegan zombies want your grains

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                          #13
                          Warning about Topamax

                          Topamax (Topiramate) Drug Information: Uses, Side Effects, Drug Interactions and Warnings at RxList

                          It's long, here are some copy and pastes...I've had one small kidney stone once and thought I'd die. I am NOT taking this anymore. It's not worth the risk to me. I have enough other supplement ammo. I'm not messing with major organs when I've been a drinker for over 30 years of my life. No way. And I'm pissed because I just ordered some more online and felt guilty spending the money when I did it. Well, if I ever have a migrane I'll be all set but I am NOT taking the 125mg/day I was taking.

                          "Kidney Stones
                          A total of 32/2,086 (1.5%) of adults exposed to topiramate during its adjunctive epilepsy therapy development reported the occurrence of kidney stones, an incidence about 2-4 times greater than expected in a similar, untreated population. In the double-blind monotherapy epilepsy study, a total of 4/319 (1.3%) of adults exposed to topiramate reported the occurrence of kidney stones. As in the general population, the incidence of stone formation among topiramate treated patients was higher in men. Kidney stones have also been reported in pediatric patients. An explanation for the association of TOPAMAX? and kidney stones may lie in the fact that topiramate is a carbonic anhydrase inhibitor. Carbonic anhydrase inhibitors, e.g., acetazolamide or dichlorphenamide, promote stone formation by reducing urinary citrate excretion and by increasing urinary pH. The concomitant use of TOPAMAX? with other carbonic anhydrase inhibitors or potentially in patients on a ketogenic diet may create a physiological environment that increases the risk of kidney stone formation, and should therefore be avoided. Increased fluid intake increases the urinary output, lowering the concentration of substances involved in stone formation. Hydration is recommended to reduce new stone formation."

                          Duh, we all know we have to hydrate...anyway...

                          "Decreased Hepatic Function
                          In hepatically impaired patients, topiramate should be administered with caution as the clearance of topiramate may be decreased."

                          That's the liver. And another part I found interesting...

                          "Other Adverse Events Observed During All Epilepsy Clinical Trials
                          Body as a Whole: Frequent: syncope. Infrequent: abdomen enlarged. Rare: alcohol intolerance."

                          Meaning, it was rare for there to be alcohol intolerance while using the drug.
                          "Action is...the enemy of thought." :l Joseph Conrad

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                            #14
                            Warning about Topamax

                            Thanks for the information Be. From what I read I don't think the warnings are severe enough for me to quit my Topamax program, but I only planned on being on it for three months anyhow. I see Topamax as a crutch to get over the hard first few months of giving up alcohol, not something a person is on for long term. If the dosing schedule is followed, and a person titrates up and down correctly and has no contraindications to the drug it is probably OK, but as always please check with your prescribing physician to be sure.
                            vegan zombies want your grains

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                              #15
                              Warning about Topamax

                              Hi there everyone and nice to see you back on the board WTE!!

                              I agree that there can be unwanted side effects from topomax. One nice thing about going the route through a doc, is that mine has had me doing monthly blood work to monitor whether it's doing anything to harm me. So far, so good. He's really great that way, and the topo seems to be helping me to mod at about 125 mgs. I was getting the brain fog at 150, at 125 seems to be the sweet spot for me. Maybe you will be part of the 98.5% that doesn't experience kidney stones, or the other nasty stuff, and if you can work with your doc, you can find that out? I'm just glad that my doctor was so open to the whole program, did the research himself, and is helping me through the whole thing. I wish all of the same for you!!! Happy New Year!!

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