Newbies on Topamax

[me1455]

Newbies on Topamax

hey photogirl, so how how many days per week on averageo do you drink, how much, and what? mine the past two years has worsened to about a bottle of wine a night and maybe one night a week that i get out of hand,(meaning out at a bar, drinking much more than a bottle of wine, or drinking earlier in the day on a weekend when i dont have work) maybe not, maybe two nights a week i m out of hand, it all depends of course..im curious if udrink everyday being on antidepressants.

im also surprised when i hear women on here say wouldnt want hubby to know or, i just told my husband about my drinking problem.im in no way being nasty just surprised. i only have had two boyfriends in my life. my first one i didnt have the closeness that i have with my current bf, but i was only with him for three months. this bf is two years, its not the healthiest relationship, but he knows everything about me. i dont have to tell him about my drinking, he knows all about it. i talk to him about it, he sees it, he knows my thinking, my deepest thoughts and feelings. it surprises me to hear when people say that their husbands of ten years for example dont know about their drinking problem. just surprises me. anyway, im on my fifty mg fourth day. friday im gonna drink, i really hope i can still get some pleasure from drinking on topa.i dont want it to be dull and boring.but im willing to take what i have to take right now vs being af completely..do u guys feel topa makes drinking dull and takes the high/happy feeling away?

[me1455]

Newbies on Topamax

Doing my best, i too feel like you, i feel 50mg has taken away a bit more than slight cravings, however ia lso havent drank in eight days, so after a week ur cravings go down a lot as well.... and i also think it is helping me sleep. but i have to see wjhen i start drinking if i can moderate on 50mg.. if not im gonna go up to 75mg.. i am doubtful i can moderate at 50mg.. i coudlnt at 25. i dont know. it seemed to work the first week and then it went down hill. it was almost thought that i drank throught it. like the drug was saying dont drink anymore and i fought it and kept going.. part of that again is that i have a bf who drinks so much and we're so used to drinking together, so we bought wine togheter and we have a habit of drinking all night.. it is hard for me to stop after two glasses when we both haver a whole night a and whole lot of alcohol in front of us and its such a habit....gonna have to fight to break it..

[syrrxman]

Newbies on Topamax

dealing with the tingling

There is a simple way to help with the tingling. Take more potassium. Taking a potassium chloride supplement of 20-40 mEq per day often makes it go away completely. A sustained release supplement is preferred. Or you can try adding some more potassium to your diet with foods like bananas. Be careful though if you have any kidney issues of if you are on any medications that might raise your potassium already.

[PHOTOGIRL]

Newbies on Topamax

Hiya Me!

Right, when I'm being "good" I try not to drink Mon-Thurs. That doesn't happen naturally or easily though. In previous years when I was going through a bad time in my 20's I was easily 1 bottle of wine a night at home. If I was on a night out round bars, etc, far far more. Recently on holiday I could easily put away 3 large g&t's before lunch, 3 glasses of wine with lunch, 3 large g&t's at sun-set drinks, a few pre-dinner drinks, 2 or 3 glasses of wine with dinner and then a couple of after dinner drinks ..... so my hubby DOES see me drink socially. What he doesn't sometimes see is the drinks I NEED before he gets home (ie, during homework/teatime/bedtime) and it's THOSE that I want to curb and I think the TOPA is working for those. Also, my night out on TOPA last night - well, I still enjoyed myself. I must say my drinking was slightly slower. The first glass of champagne didn't taste QUITE the same but still I had a few glasses but prior to TOPA I would have definitely been one of the 1st to drain the glass time after time. Also it made a difference this morning not waking up with a hangover from hell. So, no, I don't feel that drinking on TOPA makes me dull. Thankfully it just makes me moderate which is what I've always wanted to do.

Hey guys - If you could PLEASE let me know about the DOSEAGE though! Are you lot saying 1x25mg dose A WEEK or A DAY and then up it? Thanks for any help you can give!

Have a good day everybody! x:l

[hope10]

Newbies on Topamax

photogirl...others please correct me if I am wrong...you start with
week one: take 25 mg one time each day in the morning or afternoon
week two: take 25 mg in the morning and 25 mg in the afternoon which will = 50mg total for the day.
week three: take 25 mg in the morning and 50 mg in the afternoon which will = 75 mg total for the day.

This is what my dr. told me which may defer a bit from RJ's guidelines.

I am on day 5 AF. I have been on 75mg for three days and the cravings have been under control. I have been feeling really well!!!! Good mood, not tired, still on top of things at work! Will keep you posted.

[hope10]

Newbies on Topamax

I'll take that back about being "on top of things." Obviously I'm not considering the way I spelled "differ" in the prior post. gees!!! duh??

[PHOTOGIRL]

Newbies on Topamax

:thanks: HOPE so much for that! Really appreciate it! xxx

[me1455]

Newbies on Topamax

hey guys, so i read that topa can really cause hangover in some. ( the reactions in some are quite different in people) wow did i experience it. i went out last night. drank for the first time in a week ( due to a med i was on couldnt drink) and i drank slower, however i knew my friend wanted to stay only for two hours, so i ended up drinking quick on purpose, but it was actually against what i was feeling. so i ended up having four light beers. i know not the greatest, but i purposely chugged them when she told me she wanted to leave around twelve. that is the reason im afraid of topa not working. because i am looking for that high... however i did feel it working and i also can see how it would prevent me from getting to drunk. and it definitely helped with cravings the past week when i went up to 50mg. so lets see how it goes. oh, but yeah, hangover from hell from those LIGHT beers. geesh! thats the topa. weird. what sucks is that i came home and being on the topa, the drinks seemed to effect mys peech with topa-like the words coming out wrong and slurring a bit. my father who im soo afraid of and trying to impress with drinking was in the living room and we talked and he said, "i just dont GET WHY DO U HAVE TO GET LIKE THIS" im like "what do u mean i had four light beers" and hes like" well i can tell u had more" im like "No its bc i hadnt drank in a week so my tolerance was low" im iffy about telling him im taking the topamax because if it doesnt work he j
ust rolls his eyes and has that UH HUH another one of your hopes that you can drinkzz attitude. ( btw he drinks everynight but keeps it in check, rarely gets over a buzz) but honestly the topas side effects of the words coming out wrong and the drinking together seemed to make me talk funny. anyway, im off to work, i wish i didnt care so much what he thinks.. ( im 28 btw so y es i still live with the parents)

its good to hear that people dont just continuousally get worse and worse with alcoholism. photogirl jujst said that she used to drink a bottle of wine back in the day each night. thats about where i am now. i think in aa they tellu that you always will get worse until u either die or go to jail. i like some of the things about aa but some obviousally not, probably like alot of u here. either way, photogirl said she somewhat has to fight the urge to drink on those nights still though, which sucks. i hear about people who used to drink vodka nightly and now just have binges. so alcoholism doesnt always get worse and worse. lol at least theres one good way of lookin at !

[keke]

Newbies on Topamax

Dear newbies to topa, I am one of those who can't tolerate topa. I did my last of four tries a couple of weeks ago and couldn't get past 25mgs and am just now starting to feel decent. Makes me very congested, tired and weak. Hangovers feel better than this drug. My allergest said it could be the topa, since the only thing I tested positive for was cats. Anybody want to trade? I am now searching for naltrexone online as I am out of insurance. Anyone else have luck on the naltrexone? Going to do the supps and cd's alone until I can find something that works. Topamax is not for everyone (and I had such high hopes) Good Luck. Keke
P.S. I find myself similar to to most posting here - 5'6" 130 pounds (feel fat over 125 lbs) age 49, stay at home mom wanting to go back to work when the kids leave to college next year; drink at least 2 large glasses of wine a night with 3/4 of a bottle being the norm; hide the excess from hubby who doesn't drink but an occasional beer. I really need a friend or two who can relate as I have alienated myself, so as to hide my drinking problem. I don't get close cuz heaven forbid I not be perfect. Feeling a little lonely. I think I'd be so much better off if I could get this drinking thing under control. I felt my best last year when I was AF for 3 weeks w/o the topa. Keep in touch.

[Doing My Best]

Newbies on Topamax

Welcome Keke, We are all here trying our best to get ourselves better. Last night was a bad one for me. I am up to 50mg of topa and it is not really doing much yet. go to 75mg on Monday and am getting a little impatient. I do feel tired on it and cranky however, some say that goes away after awhile...I hope so. I will keep you posted on how I am feeling as I up the dosage. Did you get it by mail or go to a doctor? I can't get up the courage to go talk about it with my doc.
Keep coming back Iam sure lots of others will share their thoughts and experiences.

[PHOTOGIRL]

Newbies on Topamax

:welcome: Keke First and foremost, from reading through this website if you only learn ONE thing - it will be that YOU ARE NOT ALONE. Secondly, it will be that NOBODY'S PERFECT. If you just remember those two things then you won't be too hard on yourself. Just wondering, have you tried the KUDZO? I came across this website from googling Kudzo and I take Kudzo in the liquid form during the day (10mls) and that can fend off cravings as well. You've just got to experiment to find what works for you. Also, reading between the lines, you're in the same position as me (an others on the website), ie, stay at home Mum .... just wondering if depression is playing a part at all? Don't be offended that I asked that it's just that that has played a HUGE part in my history of drinking and the more I was depressed the more I drank so that made me more depressed so the more I drank ... you can see the spiral I got into! Just a thought! Anyway, keep with us and you'll get a lot out of it, I'm sure! :l x

Hiya ME - You seem to be doin well?! I bet you would have settled for 4 light beers in years gone by wouldn't you and still have had a hangover?! What are you aiming for in your drinking life? Are you wanting to be totally A/F or are you wanting to just drink when you're out socially or just a couple every night? If you've got an agenda then that's obviously a starting point.

Fingers crossed DOING for your 75's next week! Let us know how it goes!!! :lx

Bye for now x

[MDHW]

Newbies on Topamax

new Topamax

Hi!

I have been reading all the info on MWO. Wow. I have really been researching Topamax. I have ordered it. Am anxiously awaiting its arrival. I have 5 kids and play a lot of tennis. Do you think the side-effects are manageable enough if I am tedious with the supplements? I have already been the route of inpt rehab last year. It did nothing for me except make me feel isolated from my family and friends. I also felt like the lowest thing on earth. It took me a long time to readjust to life in the real world. AA, while may be good for lots of people, did very little for me. I attended quite a few different ones, but seemed like "bitch" sessions. Never felt better when I left the meetings. I have a very supportive hubbie and friends. I know I can do this. Any feedback would be welcome.:thanks:

[me1455]

Newbies on Topamax

hey photogirl, i know i guess i should have an agenda.. your right. i havent set one. it stinks i have a bf who drinks a lot and i spend weekends with him and our habit is to drink-alot. tomorrow starts the week and i plan to go af on some days and then on the days i drink i plan on only drinking half a bottle of wine. im on 50mg of topa now.. i feel like its bringing me down still though, which truly stinks. that is a big reason im trying to cut back, bc when i drink so much it makes me depressed. do ufeel topa takes away the high of drinking? i feel it does alot. are u going up to 75mg or staying on 50?

[hope10]

Newbies on Topamax

Okay, so I am 9 days AF. This past weekend was so tough to get through without alcohol! I literally had to count down the hours before the liquor store closed every night.

Today is day one on 100 mg of Topa. I am pretty tired. I was thinking the 75 mg was helping w/ my cravings but after this weekend, I must say that it was not at all. My main motivator for being AF over the weekend was losing weight! Even 9 days AF, I am still feeling bloated and no weight loss. I have been eating better b/c no fast food from the lovely hangovers and working out a little more. I have always gotten on the treadmill or elleptical at least two to three x each week. I'm sure this will increase as I try to continue an AF lifestyle!

I'm taking all of the supplements and doing the hypno cds as well. I hope 100mg will do the trick, but if not, I can just hop up to the next mg.

[mariecello]

Newbies on Topamax

I have read that you get flu like symptoms from alcohol withdrawal. I've noticed feeling ill and exhausted when I suddenly stop drinking. So the next day I drink and feel "better". I just read the book today and ordered the starter set and CD's for mom's. I am afraid to order the topamax without consulting with my doctor. My daughter will be a doctor on May 26, and she really hates my drinking even though I justify it by only drinking at night and on party days. I'm sure she will advise me to see my doctor. I will call my doctor in the morning to see her and start on the whole program. I need to do something and this sounds more compatible with my lifestyle.