Who's still on Topamax?

[keke]

Hello, calling all senior members!!! Originally posted on Long Term Moderators and got a suggestion to post here. I'm looking for success stories of former heavy drinkers who have cut down or are abstaining with the help of Topamax. Dose? Still have any side effects? or did they go away? M or F? Maintain weight loss? Please respond. Looking for encouragement? Keke

[Gardening Gal]

Who's still on Topamax?

I am still on Topa but don't have the success you may be looking for. I am and have been struggling for the past few months with AF, however, I am definitely more in control of my drinking. The weight is starting to creep back on but I was able to maintain the weight loss for three years. I am looking for something else. Hope this in helpful.

[Zman]

Who's still on Topamax?

GG,

Wh not try Baclofen?

[keke]

Who's still on Topamax?

Where is everyone if the topamax and program is so great!!!

Thanks GG, To answer your question Zman: I have a years supply of topamax in the cabinet and I'm a bit tired to research a new drug right now. There are also $$$ issues.

[Arrow]

Who's still on Topamax?

I have been using Topamax for just over one month now. I started it before I went AF and am continuing it now I am completely AF.

I am not experiencing any significant side effects and am pretty sure it is contributing to the overall effort in sustaining an AF effort. Other parts of the AF effort include significant changes in lifestyle that include diet and exercise and prior to going AF I did a lot of mental preparation with some help from an addiction specialist.

I am experiencing significant weight loss but the diet is significantly different now and not just because I am not drinking. The memort is a little wonky but nothing that cant be fixed without a little care and attention and being more careful checking which floor I am on before leaving he lift.

I am on a dose of 2 x 25mg per day; one in the morning and one usually taken after work. I like the after work one as it has a nice placebo effect on keeping me out of the pubs and bars after the office.

There is sometimes a little dizziness.

Once I have got myself a good two to three months into AF I will cut the Topamax and see how it goes. I dont consider it a long term solution.

I hope this helps others thinking about options.

[GardenGazer]

Who's still on Topamax?

I've had the same question about topo and wondered why I read so few success stories and so many tales of horror about side effects. I decided to give it a try. I've been following the dosing schedule from MWO and just started week 4 so I'm up to 100 mg/day. Side effects have been nasty but not completely brutal. If they get worse as I ramp up I'm not sure I can stick with it.
Has it been working? Not sure. I'm still drinking but my goal has been moderation and that's been just so-so. Problem is, it could be reducing my cravings if my cravings are physical. But what if the cravings are emotional as I've long suspected? Am I doomed?
Anyway, I'd love to hear about your experiences. I really want this to work.

[Lucky63]

Who's still on Topamax?

Topamax

After reading the book, I expected to take the Topa and feel my desire to drink vanish. Unfortunately, that didn't happen for me. I ramped up to about 100 mgs a day, and started to feel really depressed (I guess a side effect) without any of the positive effects of reduced cravings for alcohol and/or food! So I guess it didn't really work for me. I think there was an issue that I wasn't physically addicted to anything, so my latest strategy is seeing a counselor and trying to see the emotional reasons I might have been drinking. I've had many more AF days since then and am currently working on 30 days AF...wish me luck getting through the weekend! :l

[Arrow]

Who's still on Topamax?

Lucky63 - I haven't read this book but I would imagine that if your expectation was very high (that cravings would just vanish) then your depression was probably set up from that as its not a side effect of Topamax, its certainly not listed as a side effect.

I guess you are not taking the drug with a doctor as they would presumably be managing your expectation by explaining how the drug might work as part of other things you do at the same time.

Garden Grazer - physical cravings/emotional cravings ... I'm not sure if it works like that and I'm not sure if Topamax is going to help for moderation. Moderation is tough as its complicated to decide how much to drink one day and not the next.

Personally I have elected to stop all together for at least four months and possibly longer as:

- its easier not to drink at all each day than moderate (strange but true)
- once I stop for a long period my habits will change (whether emotional or physically addicted its habitual behaviour I seek to change)
- use Topamax with an addiction specialist as part of a complete program of behavioural change
- expect the drug to help mitigate cravings and use it for a couple of months only

After this period of time I may decide to drink albeit in a moderate manner - maybe I will decide to remain on the wagon. Either way my objective is real lasting change in my lifestyle, habits and choices I make.

Bottom line is don't self medicate with drugs and don't take drugs without doing other things to change your lifestyle. Consult a doctor, and find one with experience in addiction. I'm sorry if this is an unpopular thing to say but it just strikes me as common sense.

100MG of Topamax per day sounds like the sort of dose that someone would take if they were using it for its FDA approved purpose, which is seizures, when the studies indicate that cravings can be reduced with much lower doses (and thereby reduced side effects).

[GardenGazer]

Who's still on Topamax?

Keke - just curious if you've decided to go ahead with the topo. I've decided not to ramp up any further than 100 mg, maybe even reduce a bit to see what effect it has or continues to have.
Arrow, I agree that behavioral changes are as important, or more so, than just expecting a drug to change an almost life-long dependence, but I do believe that for some, alcohol is an emotional vs a physical addiction which is why it's such a complicated demon for all of us.

[Arrow]

Who's still on Topamax?

GardenGazer - emotional or physical, either way I would say its still habitual. At some level emotions are a result of something physiological right; thats why different drugs can make you happy, sad, aggressive or empathetic.

Lets take tobacco. When I stopped smoking I knew it would take about seven days for the physiological addiction to nicotine to subside. Okay no problem, the seven days past but of course as anyone who's ever smoked will tell you it that doesn't mean you are home free!

The habit of smoking is incredibly hard to leave, there will probably be all sorts of feelings about the act of smoking in certain situations. I've found the only way to stop was to get myself into a state of mind where I really wanted to, then it became easy and psychologically very different from "giving up".

My epiphany was that it didn't matter why I drank, it just matter that I wanted to stop - then my life changed for the better, I stopped and I felt a lot happier very quickly.

Drugs like Topamax or Baclofen can change things in our brains that may help with feelings of cravings for behaviours we are habituated to, not booze per se but could include sexual compulsion for example, more studies required as they say.

Basically one needs to take a drug with an addiction doctor whilst engaged in other measures to stop your drinking. It's just significantly more effective to do it like this and goes without saying safer.

Good luck with your demon. Perhaps a way of getting the better of him is to stop paying him so much attention (feeding him) and just cut off his air supply (booze)?