New here and starting Topa and with a question

[sunshinedaisies]

New here and starting Topa and with a question

Oh BK - you are having me blush!!!!!:H

love, Sun XX

[airam]

New here and starting Topa and with a question

Hugs to everyone.
I m doing mostly good. I m drinking 2-3 units a day and taking my meds.

BUT ... Three days ago I drank more. About 6 units.I had the worst hangover the day after. :eeew: it was horrible. Haven t drank since then.

Good luck today New!

My best wishes to all of you, Sunny, DYD, BK, New, Mimi, spooky, Barbara, everyone...!!!

Iluminae, where are you? we miss you!

[Illuminae]

New here and starting Topa and with a question

I am back and am sorry I have been gone for so long. So much going on. Good and Bad. I haven't even read anything yet, just want you all to know that I am here and I will try to catch up a bit and give you an update.

When did I last post? I was getting ready for all of that traveling right? Well soooo much has happened. I will start at the end, give you a real quick overview, then check out what is going on with everyone else and give you a proper update.

I left my husband.

I think being out of my house right now is where I'm supposed to be. I have an apartment and we are already sharing the kids equally.

I'm in love with another man. He doesn't live here (on East Coast) but could in several months if that is what we decide to do. (Sun, you may have guessed something like this was going on from my poems).

All I can see is a happier life ahead but lots of hard times ahead to get there.

I want to change how I am as a parent (be BETTER) and part of that was getting out of where I was at. I want to be happy and part of that was also getting out of where I was at.

It took a lot of stress and pain to drive me toward this other man (I was not looking for it) and the combination of that and being away from home for so long gave me the perspective and strength to make such bold and decisive moves. I think a large part of my problems with the marriage were because we both drank too much, didn't know how to communicate, or be intimate.

I've got lots to do as I'm still settling in the new place but I wanted to check in and was sure you all were worried about me.

More later I promise and I can't wait to catch up on what all is going on with you guys!!!

Love and hope,

Illuminae

[mimi911]

New here and starting Topa and with a question

14 days al free. I have been on 25mg of topa for 6 days now. I am having the side affects that you read about: numbing in hands, arms, feet, legs, tiredness/weakness and a bit of brain fog.

I ordered the topa without a prescription over the internet so I need to be extra carefull while taking it since I am not under a doctors care.

I would love to know if anyone else is taking it without being under a doctors care and also any side affects and how long they have lasted for you.

Thanks for sharing

[bkyogagurl]

New here and starting Topa and with a question

Illum.... so good to hear from you!!!! Glad you are doing well. That takes guts to do what you want to do. Good for you.

Mimi... Good luck with the Topa. Looks like you are having normal SE's it took me about 6 wks for the tingling to subside but unfornately the foggy-ness never much did the whole time I was on it. I hated that feeling.

Keep in touch and let us know how you are doing.

hugs,
BK

[mimi911]

New here and starting Topa and with a question

bkyogagurl thanks for the feedback. I don't know how long I can put up with the SE's from the topa. I feel very drugged out and don't like it. I get weak just walking down my stairs. I am a little pale and you can tell that I don't feel well just by looking at me. I am incredibly weak and it has to be from the topa. Hopefully the symptoms will subside soon.

It could also be a combo of having to take prednisone. A nerve got pinched off in my leg after having a virus. Don't ask me why, just a strange reaction to it and because my body had so much inflimation in it I have to take a series of the prednisone. Maybe the combination isn't good together.

My company bought a bottle of wine tonight and I had no desire to have any but the cake I felt like I could eat the whole thing. So maybe the Topa took away my desire to drink but the prednisone made me feel starving. I want to lose weight not gain it.

what happens when you go off the topa? do you go right back to craving alcohol again?[/B]

[airam]

New here and starting Topa and with a question

Illum, you re certainly a very brave woman. Thousands would want to do what you did, but never take the courage. I probably wouldn t. Big hugs to you and my admiration.
I m very glad you are back.

Mimi! 14 days!!! Wow! Keep doing what you are doing. SE took about three months for me to subside. But I m only on 25 mg currently.

Bk, I ve re- read some of your posts and I really don t know what to say. I m truly amazed of your courage. I dont want to sound bad, but I really think that no matter what, you should be proud of yourself. I cannot express myself as well as I wish because English is not my first language,but I hope you get how much I do admire you. Don t like to see your mood is "sad" you don t deserve that.

Sunny, how are you? A big hug to you this Sunday night.

I have nothing new to report. Nal really takes out "the fun" from alcohol so there really is not a point in drinking. I had two al free days and today I drank only two units. I don t want more.

Hugs to everyone!

[bkyogagurl]

New here and starting Topa and with a question

opps..I forgot to change my mood..

Thanks for your comment Airam.. Day by day I do
try to look in the mirror and feel like I'm a good person.
I am really thinking of trying Nal. Just trying to decide where
to get it from. I don't want it on my health record. So
I am debating on Overseas.

Mimi~ I think everyone is different. For me, I started drinking
over the Topa. But then, I have had a lot of issues in the past
years. Topa might be just the start you need to get you on the
right track. I did really well on it the first time I was on it. The
SE's were just to much for me. I kept waiting for them to go
away but I guess I couldn't wait long enough.

I am still flying solo, well with Lexapro. But I think I am going to quit that too.
I have been doing a lot of soul searching and I am tired of wheel. I
am going to try and give my mind a break. Try to take care of me a little more
and just accept what is around me, I know that I can only help myself.
I think my husband finally accepting me for who I am, has helped tremendously.
I am feeling in my heart that I need to make a change and I know that I have the strength too. For today.

much love to all of my friends here.
BK

[doyourdream]

New here and starting Topa and with a question

Hi everyone,

I'm doing well here on my Nal. I just finished week 10.

Here are my stats:

Week Units
Pre-TSM 35+
1 32.5
2 23.6
3 31
4 30.5
5 28.5
6 17.5
7 20.9
8 26
9 23
10 23.2


So, overall, I think I'm doing really well. I'm drinking about 1/2 of what I was drinking pre-Nal. I know with more time it will come down more.

Mimi, I couldn't stand the SE of Topa. I had to stop. I felt doped and stupid all of the time. I was also very tired. I hated it. I also found it didn't help me with my drinking so it definitely wasn't worth it to me.

BK, I think a lot of people buy Nal overseas. I also just decided to go ahead and get it from my doctor. I know that's not what everyone would choose to do but I decided it was right for me and I guess I'll just have to see if there are any consequences in the future.

DYD

[bkyogagurl]

New here and starting Topa and with a question

DYD~ AWESOME!!!!! Very encouraging!

I gotta do something. I am all over the map. One day I think I can
handle on my own and think looking at my kids should be enough.

BUT.... its not. I want a drink right now. I had over a bottle of wine last
night. I gotta get my stuff together.

[christyacc]

New here and starting Topa and with a question

Hello everyone,

Without having to go back and read everything, can anyone tell me what the titration is for topa please?

I really appreciate it!!!

Thank you!!!!!

[doyourdream]

New here and starting Topa and with a question

BK,

I know what you mean. Of course you would stop if it was that easy but it's not which is why you are here.

Have you talked with your doctor about Nal? Think about your health long term. Would it be better to be under better control? The Nal really makes it easy for me to cut back.

Christy, hopefully someone will answer you. If not, I can dig up my book and look up the schedule. Or you can search for it on this site.

[mimi911]

New here and starting Topa and with a question

:egaday 16 is done. No desire to drink. I don't know if that is from the topa or if it's just where I am at this moment in my life. I have been on the topa for a week now and I have to admit the SE's are pretty drastic. I am severely tired, my right leg and foot are numb and I feel drugged. I am hoping these SE's subside at some point and I am hoping to drop 5 pounds in the meantime.

I will give it about another week and then decide if it's worth it.......

[bkyogagurl]

New here and starting Topa and with a question

DYD~ I am reluctant to talk with him about the Nal. He told me my last visit that he did some research on the Topa and didn't like what he found. I was doing pretty good then and told him I thought I could handle it on my own. Next time I go in, I will make a decision. I am kinda thinking of ordering overseas. I was also thinking of seeing a counselor.

I am so glad to see you are doing so well. It truly is inspiring. I really need to take that next step. I really want to get control of this. You take care of you.

Mimi.... great job! I am glad the Topa is working for you and I hope the SE's subside. Keep us posted.

Christi~ I will scan the page and PM it to you. Because typing it out was taking to long.

[Neveah]

New here and starting Topa and with a question

Hi everyone,

I am new here....spent the early morning hours reading the beginning half of this thread and am intrigued on this program and the drug topamax. I' ve been a binge drinker for the past 9 years or so. Started in college and then in the past year it has really escalated. I don't drink everyday but when I do drink I usually can't stop once I've started. My husband can't take it anymore because I am constantly lying and hiding the booze when I do drink. We are not in a good place right now. I went to aa a couple of times but it's just not for me. I really want to be able to control my drinking. My family and husbands family are all social drinkers and it's hard for me to think about hanging out with them for bbq's and family events having to abstain. It's to the point that my husband will immediately get into a bad mood if he sees me have a drink. I should also mention he works nights so I usually drink when he is gone or when he is sleeping and it's my day off. Big fan of wine and drinking by myself.
So my question regarding topamax is where the hell can I get it without a prescription and for cheap? I haven't read the book yet but I did see you can order it from the river pharmacy but it looks pricey. I do not want to go to my doc about this.....I read previously about some of you worried about life insurance and having the drug on record for alcohol abuse. If anyone can help with this I would sure appreciate it!
Well thanks for listening.....