New here and starting Topa and with a question

[Wildflowers]

New here and starting Topa and with a question

Thank you,

For the nice welcomes! I will take your advice & post a new thread asking for advice. Congrats to Playland for the arrival of your new baby girl! I will say a prayer for her & you!

Yes, when I quit taking it the cravings came back. I've had very few sober days in the last fours of not taking it. I've tried holistic, counseling, AA. But, for some of us we need to treat the bio-physical part of this horrible disease.

[Wildflowers]

New here and starting Topa and with a question

OK, I tried clicking on the envelope~new posts at the bottom of pg, as I'm trying to put up a new post. Somebody please when u have time help guide me thru posting a new thread.

Thank you,
Wildflowers

[Wildflowers]

New here and starting Topa and with a question

Yeah, I figured it out. Pretty new to posting on forums.

[blondie]

New here and starting Topa and with a question

Hi Wildflowers and all
Thanks for advice Sun... I had a splitting headache last week, and I forgot to take my Topa, and the headache disappeared (I never get headaches) so I stopped and... the craving came back. So back to taking the Topa, headaches or not, much better than the alternatives.
Congrats of new baby, Play!
Wildflower, I just happened to get lucky with a great new doctor re prescription. Had to get them online before and they were fine - did the job.

[Wildflowers]

New here and starting Topa and with a question

Hi Blondie & thank you for the nice welcome. I called 8 Psychiatrists yesterday. I couldn't believe the big group @ the Hospital isn't accepting new patients. I've left 3 voice messages & am waiting to hear back. All I know is 4 years ago when I took Topamax it completely distinguished all my cravings. It allowed me to focus on Counseling, etc.

I just need to get sober. I swear if & when I do get Topamax & survive this, I won't ever go off the this medicine again. I've made peace with the fact that I'm one of those alkies who needs a medication as part of my treatment program.

I'm going to post part of this on the other thread I started yest. In regards to on-line pharmacies. The Alldaychemist had many reports of fraud. Tho they r saying now that they have taken care of security issues. Some recommended getting a money order & not using credit cards. The thing that scares me as they make u agree that if the order gets held at Customs, Customs can actually prosecute you. I live in USA. Riverview is saying u need an Rx. Please tell me which pharmacy did u buy from? Also is your new Dr a general practioner, internist, or Psychiatrist. Thank you for your help!

Oh & I agree I would rather have a headache then fight these cravings. I never got a headache on Topamax, some tingling & some food ~ beverages didn't taste right. No big deal. I just need to get on Topamax again.

[blondie]

New here and starting Topa and with a question

Morning Wildflowers
Sorry to hear you're having a hard time getting Topa. Not so good with the customs there; I thought it was legal in US?! Aren't there a number of people buying there? Perhaps they can offer a solution.

I've just started seeing this GP, but I know from others that I am lucky to get this. There is an addiction gp in town but he prefers naltrexone, which I didn't like. I think I got mine online from Riverview, but, as I say, that was a number of years ago.

My headaches are back, which I can only assume are due to topa, but I'm hoping I get used to it or they dissipate. I've started taking it in the am to see if that makes any difference.

I had huge weight loss too with it last time, so I'll be looking forward to that too!!
Good luck!

[sunshinedaisies]

New here and starting Topa and with a question

Oh gosh - need to post but no time - have to leave for work - will post this evening - hi to you all, and promise I will post this evening - have a wonderful day everyone! Hang in there! :l

Sun X

[Wildflowers]

New here and starting Topa and with a question

Hello,

After calling 30+ providers in my Ins. network I have found two possibilities. One is going back to Psychiatrist I saw 4 yrs ago that's out of network, or going to the teaching hospital. The latter I'd have to go to a counselor 1st, then c the shrink a month later. It's been nearly 24 hrs & the intake counselors haven't called as of yet. The original person I spoke with couldn't tell me if this Dr. is board certified in addiction. So, I made a decision 2 go c my old shrink. Pay out of network expenses. Can't get in for 3 wks, but at least there is hope.

At this time I've decided to not order Topamax on-line. I did extensive research & it's definitely against the law in the US. Including prison time & hefty fines. I did e-mail the on-line pharmacy & they said I don't need an RX. I honestly don't know how they can say that. It's very clear it's illegal! However, if my old shrink won't Rx it, then I'm going to risk it. As my other option is death.

The other reason I'm not ordering on-line is I will be seeing some New Dr's for other health concerns. At the direction of my primary care Dr. One is a cardiologist & gastro Dr.

In my head I'm thinking how can I tell them I'm taking Topamax that hasn't been legally Rxd. I need to be honest with these Dr's about my alcoholism & meds I'm taking. I know there r warning labels about kidney problems & taking Topamax. I'm not sure what is going on in my body? I just know I'm not well.

Whatever the outcome is with these new Dr's diagnosis & treatment. If no one is willing to Rx Topamax which has been the main reason in the past for obtaining & securing sobriety. I will take my chances & order on-line. It's going to be along couple of months to wait & get some results. In the mean time, I will try to remain positive & believe there is a way out of this madness called addiction.

May we all find our way out. Namaste

[houtx]

New here and starting Topa and with a question

Hi all -
Good luck to all of us struggling. I'm not taking anything at the moment...had too many problems with the Topa Dopa. May try it again later on...wish

Read the Allen Carr book "Easyway to Quit or Control Your Drinking" and was sooooooooooo disappointed. It was basically mind over matter...that once you decide to quit, you will. Positive thinking & all that. Ehhhhhhhhhhh - I know you really liked it Sunshine Daisy girl :-)) but I was just a bit disappointed. Some good things to think about, good points he made...but kinda let down. All the chapters leading up to it were repetitive, I thought. Anyway - I'm glad I read it, got some good thoughts & facts from it, but alas, it didn't give me any new formula to turn my life around.

I'm just trying to control myself. That's key, I think. Sometimes better than others. With my young adult children soon to be with me on a more regular basis, I really need to stay tuned in.

It's late and I just wanted to check in - glad to hear the updates from the others here. Hope this thread stays strong! It's good to just share -

[sunshinedaisies]

New here and starting Topa and with a question

Hi there everyone - well, so much for coming and posting yesterday! I seem to be spending more and more time on this web site these days !! Anyway - sorry I didn't get to get back here but here I am!!

Hi Houtx - yes, the Carr book is just repitition, but that is how the mindset is changed - it did change mine totally! I know that I will not drink again - I go back to the book and re-read the bits I have highlighted or underlined - for me, it really was excellent - no, there are no magic words - but there are not going to be are there?

Wildflowers - so sorry about your struggle to find Topa - I understand your reluctance to get it on-line. I am not sure that I would have the nerve to buy a drug on-line but have been lucky enough that my doc will prescribe it for me. I would also be worried about telling docs that i was taking something I had got on-line. Have you tried L-Glut and the Kudzu that you get here? The L-Glut really helped me in my first few days of quitting and really took away any cravings - well, that and the Kudzu - don't really know which was working but I had no cravings at all. I have to get up to such a high dose of Topa for it to work for me that although I am on Topa, it isn't that which is working for me these days! But taking 2 tsps of L-Glut in water three times a day, plus the Kudzu - well, all I can say is that I had no cravings. It is worth a try anyway.

Blondie - hi there - the headaches might go away - often with topa, the SE's do go away. i have no SE's with it now but have been on it for ages. If I did get Se's, I stayed on that dosage and found that they did go away. I really hope that the headaches go away for you. The Topa is great stuff when it works. The first time round when I took it, it was awesome. Worked really well. Then I stopped taking it and that was the biggest mistake I could have made - took me another year and a half to get to the quit point again. Anyway, I do hope that you get to feeling better on it. Nice to have you here with us anyway!!

Play - so happy that your daughters baby is okay! I bet you are all so relieved! Re the Topa - yes, I too am hoping that when you get back and start taking it again, it works as well for you. Are you drinking more now that the cravings are coming back? Try to hang in there and remember the good feelings that you had when you don't drink as much...... I so hope it works as well for you again - just start at the 25mg again. I jump started it once going in at a higher dose - not a good thing to do.

Midnight, shushu, Mommy, Mtn - where are you all - please come and post - let us know how you are doing - hope you are all doing well......

Anyway - hugs to all, have a wonderful day,

sun X

[2Run]

New here and starting Topa and with a question

Hi Guys-
I haven't posted on here in a long time. I hope you are all well - will read back through recent posts to catch up.
So...I first went on Topa in September of 2010 for migraines and problem drinking. I was/am fully functional -- mom to two small girls, never drink when they are awake, just for a few hours at night, no hard AL, marathoner, happily married etc. I only lasted about a month the first time I went on the Topa bc of irritibility, topa dopa etc. It did help the AL a little the first time and I lost about 10 pounds but gained them back when I went off. Migraines completely went away.
I went back on in March of 2011 and a lot of the SEs went away after the first couple of months. I got up to a dose of 150mg and stayed there. By August I had lost 30# and felt great. My marathon times got faster and I was/am in the best shape of my life. We took a trip to Scotland (live in the US) in June of 2011 and my dosage was sort of all over the place. I would forget to take it, take more, take it at funky times etc. By September of 2011 my hair started to fall out BIG TIME. When all was said and done, I had lost at least half my hair. I was seeing regrowth but the loss was continuing so I freaked out and weaned off the Topa in November of 2011. The hair loss stopped this January. I've gained back about 5# but am drinking again. My questions:
For those of you who have been on it more than once and experienced hair loss, did it happen both times?
Could my wacky dosing during our trip have caused a lot of stress to my body and contributed to my hair loss? I've read that loss usually occurs 2-3 months after a "trauma" which would fit.
I got bad about my supplements after the first 3 months on topa. Basically wasn't taking many from June on. If I went back on and was really careful about supplements, would it go differently for me?
I definitely feel better without the topa in my system, and weaning off was REALLY bad as I had major SEs every time I decreased and the hair loss was just not worth it for me.
Anyway, sorry to barge in with a novel and a bunch of questions. :thanks:

[jimmyjam]

New here and starting Topa and with a question

Had somhe success with bac but side effects were too much. I have been trying to find titration schedule for topa as i got my dr. To prescribe it but can't seem to find the reccomended dosage. Help!! Thanks

[sunshinedaisies]

New here and starting Topa and with a question

Morning ! Jimmmy - the first week you take 25mg in the morning. I know the titration schedule is on this thread somewhere - LOL - but I can write it out again for you - have to leave for work in a few so will do it later, okay? But you stay on the 25 for the first week anyway.... and welcome and good luck !! Good to see you here!

2Run - hi there welcome back! I do indeed remember you. I had no trouble with hair loss at all - I didn't even know until I read it on here ages ago that it could be a SE. I am so sorry that you had such a lot of trouble with it. Yes, I suppose the stress could have caused it - but I really don't know. it sounds to me as if that is one of the SE's for you. I am so sorry - I can't remember who else it was that had that problem - unless it was you I am thinking of. I have no idea what you can do - there are some meds that you can take for hair loss - a friend at work takes a blood pressure med in a low dose (from her doc) for thinning hair and also Rogaine. I don't know if it would be worth it for you..... If you read back, you will see I had great success with L-Glut and the Kudzu that they sell here - I had no cravings and the L-Glut (I think) played a huge role in that....... good luck with whatever you decide to do :l

Hugs to all, Sun X

[blondie]

New here and starting Topa and with a question

Morning All

Don't usually come on here at weekends, but thanks Sunshine for all your comments!!

2 Run - I had a bit of hair loss last time around with this; quite noticeable for me (when washing hair, but didnt stop me taking it). Nothing so far (touch wood)!

My headaches are continuing, but yesterday was horrendous' I felt I was in some sort of withdrawal - heart racing, dizzy and shaky and blood pressure sky high! I went to bed for a while and felt a bit better but got worse when I got back up. I couldn't get hold of my partner and I didn't want to drive myself, so I went back to bed. I feel better this am. but it was scary!! I think perhaps it's due to all the other meds I'm taking this time round. I'm on 50mg now and it was great the other day when I tried to take a drink (my brain needs to catch up!) and I found it just awful and struggled to get half way through it. That is how I remember the Topa working from last time, so I am so pleased.

I can cope with the headaches (not so much yesterday's SEs!!) so will hope things settle down before I go back to my doctor as I am so pleased how things are going.

Just a quick pop in. Hope everyone has a great weekend. And thanks again Sunshine for all your time on this!

[blondie]

New here and starting Topa and with a question

Oh and Hi Jimmy!! Hope you find the schedule!