New here and starting Topa and with a question

[sunshinedaisies]

New here and starting Topa and with a question

Hey Cash - welcome to the thread and our crazy group - it is lovely to see you here. it has been fairly quiet around here lately and we go through phases - but always nice to see a new face! Sorry you have been through a depressive episode - I do that too and it is just awful..... Space does too - well, most of us do, so we can relate.

Are you still on the topa? Wow five weeks AF - it is that long since we PM'd? How time flies!! Go you - that is really good.....

WTE - sorry I didn't get back to posting again last night - and I am off to work this morning - I feel woefully behind right now - with e-mails and posting here! Hope that you are feeling better this morning and getting your strength back bit by bit.

Play - I am looking forward to seeing the pics - HINT !! Sorry I missed you last night - it would have been nice to chat.

Houtx - I know what you mean about replying with 100% of ones brain - LOL!

Well, got to get ready for work - work until 6.00 today - not my favourite shift at all. MUST make some decisions re my drinking too.......

love and hugs to you all, and again - welcome Cash !!

Love, sun XX

[Piratecat]

New here and starting Topa and with a question

Hello...just starting here

Hi. I am new here and I hope I don't come across as an intruder in your already well-established little group.

I was a bit worried because I am on day 2 of the topiramate and after reading the book I was hoping the cravings would miraculously disappear. They haven't. Although I have noticed they have been considerably reduced. I have also been doing the hypno. The only thing is I still haven't received the supplements. I haven't done any exercise yet as I feel quite sleepy, especially if I have a beer. That didn't use to be the case.

Anyway, I was relieved after reading some of your posts that it has been similar to others, so I am not giving up hope yet.

It will be nice to be able to share this experience with others like me. Heck! It is nice simply to KNOW that there are others like me: people who are kind, intelligent and have many great qualities but also have a drinking problem.

It will be great to finally get out of this hell. For good.

Now I'm off to the petrol station to buy some beers:crap::crap::crap::crap:

[Kradle123]

New here and starting Topa and with a question

Good Morning Pirate and Welcome: :welcome:

Not being alone in this thing is the sharpest tool in the tool box for getting out.

I started the Topa just like you in 2008 - God sounds like a zillion years ago. I did very wel for a Few months and then I fell backwards with family stuff, not coming here, getting lazy. Now years later I am back on track. The Topa is about .25 a day for me because the SE for me are enormous. I am actually thinking of taking it I out of my regime all together and simply sticking with, LGlut and my sups, diet watching, exercise and most importantly ...staying on this site.

There are so any of us out there for all over the world it's staggering. You will ALWAYS find a post or a person whom you can relate to and perhaps pull you out of whatever rough spot you're in.

So Stay Close. :h

PS - Pop over to the NEWBIE NEST thread as there are many people startup out over there yet a lot of the 'Senior members' (these are people with over a 1,000 posts) fly in and out so to speak with perspective and experiences...

:l

[sunshinedaisies]

New here and starting Topa and with a question

Hi Pirate - and a big welcome to you !! Great to have a new face - Cash has just joined us too !! When I foirst started the topa, it took WEEKS AND WEEKS for it to work for me. some people are lucky and it works very quickly - for others, like me, i had to get up to 300mg and I was despairing of it ever working. but it did - all of a sudden - I didn't want my Guinness - and it was the oddest feeling - in fact, I was cross about it. My mind still wanted it but my body didn't. All that I had been hoping for had happened - and I was CROSS! But I got over that and actually quit for 8 months. Smoking too..... at the same time. then stopped the Topa, went for a while and thought I could have one or two - and the rest is history..... I am gearing up to stop again. In fact, today have started the l-glut and tomorrow am sorting out my supps. As you drink beer, the Topa should work better for you, than for those who drink wine (in my opinion), as it makes things in aluminium cans have a slightly funny taste - my soda intake went down drastically when i started the topa. I still only have one a day.

The sleepy feeling should go with time - if it gets too much when you titrate up, stay on the same dose for a while - with Topa, slower is better...... are you going by the titration schedule in the book?

lovely to have you here....... AND WHERE IS EVERYONE ELSE ?????????

I have been working my fingers to the bone all day and no-one apart from kradle has posted - I thought I would come home to a boatload of posts!!!

love and hugs to all,

Sun XX

[Cashregister]

New here and starting Topa and with a question

No I haven't been able to tolerate topa - tried it back in about 2008 - talked my doctor into using it as a mood stabiliser but unfortunately it stabilised me at "asleep" it's not really used for bipolar as not hefty enough to hold those moods at stable. I was at about three weeks AF when you PMed me so no time is not going freakily fast lol.
I will try and post more often but my dad is very sick in hospital - nearly lost him last weekend - and mum is coming up to stay here today for a while...Well at least my mood has lifted so I can deal with it all a little better. Hope everyone is having a lovely weekend so far. I am consciously not drinking at the moment because of my situation but I still believe in moderation - trick is not to drink in a crisis - or when manic! - for me at least.

[sunshinedaisies]

New here and starting Topa and with a question

Oh Cash - I am so sorry about your dad - I remember when I lost mine - it was 17 years ago but it might as well have been yesterday. It is SO hard! I was my dads blue eyed girl - my mum and I had issues but my dad and I were special so losing him was especially hard for me.

If Diz ever posts - she too is bi-polar so might be able to give you some hints - she used to post a lot and I so miss the Diz posts - she went from S. Africa to UK and is there now but she really felt the Topa helped her. She is going through a tough time right now but I am so hoping she starts posting again - I really miss her posts.

I do understand about the sleepy from the Topa - it did that to me at the beginning but I changed when i took it and dealt with it but when you are on other meds it must be hard. I commend you for not drinking with all that you are going through - not sure I could do the same in your situation. Are you near to where your dad is? I so hope you are..... feel free to PM me if you want to won't you...... I am off tomorrow which is nice for me - have all sorts of little odds and ends to do around the house but will keep an eye out on the computer and always Skype my mum on a Sunday.

Hugs, sun XX

[Cashregister]

New here and starting Topa and with a question

Thanks Sun he's a very special dad. He's had diabetes complications and now has hardly anything left of his feet and also chronic heart failure. He still maintains a brilliant sense of humour and a sharp wit which somehow makes things even harder - he is like a weak shell but my daddy is still in there.
Drinking would be totally unproductive now I need to be strong and especially not have hangovers (!) plus it messes with medication and when I'm not too stable to start with it's not pretty - so best to forget it for now.
And same here mum and I have the issues. Being an only child is hard too at the moment but my husband is a superb support.
we are only a half hour drive from the hospital so not too bad. Mum is soooo depressed so I talked her into coming up here ( I say up cause we are in the hills!!) for a stay to have people around her - she just came out of hospital with pneumonia - what a time!!
Oh well thinking of taking a holiday after Xmas, maybe to stay with some friends on long island and go see New York we are the type of family who can take weeks to see one city - art and culture buffs all three of us. Plus we might get in some skiing somewhere. Still will have to be last minute as we see how dads doing.
Thnks for the warm welcome and the offer to PM I might just take you up on thatas mum can drive me insane (er!!)
Cashy xxx

[NoraC]

New here and starting Topa and with a question

Hey all - it was 104? here today. 101? in the house. Miserably hot.

I started on Topa this week. Just moved up to 50 mg once a day. I'm still taking the antabuse so don't know which is working for me. I'm just trying not to drink. Period. We'll see how it goes.

I'll be back tomorrow when it has cooled down.

Hello all you lovely people. :wavin:

[sunshinedaisies]

New here and starting Topa and with a question

Nora - if you started on it this week, why are you on 50mg already? You are supposed to be on 25 mg for a week - just wondering....... how are you feeling?? With Topa you need to go slow and steady - haven't you been on it before? I thought you had? Good to see you my friend.....

Can't believe your heat - don't you have AC? Our weather has cooled down considerably - it was only about 74 here today - lovely !!!!

hugs, Sun XXXX

[NoraC]

New here and starting Topa and with a question

Sun - I started 25 on Monday. I moved up to 50 today. I guess I should have waited until Monday to move to 50. I'll take 25 tomorrow then. Should I stay on the 25 mg for a couple more days then? Thanks for the input. I was on it 3 years ago and don't remember anything about it except it making Diet Coke taste awful. :H

No air conditioner here. Think I better get a window unit.

[sunshinedaisies]

New here and starting Topa and with a question

Hi Nora - I suppose a couple of days won't make a difference but to be honest I would really go by the book - 25mg for the first week then up to 50 the 2nd week. One or two days probably won't make much of a difference..... but you never know - I always found with topa that slow and steady is much better. But the choice is yours..... plus if you are going to get SE's, they tend to be easier if you take it slower too. Nora - I am not telling you what to do - heaven forbid - LOL - you do what you want! You KNOW me ! It is up to you.....

love and hugs,

sun XX

[playland]

New here and starting Topa and with a question

Welcome Pirate & Cash

Well Hello Pirate and welcome to our group and welcome to you to as well, Cash. Pirate, you seem to be totally new to the whole forum as wellas to our thread here and I want to just tell you that you are so welcome here, you are not intruding at all. Even tho we all seem to know each other because we have been around here for some time, and we tend to get away from constantly talking about Topa, etc., and we mostly socialize, we are nevertheless here to help when someone new comes along with questions about meds that we have experience with, we are a very open minded and welcoming group of people and have a hugh living room filled with easy chairs and rockers where anyone can make themselves quite at home and find a shoulder to lean on and a sympathetic ear and we most of all are here for each other without any judgement of any kind, post for a couple of days and you will be one of " the old timers", :H

So, my experience with Topa was that it worked very quickly within three days, at 25mg am/ 25 mg pm, took away all the cravings, it was a miracle, very few side effects. Then after a few months I was out of the country and ran out of medication and everything came back full blown. After ordering more medication and starting again I found that it has not worked in the same way. I has helped somewhat with cravings but I am drinking in spite of it. S, if you do find that it is helping, be sure to pay close attention and don't stop taking it no matter what, it does not work the same way the second time around.

Anyway, there is a ton of information here, glad you are here.

Love,
Play

P.S. dear Cash, will write tomorrow, so happy you are here, sorry for your dad being ill:h

Nora, better listen to Sun, haha

Hi kradle

Play

[spacebebe01]

New here and starting Topa and with a question

Hi all, I havent read right back yet to catch up so hello to Cash and Pirate, I see your both new here so welcome. The biggest and best bit of advice I can give anyone is to come on here everyday, I tried topa but had a problem with it and so stopped which really upset me, I would love to try it again, who knows.

I havent been posting much because I had the wedding, then that flu type bug, and then my internet went off last week and then I got very drunk on Friday, I started drinking vodka at 6am, WTF. Anyway only 1 can last night and Im feeling ok today but just not at all sure what Im doing over this drinking, I have no plan, havent been taking L glut, no supps regularly and also not taking risperadol which is for my bipolar so all in all I probably havent been doing myself many favours, so need to get my bum in gear and get back on track with them.

I have missed talking to you two Sun and Play, and also WTE and Dizzy in fact everyone kradle and wu as well, now Im worried in case Ive missed someone out, I always do when I try to list everyone, so Im sorry if I have itys just that with not coming on here much I feel like Ive missed out on so much and cant catch up. WTE how are you feeling, have you had your op yet.

Loads of love XO

[WaitingToExhale]

New here and starting Topa and with a question

Hi All!

First, WELCOME Cash and Pirate!

So glad you could join us and looking forward to getting to know both of you!

Cash, congrats on your AF time! So, you are not taking Topa now? I too would get very sleepy on it in the beginning and when I would increase my dose – but it would fade in time. I hope your Dad is doing better … See you around campus! =)

Pirate, you are certainly not an intruder! Find a comfy spot on a sofa in our “living room” and join in! As for the Topa, TONS of information and support here. And ditto on what Play posted! Oh, don’t we ALL wish there was a magic bullet – but Topa DOES work for many.

Playing a bit of catch up in reading as I am still mostly sleeping my days away and tucked into my sofa in the AC getting through this heat wav – which hopefully is over today! Been awful and so odd and I’ve felt bad for Charlie as it was even too hot to keeps doors open for him and I am not really up yet to walking him.

WU: It WAS a nightmare! Yuck. And I can only imagine how much this will all cost. I am sure it is close to a $50K or 70K bill all in the end! My part will be the $5K deductible and then the balance of “out of pocket limit” I will have to pay. I am just guessing that my portion will be around $8K. UGH.

So yes, lots of blood work. But, I am not certain of all they checked for, so I’ll be discussing that with a DR. And getting a copy of the workup. I figure at this point I might as well go and get ALL tests done as I have hit the medical cost limit and have until the end of the year before my deductible “resets”.

I’m not sure who screwed up on the pre-op tests and telling me about them. But it’s very clear that this hospital and DR are just not on the same page – like that through this entire thing. Terrible and worrisome to say the least.

Sun: It does feel like all of this being a bit “in vain”, but I suppose they could not just stop mid surgery to do any tests to confirm anything. But I re main REALLY suspect of it not being there – I find it so hard to believe it solved itself without me knowing. (or the nurses!)

I’ll be discussing it more with the DR tomorrow when I have my stint removed and see what he says. I think I want another CT scan to be sure, but I seriously doubt the insurance company will agree. We’ll see.

Houtx: Crazy Girl! LOL I know what you mean about being 100% and we don’t want any lost posts! HA! How are you?????

Play: As I typed above, it WILL cost tons more … I know I am going to choke when I see the bill. HA! Thank goodness I have insurance, even if it is a crap policy. But this is why I have it – for major medical and if something really big happened. I already set up a payment plan with the hospital, but they’ll adjust as the final debt comes in.

As for my weight, it remains a major mystery and I need to get to the bottom it! My weight has always been about 127# - to 135# for over 30 years now. The only time that ever changed was my terrible run on Topa when I again lost so much weight and had to stop. Other than that, no matter what I drank or didn’t – my weight stayed consistent. And when I had stopped the Topa before, my weight started to come back within a few weeks. That is not happening this time for some reason. It concerns me big time …


Kradel: Always good to see you! I’m surprised you are thinking about stopping the Topa as it seems to work for you so well. But, I do know how tough the SEs can be for some people. You sound good! =)

Nora: Oh my – this heat! Crazy, isn’t it??? I think it was 106 here yesterday! Thankfully I have AC or I would be renting a hotel room for Charlie and I. Still, it’s hard for me to be stuck indoors and everything closed up. We are just not used to this! Hope you are cooler today. I bought one of those portable AC units a few years back and it worked pretty well. Was nice that you could use it in the living room and then roll it into the bedroom to sleep. A bit of a pain to have to change the vent out the window, but not too bad. …. And happy to hear the Topa/AB is working for you!

Space: So good to hear from you! Sorry to hear you had a rough patch with drinking, but we all know we just have to get back up and try it again. It is SO hard to get that damn plan back into place and working .. I feel for you as I have been there too. Hell, kind of there right now! UGH.

It’s tough to stay on the regimen of supps and All One and whatever else we need to be doing. I know! And the only reason I am being good right now is because I had the chit scared out of me with this surgery thing and now the weight loss.

Perhaps pick a day and just start with one thing rather than all the “stuff” at once? And then slowly add to your “daily dos” one thing at a time? It helped me a bit back when I was slippin and sliding a bit. I just seems overwhelming to blend and mix and count and and and…… I have to leave my All One and L-Glut containers on my counter where they stare me down everyday in order to remember them!

Hopefully your flu thing is all gone now and you can get back into some type of routine of normalcy again soon. (Whatever that is for us! HA!) {{Hugs}}

So …. All in all I am feeling better. I see my DR tomorrow afternoon and have this ouchy stint removed … and TONS of questions for him! I’m hoping to be back to work on Tuesday for a change!

I also don’t have a “plan” right now and that feels frustrating. But until I can get some questions answered about this weight loss I am afraid to attempt anything else.

I am drinking a few glasses of wine a day, but not anything like before. Then again, I am still on pain meds and sleeping tons every day – so that really makes a difference in my bad habits. UGH.

I hope everyone has a lovely Sunday …

With boat loads of love,
WTE and Charlie

[wu1969]

New here and starting Topa and with a question

Woe.. where is everyone? I have been on, have tried posting a few times, but have been a bit more quiet lately. Welcome Cash and Pirate! I am bi polar too, and have had some success with Topa. I have been considering adding a little bac to the mix because of another post I have watched. I ordered a little, but nothing much to speak of, thiking to add a small dose, like 10 mg. Perhaps, Quisas, perhaps... lol! I was waiting for space to see what she is doing. There is seemingly some study in Australia where they may be taking topa and bac but in smaller doses. right now i am taking the topa at 25 mg, and will add a morning dose tomorrow to make it 50. Maybe I will get some of plays magic!
As far as being bi polar, i am not sure if I went up on Topa too quickly. I did seemingly have some success with lower doses, but was under a great deal of stress at the time. I also was not expecting topa to work at lower doses, so i kept titrating up, and had less success, perhaps, or maybe i was drinking over it, whatever that means. I was having a hard time on days at home when i was bored. Social situations were like magic at 200 and 225. When i say social situations, i mean drinking festivals.... which are very common where i was living in Europe.

WTE.. where are you? I hope you are doing well! Recovery going slow? Let us know! Lots of love to you!

Space... glad to know everything is OK... its no fun having your internet going out....i still have my wedding nails on, and they need a fill, and it has to be gel... and i am not sure if its the same over here. UUGGHH.... I finally got used to typing with them... lol.
I know what you mean about not taking the supps, i too have gotten lazy lately. I have been drinking less, but not where i want to be, and i have had a couple of bad episodes as well. Are you still taking bac, and if so how much? Sometimes i think i will just go on Antabuse, which i ordered as well.