TOPAMAX SURVEY - DOSAGE/LENGTH OF TIME/SUCCESS

[Guest]

TOPAMAX SURVEY - DOSAGE/LENGTH OF TIME/SUCCESS

Hi I am a 5'4", 135lb female about to turn 33. I know abstenance is the only way for me and have been trying Topa for 3 months now without success. I started at 50mg per day and increased to 100 then tried 150mg. I get the horrible pins and needles in my feet and haven't noticed any reduction in craving. Basically I am ok for the first 2-3 days, start to feel better physically - go back to work and working out. By day 5 I am tense, stressed and hyper. That's when the cravings kick in.

New Years Eve was day 5 this week, I did everything - took the glut, had a hi protein dinner, had some AA tabs. Just couldn't not have a drink - which meant 10 pints cans of Scrumpy and the same yesterday.

Tried the hypno cd's but find it difficult to get time to do the relaxation exercises so just play the subliminal then sleep tracks at night. Am considering taking my ipod to my boyfriends then perhaps I can run the clearing/hypnotic tracks when I am with him if/when the cravings come on again.

[Fresh Hope]

TOPAMAX SURVEY - DOSAGE/LENGTH OF TIME/SUCCESS

RM and UK,
stay strong and keep posting.. I am thinking of you both...had 1 drink last night!!just can't keep ruining my health. Very helpful to me if I think about damage to organs, loss of cognitive abilities etc.
FH

[maggiemoo]

TOPAMAX SURVEY - DOSAGE/LENGTH OF TIME/SUCCESS

I probably started out on too high of a dosage of topa but I cut it down to 25mg but still had nausea. One night in the middle of the night, I woke with a nose bleed which I never have. Has anyone experience anything like that? If I continue with the low dosage, perhaps breaking it in half for awhile, is it likely from your experiences that the nausea will go away? I did read one post, can't remember who said that they had nausea but it went away after awhile. I can tolerate it for awhile but....not forever. I hate that the feeling.

[9Lives]

TOPAMAX SURVEY - DOSAGE/LENGTH OF TIME/SUCCESS

Hi Maggie - I got nauseous last night, and only after reading your post, am I making the connection that it might be because of the Topa (25 mg). It was very short lived though, and didn't stop me from downing a bottle of wine, so I'm moving up to 50 mg today.

Good luck everyone, let's keep this post alive! I can't help but wonder what the heck has happened to Paddy, who started the whole thing. He was so active for so long, I sure hope he's okay.

9Lives

[keke]

TOPAMAX SURVEY - DOSAGE/LENGTH OF TIME/SUCCESS

Back Again - Tolerating Topa better with supps

The New Year brought with it a new opportunity for change. This time I planned for the program in advance (holed up in a hotel on the second and third with the book, tapes, tea, etc,). Great idea. Once I got it through my thick skull that there would be some nausea, weakness, headaches, etc., by reading through these posts, I became better armed to make it through the initial detox. Am up to 50 mg. (25 mg. am & 25 mg. pm ) and feeling really good, other than some chest congestion and post nasal drip shortly after taking pill. 48 y.o., 5'6", 130#, female. Doc said she thinks I'll probably titrate up to 150. We'll see. At first had nausea, nose bleed, cycle change, fatigue, ringing in ears, electric toes and fingers, but better now.

Note: Was looking for quick fix and almost gave up when feeling sick. Asked myself, hasn't that been my drinking behavior? (you know, the quick fix for feeling thing) Will post when increasing dose. Thanks All

Remember to eat - it helps.

[keke]

TOPAMAX SURVEY - DOSAGE/LENGTH OF TIME/SUCCESS

Back Again - Tolerating Topa better with supps

The New Year brought with it a new opportunity for change. This time I planned for the program in advance (holed up in a hotel on the third and fourth with the book, tapes, tea, etc,). Great idea. Once I got it through my thick skull that there would be some nausea, weakness, headaches, etc., by reading through these posts, I became better armed to make it through the initial detox. Am up to 50 mg. (25 mg. am & 25 mg. pm ) and feeling really good, other than some chest congestion. 48 y.o., 5'6", 130#, female. Doc said she thinks I'll probably titrate up to 150. We'll see.

Note: Was looking for quick fix and almost gave up when feeling sick. Asked myself, hasn't that been my drinking behavior? Will post when increasing dose. Thanks All

[Paddy]

TOPAMAX SURVEY - DOSAGE/LENGTH OF TIME/SUCCESS

G'day folks,

The nose bleed could come from hyper tension, too. So you need to check other symptoms, which you had prior to taking Topa. Have you had any illnesses which the taking of Topa could make worse, so to say. It's good to check with your GP. Without panicking of course.

[Paddy]

TOPAMAX SURVEY - DOSAGE/LENGTH OF TIME/SUCCESS

One year after - A brief progress report from Paddy

So, after starting this post nearly a year ago, how have I been? Well, I'm now AF 40 days. I've been moderating since taking Topa in February 2007. Currently, I'm doing really well. I've been titrating down from 175 mgs to 100 mgs. I'm planning to go totally off Topa, I must say.

The other thing, which scared me a little, but made me look like a model, grin, ... is that my weight has dropped from 76 kgs in January 2007 to currently 64 kgs!! I shed 12 kgs. I don't know whether it is entirely due to Topa, but I suspect, so. I can't put it down to any other thing.

Anyway, all in all, (despite the side effects) the Topa experience has been a very good one, to get me off alcohol. But more importantly, I have a very supportive partner. I also was able to bring my life in order, avoid more or less occasions which could lead to loads of drinking. Even during my wedding, my wife and I stayed on tea, to everyone's bemusement!

Anyway, that's the update. Good luck to anyone taking the drug. Don't let yourself bring down by the side effects. They're really just temporary. And a small price to pay for kicking the habit.

Paddy:thanks:

[pinkpeppercorns]

TOPAMAX SURVEY - DOSAGE/LENGTH OF TIME/SUCCESS

vino_grrl;241095 wrote: I seem to be the only one still posting on the survey, but here goes! Biotin and selenium really helped with the hair issue, so that's back under control it seems. I kept going up to 75 mgs (still managed to have a lapse at that level), then up to 100 mgs (50 mgs am, 50 mgs early pm). I have one drink with dinner, enjoy it. Think about having a second. Never get around to it. Sometimes I don't bother to have anything @ all. So strange. At holiday parties, I do have the second. That's fine by me ... and the behavior I was hoping to achieve. A far, far cry from where i was (a bottle of wine a night; at parties god knows what I'd consume!)

Would you mind sharing how much biotin and selenium you used for the hair loss issue? I'm going through that right now. I have so little to begin with. Ugh.

[shushu]

TOPAMAX SURVEY - DOSAGE/LENGTH OF TIME/SUCCESS

without Doc

Hi RR and Paddy - I have 2 concerns - One is that because I'm in the UK, my doctor won't prescribe Topomax so I assume she won't supervise me even if I get it online. Secondly, my job is already jeopardised by my drinking so if I show up all 'dopy', they will only assume I've been drinking again! How long does the dopy phase last? Nobody has said this. Thanks everyone - this is a great site. Cheers, S

[Guest]

TOPAMAX SURVEY - DOSAGE/LENGTH OF TIME/SUCCESS

Just starting out

:new: I did not want to go through my doc at this time, so ordered topomax online. I'm still waiting on it, anxiously. I am a big wine drinker, got bored last night and finished off a large bottle at 3 am. I've started the vitamins and supplements, but wasn't planning to do the hypnotherapy. I do feel better, but still have no will power. Does anyone know of any long-term side effects of taking topomax? I'm desperate to change my behavior, so figure it may be worth the risk, for my health and relationships. Wish me luck, (and will power!)

[keke]

TOPAMAX SURVEY - DOSAGE/LENGTH OF TIME/SUCCESS

Update - And Good going Paddy!!!

As with any new drug it is hard to figure out if a side effect is from the topamax or the body detoxing. In the past i have been diagnosed with chronic fatigue and fibromyalgia, and depression. Now, I sometimes wonder how much was from the alcohol or if the 3/4 bottle of wine at night was my way of self medicating. Cfs & fibro was under control, but the drinking wasn't. It has been about 28 days since I started the program and the last few days I feel really tired. AF about 2/3 of the time and the most I've had is 2 drinks in one setting. Wanting more lately just cuz I'm feeling sorry for myself. Can't seem to tolerate more than 50 mgs of topa (might try more when this congestion goes away). I'll try more water and not forget the l-glut and gaba. JUST VENTING. Here for some encouragement. Will make appt. with doc if not better in a couple of days. Thanks!!! KeKe.

[cherizee]

TOPAMAX SURVEY - DOSAGE/LENGTH OF TIME/SUCCESS

This might interest some: I started the supplements and the hypno 3 days ago - still waiting on the topa to show up in the mail. I have not reduced my wine drinking much, but I have been sick as a dog yesterday and today. I'm wondering if the nausea is the supplements (getting used to them) or some weird adjustment to the hypno. Any ideas?

[babs]

TOPAMAX SURVEY - DOSAGE/LENGTH OF TIME/SUCCESS

i want to moderate. should i take topa? i dont want to take too many drugs. i already take prozac and have for years.

[greeneyes]

TOPAMAX SURVEY - DOSAGE/LENGTH OF TIME/SUCCESS

cherizee, I have to brush my teeth before my smoothie and supplements. Or I might loose them when the toothpaste gets to far back on my tongue. I have an easy gag reflex in AM.