TOPAMAX SURVEY - DOSAGE/LENGTH OF TIME/SUCCESS

[periwinkle]

TOPAMAX SURVEY - DOSAGE/LENGTH OF TIME/SUCCESS

Great thread. I read a lot of the posts but there are so many I admit I did not read all of them. I am considering topamax. I don't have the book yet and I won't persue the tmax until I have read it. I do suffer from migraine headaches and have a bad one today. I'm thinking that when I'm ready I will approach my dr from that angle. I'm not keen on the idea of having alcohol related issues in my medical record. Big Brother has gotten bigger in the past decade and that just really bothers me.

But here is my problem, I have been given other anti-seizure meds in the past as migraine preventatives. I did not do well with the side effects. I felt weird (can't even remember the specifics). While it wasn't my current Dr who prescribed that in the past he is aware that I did not want a med that would cause similar side effects. So if I go to him now asking for tmax he may question that. I trust him enough to discuss AL off the record and to try the tmax under the migraine prevention and will go there if I need to. The latest med he prescribed for migraine prevention caused me to gain back the 20 lbs I had spent 2 years loosing. I stopped taking it because of the weight gain. So that would be another really good reason to try the tmax.

Wow I think just through this "blog" I've already answered any questions that I was going to aks on this thread.

BTW I am female, 48 yrs; 5'-7"; currently 158 lb. I want to be at about 140 lb.

I guess I just need to read the MWO book. Then think about the tmax and its potential side effects.

[Cinders]

TOPAMAX SURVEY - DOSAGE/LENGTH OF TIME/SUCCESS

Periwinkle.

I am taking Gabapentin (Neurontin) for some neurapthy.

I, too, suffer bad side effects from it. However, I think like the Topa, if you titrate up very very slowly, it minimizes the effect.

I believe Paddy said the cognitive issues from Topa went away after about a month.

Good luck!!
Cindi

[Larisa]

TOPAMAX SURVEY - DOSAGE/LENGTH OF TIME/SUCCESS

Samantha, the stuff RJ recommended, Adrafinil, worked great for me for the fog. I got it at Adrafinil (Olmifon) 40x300mg Tablets Biogenesis AntiAging. I took 2 at a time. It also gave me a little mood lift.

[elenitak]

TOPAMAX SURVEY - DOSAGE/LENGTH OF TIME/SUCCESS

Hi everyone,
Here are my stats. I am 5 foot six inches and 145 lbs. I started with the program outlined in the book on Sept. 16 (25 mgs.) and did not notice a disdain for alcohol until Oct. 2 which was 75 mg.

My only real side effect is head aches because when I forget to eat because I really have NO appetite and I actually have bouts of real euphoria! I can't believe this medication! I did bump up to 100 but I'm meeting with my doc on Tues. and might go down to 75 mg.

I've lost 5 lbs. and I'd like to lose 10 more. Why doesn't the media know about this drug?

Eileen

[BecomingMeAtLast]

TOPAMAX SURVEY - DOSAGE/LENGTH OF TIME/SUCCESS

I am 5'6" and weigh 152. I'm using the MWO guidlines and am up to 75mg per day (25 in am and 50 afternoon). I feel very little side effects, some tiredness. Have lost 16 lbs. and have noticed reduced cravings. I will continue with the program. Nice thread. :goodjob:

[WaitingToExhale]

TOPAMAX SURVEY - DOSAGE/LENGTH OF TIME/SUCCESS

Quick Update:

Finding Topa to be my missing piece of the puzzle!

Now on day 37 and at 125mg.

5'9" and 126#. Feel better at 130-135# Lost a few pounds from no appetite, but the last week my appetitive has come back a bit more. Also working out more and building muscle = weight gain.

No side effects except finger tingles once in a great while. Still waiting for red wine to taste bad, and it doesn't. No brain fog, but that may be because I am blonde and don't notice it.

Have gone from 2 Plus bottles of wine per night (and other stuff on weekends) for over 20 years, to 2 glasses of wine a night maximum. Blew it slightly 5 times in the 37 days, but only by a couple of glasses.

HAD TWO AF DAYS LAST WEEK! Without any pain! It's been years!

AND .... HAD an AF Sunday yesterday! WOW!

I wish everyone could take Topa. I was so sacred to try this, and I am so happy I finally got the nerve to do it. Now I have to start stringing the AF days together. My baby steps are working!

[Larisa]

TOPAMAX SURVEY - DOSAGE/LENGTH OF TIME/SUCCESS

WTE,

I told everyone red wine was going to taste terrible on topa, and now it seems that that effect might be particular to me. Sorry about that! Seems to taste the same to everyone else! Tastes like putrefied rat shit to me, which is probably a good thing. Anyway, sounds like you're doing great - I'm so glad, and keep it up!

Best wishes to all of you.

L

[WaitingToExhale]

TOPAMAX SURVEY - DOSAGE/LENGTH OF TIME/SUCCESS

NOTE TO SELF: Never go back to drinking so out of control that you actually learn what "putrefied rat shit" taste like!

Larisa, you crack me up!

But I DO have to say, that going from Chard to red wine HAS slowed me down to a sipper. Dang I could toss back that white wine!

[Isolde]

TOPAMAX SURVEY - DOSAGE/LENGTH OF TIME/SUCCESS

I read through this whole massive thread before going on Topa. And now I think I've been on Topa long enough myself to be able to post my stats here also. I'm 5'4" and weigh 120 lbs. I've been on Topa for just over 2 months and just bumped up to 250mgs. I would've loved to have effortlessly dropped about 5 pounds, but no weight loss to speak of here.

While I noticed benefits even on the lower doses and was able to even have a few AF days and drink less on the nights that I was modding, the urge was still there. I wanted the magic switch effect that I've read so many people talk about. So I kept titrating up, which my doc said was perfectly safe, 25mgs/week. Oddly enough, once I got to 200mgs, it was like I had a huge backslide and it wasn't as effective all of a sudden. So the next week I jumped up 50mgs (my doc actually said it was ok to go straight from 100 to 150, and then from 150 to 200, but I still only went up by 25s all the way). At 250 I felt it kick right back in and started to feel like maybe my switch had been flipped. Suddenly I've had 4 AF days this week - I'm sick also, but normally that wouldn't have stopped me before, I would've just added honey, lemon, and hot water to my whisky! So I think I will hang out at 250mgs and put more effort into having more AF days.
I most definitely noticed on the one night I did drink this week that it hit me HARD! If you've read the drug interactions insert that comes with Topamax, you'll have seen that it intensifies the effect of alcohol. No freaking kidding! And the higher up you go in the dose, the more it intensifies that effect. I had one beer and one whisky and felt as though I'd been tossing them back all night. Makes it that much easier to drink less!

Finally after 2 months I feel the brain fog starting to lift. That's been the most annoying side effect for me so far. (Best side effect has been sleeping well.) I tried the Adrafinil, but oddly enough, every time I've taken it, I've felt even more stupid. It completely had a reverse effect on me. Maybe I didn't take it for long enough, because I hated the way it made me feel, so I didn't want to continue taking it. I tried it maybe 3 or 4 times spaced out, sometimes just 1 pill, sometimes 2.
Larisa, can you comment on that at all? Did the Adrafinil help you right away? Or did you have to take it a few times before it "kicked in"?

Overall I'm very pleased with the effects of Topamax and glad that I decided to give it a shot.

[Rolo]

TOPAMAX SURVEY - DOSAGE/LENGTH OF TIME/SUCCESS

Just starting out

Hey everyone,

I'm a fit 38-year old female old who weighs 55kgs. In fact, I'm very healthy except probably for the state of my liver :H. Been on Topa 25g at noon and 25g in the evening for 5 days now and I haven't really noticed a reduction in cravings. Have been feeling very tired and a little bit foggy. For an insomniac the sleeping has been wonderful! On Thursday, I'll up my dose by 25g. Let's hope it has the desired effect...

[Hope4Recovery]

TOPAMAX SURVEY - DOSAGE/LENGTH OF TIME/SUCCESS

Topamax 150 mgm daily now, fifth week

I'm a female 56 years old, dont' feel it, feel better now than I've felt in years. In my fifth week on the program, using Topamax illegally, ie., meaning, my doctor wouldn't talk with me about the medication a few years ago, so I picked up the book a few months ago, did the research, and am getting my support from my friends on the website than my physician. I'm going to approach my physician one more time with the literature this Monday and if he disagrees with my plan, I'll move on. I feel GREAT. I'm on 150 mgm, and it's a good dose right now. Someone earlier mentioned their "switch". At this point in time, it seems to be mine. It may change, I may need to dose up in the next few weeks. I had cravings the first few weeks, wondered if it was really working, had a few "oops" evenings. Used the tapes a few evenings, do walk the dogs, and absolutely love those supplements. Got the seven day medication minder, carry it with me everywhere, lest I forget. This is something for me, and I may not be a physician with the medical knowledge, but I do know the horrid cravings that are robbing me of quality of life, and I do know they are lessening. I know I'm free to enjoy family times again. I'm not willing to give these up and go back now, because of worrying about the disapproval of my medical doctor! So, carry on. Thank you all for being here, no further than my computer! Bless you all on this journey! Hope4Recovery

[DeeBee]

TOPAMAX SURVEY - DOSAGE/LENGTH OF TIME/SUCCESS

Great news Hope!!
You sound motivated and strong. I also had a couple of "oops" evenings when i first began. Learn from them and move on.
Wishing you all the best.

[keepwalking]

TOPAMAX SURVEY - DOSAGE/LENGTH OF TIME/SUCCESS

Hi all, great thread, please keep it going, I am waiting for my stuff and will definately keep you all posted right form day one!! Thanks

[Iris]

TOPAMAX SURVEY - DOSAGE/LENGTH OF TIME/SUCCESS

my doc has just prescribed 25mgs....will I need to increase that to get an effect? has anyone managed at that dosage?

[freeintexas]

TOPAMAX SURVEY - DOSAGE/LENGTH OF TIME/SUCCESS

where can you get the adrafinil?