July 6

[Guest]

I guess the honeymoon is over. I have done really well on topa. Never more than two glasses of wine. Never wanted more, really. Eased up on exercise, eased up on hypno. Still taking supps. Keeping the topa dosage low. Yesterday afternoon, I was really yearning for a glass of wine. Life seemed really boring. I was anxious. It was deja vu all over again. That's when I knew that the whole biochemical thing was real. I really did need to increase the topa dosage (I was only at 50 mg.), and I had to acknowledge that the side effects that I have been experiencing, joint pain and diarrhea, weren't going away. I checked the topamax web site, and yep, these are side effects of topamax. So there really isn't a moderation heaven after all. For now, I'm just going to stay the course. It's like marriage and everything else. Nothing is perfect.

[Guest]

July 6

Good Morning all you Lovelies. Had a busy work morning. fsophiah -- may I call you Sophi or Sophia? I struggle with the topa side effects also. I even stopped the topa for awhile but realized I really do need it. So part of this month for me is being positive & trying to find ways with supps & scheduling, etc to offset the side effects.

I don't know about the joint pain -- but I bet cv does . CV knows everything. 8o Perhaps you could drop her a line or look at her posts. There may be a nutrient that will help. Curious - is it in all of your joints or just some?. I have joint aches also. Minor arthritis, etc

I had topa-dopa & insomnia.. deadly combo ..I think I may have found solution by taking topa at bedtime. I definitely need to increase my dosage now..so hopefully that bedtime thing will continue to work for me.

I Know I need to increase topa because I had 4 wines yesterday & that was too much & I am way over my target for the week. I also need to get to my full set of amino acids after reading CV's stuff.

I am just trying to be positive this month & keep on keepin on. Only way for now seems to be this board. Thank goodness.
Later~Luv~Chrysa

[Guest]

July 6

Call my Sophie. I like that. Sophia is my middle name, and I go by Fran, but since this is my new life, I'll take the name I've always wanted to use. I'll contact CV about side effects. Thanks.

[Guest]

July 6

Hi Mods,
So I had a good day yesteday, did an ab day and tried to stay away from the sugar. Had a big bowl of cherries, that's good sugar isn't it? Read to the kids, the long story, nice night. Feeling edgy today. A little uptight. I will try to get in a workout at lunch. See you on the morrow.

[Guest]

July 6

Hey ya'll, Well I've kinda felt a bit "Blues-ey" the past couple of days... I don't know if it's the grey weather, or not getting to dance... with the only live music around for ages & miles!...:rolleyes . Guess I need to just grab a cousin & go for it anyway.... Probably piss off the Ol Man...but, hey...at least I asked him...

Yeah, Sophie, I'm startin to feel the honeymoon's over too...Sometimes I feel like a tye-dye, trying to blend in with a white starched shirt!8o We are quite a contrast....:eek :rolleyes

We're planning a trip to Vegas in August, (Hubby has a convention for his bussns. down there, for a week). I'm looking forward to it. But also a bit apprehensive. I know he'll have long hours @ meetings, and afterwords, I know he really enjoys playing black jack & drinking beer. He can do it for hours....

During the day, I'm sure I can entertain myself by the pool, people watch, shop, etc..., ..But I don't want to be sitting in a casino for hours on end, drinking & watching him gamble, winning or loosing...been there done that...:rolleyes

It's gonna be hotter than H*** down there in Aug, I'll probably wish I were home on the river!, with my dog!:lol .... Oh Boy, Not a good sign having these thoughts before I even start packing!...:rolleyes

Hope I'm not making a mistake by going, taking time off from work ... putting myself in that position, etc... I know I'm going to have to be VERY VIGILANT! :P :y

:h :d Judie

[Guest]

July 6

Hi All!

Hi Sophie! Yes, I have come back from the topa honeymoon, too. The good news is that you can titrate up and still get some great effects from it. But, as I have found out, our bodies can learn to tolerate some amazing things, so even with the topa, it is important to be careful about how much you drink with it, or your body will get used to that too!:eek :eek

I will say that I titrated down to 100 mg from 200 mg because I was starting to get sloppy again, even on 200mg. I have increased my other supps to help pick up the slack and they are working to help with the cravings--I had a normal night last night. Drank two glasses of wine, poured a third, and forgot about it. It was easy with my mother here--one of my problems is loneliness--At any rate, as soon as I have another several days or a week on the lower dose of topa, I'm going to titrate back up again. That worked for me in the past to get a jump start when I started taking things for granted. I was initially hesitant to post about this, because I got slammed for it in the past8o (not from anyone currently posting), but I'm not afraid of that anymore. I'm actually pretty tickled that the other supps are helping as much as they are, too.

At any rate, I had my interview for my "moonlighting" counseling job today, and it went very well. I just have to send in my references and etc., but I think it's pretty much a done deal!:rollin

Good job yesterday, frmca, and Judie, do you really want to go to Vegas? How would your hubby feel if you didn't go? Is it even an option?

My daughter is on her way up to Boston with her father to look at colleges. She says she is going to get a new pair of shoes and an outfit out of him! Normally, I wouldn't encourage that sort of behavior, but considering that it is HIM, I'll let it slide!:rollin

Gotta go back to work! Catch you all later!

Hugs,
Kathy:d

[Guest]

July 6

Good Day All,
Am rushing out the door to a Madonna concert. Fortunately I'm going with some girlfriends and I volunteered to drive as I was planning to do abs. I'm glad I did volunteer as I'm on edge, have very little down time in the next few days and that can set me up for mega quantities of wine. Glad I promised that I would be the designated driver.Hopefully by the time I get home it will be too late to have any wine. Will bring some calms-forte with me as want to sleep tonight(I'll probably have Madonna singing in my dreams all night)
Have a good evening all.I look foward to your posts in the morning.
Janet

[Guest]

July 6

July 6

Beautiful morning here in Aus. Weekend coming up so have to be vigilant. Weekends are my big wine temptation. Can anyone tell me if there is an upper limit not excedd for l-glut? I think it is really working for me and wondered how much I can have. Also can I take l-glut and GABA together?
Cheerseveryone
Maires

[Guest]

July 6

Maires, I take the GABA and l-Glut together every day. Actually, just started taking the GABA in the afternoon as well. (was taking it only in the AM).
This is an interesting day's thread about the topa honeymoon being over and all!
It's true, your body gets used to a certain amount, then you CAN certainly drink on it if you want to! BUT, as I have said a zillion times, I personally find it's not to the extent it once was. Sure, I can still drink a bottle of wine if I REALLY try:rolleyes , but used to be a bottle as a WARM UP. Like in the flash of an eye! 2 bottles was more like it.
I often think of titrating up on the topa, but I, too am worried about more side effects. I still get the diarrhea, but not as badly as before. The tinglies are not too bad. The fatigue is minimal, really. I don't want to get that stuff worse again!
So every now and again I have a few days when I drink more than I would have liked. I'm keeping score, and I'm aware. I just pick up, keep doing the supps, keep on running, and then have several really good days in a row.
Guess if I get to the point where it's more bad days than good, I'll bump it up. For now, the boards (glad to be back on!), exercise, aminos, kudzu (you know, I'm not really sure about it... the others I can feel for sure, but I ran out of that for a few days and did not really notice a difference...hmmm), are keeping me at a place myself and my family are comfortable with.
So that's that!
Planning another 8 mi run for Sat 7am and I screwed up the last one with drinking wine to offset my miserable girlie month time.... NOT this time!! I'm psyched!
Bec

[Guest]

July 6

Oh my...so many interesting posts..I am having a bad day ...

Jude .. I can relate to the tye-dye with the white-shirt phenomenon -- but have now been married 30 yrs-- yea-- guess that says something-- And mine doesn't dance either-- and how could I do that -- AND AND -- he is black !! Yea-- that's right - he's black & I am cooler than he is..or he is way straighter than I am -- Thank God. I guess...Ok ..there is the silver lining..but it is such a pain..I KNOW..he is not the soul-mate but the one on this path for this life...to grow, learn ..all that stuff I guess..but I hate him tonight

Ahh well..Ok..gosh this is hard...need help ..in my oh so typical fashion ..jumping all around I guess experimenting..not landing..rough ride..

OK..took my topa last night at 9PM after 3 gl wine. Plus took I think 1 (or 2) melatonin. At abt 10PM my @#%$ neighbor started shootiing off fireworks directly onto my roof which freaked me out. Husband out -- yay. Then had another gl wine & I must have taken 2 more melatonin. Slept great -- had a flying dream -- but woke today in a total total grog. Could not work (I work from home).
At 12:30PM took 2 olmifon (adrenifil) to try to be awake. Went to gym for swim, still in grog-fog.

Drank a BIG rum & coke -- woke up!! I have this liquor in the garage which I never have but it is from my daughters JD grad party. I don't know what to do about it -- but I keep going to it. I am pathetic. (Can't throw it out -- it is my daughter's & these JDs want to party again here) Ideas?

Only good thing -- did not want any more rum & coke -- 1 was enough -- Ok -- progress ...now drinking 1 wine...

Listen -- I do not expect anyone to respond to this pathetic run-on...it is just honestly where I am ...believe me...I feel very wierd about sharing this

And I apologize for not being positive..I really feel drugged...I wonder if my liver has completely whacked out ...or what?

Wait - my supps -- upped the Lglut-- that is all I increased.

I am sorry for not responding to other posts ... will do so later.

[Guest]

July 6

Hey Chrysa,

Now, you're not in the greatest shape, sweetie, are ya? But I swear, there's no judgment here. From your post, I guess you are probably being pretty hard on yourself already. From your post, you sound like you might be a THIQ kind of drinker (from the 7 Weeks to Sobriety book) if a rum and coke woke you up! Also, if you are feeling drugged, it is the topa and the booze. Topa+booze=feeling doped up.

If I can make a suggestion, maybe you might take your topa before you drink at night, even if you don't take a daytime dose--maybe at 6 or 7 pm--it might help you to drink less, but still minimize the dopa effects!:x At least I hope so for you, sweetie!

I had a great thing happen today!! A friend of mine from New Orleans called me. I had been trying to get in touch with this friend since Katrina and had given up, and he just called me for something completely unrelated and completely unaware that I had been searching for him... I had given up six months ago, so it came as a wonderful surprise! We haven't spoken in years!! But it was like we had never parted! What a special gift!:happy I am ecstatic!

Special hugs to all!
Kathy

[Guest]

July 6

Kathy that is such great news! Really happy for ya!:happy :h I love re-connecting with friends... especially, after thinking you've lost contact...what a treat!:d :h

Chrysa, your post kinda makes sense to me... I tend to bounce around a bit myself...Somewhat of a "hormonal Psychopath" @ this stage of my life...:rolleyes :h :P :d :c :happy
What can ya do? :hat :d ....Judie

[Guest]

July 6

Bec,
If you are getting the tingles get the grape seed extract capsules like they say in the book, I bought it and it really helps.

I think I titrated up too much and now my eyes hurt. Not sure if pinkeye though- but don't want to take any chances. I'm going back down to 100 and see if I can still keep to the level I'm at now. Not 100% satisfied with my drinking level, still a little less than half then before (sometimes better) but really want to only drink maybe two glasses and day and it's usually 3 (we won't discuss last night, fell off something larger than a wagon). I am thinking abs for a while after the NYC event.

[Guest]

July 6

Welcome Patty! You know we don't have a moderator here for July Mods. It would be great if you tuned in here. Luv~C