Open main menu ☰
HealingWell
Search Close Search
Health Conditions
Allergies Alzheimer's Disease Anxiety & Panic Disorders Arthritis Breast Cancer Chronic Illness Crohn's Disease Depression Diabetes
Fibromyalgia GERD & Acid Reflux Irritable Bowel Syndrome Lupus Lyme Disease Migraine Headache Multiple Sclerosis Prostate Cancer Ulcerative Colitis

View Conditions A to Z »
Support Forums
Anxiety & Panic Disorders Bipolar Disorder Breast Cancer Chronic Pain Crohn's Disease Depression Diabetes Fibromyalgia GERD & Acid Reflux
Hepatitis Irritable Bowel Syndrome Lupus Lyme Disease Multiple Sclerosis Ostomies Prostate Cancer Rheumatoid Arthritis Ulcerative Colitis

View Forums A to Z »
Log In
Join Us
Close main menu ×
  • Home
  • Health Conditions
    • All Conditions
    • Allergies
    • Alzheimer's Disease
    • Anxiety & Panic Disorders
    • Arthritis
    • Breast Cancer
    • Chronic Illness
    • Crohn's Disease
    • Depression
    • Diabetes
    • Fibromyalgia
    • GERD & Acid Reflux
    • Irritable Bowel Syndrome
    • Lupus
    • Lyme Disease
    • Migraine Headache
    • Multiple Sclerosis
    • Prostate Cancer
    • Ulcerative Colitis
  • Support Forums
    • All Forums
    • Anxiety & Panic Disorders
    • Bipolar Disorder
    • Breast Cancer
    • Chronic Pain
    • Crohn's Disease
    • Depression
    • Diabetes
    • Fibromyalgia
    • GERD & Acid Reflux
    • Hepatitis
    • Irritable Bowel Syndrome
    • Lupus
    • Lyme Disease
    • Multiple Sclerosis
    • Ostomies
    • Prostate Cancer
    • Rheumatoid Arthritis
    • Ulcerative Colitis
  • Log In
  • Join Us
Join Us
☰
Forum Home| Forum Rules| Moderators| Active Topics| Help| Log In

scared to start topamax, again

Support Forums
>
Migraine Headache
✚ New Topic ✚ Reply
❬ ❬ Previous Thread |Next Thread ❭ ❭
profile picture
AngMichelle
Veteran Member
Joined : Apr 2006
Posts : 932
Posted 3/14/2007 6:48 PM (GMT -8)
My headaches have gotton so out of controll, I am going to start taking topamax agian. I"m so scared. last time I have a lot of relief with the headaches, but I had kidney stones, and congnitive changes.

I just started a new job, and I don'ot want to have confusion, or miss work b/c of stones. what should I do? I just got it fill, but I'm afraid to start it.

any advice?

profile picture
jphsr
Regular Member
Joined : Mar 2007
Posts : 21
Posted 3/14/2007 10:03 PM (GMT -8)
hello ang ...is the does a moderate dosage or a higher one
? and if its a higher one can they start you lower to try a keep your dosages to the lower limits? to mabe try to prevent the stones?...i am a new commer here so just curious?...
profile picture
kymark
Regular Member
Joined : Dec 2005
Posts : 86
Posted 3/15/2007 5:28 AM (GMT -8)
After a very painful bout of kidney stones triggered by topamax, I've been under the care of a urologist. He's got me on potassium citrate, but that was only prescribed after urinalysis to find out exactly what the topamax was doing to my kidney function. Apparently it does different things to different people, so don't assume my meds will work for you. If you can, I'd recommend seeing a urologist to get recommendations to prevent future stones. (You can get the same effect of the pottasium citrate by eating lots of bananas, but I'm not sure how many -- probably at least 3 or 4 per day -- at least it won't hurt!)

The other thing you can do on your own is drink huge quantities of water. Upwards of a gallon a day, if you can. The more you can keep your system flushed out, the less likely the stones are to form. My urologist thinks that, even more than the potassium citrate, is why I haven't had any repeat stone problems.

I don't know what say about the confusion. I'm getting less help from my current dosage of topamax and am thinking about talking to my doc about upping my dose, but also am wary of the cognitive problems. I've had a lot fewer side effects than many on this board, but I've really noticed some memory problems. But I guess that's a trade-off I'm willing to make if I can get some pain relief.

Best of luck,
Mark
profile picture
somedayishere
New Member
Joined : Jan 2007
Posts : 18
Posted 3/18/2007 10:30 PM (GMT -8)
Hi,

  I have taken topimax off and on for several years. I have not had kidney stones but  I have experienced significant weight loss and confusion and memory loss.

  It did not really help  my migraines as they kept increasing the dose to try to get it to work, but I was also on other meds at the same time. I can certaintly understand your reluctance to start it up again.

  Have you experienced good results from it in the past ? One thing my doctor sugested was to take the dose at night to try to minimize any confusion during the waking hours. Have you tried taking it only at bedtime? Hope this idea might help you.

Good Luck !

Melissa

profile picture
AngMichelle
Veteran Member
Joined : Apr 2006
Posts : 932
Posted 3/19/2007 8:20 AM (GMT -8)
Thanks for the replies. I did take it at night, had horrible dreams, and for example, I would lose my way home(i'm now making deliveries for a pharmacy) couldn't follow a recipe, would be angry and cry a lot, felt like I was going crazy.
I can deal with the stones, I think I'm most scared of the "going crazy" part, but then again, I"m going crazy with the migraines right now as well.
I just don't know which is better.
Thanks you all,
Ang
✚ New Topic ✚ Reply


More On Migraine Headache

Migraine Headaches:  The Basics

Migraine Headaches: The Basics

Coping With Migraine Pain

Coping With Migraine Pain


HealingWell

About Us  |   Advertise  |   Subscribe  |   Privacy & Disclaimer
Connect With Us
Facebook Twitter Instagram Pinterest LinkedIn
© 1997-2023 HealingWell.com LLC All Rights Reserved. Our website is for informational purposes only. HealingWell.com LLC does not provide medical advice, diagnosis, or treatment.