how long ago did you decrease your topamax? and the brain fog is the same since the decrease, right?
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Julie,
I started at 25 mg at night for a week. Then I went to 50 mg at night for four days. I felt really lousy and foggy so I skipped a dose and then decided to start again very slowly at 12.5 mg a night for a week. I just went back to 25 mg for the past two nights. I’m feeling foggier today. Of course, I can’t say for sure that it is all from the Topomax, but it feels like at least a partial drug stupor and not just a MAV stupor. I wish I could take a few weeks off of work to focus on giving this an honest try without worrying about getting through the work day.
Thanks for all the insight you give, it is greatly appreciated!
Good luck Marci, I had that brain fog right at four days, and right at two hours after I took the dose that day. It was also during that time that I felt a lifting of my dizziness symptoms and that particular fog. Luckily, the Topa fog lasted only a few hours and has not returned.
If i were you, I would be thinking exactly what you are. What’s going on? What’s causing what? You’ll know more as you keep taking more I guess.
Hang in there, I’m having great result, if it’s the drug for you, it really does work.
how long ago did you decrease your topamax? and the brain fog is the same since the decrease, right?
— End quote
Julie,
I started at 25 mg at night for a week. Then I went to 50 mg at night for four days. I felt really lousy and foggy so I skipped a dose and then decided to start again very slowly at 12.5 mg a night for a week. I just went back to 25 mg for the past two nights. I’m feeling foggier today. Of course, I can’t say for sure that it is all from the Topomax, but it feels like at least a partial drug stupor and not just a MAV stupor. I wish I could take a few weeks off of work to focus on giving this an honest try without worrying about getting through the work day.
Thanks for all the insight you give, it is greatly appreciated!
Marci
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Marci,
I took Topomax for a few months and had to quit due to temper problems it was causing. (Not a common side effect I am told.) From what I remember, it seems like the docs had me going up a little slower than what you are doing. You may want to talk to your doc about the rate at wich to increase the dosage.
Topomax does have the nickname “dopomax” as it can cause brainfog in some people. I did not experience any of that myself, and actually started to feel very mild relief within a few days. If this is the right med for you, I hope you find the right dosage quickly, but not to fast. :lol: Otherwise, there are a few more meds in the anti-convulsant family.
I just pulled out my patient letter from Johns Hopkins. It says to increase Topa weekly. But I’m all for going more slowly - do you remember, Brian, how slowly they had you going? Also this letter suggest monitoring for metabolic acidosis and nephrolithiasis.
I just pulled out my patient letter from Johns Hopkins. It says to increase Topa weekly. But I’m all for going more slowly - do you remember, Brian, how slowly they had you going? Also this letter suggest monitoring for metabolic acidosis and nephrolithiasis.
Julie
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It has been about three years, so my memory isn’t clear. It seems like they had me upping the dosage 1 pill every two weeks. The first one at night, then the second in the morning, then the third at night, and so on.
Thanks Brian, you’ve been a real big help with me and my meds, first Neurontin, now Topamax. I guess I’m doing okay with my weekly titration because I’m cutting the pills into 1/4ths. As long as I experience no SEs and only improvement, i guess I’ll stick with it. I had a pretty powerful experience of brain fog four days into 1/4 of a pill - i’m sure glad I didn’t start out at 25 mg a day! No SEs since then.