Just wanted to let you know that i increased the Topamax this past Friday night from 25mg to 50mg…woke up Saturday morning with similar side affects that i had when i began with the 25mg…and that is slight sluggishness, increased motion and slight cognitive issues + a little bit of light headedness. But they all calm down as i get on with my day. Other than that…no major problems. So i will continue on with this dosage for at least 2 weeks if not more and see where it takes me. I will keep you posted.
Thanks for the update Joe. All sounds really good. Now we just have to hope that it kills the MAV for you in time.
I had a sh*t of a day yesterday. One big massive aura really. Disorientation and anxiety all day long … even had this buzzing feeling in my arms. Then got on a jet and flew 800 km north. Today things have calmed way down but I’m left with neck pain and fog … and feel kinda lousy again. Never ends.
As I mentioned in an earlier post, I have had much success with Topamax for my migraine headaches for years now. I started out at 25 mg and gradually worked up to 100 mg per day - 50 in the morning and 50 in the evening. I have never felt the need to exceed that dosage. I also never had problems with my stomach or energy to speak of. The only side effect I had in the beginning was cognitive, and that was frustrating for me, and I have been having a problem with dry eye for some time now.
Honestly, Topamax has been the only medicine that has had any effect on my migraines in any way and I have “had” suffered with them for over ten years. I tried all of the post med’s - Imitrex and so on, and nothing. I also tried Verapamil and a Beta Blocker, and I felt like a zombie. I simply could not function. So, this has been a wonderful preventative for me. I do agree that it is important to start out slowly in the beginning.
I’m glad that Topamax is a success for you. I had to try out slow because i’m very sensitive to medications. I started out at 25mg of Topamax and the only side affects were sluggishness, increased nituib and some slight cognitive difficulities and feeling a little blue. Stayed on that dose for two weeks and increased it to 50mg. Again…sluggishness, increased motion…but what was most bothersome was feeling very irritabile. So i have had to go slower and cut the tablets in half. I went from 25mg to 37.5mg (for 2 weeks) and reacently 45mg…and still not help. So i am taking it one day at a time and see where this takes me. My doctor would like to see me reach a goal of 100mg.
…Again…sluggishness, increased motion…but what was most bothersome was feeling very irritabile. …
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Joe,
If it wasn’t for the irritability, I would still be taking Topomax. I had the same side effect, and I was never able to over come it. I had a saying then, a modified version of the one nerver left saying, “I have one nerve left, and you stepped on it before even walking in the room.” I really hope that you are able to get past this SE.
Brian…going slow with this medication (baby steps)…i think i will atleast be able to make it to 50mg. The big question is…can i make it to 75mg or to 100mg?
Brian…going slow with this medication (baby steps)…i think i will atleast be able to make it to 50mg. The big question is…can i make it to 75mg or to 100mg?
Joe
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Keep in mind, though, that higher dosages aren’t always better… especially not with anticonvulsants! There have been stories on this board on people who went up to 50-100mg, couldn’t tolerate it and when tapering down, found that a low dosage of like 25mg worked better than the higher ones.
So, some of you had major difficulty with irritability AND Topamax did not help your migraines either? Maybe it would help to ask your doctor if these side effects may taper off since that happens with some medications and then, once you are at the right dosage the Topamax should stop your migraines. Unless you are ready to explode 24/7 because the irritability is that intense. Do you or did you feel that it had subsided at all as time progressed? I can only suggest that you give it a chance. Try it for atleast one month, it will take longer than that to really get into your system. Then if it is going to work, you should notice a decrease in and then a complete end to your migraines altogether.
Karen…the irritability comes on only if i increase the medication too much too quickly. So that is why i have been increasing topamax at a much a much slower pace. Using a pill cutter is ideal.
The Topomax helped considerably with my dizziness and falling. Within a few days of starting it, my falling drastically reduced, and after just a couple of weeks there was a noticable reduction in my dizziness. I just had to quit taking it before I lost my job for arguing with somebody over something simple, or in trouble with the law for assaulting somebody, or destroying half of the stuff in my house. I just couldn’t control my temper. I did take it long enough to give myself a brief break from the constant dizziness that I had been experiencing for 18 months.
Well, I guess what I have read is correct, everyone reacts differently to different meds. After reading your latest postings I was really puzzled. The odd thing is, I am always praising Topamax because it has completely cured my migraines BUT it did nothing to stop my vertigo spins for years. Those have finally diminshed only recently and I doubt very much that it has anything to do with Topamax since I suffered with those spins for the first years I was taking that med and dizziness - when I lost my balance system, I could not even walk a straight line. It took almost one year of PT for me to walk without assistance, and I had been at my peak dosage for almost two years at that time. Very strange, indeed. Each of you may be better off with a beta blocker, that has a calming effect. I apologize if you have already mentioned that you have tried those.
How many people have had success with Topamax in relief from their migraines AND their vertigo?
Karen
How many people have had success with Topamax in relief from their migraines AND their vertigo?
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Topamax got rid of my headaches but made my other symptoms MUCH worse. I did a two month trial. Since my headaches are tolerable but the cognitive difficulties I had while one Topamax were not, I stopped the med.
Everyone…i am still on Topamax and have been increasing the med very slowly (using my pill cutter). Will begin 50mg tomorrow up from 45mg. Been on the Topamax since December 6th. So far no improvement …if the 50mg does not help i need to decide whether i want to continue to increase it a bit more or stay on 50mg longer or get off it completely. Have to speak with the doctor. I have no idea where i go from here after Topamax. I’m at a complete loss. I have tried so many medications over the past 16 years. This is very discouraging. I am still on Verapamil and that helps a little and one tab of Xanex which helps more than any medication i have ever tried.
(We should have an icon we can insert that means “I am not a doctor BUT…”)
Having said that I offer the following:
Joe, it’s only been, like, six weeks, right? In my ever so humble opinion it may take longer to see if the Topamax is gonna do anything for you. I know we’re not all the same, so maybe you can tell what’s gonna work for you & what isn’t in a short period of time, but it sure seems like we’re expecting the Topa to kick in & do stuff quick. I guess I just hate for you to stop the Topa - aka lose hope in yet another drug treatment - without being 110% sure it isn’t gonna help.
On 25 mg I felt pretty good … like there was hope. Seems like that was back in Sept or Oct. Now on 50 mg since Thanksgiving I honestly haven’t noticed much difference - side-effects OR improvements - since the increase. If it didn’t seem to take so blasted long to get off & on this stuff, I’d stop it & then start again just to see if I’ve had any change. I mean, being a woman of a certain age going through a certain ‘season’, maybe my hormones will change my situation which, in turn will change my treatment/meds. I’m supposed to see Dr. E next month … going to ask him about all this & see what he says. I guess I just hate to sound like nothing’s ever good enough. I mean at least my headaches are only periodic & the vertigo has practically disappeared. Still have ‘dizzy’ days, but nothing I can’t live with.
What I need is a drug to make the food triggers go away!
Joy…thanks for chimming in. I am almost certain i will stay with 50mg for a fair amount of time. All i want is for my Mind, Inside of my Head to feel Relaxed and Smooth/Normal again and not feel the Tension…bobbing/slight pultzing Motion like sensation. Plus when the anxiety becomes real bad feels like i can’t even think clear or retain very well…it’s like my brain is in a brain freeze of some type. So it’s all about my head…and of course with that said…now and then affects my equilebrium.
Joy…i do take one tab of Xanex per day (lowest strength you can purchase) and that keeps me sane. Without it…it is extremely hard for me to function out side the house. So i am very thankful for this medication. I would like to adventually be off the one tab of xanex but until i can find another medication to help me…this will have to do. By the way…i don’t feel sleepy at all with this small dose. Now at a large dose i am sure a person would.