Hi to all users of the tricyclic antidepressants just to be very aware that they can definitely cause the side effects that I have been having! I started Nortriptyline in 2011 (changed to Dothep 2012) to control daily migraine headaches.
About two months ago I was waking during the night with really awful anxiety & panic attacks - couldn’t sleep properly and got really depressed. My GP said I couldn’t be depressed as I was taking an anti-depressant(??!!) I was convinced Topamax was causing the anxiety, etc but didn’t want to ditch it after six long months slowly tritrating up to 100mg and getting such good results controlling visual vertigo/balance problems.
I emailed my neurologist who is in Sydney. He’s a great guy & am fortunate I can email him to get advice as I live 2,500kms away! His advice was to come off the Dothep and then try a SSRI. He wasn’t happy for me to add a SSRI/SNRI while I was still on the tricyclic medication.
So, I have been tritrating down off the Dothep and am now down to 50mg. NO ANXIETY - PANIC ATTACKS GONE - NO DEPRESSION!!! 
What puzzles me is why - after being on this med for so long it should cause the anxiety and panic attacks. Whether it is some ‘interaction’ with Topamax I don’t know. It doesn’t show up as being a concern. I always check any new meds, or get the chemist to do so before adding anything to the mix!
Barb, I can’t believe it. What a shame. I’m so sorry to hear this. How do you know it’s the Dothep, not the topamax causing the anxiety, panic attacks and depression? And if maybe its the interaction of the two, what made you choose to decrease the Dothep not the topamax, or was it Granot’s advice to do so. Have the headaches or other VM symptoms that the Dothep helped coming back as you decrease your dose? Perhaps you wont have to fully ditch the dothep, maybe just being on the 50mg aswell as the topamax will do the trick? What’s the next med Granot has suggested once you get the Dothep out of your system? Sorry do many questions. Good luck. I’m currently on 75mg Dothep, ugh it takes so long to get to that 100mg.
I agree with you…for I tried nortitryptyline with no other meds and it caused me to have terribly angry outbursts and very depressive thoughts. I do not think it is common and I wanted it to work so badly, but too no avail even after more than one attempt. So, I do think that side effect is possible. Well wishes…
Krystal
I’m still taking Topamax and no longer have the anxiety, panic attacks and depression so it’s pretty clear that Dothep was the cause. It was Dr Granot’s advice to come off the Dothep. So far I have had a couple of occasions when I’ve been stressed and had a bad headache and balance problems which resolved overnight. I will continue to decrease the Dothep and see how I go as my head feels so much clearer now and am beginning to realise just how much affect the medication has on my brain!
Dr Granot hasn’t suggested a particular med yet. I assume he will wait and see how I am before making a decision. A ‘down side’ is that I have peripheral neurosis and as I decrease the Dothep am finding that the tingling and pain in my feet in increasing!! I know Dothep was also supposed to keep that under control as well. However, there are other meds that will also work so hopefully I can find one that doesn’t ramp up my anxiety & increase panic attacks!!
Lpeers
Hope you find a med that works for you with minimal side effects!
Barb
These tricyclics are so sneaky. Amitriptyline gave me horrific anxiety. I’m glad youre feeling clearer, I think I know the feeling, there are some days where I just feel so muddled and disjointed. Fingers crossed the headaches don’t come back full blown, hopefully now youve knocked them out of their cycle they won’t come back. Goodluck with your Dothep decrease and in finding a new easier med that does wonders.