Posted by tired10mom on October 16, 2003, at 9:05:56
In reply to Topamax Side Affects!, posted by California_Princess on October 15, 2003, at 20:29:59
I've been taking Topomax for 3 years to prevent migraines. I must say, at first I had the same side effects you are talking about that I thought would drive me crazy. I, too, started at 25mg, but over time have built up to 500mg. The "dumbness" as you put it went away at about 125mg if I remember correctly. My doc just temporarily gave me something to help me sleep. I went from having migraines 3/week to about 1/month and now maybe 4/year. And I lost about 40 lbs.
As for the Zonegran, I don't want to anyone away from it that it might be beneficial for. It worked extremely well for what it was being used for. Unfortunately, a lot of times, people don't think about the fact that these type of drugs can and do have substances in them like sulpha that people are allergic to, that are more commonly found in antibiotics. We had a known history of a sulpha allergy in our family for generations, and Jennifer's doc gave her the drug anyway knowing this. Neither he nor the pharmacist told us sulpha was a compound in Zonegran or we wouldn't have given it to her. Now we ALWAYS request the drug inserts, and we know how to read them.
Part of being bipolar for Jennifer was never feeling that anyone really loved and accepted her. She was always working too hard to fit in. After going through this, she knows how many people really do love her and care about her. She has found that some people she thought were her friends really weren't. But she also found that there were more people than she new cared about her. People came out of the woodwork to see if they could help, if she needed anything, if she just wanted to watch a movie or talk. She feels more at ease and secure with herself without having to keep up a facade and be one of the "cool kids" than she's ever felt before. It's hard enough to be a teenager these days with all the peer pressure that goes along with it, without adding second degree burn scars on both arms and on your back and chest. Between her new friends, her family, her psychiatrist, and her "very cool" psychologist, she has decided that if someone doesn't like the way she looks, it is their problem.
Please don't give up, it is never hopeless. Over the last seven years, our family has been through some extremely tramatic and sometimes tragic events. But something good comes out of every situation. Sometimes you just have to look really hard for it. But more than that, you have to WANT to find it. Believe in yourself. Believe in your husband. Believe in your love and life together. Otherwise, all the meds in the world won't help.
poster:tired10mom
thread:241313
URL: http://www.dr-bob.org/babble/20031015/msgs/269954.html