Migraine

Good point MJ--I do feel like 200 mg is way too much for me, but because the side effects are bearable, I've been living with it, riding it out and waiting for the new doctor. I can't really identify *why* then I think it's too much, I just don't feel right on this med, it doesn't settle right, it feels like a foreign body to me--I know I sound kinda crazy with that one, but it just doesn't settle well.

I'll be curious if the new doctor will try lowering the Topa dose first, or just trying a new med. I did feel a difference, although it wasn't the change I was really hoping for, it felt hopeful... maybe I didn't wait long enough at the lower dosage to see the full benefit of it before going up to high... good point, good food for thought. Something to chat about with the doc. It's on the list! Now for prayer that this doctor is a good one!!

When is your appointment with your new doc? I will surely have my fingers crossed for you that this one turns out better than the last guy.

Tomorrow! My nerves are insane. I've been debating how forthright I should be about my expectations... "Look, I'm high maintenance... I want you to explain everything. After you explain it, I'm going to look it up, and everything related to it and come back with anything I can't figure out. If that doesn't sound like something you can accommodate, say so now, because I'll just find someone else. Maybe almost everyone has 'headaches' but I consider my situation a big deal and seriously detrimental to my quality of life. I consider it of paramount importance that we work to change the situation in a timely manner."

I always get the urge to get pushy with my doctors... I haven't so far because in the end, I don't think it will really help me out, but I always wonder if being forceful and forthright would get me.

Hello. I am new here. I just saw your post. I have been on topomax for about 3 months. I have recently started feeling brain fog from it, but feel it is helping some. As for your doctor, I can tell right away if a doctor is willing to really HELP me, and if not, I LEAVE. I am so lucky that I have a GP that is WONDERFUL and he totally supports that I just left my neuro and is sending me to a head pain clinic. Anyway, don't be afraid to just say - I really need help, what are you going to do to help me????? That is what you are there paying for girl! Well, good luck!

Thanks everyone for the responses and welcome!

I hate to think that our wonder drug may let our headaches back in! I need to track mine a little better and see what the results are! My tingles come and go, but for the most part are completely gone. It's very rare that they creep back in. The absent mindedness is less common now too, I think. . .ha! It was abundant at first! So, for anyone new to the drug, at least keep hope that it'll get better. .whether you just learn to adjust to it or it actually eases up. . .it does get better!

Jade, I think my experience is unusual and not the norm, at least that's the impression I've gotten.

Tracking your migraines is always a good idea though! MJ and the others are definitely motivating me to do a better job of keeping track of not only migraine attacks, but a lot of my other symptoms. It's hard to discipline yourself, but that information can be really helpful. I just recently went off of dairy at a doctor's direction and I'm surprised how much better I've been feeling. I have acid reflux and I knew dairy could exacerbate things, but I never paid heed... and never tracked anything--now that I'm off dairy I can feel the difference! Just a small example... I'm wondering if I had tracked my food and symptoms if I would have put two and two together myself!

And now, a word from another Queen of Migraine Diaries about their value.

I've been keeping a migraine diary for years. And I mean, YEARS. When they were first recommended years ago, I was there.

Problem was, not a single migraine diary I found served my needs. None of them.

I had crazy sensations in my legs, sounds in my ears, terrible, bone-numbing fatigue, pain the bronchial tubes of my lungs, all kinds of symptoms that were undiagnosed and seemed related to my migraine attacks. So, I made up my own migraine diary on an Excel spreadsheet.

I listed the time I went to bed, the time I got up, what I ate, the calorie count, the nutritional breakdown based on the particular things I was following, the meds and supplements I took, every symptom I had even the OB/GYN symptoms related to my adenomyosis and the thyroid symptoms I had.

I listed whether my sleep was disrupted, whether I dreamed and if the dreams were normal or vivid, my blood sugar level (I'm not diabetic but when my father was diagnosed as type 2, I got a meter to keep watch on myself), my relative levels of panic, whether I had sore spots on my head, whether I had nausea, vomiting, constipation, diarrhea, or rising stomach, whether I had an increase in urination, and described my aura. For a time I listed my menstrual pain and bleeding. I listed the location of any numbness and/or paralysis I had, the level, and how long it lasted. I marked whether I felt like I had cognitive dysfunction, heart palpitations and/or chest pains, and blurry vision. And whether my sinuses were stopped up in relation to cluster headaches. Of course, head pain, location, intensity, and duration.

I notated this journal every day.

Now, not a single neuro or migraine spec to date has done me the courtesy of even glancing at it, but it did help me verbally describe the symptoms that helped them diagnose and follow:

• Restless leg syndrome (RLS) triggered by the promethazine in the Mepergan that one neuro gave me as a rescue med. Discovered that all the antihistamines I was taking were RLS triggers.
  
• aspirin allergy causing asthma attacks from taking it to treat migraine attacks
  
• fluctuations in my thyroid that needed to be checked
  
• adenomyosis that helped my OB/GYN make the decision for a hyster that was the single best medical decision of my life.
  
• Meniere's disease that ultimately disabled me
  

Migraine diaries are priceless. Make your own if you don't see one around that you like.

Topamax was marvelous for me the first time around but doesn't seem to be working as well for me this time. My speck has upped my dosage to 150 mgs per day and it busted the constant migraine I was having. I'm still having approximately one attack per week with pain about 5-6. I'm tolerating the side effects but don't know if the people around me are doing so well with them.