Migraine

quote:

Originally posted by mbkb12:
I agree that no weight loss drug should ever be handed over to a patient with a "call it good" attitude. However, being an emotional eater myself, and seeing so many women with the same problem (eating to fill a void in our lives, or to feel good, or to resolve stress, etc.) I can't help but wonder of somewhere down the road a pharmacutical medication could be an AID to weight loss. Not the holy grail, mind you, because nothing ever is. But something that actually makes you see results and not feel ravenous while really, really trying to eat healthy.

I get so sick and tired of seeing diet and fitness experts on TV sit there and tell us "The answer is simple: eat right and exercise." Well, that works great for me at 25. At 42? Perimenopausal and with insulin resistance? Not so much. I could drop 20 lbs giving up dessert for 2 weeks when I was in my 20's. I was 5'10 and weighed 120 lbs. I weight 175 now.

I try, I really do. I know what I need to eat/do to lose weight. But it's very hard to run a household of five, work night shift, volunteer and do it all while my stomach is groaning, and I'm getting irritable because I am "eating healthy." And STARVING. (Or at least my brain thinks I am.)

As I mentioned before, I wasn't aware of the weight loss issues with Topamax before I went on it, so I hadn't expected what happened next. I found myself able to eat a small, normal portions of food and it would stay with me. I did not feel "hunger pains" nor did my mind obsessively wander to food within an hour of eating. For me, this is HUGE.
For the first time in many, many years I felt like I could treat food like a "normal" person does. Eat at regular intervals, but it didn't rule me. I am in control. I am that person I usually envied. The one who could eat half of what was on the plate and take the other half home. The one who could drive by Krispy Kreme and not give a hoot. The one who passed up birthday cake at work without a second thought.

18 lbs. lost without any angst or anguish. And I am going to the gym doing cardio and weights. I have the energy to do so. I didn't before. (Mostly because of the headaches. But I was also sluggish due to eating wrong.)

I guess my perspective is different on this. I wish others could experience this as I have. There are down sides. I've had some expressive aphasia and that scares me. But I suppose it's a trade off.

No, this is not any sort of wonder drug for weight loss. And some of the side effects are pretty uncomfortable for certain individuals. But I can't help but wonder if maybe whatever it is in Topamax that makes me feel "normal" about food might actually be a good thing for some of us. It's pretty liberating to not feel I should reach for the Oreos after I get off the phone with my Mother.

quote:

Originally posted by NS:
IMO (?) Yes the tingling is that bad. And like I said it interfers with my lifestyle. When I called the doctor about the tingling and the breathing her nurse said nothing about potassium or that there were complications of respitory problems. I feel really mislead. I have been trying for so long to get the right kind of help. I am now 41 and have been dealing with this since I was a child. I once let a doctor inject something into my neck, which triggered a migraine that night, then he wanted to inject botox, I was out of there as quick as I would. I do acupuntunture, which has not made the migraines or the daily headaches go away either. At this point I am at my wits end. Thank you so much for responding to my question.
Do you know what ingredient is in Topamax that makes the tingling?

Teri Robert
Lead Expert, MyMigraineConnection
terimmc@helpforheadaches.com

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The generally long periods of time between my Migraines are the result of working with a Migraine specialist to refine my preventive regimen. You can see my current regimen HERE.

quote:

Originally posted by PhyllisMarie:
My neurologist has been adding in topamax because of my weight issues, even though Depakote has handled my migraines just fine. Some of us who have gained lots of weight on other migraine meds. may benefit from just preventing more gaining. That is all I am hoping for. I have lost +/- 10 lbs over the last 6 wks or so on, first 25 for 1 month, now 50 mg of topamax. The mouth sores I got when I raised the dosage have gone away and I am not noticing anything untoward now. I'm going to follow the neurologist's directions to the letter and take this very, very slowly.

Teri Robert
Lead Expert, MyMigraineConnection
terimmc@helpforheadaches.com

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The generally long periods of time between my Migraines are the result of working with a Migraine specialist to refine my preventive regimen. You can see my current regimen HERE.

quote:

I would be surprised if the old problems with compuslive eating didn't resurface once the drug is discontinued. I'd *much* rather lose the weight as a result of having done the emotional work than by relying on a drug, or a diet, for that matter.

quote:

Originally posted by Teri Robert:
Oops. Sorry. IMO - In My Opinion.

If you said, I've forgotten -- what kind of doctor is this? Although, that shouldn't make any difference on what we're discussing. Certainly, if I can read the prescribing information and find potential respiratory side effects, anyone who's prescribing it should read the same information.

Sweetie, maybe it's time for a real Migraine specialist. I do know how difficult this must be. Been there myself. At one point, I was averaging five Migraine a week that put me in bed with the entire day lost. I went though all the crap with doctors who didn't know what they were talking about and didn't much seem to care. Getting myself to an actual Migraine specialist was the turning point for me. I probably average one Migraine a month these days and sometimes get two or three months between them.

Toapmax is a single ingredient medication. ALL that's in it is topiramate. I don't know what it is that it does that can cause the tingling. I'm not sure anyone really knows. That's the way it is with meds sometimes; we know there are potential side effects, but not necessarily why they happen.

You're very welcome. Hang in there and let us know how we can help?

quote:

Originally posted by NS:
IMO (?) Yes the tingling is that bad. And like I said it interfers with my lifestyle. When I called the doctor about the tingling and the breathing her nurse said nothing about potassium or that there were complications of respitory problems. I feel really mislead. I have been trying for so long to get the right kind of help. I am now 41 and have been dealing with this since I was a child. I once let a doctor inject something into my neck, which triggered a migraine that night, then he wanted to inject botox, I was out of there as quick as I would. I do acupuntunture, which has not made the migraines or the daily headaches go away either. At this point I am at my wits end. Thank you so much for responding to my question.
Do you know what ingredient is in Topamax that makes the tingling?

quote:

Originally posted by PhyllisMarie:
TeriRobert,

Yes. He left the Depakote at the same level when he added in the topamax. I had big problems trying to go off of Depakote when we tried topamax before, as I suffer from bi-polar II as well as migraines.

Teri Robert
Lead Expert, MyMigraineConnection
terimmc@helpforheadaches.com

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The generally long periods of time between my Migraines are the result of working with a Migraine specialist to refine my preventive regimen. You can see my current regimen HERE.

quote:

Originally posted by NS:
We found her from the Migraine Association webpage or something to that effect. She also had a PhD which we thought would be helpful since I was also diagnosed with "non-eplipetic" seizures a couple of years ago. I also had a hysterectomy a couple of years ago because of problems with endo. So my headaches have increased over the years.
I read the blurb about cluster headaches, and I have to tell you I have never felt so validated that I started crying. It is such a relief to know that somone really understands. Thank you. And thank you for your quick responses.

Teri Robert
Lead Expert, MyMigraineConnection
terimmc@helpforheadaches.com

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The generally long periods of time between my Migraines are the result of working with a Migraine specialist to refine my preventive regimen. You can see my current regimen HERE.

quote:

Originally posted by bev:
Hello, sweet Bella,
I was on 200mg of topomax for 2 + years I lost weight. Be aware that My experience is definitly Not the normal because Normally I have o appetite. Withthe top. It fell to the point that I had to force my self to eat. I was drinking most of my meals from a blender, fresh veggies and protien powder. Because I could drink way more than I could eat . The foods that I normally liked did not taste or smell good to me. This is one reason I got off of it. I did not want to get more mal- nourashed.